Celebrate the Amazing River of Kings - Part 2

The Royal Barge Procession - November 4, 1999

The Royal Barge Procession, the most auspicious and most spectacular of all events in Thailand, takes place on November 4 this year. The majestic procession marks a religious ceremony and sacred rituals performed by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and members of the Royal Family.

Rehearsals by the Royal Thai Navy will be held on several occasions through to September and October this year. To offer spectators a unique opportunity to witness the splendor of the Royal Barges featured in the procession, tourists, travel agents, tour operators, and the general public will be able to purchase tickets to all rehearsals, which commenced in late June 1999. It is currently estimated that approximately 8,000 tickets will be made available. The designated vantage points along the Chao Phraya River are: 1. The river bank along Bangkok Noi Railway Station, 2. Around the Royal Thai Navy Base against the backdrop of Wat Arun, Temple of Dawn.

The Royal Thai Navy has scheduled regular rehearsals once a week, every Thursday through to September and 2 Dress Rehearsals in October - on October 7 and 21.

The Royal Barges: A Brief History

One of the largest recorded Royal Barge Processions in Thai history is said to have been in Ayutthaya when King Narai led a procession of 147 barges along the Chao Phya River. The barges were then more than just decorative or ceremonial, they were the King’s navy. The greater the number of barges in the fleet, the more visible proof of the King’s power. Boat races were both a source of entertainment and a means of keeping boat crews in top physical readiness. The annual barge procession in those days also compelled officials to maintain a large flotilla of boats and trained crews in case of war.

After the accession to the throne of King Buddha Yodfah, or Rama I, the first King of the Chakri Dynasty, and the establishment of Bangkok as the capital, the King set about recapturing the glory of old Ayutthaya and replacing lost treasures. This included the construction of new Royal Barges.

The Royal Barge Procession in April, 1932, for the Sesquicentennial Celebration of the Chakri Dynasty and Bangkok as the capital, was the last one under the absolute monarchy, and the last until May 14, 1957. This procession was a part of the 25th century celebration of the Buddhist Era, which was held in Bangkok. Thirty-nine barges were in the flotilla. The Barge Suphannahongse carried an image of the Lord Buddha; the Barge Anantanagaraj carried the Holy Scriptures; and the Barge Anekchatbhuchong carried a group of senior Buddhist monks.

In 1959 H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej revived the barge procession for the Royal Kathin at Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn). The year 1961 was "Visit the Orient Year" and on November 2, His Majesty the King proceeded by barge procession to present Kathin robes to monks at Wat Arun.

In 1967 a Royal Barge Procession was held once again for the Royal Kathin Ceremonies and His Majesty the King proceeded by the Royal Barge Suphannahongse to Wat Arun. Following a 15 year lapse, a Royal Barge Procession was held in 1982 as a part of the Bicentennial Celebration.

The barges Suphannahongse, Anantanagaraj and Anekchatbhuchong are each manned by fifty oarsmen, two helmsmen, two officers and one flagman. The silver and gold paddles are raised high in unison at the end of each stroke, regulated by a rhythm keeper who taps the butt of his silver spear on the deck in time with the chanting of boat songs. In 1982, 2,100 navy men manned the 51 barges in the procession.

In 1987 a barge procession was a part of the celebration for the 60th (5th cycle) birthday of His Majesty the King.

As a part of the jubilant celebration for the 50th anniversary of his Majesty’s reign in 1996, the procession consisted of 53 old Royal Barges and the newly constructed Royal Barge Narai Thong Suban, King Rama IX, the name given the new barge by H.M. the King.

H.M. the King presided over the ceremony of laying the keel of the new barge at the Navy Dockyard on September 5, 1994, the first new barge to be built during the present reign.

The Narai Thong Suban, King Rama IX has a figurehead of the god Narai on his celestial transport, a Garuda. During the 3rd reign a barge was built with a Garuda figurehead, because in mythology the Garuda was a vehicle of the god.

This new barge is of the same rank as the Royal Barges Anantanagaraj and Anekchatbhuchong. The barge is 44.30 metres long, 3.20 metres at the beam and 1.10 metres deep with a draught of .40 metres. It has a displacement of 20 tons and carries 50 oarsmen. The Royal Thai Navy did not request any budgetary assistance from the Thai Government, and raised the necessary funds from its own special projects.

Celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the reign of the beloved People’s King, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great - the longest reigning of any Thai King in history, marked a joyous and most auspicious occasion in Thai history. The occasion was made all the more majestic with the magnificent Royal Barges taking to the waters of the celebrated River of Kings once more.

