Royal Vega Rudder Race aims at Asian Games

Peter Cummins reports from Pattaya

The Royal Vega Rudder Trophy Race, the annual yacht race which commemorates His Majesty the King’s trans-gulf crossing in 1966, was sailed last weekend off the Royal Thai Navy Yacht Club and the new sporting facilities just opened on the Sattahip shore.

It was a marathon 52 nautical mile race, starting mid-morning in a cracking 25-knot north-easterly and finishing, for most of the fleet, in darkness.

The results bode well for Thailand’s team of sailors honed up for the 13th Asian Games which start in just two weeks at the same site. Wiwat Poonpat/Kitipong Kambang racing one of the Asiad classes, the 420 dinghy, were first, just two minutes ahead of the second Royal Thai Navy team, Thanakorn Khajitsri/Vorruit Vorrasan, also sailing a 420.

Only two teams from the Royal Varuna Yacht Club were able to participate, with Dave Wales/Gilbert Leemann presenting a total age of 129 years between them and a combined weight of some 162 kg., driving the Wales Enterprise dinghy into the half-way placing of the 19-strong fleet.

Elsewhere, Anders Widen/Pattaya Praking were 12th in the multi-hull Top Cat, unable to beat the Wales combination to which they were obliged to concede handicap while the canny Swiss on the Enterprise was calling the shots to skipper David, reading off sightings from his newly-acquired Geo positioning system gadget.

Picture shows the happy sailors: Front (L. to R.) Charlotte, Joanna, Ludi, Virginie, Fleur, Sam H. and Anke. Back (L. to R.) Sila, Damien, Sam P., Oad and Max, pictured with their race officers Philippe Paulhiac (far left) and Khun Somkiet. Royal Varuna junior sailing secretary, Linden Phanpho is centre left.

Furthermore, Gilbert’s adept handling of his GPS allowed him to find the co-ordinates of the bar at the Navy facility, locating it to within one metre accuracy. Unfortunately, at the time, the two men were still some 12 nautical miles at sea and the Navy bar would have been just as inaccessible if it had been on the moon. But a tow back to shore by an obliging Royal Thai navy vessel soon fixed that!

The Royal Thai Navy yacht club, training facilities and race management headquarters, opened by HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn last Friday evening, was given a ‘test run’ during the "Vega Rudder" event and the complex will be the nerve centre for the forthcoming Games.

The First Vega

The "Vega Rudder" is sailed each year to commemorate the trans-Gulf crossing undertaken by His Majesty on 19 April, 1966, in a single-handed OK dinghy, the "Vega", which the King had built. That historic event, mooted at the time as the longest distance sailed by an open dinghy out of sight of land (60 nautical miles), started off the Klai Kangwol Palace at Hua Hin at first light and ended in darkness at Toey Harbour, Sattahip. After that grueling crossing, His Majesty gave the rudder of the "Vega" as a permanent trophy for an annual race.

Among three others who accompanied the King on that crossing 32 years ago, were Prince Bhisadej Rajani and the late Prince Birabongse Bhanubandh, sailing their own OK dinghies across the Gulf.

Prince Bhisadej, the man who first interested the Monarch in sailing dinghies, had one great fear as he groaned up the beach some 12 hours later at Sattahip: he was afraid the King would summon him to sail the return leg the following day. But his fears were unfounded, for the "return" leg did not really take place until four years later.

One only needs an hour on a small dinghy, pitching and bucking, fighting every wave and hanging over the side to keep it from capsizing, to understand the sheer skill, stamina and determination His Majesty displayed in that momentous crossing.

Still energetic after the event, the King then proceeded to look around the base as though he had just arrived by air-conditioned car, although there was, of course, a sort of air-conditioning on the "Vega" - if you like a 15-knot south-westerly monsoon blowing over you. The Thai Navy had constructed a monument to mark the King’s accomplishment and His Majesty proceeded to plant a flag atop the structure, "signing" it with a chisel into the rock-face.

