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Tales of the olden days of the olden knights
Were they really like this?
Elfi Seitz
A knight’s evening with a Bavarian touch was held
recently in the Bavaria Beer Garden. It was organized by owner Robert
Stankcke, Kurt Krieger - who was a successful master of ceremonies in
typical noisy Bavarian style, complete with dialect and verses – and
Herbert Sch๖n, who appeared as cupbearer.
 A
knife and fingers – that’s all that was needed to enjoy this olden
Bavarian meal.
First the guests were officially called in and a castle
maid washed their hands so that they could enjoy their meal with clean
fingers. There were no forks, as these were tools of the devil and spoons
had not been invented yet. So the guests had to manage with a gigantic knife
to cut the many dishes into bite-size bits to enjoy.
The barmaids put giant napkins around people’s necks to
wipe their fingers and to keep their clothes clean. Meanwhile, during this
rustic meal, jester Ken performed card tricks and the minstrel played
cheerful tunes on his accordion.
A group of the Schlaraffia from Bangkok, led by Fritz
Burtchen, gave the evening the right flair with their costumes. However,
these guests – some of them came with their German wives – said goodbye
before the very bawdy dessert.
It was a lengthy evening, which was wonderful and fun until the dessert
and which stretched until long past midnight.
MP Wittaya Khunplome receives many birthday wishes
It was a festive occasion at Baan Saensukh on June 27 when well-known
Chonburi MP Wittaya Khunplome celebrated his birthday. Many of the area’s
top governmental officials, local politicians, businesspeople, and public
visited to deliver their praises to this special person.
Wittaya Khunpluem is currently a Chart Thai Party member,
and a member of parliament representing Chonburi province.
Chonburi
MP Wittaya Khunplome (left) receives gifts and birthday wishes from Chanyuth
and Willawan Hengtrakul and other prominent local citizens.
Wittaya has many friends in and outside of political
circles, so it was no surprise to see a long queue of people from different
backgrounds waiting anxiously to present bouquets of flowers, gifts, and
good wishes to him.
In the morning, religious ceremonies were carried out by
nine Buddhist monks and alms were given to make merit.
Some of the well-known society members that came to wish
Wittaya a happy birthday included Chanyuth Hengtrakul, advisor to the
minister of tourism and sports and his wife Willawan Hengtrakul, Surasit
Nitiwutworarak, Chonburi member of parliament, and Pattana Boonsawat,
Pattaya deputy mayor.
Wittaya Khunplome, one of the four offspring of Somchai (Kamnan
Poh) and Satil Khunplome, was born on June 27 1965. He graduated from
Chulalongkorn University majoring in political science and finished his
Masters degree at the University of Southern California, USA.
His political career started when he was elected as Chonburi province
member of parliament in 1992. His personal motto is to be responsible and
dependable for mutual progress, be honest to the job, and be obedient to
parents and supportive adults.
Green Bottle celebrates Euro Cup 2004
Suchada Tupchai
Nowhere in town was Euro Cup fever more evident than it
was this year at the Green Bottle Pub. Throughout the tournament, Green
Bottle was alive with football fans reveling in the victories, or agonizing
in the defeats of their favorite teams.
(From
left) Sophin Thappajug, Willawan Hengtrakul, Chanyuth Hengtrakul and
Pratheep ‘Peter’ Malhotra (right) congratulate Pol. Sgt. Utai
Thipsuntiya (2nd right) who won first prize in the lucky draw.
When the Euro 2004 championships came to an end on July
5, the Green Bottle Pub threw a party to celebrate. Community leaders and
public figures joined the public, staff and management of the Diana Inn for
the festivities at the height of the grand final, when Greece defeated
Portugal 1 - 0.
During the football championships the Green Bottle ran a
lucky draw competition, the prizes for which were drawn after the grand
final.
First prize was a 2-Baht weight gold football valued at
around 13,000 baht, which lucky punter Pol. Sgt. Utai Thipsuntiya won.
Second prize was a 21-inch Sharp TV and one year of free Sophon cable,
which went to David. Lucky Bob won a 6.5cu fridge, and before the night was
over, numerous other prizes were given away, totaling well over 60,000 baht.
