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Tons of fun at the 4th annual Pattaya Orphanage charity soccer match
Both sides came to play!
Kids, spectators and players were all treated to great fun when the 4th
annual Pattaya Orphanage charity soccer match kicked off at 4:00
p.m. on Saturday, May 3, on the soccer pitch inside the Pattaya Orphanage.
The festive fund raiser featured hot dogs, hamburgers, plenty of liquid
refreshments, a rather nerve racking sky-dive exhibition, and of course four hot
football games between the Mighty Orphans and the Pattaya Drop Outs.
An awesome looking sight, the Pattaya Drop Outs
football squad.
The elbow bending Drop Outs wilted a bit in the earlier games, while the better
conditioned Mighty Orphans took full advantage of the conditions to score two
early wins. In game one, the Mighty Orphans never gave the Drop Outs a chance,
and went on to win 3-0. Game two saw the Drop Outs finally end their scoring
drought, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Mighty Orphans once again blasted 3
unanswered goals for a 4-1 victory.
At the end of the day, the spoils went to the Mighty
Orphans.
Mike Skeet, jump master from the U.K. and chief instructor for Siam Airsports,
thrilled the crowd during the intermission with a perilous jump in swirling
winds. Mike, who has made over 5,000 jumps, was nonetheless challenged by the
unpredictable conditions as he made his decent to the postage stamp sized
landing area of the Orphanage soccer pitch. Although his landing was predictably
a bit rough, he managed to land safely, much to the relief of the gathered
crowd.
Let’s not forget that it was the football
match that got all these elbow benders out to the orphanage for the afternoon.
When play resumed, the Drop Outs came out refreshed and managed a hard fought
2-1 win in game three. In order to keep their current winning streak alive, the
Drop Outs were faced with a need to win the final game to force a penalty kick
shoot-out. They did just that, but only barely, scoring the deciding goal with
only seconds left in the game to take another 2-1 victory.
In the penalty kick shoot-out, both sides had trouble finding the net. With both
teams presenting 8 players each, the final 5-4 score, won by the Drop Outs, was
less a reflection of spectacular saves (although both goalies produced a couple)
than it was both sides missing their mark.
The little munchkins enjoy interacting with the good
hearted citizens of Pattaya.
Although the Drop Outs went home with bragging rights of having won the contest
on penalty kicks, no doubt helped by the fact that they could claim as one of
their teammates Jim Steele, who won an FA Cup Winners Cup Medal while playing
for Southampton against Manchester United in 1976, the Orphans scored more goals
on aggregate (9-4) and were awarded the annual set of trophies. Ruk from the
Mighty Orphans was awarded the “Man of the Match” trophy, representing a solid
effort from the home team.
Father Ray Brennan (left) and Harry Riley deserve
much congratulations for the hard work they continue to do for the many programs
run by Father Ray.
The winning trophies were donated by Guardforce and Pattaya Sports Supply.
With all the fun that was had by everyone who attended, it may have been easy to
forget the real reason behind the games. Besides the picnic type atmosphere
which provides much needed contact between the children of the orphanage and the
kind hearted people of the community, thanks to a determined effort by event
organiser Harry Riley, nearly 70,000 baht was raised for the many programs run
by Father Ray Brennan. These include the children of the Pattaya Orphanage, the
Handicap School, the School for the Blind, the School for the Deaf, the Street
Children and the Stateless Old Folks project.
Ruk (left) is awarded his trophy for “Man of the
Match” by Mike Skeet, jumpmaster from Siam Airsports.
Organizers would like to thank the many sponsors who supported the event,
including the main sponsors Pattaya Sports Club, Ray (Papa San) Rogers, Siemens,
Pattaya Mail, the Diana Group, the Pattaya Hash House Harriers, McConnel Dowell,
Beta Clough, Orchid Trading, Pacific Consulting & Development Co., Ltd., Single
Handed Sign Co. Ltd., M.C.P. Trading, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Harry
Riley, Guardforce, Lipstick, and BHP.
This is what its all about. Kids having fun while
the grown-ups sweat it out on the pitch.
Many thanks also to the other sponsors including Beer Put, Pleasure Dome,
Pattaya Sports Supply, Jimmy Macs, Bill Jones, Classroom 1 & 2, Hare House,
Rodger, Bill Thompson, Brian Imrie, Ciano Glavina & Joy, Pattaya Business
Directory, Londoner, Andy Moore, Alwyne Lomax, Steve Rogerson, Team Glia Racing,
Mickey Noon, The Computer Link, Deepak & Sanjay, Green Bottle and Green Tree,
Suppamitr Store, Mick’s Place, Tahitian Queen, Big Chest Fast Hands, Pasi
Venalainen, The Sportsman’s Grill, The Sportsman’s Inn, C.T.C. Plastics, Jon
Wood, Austro Thai, Tommy’s Bar, Bill & Mon, The Penthouse, BEC Language Centre,
Ravut, Sky Dive Cafe, Pattaya Golf Society, and Mermaids Dive Centre. Many
thanks to all of you.
