Belgium commemorates 168 years of Independence on July 21st

A Federal Kingdom

Belgium has been independent since 1830, when it broke away from the Netherlands. It became a constitutional and parliamentary monarchy, in which ministers assume responsibility for policy. The first King of the Belgians, Leopold I, was sworn in on 21 July 1831. The National Day is in remembrance of the taking of His oath.

Nowadays the different communities live together in a federal state structure. The present head of state is H.M. King Albert II. He is married to Queen Paola. He succeeded his brother Baudouin I, who died in 1993 after reigning for 42 years.

From space, astronauts can make out just two landmarks on earth: the Great Wall of China and Belgium. The illuminated network of Belgium’s motorways - a tangle of luminous threads - has been known for years at NASA as "The Belgian Window".

Belgium, with its capital Brussels, covers a surface area of 30,528 sq. km and is located in the northwest of Europe. It shares borders with the Netherlands, Germany, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and France. Because of its situation and thanks to the proximity of the sea, Belgium enjoys a moderate climate, with mild temperatures and regular rainfall.

Belgium’s favorable geographical situation is largely explained by the proximity of the North Sea and the Ardennes. The main traffic arteries pass through Belgium. The country has 51 km of motorway per 100 sq. km, which gives a total of 1,631 km. That is almost double the figure for the Federal Republic of Germany. Belgium also has the densest railway network of the continent, with a total length of 3,476 km.

Belgium has three main sea ports: Antwerp, Ghent and Zeebrugge, and two inland ports: Brussels and Liège. Belgian waterways cover a total length of 1,500 km and are connected with Rotterdam and the Rhine by several canals. Brussels has an international airport, which is the home base of the national airline, Sabena.

Belgium has 10,130,000 inhabitants (1995), which means a population density of 331 inhabitants per square kilometer. Two major communities live in Belgium: the Flemmings, to the north, speak Dutch and the Walloons, to the south, speak French. The centrally located capital, Brussels, is bilingual, with a majority of French-speaking inhabitants. In the eastern part of the country, one can also find a small German-speaking community.

Belgium is the model of a small, open economy. It is a real exporting country and ranks ninth among the exporters of goods and services. Export accounts for 70% of the Gross National Product. The main economic sector is the services sector. The commercial services sector accounts for 55% of economic activity, the non-commercial sector for 13% and industry for 25%. Agriculture and the building sector share the other percentages. Belgium’s currency unit is the Belgian franc. Its exchange rate fluctuates around 29.51/US$ (average figure for 1995). Belgium’s inflation is very low, only 1.5% in 1995.

Belgium is renowned for its painters. The old Flemish masters such as Jan Van Eyck, Quintin Metys, Pieter Brueghel, Hans Memling, Rogier Van der Weyden, Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony Van Dijck are world famous. Belgium is also represented in the greatest museums of the world by more recent painters such as René Magritte, Paul Delvaux, Constant Permeke, Henri Evenepoel, Rik Wouters, James Ensor and many others.

Belgium has a rich literary tradition. Maurice Maeterlinck was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature and who does not know Georges Simenon’s immortal creation, Inspector Maigret? Other famous names are Emile Verhaeren, Charles De Coster, Giudo Gezelle, Michel de Ghelderode, Louis Paul Boon, Françoise Mallet-Joris and Hugo Claus.

Belgium is undoubtedly the home of strip cartoon comics. Herge, Franquin, Morris, Edgar P. Jacobs and Peyo have created heroes such as Tintin, Spirou, Lucky Luke, Blake and Mortimer and the Smurfs.

Postcard from Chiang Rai

by Suzanne Dooley

The Province of Chiang Rai holds a special place in the hearts of many Thai people. This northern-most province is one of the least urbanized areas of Thailand, yet it predates Bangkok, Ayuthaya and neighboring Chiang Mai as the first capital of the Lanna Thai Kingdom.

Sunset, viewed across The Dusit Island free form swimming pool. Photo by Suzanne Dooley.

Chiang Rai is beautiful and has mystique. Half of its northern border with Myanmar is formed by mountains. The mighty Mekong flows down from China to form the eastern half of the border with Laos. The Golden Triangle is where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos converge.

The Golden Triangle area once had a notorious reputation for hillsides of opium poppies. Thanks to the concern of The Royal Family and the efforts of the government and law enforcement agencies, opium is no longer visible.

Both domestic and international tourists are drawn to Chiang Rai, for its unique location and geographical features, its luxurious accommodation options, its history and its peoples. For it is in Chiang Rai Province that one sees the famous hilltribes of the north.

