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Exclusive wine competition at the U.S. ambassador’s residence
The Office of Agricultural Affairs of the U.S. Embassy
recently organized “the Ambassador’s Wine List Awards Competition” at
the U.S. Ambassador’s residence for the 2nd consecutive year featuring
wines imported from the United States.
 Chitra
Chandrasiri (right) and Ranjith Chandrasiri (left) enjoying the award
winning wines with the Ambassador H.E. Darryl Johnson and Mrs. Johnson
(center).
Ranjith Chandrasiri, the president of the Royal Cliff
Wine Club and the deputy general manager of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort was
invited by the U.S. Ambassador, H.E. Darryl N. Johnson to be a co-judge of
the competition.
Wines were blind tasted and judged under three
categories: Friends and Family, Elegant Evenings and Perfect Presents by a
panel of honored judges including the Ambassador and Mr. Chandrasiri.
The competition’s award winning wines will be featured
as recommended wines in the “The Ambassador Wine List” which will be
highlighted in embassy functions as well as at the ambassador’s residence.
Following the competition, the ambassador presented awards to the winners
of each category at a cocktail reception held at the ambassador’s
residence.
Wedding bells ring for the Tiengrungroj family
Suchada Tupchai
The sound of weddings bells rang out for the Tiengrungroj
family as Nattawit Tiengrungroj, son of Pattaya police superintendent, Pol.
Col. Kamolchai Tiengrungroj married his sweetheart Duangporn Ketprasit
during a grand ceremony held at the Ambassador City Jomtien Hotel.
 Nattawit
and Duangporn cut the wedding cake.
The bride and groom’s families were joined by local,
regional and national politicians and senior police officials to help
celebrate the happy occasion. The couple, both of whom live in Rayong,
received blessings and wishes of good will from their parents and guest of
honor Pol. General Pracha Pornhomnok, past head of the national police
bureau and public health minister.
The
newlywed couple with honored guests, Pisit Khetpasook, Chonburi CEO; Pol.
General Pracha Pornhomnok, past head of the national police bureau and
public health minister and Somkwan Nokhong, head of the Chonburi Chamber of
Commerce.
Following the ceremonies and congratulations, the newlyweds cut their
gorgeous 5-tiered wedding cake, handing out pieces to their guests as they
prepared to embark on their new life together.
Milan Crosse networking dinner at the Art Caf้ is another winner
Fine turnout boosts information exchange
Suchada Tupchai
After almost two years, the monthly networking dinners
conducted by Milan Crosse Partners Ltd. are now firmly etched on the
business community’s calendar. These relaxed evenings draw business people
from not only around the eastern region but those from Bangkok wishing to
expand the capacity of Thailand’s manufacturing and export hub in Pattaya,
Chonburi and Rayong.
The Art Caf้, run by Jo Stetten, has been the
favored location since its inception and networkers gathered together for
another such evening last Thursday. Members exchanged ideas and experiences
concerning the wide variety of business in the region in leisurely
surroundings, although the lavish dinner provided left many exhausted with
repletion.
The Milan Crosse networking dinner, conducted on the last Thursday of
each month, was yet again another winner.
Last
week’s Milan Crosse Partners Ltd. networking dinner was again a success.
Tosca At Sheraton Sukhumvit:
A Cultural Bonanza
Peter Cummins
It was Italy on Sukhumvit last week, when a superb
rendition of Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca” was staged by the Sheraton
Grande Sukhumvit’ The Luxury Collection at the excellent Arts Theatre.
Co-sponsored by MercedesCard, a most appreciative crowd
was spellbound by the performance, arranged under the artistic direction of
Stefan Paul Sanchez, European Chamber Opera.
 The
Libretto of “Tosca” was composed by G. Giacosca and L. Illica, based on
Sadou’s drama of the same title.
Regarded as Puccini’s “most powerful passion play”,
“Tosca” was first played in Rome in 1900, with the plot related to a
Rome of 100 years before, during the turbulence of the Napoleonic wars.
The characters were brilliantly cast: Angelotti (Bass), a
political prisoner escaped from incarceration, his friend, the painter
Cavaradossi (tenor), Floria Tosca, the opera’s namesake, a beautiful
soprano opera singer in love with Cavaradossi and the evil, scheming Baron
Scarpia (baritone), the chief of the Roman Police whose lust for Tosca is
unbridled.
Act II unfolds the complicated plot, as Scarpia, driven
by jealousy, attempts to find where Angelotti is hiding, torturing
Cavadarossi to reveal his whereabouts. A little bit of double-dealing sees
Scarpia send Cavadarossi to his execution, which he assures Tosca is mock,
and makes his advances to the diva, whereupon he is welcomed with a knife
and dies.
The denouement is, indeed, dramatic, as Cavadarossi and
Angelotti is executed and Tosca, full of anguish and despair, takes her own
life.
This exquisite love triangle is the background for some
of Puccini’s most compelling music, including Tosca’s Great aria
“Vissi d’arte”.
Of course, the evening was replete with Mercedes
hospitality, serving wine, beer and refreshments before the opera, during
intermission and after the opera.
An “S” Class Benz added a touch of elegance to the
foyer and was driven off after the show. “I wonder how it will fit in the
elevator?” one patron surmised, with a broad grin.
Ticket prices were an incredibly low 1,100 baht for the
performance only, with a range of 1,500 baht through 2,200 baht for a
pre-show dinner at the Sheraton’s four restaurants.