Golden hearted Father Brennan truly cares for
the kids at the orphanage.
Mike Skeet from Siam Airsports provides a few
anxious moments while performing a tricky landing in swirling winds.
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There are still plenty of
commemorative T-shirts left over, and anyone who would like to add
one to their wardrobe can contact Harry Riley, tel/fax: 720536, or
visit the Pleasure Dome on Soi Post Office. All proceeds from the
sale of the T-shirts will go to the Orphanage. |
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Reminiscing about the Eastern Seaboard of old
Forestry train into the
jungle, Sriracha (1950s).
The first time I went to the Eastern coast was about 50
years ago. A friend, who was an Admiral in the Royal Thai Navy, had a summer
house on a beach and invited us to make use of it at any time, and he would
give us transport. On a date arranged, my cousin & I with our children were
driven to Sriracha district in a Navy jeep, complete with driver. On
arriving at the beach house, the lady who was caretaker told us that she
knew nothing about our visit and perhaps the Admiral had made arrangements
for us to stay in his other house at Sattahip.
Being told that Sattahip was the Navy Base and not too
far away, I decided to go and find out just where we would be spending our
summer holiday. Leaving my cousin & children behind, and telling them that I
would be back in time for tea, I set off in the jeep.
Silhouette off rocks at
Moonlight-On-Sea Bay.
It seemed to be a very bumpy and long drive. Just before
reaching Sattahip, the road was blocked with men gesticul-ating at the jeep
to stop. We pulled up and after a tirade from the driver, who was a Navy
Petty Officer, we continued on our journey.
I had no idea what all this was about, but heard after we
returned to Bangkok that there had been a prison break-out and I was rebuked
for going alone with my driver. Needless to say, I did not get back to the
beach house in time for tea.
***
We soon realised that it was much nearer to spend
weekends along the Eastern Coast than to go by train to Hua-Hin. The highway
was being constructed and it was a rough drive in a small Fiat, with luggage
and two small but very restless children. Of course we got a flat & even
burst tyres. Once, we even had to leave the car on the side of the road. We
‘thumbed’ a lift back to Bangkok in a truck filled with sacks of sugar. With
the children, I lay on the sacks & if you have never experienced this kind
of transport, I can tell you, it was ‘sweet-stench’.
***
As we were novices at golf, we often went to Bang-Pra
Golf Course. In those days, it was a super course for beginners.
Accommodation was clean and not expensive. The small food shop provided
tasty meals and the children could run around. Within walking distance is
the Hot Spring, which was a large pond. Three families generally went
together and one friend said that he owned a part of the Hot Spring and
would like to show us the exact spot. Helpful me said that I’d seen a small
boat, complete with oar, near the pond. The ‘Musketeers’ got into the boat
and nearing the centre of the pond, the boat disappeared under them. Next
thing we saw were heads bobbing, limbs splashing and cigarettes floating. To
this day, we don’t know the exact spot, which our friend said he owned.
***
We once owned a Singer sport’s car. Driving back to
Bangkok on a slope, our son suddenly said, “Daddy, that thing running along
in front looks like a car wheel!” He pointed at an object whirling away. The
hob of this car was large and the car sitting low, we did not feel anything
amiss. At the bottom of this slope, the wheel was recovered and screwed back
into its proper place, and merrily we rolled along.
***
Just came to mind. On the way to Bang Sean there would be
rabbits, mesmerised by the car lights and not run away. Birds could also be
shot, using our son as a retriever. (I remember my Grandmother saying: “It
was much better in the olden days”... now I agree.)
***
My son-in-law owned a yacht which had a cabin. One fine
day we went together to Koh Pai, which was uninhabited. It was surrounded by
crystal clear water, had delightful small clean beaches and was an ideal
place to spend a night. It was full tide, so just perfect to cast anchor
near the beach. After a relaxing and refreshing time, having enjoyed B-B-Q
fish which we’d baited as we sailed, we prepared to retire. The cabin held
two persons in comfort and the men decided to sleep on board, under the
stars and moon.
As we in the cabin we lulled off to dreamland by the
gentle lapping waves, suddenly we were woken by drops of water. Two very wet
bodies were trying to climb into the cabin. It had rained and they were
soaked. By lying rigid like Mummies, we fitted as sardines in a tin. Next
morning, we could not understand why the cabin seemed to be tilted, until we
got up and went on deck. Did you guess right? The tide had gone down and the
yacht was stranded on the beach. It was ‘Heave to’ with plenty of ‘Heave
ho’.
***
On Plu-da-luang there is a golf course run by the Navy.
Back then the fairways were rather rough. The greens somewhat sandy and
water hazards placed in the most strategic places, such as in front of a par
3, or at the bottom of a hill. Like small crocodiles, boys would be waiting
for your erring golf balls, which would be returned to you for the sum of
one baht. The caddies were apt in attending to your needs...such as using a
hand to push you up the hills.