Northern Thai woodcarvings

Now on sale at the Pattaya Bazaar near the Dolphin Circle on North Pattaya Road

Mai Chaiyanit (Kamnan Piak), Chairman of the Nong Preu Sub-District Organization, brought skilled wood carvers from Chiang Mai to demonstrate their craftsmanship during the Pattaya Annual Festival this year. The general public and tourists found their art to be very interesting, so their work is now on display at the Pattaya Bazaar Business Center near the Dolphin Circle on North Pattaya Road.

The craftsman from Northern Thailand are well known the world over for their carving skills. These particular craftsman are from the Ban Thung Faa Haam Handicraft Center in the Sub-District of Bo Nam Luang, San Pa Thong District of Chiang Mai Province. Their work consists of carving various animals in 3-dimensional scenes.

The charm, beauty and curiosity associated with the art work comes from the many carvings of elephants and other animals from a single piece of wood, presenting a 3-dimentional scene. Another amazing and interesting feature is these carvings are done on small and large pieces of wood that are usually discarded or left over after forest fires.

With the carving left up to the craftsman’s imagination, the resulting work depends upon the size of the piece of wood and the carver’s ability. Since the craftsmen are from the north, they are closely associated with the elephant. Consequently, the majestic animal is featured in most of their carvings.

However, there are some carvings portraying everyday village life with other animals included, as well as scenes from the Ramayana period, all of which are made 3-dimentional.

These one of a kind pieces of art are for sale at the Mai-Ek store at the Dolphin Circle. Depending on the size, prices range from anywhere between 100 - 10,000 baht.

The carvings are from golden teakwood, which does not attract the dreaded termite. The Kingdom of Thailand allows this art work to exit the country.

Ex-pat Revenge

by Ken Langbell

A newsletter I highly recommend is "You and I I I I I I I", a publication of the International Institute Involved In Initiating Important Information, 1403 XR Bussum, Netherlands.

For example, did you know that 5.5 percent of the ingredients of the paint used by the Taliban in Afghanistan to paint the windows to prevent peeping toms from seeing men’s wives is consisted of goat semen? "It creates employment," a Taliban spokesman said, "not to mention a lot of very happy goats."

Field agents of the I I I I I I I go just anywhere to gather data. They discovered that 23 percent of the keys given by the Ayatollah to volunteers in the war with Iraq to open the Gate to Heaven didn’t work. "The keys were manufactured in Taiwan," an Iranian official explained. "Next time we’ll have them made in a Moslem place, maybe Detroit."

The item I found interesting in the last issue, entitled "Ex-pat Revenge", revealed that an average of 17.2 percent of the people in mobs attacking foreign embassies around the world were ex-patriots of the nations represented by those embassies. In the case of the United States, the figure was 29.6 percent.

"The rocket fired at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow recently," writes R. Ipenberg, "was of Vietnam war vintage, manufactured in the Springfield, Arsenal, U.S.A. Investigators are working on the theory it was a souvenir of some former Grunt who was disillusioned by the treatment he received from his embassy."

Shockingly, Ipenberg discovered 8 percent of the mob who invaded the U.S. Embassy in Tehran were Yanks disguised as Iranians. A Texan identified as "Terry" came up with the idea of taping their eyes so they couldn’t identify him and other ex-patriots who kidnapped them. "Billy Ray" of Georgia wanted to execute them, but the real Iranians stopped him.

In fact, a thriving chain of the shops specializing in disguises for ex-patriots dressing to blend into mobs attacking their embassies has been established by a Greek entrepreneur, Gus "Pop" Poppadappalous.

His formula for success did not involve how individual embassies treated their nationals, Pop told Ipenberg. "On a scale of one to ten, one being savage hostility, they are all ones." Instead, he considered "the likelihood of an embassy being picketed, attacked or, God willing, stormed by the indigenous population."

This wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Embassies were unpopular per se everywhere. Ten thousand citizens of 20 capital cities were poled as to the most hated place in town. Inland revenue buildings and police headquarters ran a poor second and third to embassies.

"It’s not enough that people hate an embassy," Pop said. "Look, the boss is thousands of miles away back home. So embassies only bother to open their doors a couple of hours each day and treat people who manage to get in like rotting garbage. Of course everybody hates them."