When His Majesty and his sailing companions stepped ashore that day in April three decades ago, they disembarked from heavy wooden hulls with wood spars, craft loaded down with thick lines and sheets and large, ungainly fittings.

Now, still an active sailor, the King helms a state-of-the-art OK dinghy, custom-built in Denmark with a fibre-glass/plywood moulded hull and a sleek contoured deck, extruded aluminium tapered mast, kevlar lines and sheets, fitted dacron sail, tiny Harken blocks and about two-thirds of the weight of the old models.

The Juniors

Meantime, the Pattaya Optimist sailors had their own series, racing off Royal Varuna over the weekends, for a total of five races. The unstoppable Sam Phanpho, the rising star at the International School Eastern Seaboard, was the overall winner of the little giants league, while the Boys Division featured Sam, Damien and Oad in the first three placings, while the Girls Division was controlled by Virginie, Sam H. and Anke, a powerful troika of little ladies if ever I saw one.

Race officers Philippe Pauliac, Dick Van Den Heuvel and Khun Somkiat kept these little people under tight control while Linden Phanpho, in charge of the junior programmes of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, kept them sailing.

The King’s Story Pattaya Mail correspondent Peter Cummins has been writing about H.M. the King’s sailing for the past three decades. Our December 04 issue, dedicated to His Majesty on the occasion of his 71st birthday on Saturday, 5 December, will feature a special report by Peter about His Majesty’s contribution to the advancement of sports in the Kingdom, particularly yachting. It is also most fortuitous that this issue coincides with the Monarch’s opening of the Thirteenth Asiad on Sunday the sixth of December. It represents the fourth time that Thailand’s King has graciously opened the Games - which, in itself is unprecedented in the Games 47-year history. Peter has been sailing with the King on several occasions and, as the pictures show, has been able to write from the vantage point of a close, personal experience.

Uncle Tom Cobbley and All

You mean to say you didn’t get to the Henry J Bean’s Bar and Grill first anniversary? Shame on you! Everyone else did!

Uncle Sam.

The Big Bash at Hanks was almost another re-run of its opening. The video monitors showed the guests arriving last year, and "Hey!" there were the same faces - but in the case of our ladies, not one was seen in the same dress!

Clown.

The night kicked off with the Trio band, who surprisingly for Thailand comprised three musicians. The guests fought for good seats to the sounds of CCR and (after some "quiet" prompting from the floor) a selection of Guns ‘n Roses!

K. Tippawan, Pierre-Andre and staff dancing.

Bangers DJ Carl Parker kept the music going with good upbeat CD’s between the live band’s performances. The main performers were the band Dynamic, a great Filipino group with two (count ‘em) lovely lady lead singers in sprayed-on scaly silver lurex, who mingled with the crowd on the dance floor while still warbling. Mind you, the lurex was rough and scratchy if you tried to stroke it, I was told!

Masked avenger.

The important people were there and the beautiful people as well. This included the Governor of Chonburi, Sujarit Phachimnam, our Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat, the most perfectly made up movie star Prisna Phinitchon who accompanied the Governor and equally as dazzling Zalita Thidadao whom Crime Detector Amorn Malhotra was trying very hard to accompany! Other important and beautifuls included the Burbridges, Bill and Pat, Caroline Cawley and Fergal O’Neil (recently arrived from Ireland, begorrah), another set of Irish visitors from Kilkenny (who were seen drinking Carlsberg!) and Sompop Wandee and Charun Watsapuphant from the Pattaya City Hall.

Cutting cake, from left: Tippawan, Pierre-Andre, Chonburi Governor Sujarit Phachimnam, Actress Prisna Phinitchon, and Mayor Suthithamrongsawat.

Outside the building there were Hoopla and Darts competitions and a BBQ grill cooked on the spot for those who couldn’t make it into the birthday bunfight inside.

Amorn and actress Zalita Thidadao.

Overseeing the whole shooting match, like Batman and Robin, were the ever smiling white collar and cuffed duo of Pierre-Andre and Dominic, while Khun Tippawan seemed to be everywhere at once. The staff all joined in with their own song and dance show, complete with masks and P-A high hoofing on the front row.