There are six major hilltribes accessible by trekking, boat and sometimes even car, in Chiang Rai province. These are the Akha, Mien, Hmong, {Meo,} Lisu, Lahu and Shan peoples. One of these peoples, the Shan, arrived in Thailand as recently as the 1960’s after fleeing China and then Myanmar.

Women in different ethnic groups often wear distinctive dress. The Akha women wear headdresses intricately decorated with silver objects. Ruammit Village, an Akha village on the Kok River, is easily accessible from the city of Chiang Rai by long tail boat.

A lone fisherman on The Mekong. Photo by Suzanne Dooley.

Most hilltribe villages are commercialized to some extent. A trek leader who claims to take people to a village that does not have tourists is unlikely to be telling the truth or else very lucky. Whether one ought to go and gawk at people in their villages is a contentious question.

The delight of trekking may well be in walking through natural forest, rather than in visiting the villages. Choose a trekking company carefully. Is eating takeaway food from a polystyrofome container what you expect? Trekkers can sometimes trek for days to arrive at a village, only to find day trippers in cars and minivans.

The city of Chiang Rai has a mere 37,000 people. This is the laid back town of the samlor driver - Thailand as it once was. Visitors can take a samlor ride to visit one of the historic Buddhist temples in the town.

Wat Phra Kaew is believed to be the original home of the Emerald Buddha, Thailand’s most revered Buddha image, now housed in Bangkok in a temple of the same name. The historic Chiang Rai temple now houses an intentionally inexact replica of the original image.

Founded in 1262 by King Mengrai, the city of Chiang Rai is situated on the picturesque Kok River. This Lanna Kingdom was ‘the kingdom of a million rice fields.’ One can still watch farmers doing their labour intensive agriculture in the rice paddies today.

An Akha tribeswomen poses in her distinctive headdress. Photo by Suzanne Dooley.

Chiang Rai offers low technology touring for the tourist who would like to experience rural Thailand. A two hour elephant ride from a hilltribe village such as Ruammit, is a very leisurely way to relax. The elephant is not in a hurry. It is a time to relax and enjoy nature. While touring may be low tech, there is no skimping on the luxury accommodation available, currently at bargain prices, because of the downturn in the number of domestic tourists travelling.

The luxurious five star Dusit Island Resort graces its own island in the Kok River. It offers true five star amenities and stunning river and mountain views. Prices have plummeted recently and the Dusit Island is offering excellent deals in baht for residents of Thailand until October 31st.

With its large free form swimming pool and access to Kok River trips and local golf courses, the Dusit Island offers many leisure and touring choices. The Thai Food and Beverage Manager, Mr. Darm, has studied in France and worked in England and then New York for ten years, so there is an excellent Thai and international cuisine

Chiang Rai is an 1855 baht flight from Bangkok with Thai airlines. The route operates daily and takes just over an hour. Alternative transport includes a pleasant trip 3 hour bus trip from Chiang Mai on the new road, a boat trip along the Kok River from Tha Ton, or self drive.

Experience the natural beauty of Chiang Rai. Take a small step back in time to the pace of life in rural Thailand. Enjoy the luxury of bargain priced accommodation.

Chiang Rai holds a special place in the hearts of many Thai people. A leisurely holiday in Chiang Rai will ensure it holds a special place in your heart also.

Successfully Yours: Peter Currie

G.K.N. is an important automotive parts manufacturer newly established in the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate. The Chief Executive, Peter Currie, is a charming, contented, humorous Englishman. A graduate chartered accountant (a profession not usually associated with high mirth), Peter admits he probably inherited his sense of humour from his father. "My father had a dry wit, although my wife describes it as weird," he said with a sparkle.

Peter has spent the last twenty-four years with G.K.N. having joined as an accountant in the U.K. in 1974. The following year he went to Germany and lived there between Cologne and Bonn for a little over five years. "We had two children while we were there, some say it was the German air, but I say it was the German TV," he said with a smile.

In 1980 Peter and his family went back to the U.K. where he completed his MBA while holding various positions in G.K.N. He then returned to the German office eight years later, "...where I became controller of joint venture operations. These are joint companies we set up in what is now referred to as the emerging market. I was based in South America, South Africa, India, China and the Asia Pacific. So I traveled extensively, or as some would say, expensively." He laughed.

"I enjoy travelling - it’s a buzz, and yet it’s funny, I’m not travelling so much in this job and I don’t miss it. The challenge is different. I’ve been involved with G.K.N. in the conception of this Thai project. I got all the approval from our board, then it just coincided with both my sons happening to leave home at the same time. So I was given the offer to come out here and set up a plant."

"That’s what I’ve been doing since March last year. It’s exciting to be actually involved with the start up," Peter said. "We have about forty people and have almost completed the commissioning of our machines. Now we’re looking forward to all the orders from our customers," he said, grinning.