The local people must hate the nations embassies represent. Old, festering hatreds are great for business. Pop has big outlets in all of Turkey’s neighbouring capitals so ex-patriot Turks in Iran, Russia, Syria or his own Greece can disguise themselves as Iranians, Russians, etc., and stone the Turkish Embassy.

New hatreds are also good for business. With NATO’s attack on Yugoslavia, "Pop’s Shop" franchises have been springing up around the world faster than Kentucky Fried Chicken.

"Look carefully at the CNN footage of mobs outside the embassies of the main NATO nations," Pop said. "They’re not all angry Serbs protesting what’s going on back home. Hundreds, maybe thousands, are ex-pats seeking a measure of revenge for the way they’re treated every time they go inside asking for help."

And Pop Poppadappalous should know. He’s the one who sells them fake moustaches, ill-matched, baggy suit coats and pants and "NATO Go Home" signs.

How do embassies get away with it? "It’s easy," Ipenberg wrote. "They keep the boss - the Prime Minister, President, Party Chairman or King - in the dark." As proof he cited president Clinton’s remarks following the capture of three U.S. soldiers by the Yugoslavians.

"He looked the Americans straight in the face and vowed his people overseas would work to help the three Americans as hard as they worked to help all Americans overseas. The poor man thought he was making a promise. He was really making a threat. He was sending the three guys keys made in Taiwan."

Football Breakthrough! Brits bag Cup. Frogs fail to front

The Five Nations Charity Soccer Game produced some amazing football and even more amazing results!

The Belgians from Patrick’s put together an impressive looking squad.

The soccer arena was the beautifully turfed number 1 field at the Pattaya Orphanage, with all proceeds from the tournament going to the Orphanage.

The countries entered in the competition were Thailand (the Orphanage Team), Belgium, France, England and Switzerland. Whilst this was obviously not Bayern Munich versus Paris St. Germaine versus Antwerp versus Manchester United with Nakon Nowhere FC thrown in for good measure, it was still hotly contested.

Sure, all smiles now - but wait ‘till the whistle blows!

The French team decided to rest on their laurels, having won the World Cup last year, and did not turn up. The Swiss, being good unionists, went out in sympathy with the French and were another no-show.

The Belgians in contrast were there with a vengeance. A full team, plus large flags and coach-loads of supporters. The Brits left Man U at home and fielded the number 2 side, AKA Delaney’s Irish Pub - a full team of Left Right Outs and Drawbacks. This team was so underconfident that they even apologised to Team Director Kim Fletcher before they went out on the field.

That left only the Thailand Orphanage side with Father Michael at the helm, drafted in at short notice as the pick-up from Nakon Nowhere wouldn’t start and the team had also run out of thongs.

I want one of those when I grow up.

The Jesters MC were there with the cups, Hans the Pie Man with his pasties, the spectators with their rattles and whistles, and the Pattaya Mail with one reporter and a photographer with a box brownie, as his good camera had been nicked the weekend before.

The referee from Bangkok was kept busy all afternoon, mainly handing out yellow cards because he had run out of red ones, while Father Michael scanned the horizons for the missing Frenchies. However, before he could ask for divine intervention the bye was called.

The young Orphanage side was the first surprise of the afternoon. Some spirited tackling and some well placed shots snaring second place for them in the tournament. The second surprise was the lack of form of the Belgians. While they looked very impressive playing with their balls before the match, the same dazzling dribbles did not eventuate on the field. The beautifully turned out Ecurie Belge were the wooden spooners, satin shirts, flags, supporters and all.

The motley crew from Delaney’s Irish Pub Pattaya grabbed the inaugural 5 Nations Charity Football Cup.

The major upset of the afternoon was then the Delaney’s Boys. Robbo, without a hair out of place, plus the motley crew of pseudo-Irish hooligans scooping the World Cup (Pattaya Orphanage section) with a stirring 3-0 victory. This was a wonderful birthday present for Kim Fletcher, who probably amassed a small fortune on side bets, only to have to give it all away to charity and on free beers to the team.

Meanwhile, the Belgian boys are down in Patrick’s Belgian Bar sticking pins in the Mannikin Pis.

It was a great afternoon fellows, and all in a good cause. It is good to see the sporting set of Pattaya get behind the good causes like this one.

Visit and Nitiya installed as presidents of the Lion’s movement in Pattaya

President Lion Nitiya Patimasongkroh and her new board of directors of the Lions Club of Phratamnak.