Jesters and Prototype Harley-Davidson.

The lucky door prizes went on all evening, with one of the major prizes, a return flight to Samui from Bangkok Airways, being won by Travel Writer Jinda Chaijasansuk. The only lucky door I won was walking into the edge of the Gents Hong Nam door when the afore-mentioned Amorn let it swing out of his fingers, and I spent the rest of the night seeing stars.

Dominic and friend.

But Stars and Stripes it was, with Uncle Sam doing balloons and clowns and conjurers showing off their cunning array of stunts! Pierre-Andre thanked everyone for their support of Henry J. Bean’s Bar and Grill and apologized for Hank who was stuck in traffic at Laem Chabang, but at least the Governor and the exquisitely painted Prisna had made it, with the pair of them presiding over the cutting of the cake. Governor Sujarit, with a big smile, and an even larger sword, cut the star shaped cake, while Executive Chef Sam Lehmann watched everyone make mince-meal of his artistic creation.

No, if you missed it you will have to wait another twelve months for the next anniversary, you silly, silly people!

Woodlands Resort announces appointments

Khun Sutham Phanthusak, Managing Director of Woodlands Resort, has appointed his daughter Khun Alisa Phanthusak as Assistant to the Managing Director. Alisa graduated from George Washington University in the USA with a Masters Degree in Business Administration. She is now undertaking the major project of renovating the resort in order to upgrade facilities and service standards.

(left to right) Alisa Phanthusak, Sutham Phanthusak, Stephen Bringer and Kosin Pinitpuvadol.

To assist her, Mr. Stephen Bringer has joined Woodlands Resort as General Manager, and Khun Kosin Pinitpuvadol as Executive Assistant Manager.

Mr. Stephen Bringer is a French national who has previously worked with the Inter-Continental Hotels chain and Raffles International Hotels in South East Asia.

Khun Kosin Pinitpuvadol has mainly been involved in the management of golf clubs in Thailand.

This renovation project is just starting and will be at its peak during the low season. The eagerness of Woodlands Resort to always answer customers’ needs and expectations is a daily concern the resort wants to fulfill with success.

The Woodlands Resort is located at 164/1 Pattaya-Naklua Road, Pattaya City. Tel. 421 707, fax 425 663, 370 627. E-mail [email protected]

What economic crisis?

by Barrie Kenyon

It’s not obvious to everyone in Pattaya that there’s a recession actually going on. New condo blocks still going up. Cranes everywhere. New restaurants and entertainment spots opening by the week. And foreigners still shoveling speculative investment cash into the resort like it has gone out of fashion.

Of course, first impressions can be misleading. And Pattaya is scarcely Thailand anyway. In the kingdom as a whole, the stock market has dropped almost out of sight compared with dizzy January 1994 when the SET stood at 1750 points. The country owes around 87 billion baht in foreign debt and the currency, though strengthening of late, is a long way from 25 to the US dollar. Unemployment is rising and inflation is on the march as the value of assets falls.

There is no shortage of books on this phenomenon. But an excellent read is provided by Pasuk Phongpaichit and Chris Baker in Thailand’s Boom and Bust, (Silkworm Books, 1998, 495 baht) . They set out to explain why Thailand had the world’s fastest growing economy for ten years from 1984 and why the government’s decision to float the baht on July 2, 1997, triggered an Asian economic earthquake which may yet spill over into the entire world.

Thailand’s economic miracle was rooted in the late 1970s by which time Japanese investment had already outstripped all others, including the USA. Thai firms could launch out into the world so quickly and successfully because the nature of that world economy was changing so fast. A new Thai word lokanuwat, meaning globalization, became the vogue term. Asia was dynamic, China was opening up and European companies, recovering from their own long recession, were anxious to sell their technology off the shelf and indulge in joint ventures in the kingdom. Insider dealing, far from being illegal, was essential. The Thai labor force was docile for the most part, wages were cheap and a series of military governments guaranteed a generally secure investment atmosphere.

