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Breezy Pattaya Swimwear Show 2004 beats the heat
Top Thai models strut their stuff
Suchada Tupchai
Last Saturday, beautiful models took to the stage, much
to the delight of the special guests of honor and a huge audience, for the
Central Pattana Co. Ltd.’s Pattaya Swimwear Show 2004 at Central Court,
Big C Supercenter in North Pattaya. The show, themed Summer Colorful
Blossom, was a stunner.
 This
season’s new collections included summer clothes and colorful swimwear
presented by famous Thai models including Sara Malakul Lane, Michelle
Wargard, Napukprapa Nakprasit and Chattayodom Hirunyuttiti.
The venue rocked with the sounds of the reggae band,
and the event was a treat to the Pattaya audience. The clothes were pretty
special, too.
The show was organized to promote Bangkok’s new image
as “Bangkok Fashion City”, a government policy to promote Thailand as
a shopping paradise and boost the nation’s garment and design industry.
Note: A special date on the tourist calendar - Amazing Thailand Grand
Sale - is set for June 1-July 31. Shoppers will receive from 10% to 50%
discounts at participating shops, department stores and tourist
attractions.
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Khao Kheow Open Zoo launches ‘Hello Africa’ theme
Zoo officials predict this will arouse Thai eco-tourism
Zoo
officials and honored guests cut the ribbon to officially open the
exhibition.
Veerachai Somchart
Locals and visitors to Thailand will be able to
experience a taste of the African wild right here in Chonburi province.
 The
rhinos feel right at home at Khao Kheow Open Zoo.
The Zoo Organization on April 1 unveiled its “Hello
Africa” project at Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Chonburi to over 60 local and
regional members of the media. It will run over three months.
Sophon Dumnui, director of the Zoo Organization
explained, “This is a form of nature conservation travel and tourism which
is inspired by the African open zoo. We will gather various kinds of wild
animals in an area of seven rai (3.5 acres) that will have a climate similar
to that of the African forest.
Africans
representing their home tribes looked magnificent during the press
conference.
“This eco-tourism will help visitors learn and
understand the community culture and traditional customs.
“The visitors will see activities of the Masai tribe of
Kenya, an exhibition about ecological tourism and an African safari park.
They will closely observe many kinds of wild animals and feel the excitement
of this special travel... We also provide an interesting activity called
‘African wild animal adoption’. Visitors will receive both entertainment
and knowledge over these three months.”
 Only
a meter or so of rock separates visitors from tons of rhino.
Niti Kongrut, director of the Tourism Authority of
Thailand, Region 3 (Pattaya) added, “Chonburi is experiencing rapid growth
in tourism. The many tourist sites arrange occasional activities to attract
tourists. The Chonburi Tourism Club, which is linked to 16 tourist sites, is
collaborating to support these tourist activities. It offers a so-called
‘Chonburi Tourist Visa’ card for special discounts to Chonburi tourist
places. People can find the card at any of these 16 tourist destinations.”
The Kenyan embassy in Thailand and the Masai peoples are
supporting the project.
Tribal
customs were played out for the audience at the beginning of the press
conference.
Tribes
folk gather for a dance at the entrance to the Hello Africa section of the
zoo.
“Say,
have you any spare leaves over there?”
Limbo
down, down, down...
The
acrobatic show was a thrill to watch.
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The ancient tradition of Songkran -
bestowing the water of life
Rungratree Thongsai
Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year, dates back
dozens of generations and it wasn’t until 1940 before the official New
Year in Thai calendar was moved to fall into line with the Western World.
 Preparation
of the natural aromatic water is essential before being used to bathe the
Buddha Statue or poured over the hands of the monk or senior family members.
However, the true meaning behind Songkran is one of
family and charity. Families would gather at the local temple and present
offerings to the monks or ‘Tamboon’, listen to the teachings of the
Buddha and pour water over the hands of the elders and monks to wish them
health, prosperity and long life, a tradition steeped in religious and local
belief as well as to provide encouragement to the respected elders of the
community.
 Religious
ceremonies believed to bring luck during the Thai New Year festival include
people bathing the Buddha statue as a symbol of cleanliness and purity for
the years to come.