***
Having 5 rai at our beach house (now Moon-Light-On Sea),
one year we planted pineapples. It was a yielding year for the whole
district. We produced so many that we did not know what to do with them. Ate
them until we felt they were coming out of our ears. Made jam, used them in
curries, and even had our children take some to the head of the lane to try
and sell, at any price. No one wanted a pineapple. As a last resort, we
filled our Plymouth limousine with pineapples and brought them to our
Dispensary in Bangkok. We thought we would be able to sell them to
patients...Ha, ha! Not only could we not sell one pineapple, no one would
even take one as a free gift and like “out-of-the-frying-pan-into-the-fire”,
all springs in our beautiful limousine were broken by the weight of the
pineapples.
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Skirting the issue
There were Áo-dàis from Viêt-Nam, Kimonos from Japan, Dirndls, Saris,
Malaysian Sarongs, Lao Sarongs, Indonesian Sarongs and a muumuu from
Samoa.
by Jay Patterson
Many Thai people talk to me about the United States. I admit it.
I’m an American. Most of my life was spent in Southeast Asia but my
education was at the American International School.
That may seem to be a rather strange contradiction. But the curriculum
was American, every high school student, no matter what their
nationality, had to study American History for one year (yawn). One year
of American government was also a required (double yawn).
The ghost of what is left of this school may scream and howl, ‘Not so!’
But all the students got a lesson in what was what when a very dangerous
institution appeared.
The Mini-Skirt.
Back in the late 60’s, life was changing in Europe and America and long
hair was in for both men and women. It was the beginning of the era of
short skirts and bell bottomed trousers.
These decadent institutions filtered across the seas to Thailand and
“International School”. Mini-skirts were anathema to the school
administration. The students knew why. Female teachers were threatened
and jealous that their legs weren’t attractive enough to wear
mini-skirts. So they didn’t want the girls to wear them.
There was an irrefutable correlation here as the female teachers with
svelte figures saw nothing wrong with mini-skirts at all, and though
they did not wear them at school, they could be seen in the scandalous
garments during off hours.
A test was devised to see if a girl’s skirts were ‘too short.’ The
accused were sent to the ‘vice-principal’.1 She was made to kneel on a
bench and if the hem line did not touch the bench, she was sent home.
The ‘frontal attack’ approach failed. Girls were being sent home every
day.
This began to get really boring. But every community has its Susan B.
Anthonys, Emmaline Pank-hursts and Joan of Arcs. Ours was a 10th grader
who had an ability for psychological warfare so subtle that it made
Dutch anti-hijack squads look like amateurs. She was extremely popular
and got along with everyone. We saw her talking to all the Asian,
African and South Americana girls at the school.
Complacent female teachers sashayed through the halls like confident
skunks through a wolf pack. Then there was a strange silence for about a
week.
The next Monday she came to school in a Thai sarong. It was very
attractive and couldn’t possibly have broken any rules because it was
floor length. She was immediately called down to the vice-principal and
sent home.
All the boys at the school were confused. She hadn’t broken the ‘too
short skirt rule’.
Then the letter came out.
The body of the letter read, “As the International School is an American
business establishment, it shall be conducted as such. Mary Smith’s
wearing of a national costume not her own was merely a demonstration of
her unwillingness to comply with the rules of the International School.”
There was whispered talk throughout the halls. ‘How did she know? Well,
I’m not an American,’ said one of our Indian friends.
‘Neither am I,’ seconded a Korean girl.
‘Oh, I can’t, I just can’t,’ said a Kenyan student. ‘I’ll be arrested.
And my mother would murder me. If I were at home it would be okay.’
The next day, the bomb dropped. Every female high school student wore
her national dress.
There were Áo-dàis from Viêt-Nam, Kimonos from Japan, Dirndls, Saris,
Malaysian Sarongs, Lao Sarongs, Indonesian Sarongs and a muumuu from
Samoa.
The controlled, frustrated rage on most of the teachers’ faces was
thrilling to us. And it was caused by all this beauty. It also told us
who was who among the faculty, as most of the male teachers were
mesmerised and some of the women teachers were impressed.
No-one was called to the vice-principal and sent home. A faculty meeting
was hurriedly arranged.
The next day, another letter came out. The wearing of national costumes
was not forbidden. And ‘Mini-skirts’ which were ‘not indecent’ were
‘permissible’.
We asked our Joan of Arc of the Sarong how she knew it was going to come
out this way.
‘I wasn’t sure. But I thought national dress would scare them more than
‘Mini-skirts.’
‘Why?’
‘For the same reason they only allow us to speak English in the halls.’
‘What?’
‘They can make us speak English because that’s the official language of
the school. We aren’t allowed any secrets. They may not like
Mini-skirts, but they understand them. When the girls wore their
national dress, it made most of them see how much they didn’t know. We
took away their false sense of power.’
1 Nobody was quite sure what the job description was, but
the person was always a male and the only thing they did was
‘discipline’.
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