When the crash came - but the authors regard 1996 as the decisive year - it became clear that Thailand had truly overreached itself. Long term borrowing had been funded by short term lending in the belief that the boom was permanent. The miracle had been driven by exports which had dwindled alarmingly a year before devaluation. At the core of the crisis was the crippled finance industry with bad debts of 286 billion baht or 4.5% of the gross national product. Much of the money had been invested in unwanted concrete buildings or in the super profits of the bubble or had simply "disappeared" into the private pockets of the ruling class.

The authors are just about bullish on future Thai potential. But they warn that the challenge is not to recreate the past but to create a new political framework, concept of public service, development strategy and social values which allow many more people to participate, contribute and benefit. A good start has been made with the new Thai constitution which aims to define civic rights and to challenge those who conduct politics as a branch of business. How it turns out in practice - former constitutions have tended to bite the dust - will be one important measure of Thailand’s ability to manage gigantic economic and social turmoil in an increasingly insecure world. Thailand’s Boom and Bust is useful reading for anyone intending to spend a long time here. It takes the lid off what actually goes on.

Pattaya’s Annual Karaoke Contest

by Teetha Clench,
Pattaya Mail’s Fashion Editor and Singing Expert

LA! LA! LA! LAAAAAAAA! Oh, bother! Teetha does wish those dogs would stop howling.

Oh! Hi! Hi! Hi! Those silly canines. They are sooo jealous, especially Blitzkrieg that nasty Pit Bull-Doberman combination, that Teetha can sing higher than they can howl. Teetha’s last note was a perfect high C! Teetha would not be so boastful as to say that great voices run in her family. Teetha was the only one in her family to be born a natural nightingale. The family doctor, a music lover, told Teetha that when he delivered her, her first scream was a perfectly pitched F above high C! Such talent had to be developed and Teetha studied singing from the time she was a kleine girl. Her teacher, Madame Vogelfuss, was flabbergasted with Teetha’s voice. Classified by Madame as "Jünglichehohetiefelyrischedramatischekoloratursopranmezzoalt"’, Teetha made very quick progress. In fact, so quick that Madame said she wouldn’t even think of trying to give Teetha more than 4 lessons and that Teetha could do whatever she wanted.

Teetha made her mind up right away. She would grace the world of Grand Opera. But life does have its little disappointments. After learning the complete roles of "Erda", "Die Königen der Nacht", "Don Jose" and "Osmin" from that opera by Mozart, she called the director of the Paris Opera and told him that she would be glad to sing any of these roles, provided she had control over conductors, set design, and lighting. He was, of course, flabbergasted at Teetha’s telephone call. Teetha had always heard he was a nice man and was glad to help him out.

Before doing any singing, Teetha wanted to see exactly what was what at the opera.

Teetha had not met her friend and genius designer Mince Aphai but her fashion sense is innate. She decided to go as an ‘opera montage’.

She put on a Valkyrie helmet with lovely horns, upon which she draped a Mantilla to represent Carmen. This gave her chapeau the proper ‘eclectic’ look. Donning a large swath of ‘oh so sheer’ gauze and gathering some weeds from the garden, her dress represented a "Rheinmädchen" and "Titania."

One can imagine how everyone’s eyes were on Teetha as she made her entrance into the opera house for the French performance of ‘Porgy and Bess’.

Well, what a disappointment. Teetha had imagined that all singers had her measure of good looks. Of course the women were of no interest, but the men! Teetha wished she had taken some anti-emetics with her. All the tenors looked as if they were singing Goodyear blimps. And the baritones!

It was Teetha’s lucky day though. Wringing her hands with woe at the poor prospects for any type of erot, er, artistic expression with THOSE men, what did she see? Two rows in front of her were sitting the two handsomest fellows, with the most exotic looks Teetha had ever seen! Now those two would be the ones to sing with!