As Thailand celebrates Songkran, in the modern day
calendar from April 12-15, many districts, villages and ethnic groups have
over the centuries come to celebrate the New Year in their own unique way
through activities that are specific to that area, and not how it is
“celebrated” by the masses here in Pattaya.
The Mon or Raman ethnic groups around the nation, and in
particular, Prapadaeng, Samutprakarn, on the outskirts of Bangkok the
province of Ratchaburi (famous for its floating markets), Sarmcoke district
in Pathumthani, and Koh Kret in Nonthaburi, each carry out specific
traditions fused with Thai culture throughout the festive period.
 The
younger generations carefully pour water over the hands of senior family
members, bequeathing them wishes of health and prosperity.
One thing does remain at the center of Songkran and that
is the temple or Wat, where just prior to the actual day, families converge
on the temple and build a temporary sala. The ladies of the households
prepare a special table on which to place food that is to be offered to the
monks and deities. Specific summer dishes, now a rarity in most parts of the
country, include ‘Khao Chae’ in Thai, or rice in chilled rose water
called Perng Sangkran in Mon. The food is not only tasty but is an art in
itself specific to the Mon people, who also pride themselves on their
culinary skills down to the very minute preparation details. Rice dishes, a
variety of noodles and fruit are also prepared as part of the offerings to
their ancestors who they believe revisit them each year during Songkran.
 “Khao
Chae”or rice chilled in rose water is an art in itself that requires not
only the best ingredients but also heart and tenderness in the preparation
process.
It is a time when the family gathers to enjoy the
Songkran festival within the community, games and contests of various types
are held and include sand castle building competitions, spinning tops used
to select dance partners, and the release of birds and fish as a continued
reminder of the merit making activities.
 Sand
sculpting competitions, one of the most favorite activities among the
waterside villages.
Individual families also gather for the ‘Rumphee’
dance of the spirits in which they call in souls of their fathers, mothers
and or grandparents as a means of communication between the two worlds. The
soul of a loved one is said to enter one family member during the dance and
the spirit bestows and receives good wishes, aids in studies and relieves
suffering to the living. In return, further merit is made for that person in
the form of items made from flour in the shape of what is requested.
Songkran for the Mon, as with traditions for Thais, is
also held to welcome the New Year and remove the clutter and dust from the
previous year. Everyone bathes carefully, puts on clean clothes and cleans
the house in the hope of allowing new things to enter into their lives.
 To
complete any of the celebrations traditional Thai dance or “Ram Wong” at
the temple or any of the villages is inevitable.
Water used throughout the Songkran festival is a symbol
of cleansing that which has collected on the body over the previous year, as
well as being used to refresh the body and soul in the height of the summer
season. Water is carefully poured over the senior family members as wishes
on health and prosperity are bequeathed in the process.
Over the years, the true meaning of Songkran has been lost on today’s
fast paced society, and many opt for inappropriate methods to celebrate. The
true spirit of Songkran lies not only in the refreshing water but also in
the hearts of the Mon and those who remember the values of family, charity
and community spirit for the betterment of their fellow man.
A gourmet evening at Bruno’s: the ‘Chaines’ that bind
Peter Cummins
The Chaine des Rotisseurs selected the new Bruno’s
Restaurant and Wine Bar for the most recent gathering for a sumptuous dinner
last week, entitled “Fredi’s Culinary Journey Around the World”.
And that is exactly what it was. After such a dinner, it
is easy to understand why the Chaine has so many loyal members world-wide -
for more than 700 years! This reporter from the Pattaya Mail was
attending his first Chaine evening and would be happy to join the “Chaine
Gang”!
 Louis
Noell welcomes members, guests and the media to Bruno’s.
Louis Noll, the Chaine Baillie, a man who knows what
great food is all about from his own Mata Hari Restaurant - one of
Pattaya’s best - welcomed members, guests and the media to Bruno’s, to
savour the cuisine and wines of Australia, Chile, Italy, Germany, Norway,
Switzerland and the USA. There was even a Japanese saki-based sherbet.
 (L
to R) Hugh, Louis and Fredi: Louis presents a certificate of appreciation to
Veerapong Kumsri, the restaurant manager.