Peter believes the most important quality for success is "Thoroughness. You have to look at all the angles. Make sure you’re building anything you’re doing on solid ground. If you don’t have solid ground work then you can’t cope with issues such as you have now in Thailand, as a recession."

Peter attributes his personal success simply to enjoying what he does. "I don’t have a strong ambitious streak in me, I just enjoy what I do."

His recreation is golf. "I’ve been learning to play golf since 1980. I show signs of sheer brilliance at times but it is rather infrequent. What I can describe as flexibility, others would say was inconsistency. I’m travelling more now to relax or to play golf, though the two are not the same," he added wryly.

He considered a moment before telling his personal aims for the future, "They’re job satisfaction, enjoyment, good health, and reduced (golf) handicap," he said with another huge grin.

In addition to golf, Peter is proud to be a founding member of the Eastern Seaboard subcommittee of the British Chamber of Commerce. Recognizing that isolationist business attitudes often flourish in Bangkok, he says, "It is one of the objectives of our subcommittee here to establish a good business networking environment locally. We are doing anything we can that brings businessmen together down here on the Eastern Seaboard. I think we have been successful so far. We have had good functions and some excellent speakers. There are some good people on the committee too, so it should progress."

His final advice to up and coming business executives is, "First of all you must have integrity, this is most important. Then act with confidence in what you believe in."

Peter has the hallmark of a man with personal integrity, thoroughness and competence. G.K.N.’s confidence in him is well founded.

Papa Walter - Thailand’s Champion!

In a small town in Belgium there is a Thai Sala. That would be strange enough on its own, but this town also boasts a Thai Information, Meeting Place and Cultural centre. If that was not enough, a group of townspeople also run cooking classes for Thai girls, a respite and rehabilitation centre for destitute Thais, a support group for ex-pat Thais and is now organizing an educational project for poor Thai children in Isaan.

So who is this Thai living in Belgium and working so hard for his people? This is no Thai, this is "Papa" Walter, born and bred a Flemish Belgian from Koekelare in West Flanders!

Dr. Walter Holvoet, to give him his correct title, is now a 70 year old retired veterinary surgeon, but 28 years ago his life changed dramatically. A chance three day stop-over in Bangkok, on the way through to Osaka, has led to the most amazing love affair between this man and Thailand, the place he calls "My second country."

That love affair has seen him make 63 trips to our Kingdom, bringing with him villagers and townsfolk from Koekelare and surrounding regions. His enthusiasm for Thailand has been so infectious that he has received incredible backing from his town to start all these Thai projects. And his town has only 8,163 people! And Papa Walter should know, he has been the Mayor.

It has now been many years since Papa Walter formed the Thai-Flemish Friendship Association in Koekelare, which now has over 250 members in Belgium. The members, both Belgian and ex-pat Thais, have helped raise the finances to get Koekelare’s Thai projects up and running. These have been so successful that they are known all over Belgium, and Thais are aware that in Koekelare they are always made welcome.

The news of the projects also came to the ears of Thailand’s Ambassador to Belgium and he visited personally to investigate this amazing slice of Thailand in Western Flanders. Not only did he give it full backing, but he and the embassy staff spent many weekends relaxing in Koekelare’s Thai atmosphere, making it their "home away from home".

In turn, the accolades came back to Belgium from Thailand itself, with firstly the Tourism Authority of Thailand presenting him with a special Kinnaree statuette in 1996 and then His Majesty the King of Thailand honouring Papa Walter with a Royal Thai Commander Award in December 1997.

So is it now time for this 70 year old to settle back and write his memoires and retire from public life? That is only partly correct. Papa Walter is writing his memoires so the profits from the sales of his books can be used to help fund the Educational Project for poor children in Nong Khai (Isaan). He is most certainly not retiring from civic duties and is now building a Thai Garden in Koekelare, who’s central point will be a 3 metre high bronze Kinnaree, modelled from his TAT Award and cast in Thailand. This project is to be completed by the year 2002 as Koekelare is holding a grand Exposition in that year and Papa Walter’s garden will be "The window to Thailand," he says proudly.

He is also proud that Flemish people in Thailand are now starting Thai chapters of the Thai-Flemish Friendship Association and urges his countrymen living on the Eastern Seaboard to contact Collin Sparks (Fairplay Minigolf, Pattaya, telephone 01 606 4264) for further details.

Papa Walter is a remarkable man who ended the interview by smiling broadly and saying "After I die, next time I will come back as a Thai." If it is at all possible, I am sure he will!

Automania: Catching a Tiger by the Tail

by Dr. Iain Corness

Don’t know if you noticed the film and TV crew along Jomtien Beach road the other day. Big production with directors, cameras, a streetful of extras and a trailer-load of new pick-ups. Even used a helicopter.