During the interval, Teetha introduced herself; they were law students from Thailand! Teetha asked them if all men from South East Asia were so studly, er, studious. They told Teetha that they were pretty typical.

Teetha chartered a private plane for Thailand, immediately. This was the place she would make her name in opera. Forget the ogres on stage in Paris!

But to Teetha’s minor disappointment, there wasn’t any opera in SE Asia when she first came. But, of course, that really didn’t matter, as the whole region was populated with the bronzed male bodies which make the legs go wea... never mind.

Anyhoo, then came the advent of the Karaoke. Many people, of course, less knowledgeable than Teetha, thought they were "Cariocas’ and were from Brazil. But this was not to be. Can you imagine all those bronzed Brazilian beach boys with not a shred of shyness dressed in the smalle... never mind. Karaokes are places where one may sit with one’s friends and have lovely drinks. Teetha, not wanting to get ‘out of voice’ (though she never has), began frequenting Karaokes as soon as they came into vogue. One can sing and the drinks make many of the men who go to sing drop their guard and... Anyhoo.

Karaokes have become so popular that they actually have contests here. Thai people have the most amazing voices. Their projection is so good that they are often used as comparison controls when testing decibel levels in wind tunnels. Of course Teetha’s voice can match any Thai person’s - well, surpass, to be honest, if not falsely modest. So, wanting to give other people a chance, Teetha never enters these contests. If the winner is a young, comely man, Teetha is, instead, the priz, no, Teetha gives out the prize.

The most prestigious Karaoke contest in Pattaya is held at the Katelya room of the Montien Hotel in Pattaya. There are many elimination rounds, at which Teetha is usually one of the judges. She influences the committee to dump as many of the female contest... well Teetha feels that men who sing are often discriminated against, so having too many females in the contest will just distract the male judges from the point of the contest. The voice.

Ah, the voice! Tenors tend to be fleet and flighty, baritones often more fun-ah, fundamental and nothing is more satisfying than a bass. The basser the better. All are worth a tr... listen.

Teetha was wondering what to wear? Calling up dependable friend and genius designer ‘Mince Aphai’, he told her that as ‘music’ was the theme, Teetha should dress as the Muse of music. How correct, even linguistically! Teetha decided she would model herself after Sir Joshua Reynold’s portrait of Saint Cecilia. Getting a large, Cannon Queen Sized bed sheet, she studied her original of the Reynolds portrait. Ironing in every fold just right, she then took her handy can of Krylon spray paint and highlighted every fold. She lacquered her hair into the wonderful whirls that Reynolds had in his portrait. Picking up her autograph copy of Bach’s ‘The Art of the Fugue’ as a prop, she decided to enter singing! As Teetha entered the room, she executed a ‘scala trillata’, and then several three octave arpeggios figures, beginning ‘mezza voce’ and ending on a fortississimo high C. Everyone gasped with amazement. Some, who had their back to Teetha, even jumped out of their seats. Such a fuss over something so easy for Teetha! Anyhoo...

On to the winners! The Grand Prize, despite Teetha’s influence, was taken by Ms. Sowarin Suakornburi. She won lovely prizes and almost wept as she thanked Teetha for not entering the contest.

Second Grand Prize was won by yet another member of the female persuasion, Ms. Kan Janthong, a comely lass with a lovely costume, although not as imaginative as Teetha’s.

The ‘beloved of the people’ went to Ms. Lalita Phantusak, Mr. Sutham Phantusak’s pretty daughter. She sang in perfect English, no doubt due to her Masters Degree from the United States.

By the end of the contest, Teetha was feeling both good and melancholy. Good that none of the voices would ever match hers and melancholy as the best voice in Pattaya, that of Somchai the Security Guard, will never be heard at these contests. A lyrischerdramatischertenorbaryton, he is just too shy to perform in public.

But his private’s performances are some of the most cataclysmi... never mind.

Farangs confused by Immigration

Recently introduced rules for extensions of visas have angered farangs who were expecting to remain longer in Thailand. They say the Immigration Bureau is sacrificing income by curtailing the number and length of extensions. Many farangs argue they would sooner spend the costs incurred on foreign visa runs here in Pattaya.

