St. Andrews International School Green Valley Early Years Water Day

St. Andrews KG and reception visit local mango farm

Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital funds schools in Pattaya to revive Thai classical music

PILC Family Fun Day “fun for the whole family”

St. Andrews International School Green Valley Early Years Water Day

On Wednesday March 31, Mrs. Lowder and Mrs. Watt organized a fun filled day of “water activities” for the St. Andrews International School Early Years. All the parents were invited to participate and help their children with the various events.

For the adventurous there was a boat filled with water and lots of fish to catch, paddle pools to cool down in or the sprinkler to run in and out of.

There was every opportunity to get very wet whether you were washing the dishes or dollies. Lots of bubbles and sponges. Washing the dolls’ clothes and hanging them out to dry was a popular event but the most daring was the slide down the slope on a plastic sheet, with Khun Usa at the top hose and baby bubbles at the ready.

There was every opportunity to get very wet whether you were washing the dishes or dollies.

What a slide that was ... sitting ... or for the more adventurous ... sliding on their tummies. The queue was long and worth the wait.

For the adventurous there was a boat filled with water and lots of fish to catch, paddle pools to cool down in or the sprinkler to run in and out of.

Each child had to fish in some bubbly water for there own individual pack of blowing bubbles. Water pistols were always full and it didn’t take long for everyone to get at least a little wet!

The final involved all the children attempting to explode big and small water bombs in the parachute. Everyone tired hard and it was a colorful sight to see all the balloons bursting and the water spray glisten in the sun.

Hot and happy, everyone retreated indoors. A big thank you to all the parents who brought a ‘plate’ and contributed to a well deserved morning tea. A big thank you also to Khun Usa and Khun Aye for all their hard work in helping to set up the events and for blowing up ALL those balloons. Without their help and hard work these events would not be such a big success.

St. Andrews KG and reception visit local mango farm

On Thursday March 25, Miss Wallace and her Reception Class and Mrs. Lower and her KG class set off to visit a local mango farm as part of their spring project “Food”. And what an adventure they all had!

Everyone unwrapped their fruit carefully and placed it in one of the baskets provided.

The mango farm only harvests fruit on given days so the day was selected with care to achieve maximum potential. Having arrived at the farm, they drove through the rows of mango trees on a very bumpy track. When the group arrived at the harvesting site, everyone had a turn at picking the mangoes with a huge sort of fishing net. Some mangoes are so far away that very long ladders are needed.

At this point they kids discovered that all the mangoes are individually wrapped in newspaper to protect them from insects. So everyone unwrapped their fruit carefully and placed it in one of the baskets provided.

The mangoes are transferred to large plastic crates and taken to the “depot” on an old blue tractor ... some of the kids got to sit on it for a try!

These baskets are then all collected and moved by a special wheelbarrow. The mangoes are transferred to large plastic crates and taken to the “depot” on an old blue tractor ... some of the kids got to sit on it for a try!

Everyone had a turn at picking the mangoes with a huge sort of fishing net.

Finally, the fruit is weighed, wrapped and sent off to Bangkok from where it is exported to Japan and Switzerland.

The mangoes were very cheap (20TB kilo), so the group bought 5 kilos and made some very healthy mango smoothies for snack time.

A BIG thank you all fruit pickers for their help and for being so kind.

Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital funds schools in Pattaya to revive Thai classical music

Suchada Tupchai

The future of Thai classical music has received a shot in the arm with an injection of funding from Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital.

Dr Veerasuk Pongputtanapan, assistant director of the hospital, presided over a ceremony for its “Funding for Thai classical music in Pattaya schools” project in the hospital lobby.

Dr. Veerasuk presents the funding to Thawatchai Ruttunyu, director of the Pattaya Education, Religion and Culture Promotion Office, as guests of honor look on.

“Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital realizes it is essential to pass on Thai classical music to the next generation. So we have launched this funding project to extend our traditional culture. These scholarships are aimed at supporting our children in preserving Thai classical music,” Dr Veerasuk said.

Students from Pattaya School #5 performed a Thai classical music show in the hospital’s lobby.

Thawatchai Ruttunyu, director of the Pattaya Education, Religion and Culture Promotion Office said, “I am very grateful for the hospital’s funding project as it will be a good support for schools in Pattaya that run courses in Thai classical music. It is a good idea to implant this in students because often great achievements have their beginnings while people are still at school.”

Afterwards, Pattaya School #5 students performed a Thai classical music show for the guests, many of them foreigners, and hospital staff.

Guests of honor included Niran Wattanasartsathorn, mayor elect; Sopin Thappajug, managing director of the Diana Group; and Malinee Saliman, president of YWCA (Bangkok-Pattaya).

PILC Family Fun Day “fun for the whole family”

Judy Hoppe

The Pattaya International Ladies Club sponsored a Family Fun Day at Sea, Sand and Sun Resort on Sunday, April 25. Approximately 70 people attended, including several orphan children who are being cared for by Mercy Ministries.

The day began with the children constructing sand sculptures. The first place winners were Isabelle and Alexander de Vries who are the grandchildren of PILC member Dinnie de Vries and her husband Willem.

The second and third place winners were Milly and Annabelle Kershaw who are the children of Jan and Jonathan Kershaw. Jan is also a member of PILC.

The children also enjoyed a Tug of War rope pull and 2 hours of fun on the Banana Boat water ride.

Everyone enjoyed the wonderful barbeque buffet that was catered by the resort. Even though it was very hot, the attendees enjoyed the sea, sand, pool, games, food and friendship.

2nd prize sandcastle - Milly and Annabelle Kershaw.

1st prize sandcastle - Alexander and Isabella de Vries.

Ice cream sure tastes good on a hot day, even if you have to wear some of it!

Baby Jordan, who is the child of one of Mercy Ministries workers, enjoys the sensation of having sand between the toes.

The orphan children who are being taken care of by Mercy Ministries had a fun day to remember.

Building a sand castle takes teamwork and concentration.

One, two, three, heave!

Doh! This tug-o-war is hard work. Maybe I’ll just lie down for a while...

Are you sure this thing won’t tip over?