Lion Visit Ek-Ak of the Lions Club of Pattaya and Lion Nitiya Patimasongkroh of the Lions Club of Phratamnak were both installed as presidents of their respective clubs at a joint installation ceremony held at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort this month. Many honored guests were at the celebration, which was a very warm and joyous occasion. Lion Pratheep Chanthaphakdi, Past District Governor of District 310C, was one of the honored guests. Lion Chanyut Hengtrakul and Lion Rungthip Suksirikarn MCd the proceedings with gusto which made everyone enjoy the proceedings that much more.

The evening’s entertainment included music performed by the Royal Thai Navy Band from Sattahip and many different singers. Two performers who really impressed the guests were young Phuriwat Jitiwutikan, a seven-year-old boy playing the piano, and the sexy Lion Cristina Bien Betourne singing international songs. The latter part of the evening saw all the guests, both Thai and Farang, on the dance floor performing the traditional Thai dances.

A tribute to Alois Fassbind

By M L Tuang Snidvongs

It all began when I was still young, during the 70s (1973). Mr. Alois Fassbind was just another Farang walking in the Royal Cliff Beach Resort on the hills beside Southern Pattaya. The hotel was designed by Thai architects and was already at par with any other 5 star resort hotel anywhere, waiting to be recognized by the world.

This where Mr. Fassbind came in.

With his no nonsense character and thoroughly knowing his profession of a hotelman, the General Manager of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, Mr. Fassbind allured Europeans to this resort some 30 years ago, using his down-to-earth, natural human relations.

Being a European, he knew the Europeans quite well. But the Thai people that served under him that knew him did not see him from his looks.

Whatever he had done for the Royal Cliff, for Pattaya and for Thailand by putting the Hotel and Pattaya on the map, could be considered as an action also to be described as ‘Amazing’.

Some 4 or 5 years ago, Russia arranged a travel exhibition which I attended in Moscow. It was in spring and the weather was just right, freezing at -17 degrees Celsius. Thais who attended looked around to see if there were any Thai booths ...N O N E.

At that very moment, everybody noticed a familiar sight... Fassbind. And beside him one could also see a booth with a sign showing ‘Royal Cliff Beach Resort, Pattaya’.

From then on, not only Europeans frequent the hotel, but Russians also come to the Royal Cliff by the plane load.

Thanks to Fassbind, bless his soul, Pattaya, together with the Royal Cliff are on the map. Wherever Thais travel abroad, when they are recognized as Thai, foreigners befriend them with a smile and just said ‘Pattaya, the Royal Cliff Beach Resort?’

And that makes us recollect the day when we saw Fassbind walking, sitting and talking - doing his bit of work to spread the word of Pattaya and the Royal Cliff.

I know where you are Mr. Fassbind, may your soul accept our gratitude for what you have done and may you rest in Thailand for the eternity.

M. L. Tuang Snidvongs
Thai TV Color Channel 3
U & I Corporation (FM 105.5, 105, 99.5, 95.5 and 89)
TVB 3 Network Co., Ltd.
BEC World (Public)Co., Ltd.

Sexier Bedrooms and the Obnoxious Nouveau Riche - Part 2

From Imtiaz Muqbil, Executive Editor Travel Impact Newswire

Every two months, Small Luxury Hotels of the World sends out a questionnaire to 60 General Managers and Directors of Sales and Marketing, all specially selected from among its 246 members worldwide. The questionnaire solicits their views about industry changes and personal experiences impacting on the way they manage and relate to staff and guests. The feedback is collated, summarized and then distributed to selected travel media worldwide.

In this issue of Newswire, part 2, I am reproducing the last three issues of the Luxury Hotel Monitor. They provide fascinating insights into how hoteliers are being affected by - and reacting to - global changes in guest lifestyles and business patterns. Anyone tracking the shifting sands of the service industry, including national tourism organizations, airlines and tour operators, will find this, and the previous issue of Newswire, collector’s items.

Show-Off Rich Guests on the Increase - and the Younger Ones are the Worst

More unauthorized ‘souvenirs’ are taken, but luxury hoteliers say they are offering sexier bedrooms and new ideas

There are more ‘show-off’ rich guests around - the kind who ask ‘Do you know who I am?’, or who are name-droppers or claim to be the owners’ friend, but who can’t pronounce their names. Other ostentatious behavior has included parking right outside the front door, or speaking loudly on a mobile phone in public areas and restaurants.

And it appears that the young wealthy - in their 20’s and early 30’s - can be the worst, tending to have attitude not style, and displaying a disregard for furniture and leaving their rooms in an unacceptable state.