The new rules restrict tourist visa holders to just over a month’s extension if under 55, or about double that for older people. Non immigrant visa extensions are down to two weeks in most cases. Twelve months and residence permit holders are not affected.

Immigration officials, however, stress that visa rules are subject to regular review. "A tourist visa is meant to be a temporary stay and not a license to live here," Pattaya Mail was told. "Business visas are not licenses to earn a living unless accompanied by a work permit." Officers stressed that bona fide retirees 55 and over can apply for a twelve months’ visa in accordance with immigration law.

The Department has also toughened the documentary checks at extension stage. Cases had been discovered of farangs claiming to be married to a Thai woman whom they have not seen for years. So called tourists have been running businesses in Pattaya without being registered for tax purposes under Labor Department regulations.

Twelve months’ visa holders are reminded to report their address every ninety days as the law has not yet been amended. Any farang must report change of address immediately as called for on the TM card. Visa overstays can lead to arrest.

Visa runners say that the most generous overseas Thai consulates are in Europe and the USA where multiple entry visas are often available during the Amazing Thailand promotion. Single entry visas are the norm in Pacific rim countries unless you take with you suitable documentation. But, as old timers well understand, visa rules are subject to change without notice.

Articles wanted?

by Peter Welsh

So I saw this advert in the Pattaya Mail under "Articles Wanted".

Well, there you go! I’d written some articles!

"Do you want to sell your book? We give best price for English fiction, novel."

Even better... because I had recently completed a novel, which, strangely enough, just happened to be in English and my next step was to find a publisher.

The trouble was that they had only given a telephone number so I knew that I would have to be careful because they could be vanity publishers or even con merchants.

Still, it was worth giving them a ring. After all, I’m a man of the world and although I’m not quite old enough to join the Thai ‘Bald Head Bashing League’, I am getting on in years and know my way around. There are no flies on me!

"Hello, do you speak English?"

"Khrap phom."

Well, that was a good start.

"I have a book I have just finished and would like to sell it."

"You wan’ sell book?"

"Yes!"

"Have to talk to our Managing Director about price of book. I cannot."

Well of course he couldn’t discuss price; I knew that! The price is a sensitive issue and a matter of intense negotiation only to be dealt with by the top echelons of power.

"Can I speak to your Managing Director then please?"

"Solly, he not here."

"Not to worry, I will pass the phone over to my wife who is Thai. Please give her the details of your company and when your Managing Director will be in."

I passed the phone over to my wife who wrote down the details and then informed me that the company was located in a respectable location in downtown Pattaya, and that the Managing Director would most probably be there around four-thirty that afternoon. Great! Just enough time to print the synopsis.

We arrived at the premises in good time but found that the Managing Director would not be visiting the afternoon at all. Nevertheless, the Thai gentleman I spoke to on the phone did his best to help.

"How big your book?"

"Just over seventy-one thousand words."

He looked puzzled for a moment and then took me down the store to a large bookcase on which were housed a large number of books.

"How thick?"

I surveyed the books and eventually picked one which I guessed would approximate the size of the book when published. "About this thick."

"What is it about?"

"It’s about two old chaps who are ‘ba ba bo bo’, come to Pattaya for a holiday and end up in trouble. Here, I’ve got the synopsis if you are interested." I handed him the synopsis.

He took the paper and stared at it blankly for a few moments.

"The book is currently on disc, but if you have a computer I can show you."

"Not have computer. Had one but we sell it last week."

Then it struck me. I was in a second hand bookshop!

How thick is the book? About as thick as the bloke who wrote it!

The Computer Doctor

The Pattaya Mail is pleased to announce another free service for the benefit of our readers.

Starting very shortly, the Pattaya Mail Computer Doctor will be available to answer your questions relating to computers. The Doctor welcomes questions on any computer related topic, be it hardware, software or whatever, these will be answered through the column.