The Pattaya Mail - like the Two Peters - on their
second culture foray in as many weeks, availed themselves of the delicious
dinner buffet at the Orchid Cafe - a spread which would do justice to any
restaurant - anywhere in the world.
Sheraton Grande’s personable general manager, Richard
Chapman informed the audience of forthcoming attractions, including
Verdi’s “Rigoletto” later in the year.
The Sheraton Luxury Collection Arts Theatre, the buffet
and set dinners and, of course, the award-winning Sunday Jazzie Brunch are,
to this writer’s mind, the best value in town.
It is easy to join the Sheraton Grande Club which
promotes many activities, wine dinners, operas and musicals throughout the
year, with big discounts available to club members on all Sheraton’s
services and operations.
Tel. (66) 02 653033; fax (66) 02 6530400; e-mail:grande.
sukhumvit@luxurycollection .com
Websites for particulars on promotions and events:
www.starwood.com/bangkok www.sheratongrande sukhumvit.com
And, as we walked out onto Sukhumvit after the great performance, it was
hard to believe that we were not walking along Via Cavour - at least for a
few minutes.
Tiffany Show announces
Miss Tiffany’s Universe 2004
Tiffany’s to host Miss Queen of the Universe 2004
Suchada Tupchai
Alisa Phantusak, deputy managing director of Tiffany Show
Pattaya, announced that the final round of the Miss Tiffany’s Universe
2004 pageant will be held at the Tiffany’s theatre on Saturday April 10.
 (L
to R) Athapol Wannakij, deputy director TAT Central 3 office, Alisa
Phanthusak, deputy managing director of Tiffany Show Pattaya, Andrew Khoo,
Hard Rock GM, and Paritra Phoonkajorn, representing the Royal Garden Plaza
held a press conference at the Hard Rock Hotel to announce the upcoming Miss
Tiffany’s Universe 2004.
Preceding the final round will be a number of pre-judging
rounds and PR activities at the Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya, Ripley’s Believe
It or Not Museum, Banglamung Home for the Elderly and Underwater World.
The visit to Ripley’s on April 8 will feature a
min-pageant entitled the ‘Ripley’s Most Beautiful Wo-man’.
The overall winner will then go on to compete in the Miss
Queen of the Universe 2004, due to be held for the first time in Thailand,
against contestants from over 40 countries as part of Tiffany’s 30th
anniversary celebrations.
Ticket reservations are available from Tiffany Show
Pattaya by calling 038 421 700-5 and Woodlands Resort Bangkok office 02 392
2159. Details are also available at the websites: www.misstiffany
universe.com or www.tiffany-show.co.th
Proceeds from the event will go towards the HSH Soamsawalee sponsored
project for the prevention of HIV infection passing from mother to child.
Miss Alcazar 2004 date set for April 9
Pageant date changed due to Songkran Festival
Staff Reporters
The 5th annual Miss Alcazar 2004 Beauty Pageant has been
changed from its customary April 19 date to Friday April 9, due to the
traditional date falling on the same day as Pattaya’s Songkran
festivities.
A world-renowned and unusual beauty contest, the Miss
Alcazar 2004 event will be held at the Alcazar auditorium with some of
Thailand’s most beautiful men competing for the crown of Miss Alcazar 2004
and their share of over 2 million baht in prizes.
Applications to join the event are open to both Thai and
foreign contestants until April 5, after which, they will participate in
numerous activities promoting tourism and the environment as part of the
judging process before the final round beginning at 9 p.m. Friday April 9.
Ticket reservations are available at Alcazar in Pattaya
by calling 038-410224-7 or the marketing department at 038-411599. Ticket
prices are 600 and 1,000 baht.
Thai-German Institute rids fats and wastes with Lean Manufacturing Awareness Seminar
Sue
Organized by Walter Kretschmar, the German director with
the mission and vision of life long learning, not only for industrial
customers, but also for his own staff, a three-week seminar for TGI’s
top-level management team was recently conducted by MEO Consultancy from
Germany.
TGI’s
German director, Walter Kretschmar (front row, 4th from left), recently
organized a three-week seminar for TGI’s top level management team, which
was conducted by MEO Consultancy from Germany.
Lean Manufacturing as Consulting Training Module III by
LMC-Lean Manufacturing Consulting, held March 22-25 at Garden Beach Resort
Hotel, was the last of a three part series of workshops.
Lean Manufacturing Consulting (LMC) is a 100% subsidiary
of DaimlerChrysler AG, providing consultancy services to clients, which are
OEMs and suppliers in the automotive industry. The training was conducted by
trainers experienced in lean manufacturing concepts and management skills.
The course included lean topics such as needs for change,
definition and philosophy of lean manufacturing, methodologies and tools,
competitive advantages and implications on the organization from lean
implementation. It was not only about learning by listening, but there were
also simulation and case study activities to help participants visualize and
understand the concept better.
At the end of the seminar, some comments were given by
the participants on the three-part training.
“The three-part training was very useful, therefore we
should not just keep the three folders to decorate our shelves, it’s time
for implementation,” commented Mongkhol, whilst Piti agreed.
“Any learning experience is good experience, and even
if you sustain only 30 percent of what you have learned, if you really apply
that to your work, then it was all worth the while,” said Herr Weiler, who
found himself lost in translation at times with the beautiful translator
sitting close to him.
Sue added, “Let’s go Kaizen as soon as possible at TGI.”
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