The ‘top 10 unauthorized souvenirs’ which a minority of the well-heeled guests like to remove are in order: bathrobes, towels, crested spoons, ashtrays, corkscrews, pottery bowls for nuts, laundry bags with a logo, coat hangers, slippers and pens.

Other recent nightmare experiences for hoteliers have included a sleepwalker found naked in the kitchen, a man who refused to have his room serviced during a fortnight’s stay and a person who preferred to sleep on the bedroom floor and wanted a discount. One wealthy visitor threw a tantrum when told that he couldn’t buy the hotel.

On a more optimistic note, Small Luxury Hoteliers are creating increasingly sexy bedrooms, for example, with round baths, canopy beds, open fires, balconies, private gardens and courtyards, and oversized furniture throughout.

Among examples of new amenities and services of which they are most proud, hoteliers identify: complimentary chauffeured cars to city stores, anti-stress treatments, and in one case, a policy of selling wines at cost price plus only 10%.

Asked what ‘improvements’ they would wish to see in an ideal guest, suggestions from hoteliers were that they use mobile telephones less often and more discreetly, be more adventurous in menu choice, more courteous to staff, and provide more constructive criticism on how properties can raise standards and services.

Increase in Pretend Rich... ‘Young’ 60-Somethings... ‘Hard To Please’ Female Guests

An average of 5% to 10% of guests in deluxe hotels are genuinely rich, 12-20% pretend to be so, and the rest are on company expenses and are not wealthy. Other findings are that ‘young’ 60-somethings are increasingly among a hotel’ s most fun-loving guests, and that female customers are considered the most difficult to please.

Hoteliers say the ‘truly’ rich are typically relaxed, gracious and polite, and the least demanding. They can be identified by their shoes and jewelry, and exude a style and confidence which the ‘pretend’ rich try unsuccessfully to imitate, for example, by hiring a luxury car for a few days, or trying to show off their knowledge of wines and food.

A surprising finding is that many hoteliers (43%) now rate those aged over 60 as among their most lively guests, with their ‘young’ pursuits including game or deep-sea fishing, fitness training, plus eating and drinking well.

One strongly held view, among 67% of hoteliers, is that female clients are the most difficult to please. Among the reasons are: changing their minds, expecting higher standards of furnishings and tidiness, being more knowledgeable about health issues, and because they bring electronic items likely to cause problems, e.g. irons, heated rollers and tongs, etc.

Asked which single skill or aptitude is the most important for a hotelier to display, ‘hospitality’ was identified by 39% of hoteliers, personality by 31% and marketing/business acumen by 27%. The remaining 3% suggested patience and tact.

Only 21% of hoteliers believe they and their colleagues elsewhere have managed to retain the important position once held by hoteliers in the social life of their communities. Reasons given are that general managers tend to ‘move on’ to other locations, are more focussed on hotel operations, rather than socializing.

With an eye on the future, a majority (54%) of those replying to the Luxury Hotel Monitor already see Internet bookings beginning to develop, and expect the proportion to grow, though mainly for private rather than corporate reservations.

Changes in Society Set 21st Century Challenges for Luxury Hotels

Luxury hotels have been defining some of the challenges and problems they might expect to face in the 21st Century, which include grading complexities, changing guest attitudes to healthy living, plus short notice booking and cancellations.

However, the introduction of the ‘Euro’ as a single European currency is NOT seen as likely to cause problems, although staff training and reassurance programs in advance of the changeover are planned by many hotels.

Commenting on their national classification systems, various SLH general managers consider them ‘unreliable’, ‘non-existent’, ‘too demanding’, ‘lacking emphasis on quality’, ‘unfair because higher rated venues pay more tax’, or ‘swamped by too many unofficial schemes’.

Hoteliers are also aware that guests are becoming far more media-directed and ‘picky’ about red meat, fat content in food, and sugar-filled desserts, and are incredibly likely to request two, rather than three courses, as well as vegetarian options. The decline in alcohol consumption per typical guest is continuing.

Booking trends already causing planning headaches for hotels are reservations made close to arrival, both for accommodation and dining, the expectation of better deals for late decisions, and cancellations being made without a willingness to pay.

Concerns for the 21st century among Small Luxury Hoteliers include: Telecommunications replacing the need for business travel; the building of existing new high-tech gimmick hotels which might make traditional properties feel obsolete; the over-supply of rooms in many tourist destinations.

Copyright 1998 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand 
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected]
Updated by Chinnaporn Sangwanlek.