As well as answering readers questions, the Doctor will also try to keep readers informed of latest developments in this fast-paced industry.

One of the biggest talking points at the moment has to be the release of Microsoft’s latest Browser, Internet Explorer 5. Although still in Beta we’ve run it in the Office since it was released without any problems and are really impressed with it.

It has many new features over it’s predecessor including ‘Intellisense’, which was first seen in Microsoft Office and is designed to automate routine tasks, with improvements to Search, History and Favorites functions.

Both the browser and mail components seem to run significantly faster.

The biggest drawback is the download time: you’re looking at upwards of 3 hours, but you have IE5 at the end, real kudos!

Although Microsoft says it is for advanced users only, if you’re feeling confident and a little adventurous, give it a try.

Whist on the subject of the Internet, the Doctor receives many complaints about the Internet Service Providers in the locale and would be interested to know readers’ experiences. Whether it’s the standard of the service itself, the quality and availability of technical support provided, billing, etc. If there is sufficient response to produce a meaningful survey, the results will be published. Who will be the winner? Watch this space!

Readers may submit questions to the Doctor at The Computer Doctor, Pattaya Mail Publishing Co., Ltd, PO Box 155, Pattaya City, 20260 or Fax to (038) 427 596 or e-mail to [email protected] or call in the Office on Pattaya Second Road.

Obituary

Milo Brandon (1916-1998)

The illustrious illusionist, a two decades resident of Pattaya, Milo Brandon died November 6th in Pattaya Memorial Hospital. He followed the death of his long-time partner on stage, Roger Cocker, who passed on in March of 1997. Together, they performed as Milo & Roger in major theaters around the world for almost fifty years.

Milo was born in Ohio, and developed a talent for magic and illusion as a young boy. At 15, he received his parents’ permission and joined a traveling show. When 17, he auditioned for, and won a solo spot with Christie Minstrels, and toured across the United States. As his illusions improved, so did his contacts, and he numbered among his friends the famous Blackstone. Teamed up with Roger, they developed outlandish Arabian "camp" costumes and started each show with a master-and-helper entrance that performed dozens of illusions, many that featured a white duck, which was made to disappear and finally show up when a barrel was opened at the climax of the act.

Milo and Roger starred at Paris’ famed "Crazy Horse" nightclub for six years. They were welcomed with laughter and applause in Tokyo, London, Berlin, and Monte Carlo. No strangers to TV, they appeared on the popular Johnny Carson Show, and with many others, including Bing Crosby, Red Skelton, and on The Best of Magic on Thames TV in England. Two Broadway New York shows won them excellent reviews and many new fans.

In Thailand, Milo & Roger starred in a special presentation at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, and were highly honored by a distinguished member of the audience, Her Royal Highness the Princess Mother. Milo’s final, and solo, appearance was early this year before the Pattaya Chamber of Commerce, with many political and business leaders receiving the wit and quick ad-libs Milo was famous for. During the last months of his long life, Milo wrote his autobiography, soon to be published, and was still working on complex illusions until just before he was hospitalized with Bronchitis a month ago.

Milo and Roger always returned to their home in Pattaya after international appearances, with their high point as stars in a Las Vegas extravaganza. Their gentle humor and mystifying tricks will be missed by their many Thailand friends, and others, here and around the world.

Instrumental music at I.S.E.

This year I.S.E. has seen the introduction of an exciting new educational opportunity for its students. Instrumental music lessons are now being taught as part of the middle and high school program. I.S.E. can now proudly boast a middle school band of 33 and a 15 strong high ensemble as well as a number of elementary students receiving specialist tuition. All these students combine to form the I.S.E. Concert Wind Band, some of whom are pictured here.

The I.S.E. Concert Wind Band will be making its first public performance at the Rayong Ladies Circle "Family Fun Festival" which will be held at Phu Luang on Saturday, November 28th.

Copyright 1998 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
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Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected]
Created by Andy Gombaz, assisted by Chinnaporn Sangwanlek.