This was all for publicity shots and a TV commercial for the soon to be released Toyota Tiger. This is the Hilux MightyX replacement. Tiger has a much more rounded frontal appearance than the Mighty X and on a quick look reminds me of the Mitsubishi Triton series. Should be a good commercial, though. Tigers coming down flights of stairs etc.

The big question is, however, will the Ranger catch the Tiger by the tail? Only time will tell!

Keeping your cool!

Thailand is a hot country (as if you needed me to tell you!) and the ambient temperatures can put quite a strain on your car’s cooling system.

For the vast majority of our vehicles, the engine is kept cool by simply circulating water around the combustion cylinders and pumping the heated water to a radiator that cools the water (as the air rushes through it) which in turn is then sent back to the engine.

This cooling method is quite efficient, but does rely on certain factors being optimal for the system to operate correctly.

The first factor is the water pump. Most water pumps are driven by a belt from the crankshaft. It must turn without slipping, so the "fan belt" needs to be adjusted every so often. The correct tension on the belt is when you can deflect the longest side about 1/2 an inch with finger pressure. Note, if you make the belt adjustment too tight it will cause premature wear in the pump bearings and seals.

The next factor to check is the radiator itself. It really is just a series of thin walled water pipes with air rushing past them. After a while, the inside of these pipes can get clogged with rust (like mud) so the heat exchange does not work. There is a very easy way to stop this happening to your car’s radiator and is a trick we use in motor sport, where engines can overheat very quickly. Take off the top radiator hose (when the engine is cooled down) and put about four inches of the toe of a nylon stocking over the outlet hose. Replace the hose, stuffing the excess stocking inside it. Now when the water circulates, rust and debris is caught by the nylon stocking and doesn’t end up clogging your radiator cores! Every six months, fish out the stocking and replace it. Good tip!

You should also run some type of soluble oil in the water. This will stop the aluminium cylinder head corroding and helps keep the water pump seals in good condition.

If your car is reasonably new, and showing no overheating signs, just some soluble oil and the stocking trick will be enough insurance. However, if your car is more than three years old and can get hot sitting in traffic then I recommend a total radiator clean-out (they have to take the top and bottom off the radiator and manually clean out the cooling tubes). Refill with the soluble oil and water and install a nylon stocking. You’ll be laughing in another three years!

Real Horsepower

There is a tendency to think that big horsepower figures have only come recently. The Manufacturers and the F1 Race Car Circus teams all vying for that small horsepower advantage. Special fuels, turbocharging, space age metals like titanium, incredible engine rev limits (14,000 RPM is not all that high today) and millions of dollars get spent to try to extract just that little bit more.

If I were to tell you that sixty years ago they were racing in cars which developed 650 BHP would you believe me? Well, you had better believe it! In 1937 the Mercedes-Benz W125 race cars were getting those horsepower figures with their straight 8 supercharged engines way back then.

The cars weighed in at 1100 kg and they put all that awesome horsepower to the ground through five and a half inch wide tyres (140 mm) twenty two inches (560 mm) in diameter. The drivers could spin the rear wheels at any speed in top gear, there was just so much power available.

These fearsome cars could top 200 mph in open wheeled form and did 237 mph with enclosed "streamliner" bodywork. They had some real horsepower and were driven by real men!

Autotrivia Quiz

Last week we looked at the emergence of colours in racing cars. The U.K. has raced in green, known colloquially as British Racing Green or B.R.G. for many years, and my question was, Who was the first in BRG? This was a difficult one, I’ll admit, and was the "Gordon Bennett" Napier of 1902 that first came out in dark green that became adopted as the racing colour for Britain.

And whilst we are on the subject of racing colours, some issues ago I mentioned the strange conglomerate called S-T-D, otherwise known as Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq. This Anglo-French outfit was headed by the effervescent Louis Coatalen in the 1920’s, who was an unashamed copy-cat. When the Italian racing red Fiats were the top race cars of the day, he went out, "poached" their designers and built a "clone" of the Fiat. It was so blatant that the 1923 Sunbeams were known throughout the world as "Fiats in Green Paint"! He is alleged to have said "Ee eez a wise man who copy wizout altair". His copies would sometimes be presented in blue paint and badged as a Talbot! So you can see World Car "badge engineering" did not start with today’s auto manufacturers.

And so to this week’s quiz. Which Mercedes team driver was one of their stars in the 1937 W125’s and was guest of honour at the release of the McLaren Mercedes race team last year? A free beer on me to the first correct answer. Fax or email the editorial office.

Copyright 1998 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
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Created by Andy Gombaz, assisted by Chinnaporn Sangwanlek.