As is the rule in the Chaine, with food professionally
prepared, there was neither pepper, salt nor any other condiments at the
tables.
Throughout the lively and exceptionally good gourmet
dinner, Hugh Miller gave intermittent commentaries on the food and wine,
displaying a firm grasp of the finer points of gourmet dining and wining.
Starting with Canap้s Deluxe, an exotic melange of
crabmeat, shrimp, foie gras and Parma ham, nicely “washed down” with a
Moulin de Roquette, Bordeaux 2001 (Rose), followed by a magnificent
Norwegian smoked salmon and potato terrine, complemented by a German
Reisling from the Burklin Estate Qualitatswein 2001.
It was then on to Australia for a delicious onion and
herb soup with Australian lamb shank, served, of course, with an Australian
Tyrrell’s 2002, Pinot Noir “Old Winery”.
One of the consolations of living in a cold northern
climate is that after a snowfall, the white stuff does not take too long to
melt. So, still in the Southern Hemisphere, Fredi’s kitchen also produced
a snow that melted instantly: a Chilean snow fish fillet which, literally,
melted in the mouth. The Chilean “Caliterra” Chardonnay Reserva 2001
from the Chadwick/Mondavi cellar, which had been a “star performer” at a
recent Chilean wine-makers dinner at the Royal Cliff Wine Club, was ideal to
go with the snow fish.
Then we were taken “up north” for a most unusual
Japanese sake wine sherbet, served as a palate cleanser. Then it was back
Down Under for the evening’s “chef d’oeuvre” which was a
belt-loosening milk-fed Australian veal tenderloin with creamy red wine-herb
gravy, cepe mushroom strudel and young vegetables. This course was served
with a Californian red, a 1999 Mondavi “Napa Valley” Merlot.
And still more food was served and the rivers of wine
flowed: An Italian sharp gorgonzola praline on poached pear slice, bathed in
a balsamico red wine sauce (did we REALLY need more wine?) and surrounded by
pistachio nuts. An Italian Toar, Masi 1999 did the honours with this dish.
A Saint Foy 1999 Bordeaux accompanied the desert: Swiss
chocolate pudding and vanilla ice cream, served with coffee-rum sauce.
For those who could still see, a sobering coffee or tea,
with friandises and chocolates was the answer to mobilizing. That was until
a “lethal” - and delectable - Framboise Eau de Vin was the “coup de
grace”.
This writer had extreme difficulty in finding the exit door, but when his
memory returned the next day, it was flooded with the culinary delights.
Vocational guidance is a necessary element for successful business strategy
by Sue K
Led by Volkhard Victor Seraphim, the GTZ principle
advisor for Vocational Guidance (VG) in Thailand, the VG Project Progress
Review delegation recently visited the Thai German Institute (TGI) to
exchange ideas on vocational guidance for lifelong learning.
 (From
left end of the row) Krisanee Adultanakarn, labor officer Employment
Promotion Div; Sira Sithapanit director of Employment Promotion; Saipin
Sirihong employment expert; Revadee Kuprasert CRM manager; and Walter
Kretschmar, TGI German director.
Walter Kretschmar, TGI German director, gave a brief
overview and concluded with the following statement: “Everything in our
world is changing rapidly ... as well as our expectation from vocational
guidance. Innovation cycles are getting shorter and shorter, while the
competitiveness of our industry is getting fiercer and fiercer. It is an
essential investment decision for our future productivity to have the
necessary people and skills available in order to stay competitive in the
market. Vocational Guidance can provide the necessary evaluated data and
consultancy, as decision support for the for the industry... Modern VG will
also contribute to and influence the setting of necessary standards.
 (From
right end of the row) Prachuab Namtip, VG Project senior consultant; Ben
Wallace, managing director of Employment Trends Limited New Zealand; Nitsana
Theeravit former director of DSD and DOE; Graham Baker, corporate services
manager for NZ Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Service Department;
and Volkhard Victor Seraphim, VG advisor.
“However, all of that needs to be and stay as a dynamic process, which
can never stay still. In this view, VG thus becomes a productivity factor,
and no longer has the image of a soft services provider.”
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