TGI Seminar advises how to avoid
long-term human damage in the workplace
Healthy workers help make healthy profits
Noel Bruyns
Never put butter or greasy ointment on a burn spot, as
your mother probably did when you scorched yourself as a child. It may seal
the heat into the wound and cause infection.
Dr Chawalit Wongsuthipol, international operations
consultant at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital gave this and similar useful - and
sometimes life-saving - advice at a “Fit for Business through Health and
Safety” seminar on July 2.
 Dr
Chawalit Wongsuthipol advises keeping a well-stocked first aid kit and a
list of local emergency numbers in order to be prepared in case of an
emergency, and during an emergency, “Keep calm ... Plan quickly what to do
... and, if necessary, send for professional help.”
It took place at the Thai-German Institute offices in
Chonburi.
The aim was to inform companies about what to do in an
emergency or immediately after an accident to prevent employees sustaining
possibly long-term health damage in the workplace.”
“Keep calm. This will help the victim keep calm as well
and cooperate. If they are anxious or excited, the extent of the damage from
the injury may increase,” Dr Chawalit advised.
“Plan quickly what to do,” which presupposed health
officers had learnt basic procedures. They should then send for professional
help, if necessary, for which a list of local emergency numbers should be
available at all times.
“Be an encouragement to the injured person. Let him
know help is on the way.”
Giving self-evident advice, which, however, is often
forgotten in an emergency situation, Dr Chawalit said, “Showing care and
concern can give them hope.”
He cited the symptoms, causes and immediate treatment for
a wide range of emergencies that may arise. They included: bites and stings,
burns, abrasions, dislocations, fainting, fractures, nosebleeds, poisoning,
sprains, asphyxiation, choking, concussions, convulsions, electrical shock
and heatstroke.
Dr Chawalit also gave a list of basics that every first
aid kit should, by law, contain as well as “extras” to pack in, for
example, when employees have to go on trips off-site.
Dr Eberhard Stockmann, director of medical services at
Siemens in Germany, said businesses operate to make money.
“It makes sense to have sites that avoid accidents.
Only healthy employees are strong, motivated and able to perform
properly,” he said.
He showed an overhead projection slide of an unsafe
construction site in Thailand - not an uncommon occurrence.
“Keep your employees healthy at work. Prevent the
spread of infectious diseases,” he advised, giving the example of
Hepatitis B which is prevalent in Thailand.
“Avoid unhealthy situations developing and accidents
occurring, because you will lose money as a result,” he said.
Participants ended the seminar with a hands-on practical exercise
applying first-aid measures on dummies (see related story this page).
Skal Pattaya attends National Committee meeting on Koh Samui
Presents its eco-tourism project to the delegation
President Bob Lee (Skal Pattaya & East Thailand Club
and vice-president of the National Committee) along with club vice
president, Andrew Khoo (GM Hard Rock Hotel - and National Committee
director) had the pleasure of attending the Skal National Committee Mid-Year
meeting that was hosted by MD Vitaya of the Chaweng Regent Resort on Koh
Samui.
Enjoying
drinks at the new Vino-Tek on Samui are (left to right): Bessie & Abbey
(Bangkok), Eileen (Pattaya), Rochelle & Vitaya (Samui), Andrew,
Rosalind, Elmarie, Norman & Bob (all from Pattaya).
Both Bob & Andrew took along their wives as it was
not to be all hard work and no fun, as this executive meeting was timed to
coincide with the island’s inauguration function.
Skal Samui, being the “new kid on the block”, is
numbered at 679.
At this gathering of professionals in the tourism
industry, Pattaya had the opportunity of presenting the eco-eco tourism
project that it has submitted to the Skal headquarters in Spain for
consideration of an international award. The DVD presentation was met with
captive interest and rapturous applause. This in itself gave the Pattaya
delegation great confidence.
The award presentation is to take place at the World
Congress in Durban, South Africa during October. Andrew & Bob both hope
to attend this Congress and bring home the Eco-Prize for Skal and Pattaya!
If successful, this project will be shown to over 1,500
delegates from all over the globe and will be televised internationally.
Just the type of marketing that the fair city of Pattaya deserves. There is
also further talk that the presentation could be featured on National
Geographic Television.
An eight page Saa paper brochure was also produced and
was accompanied with a letter from the city mayor verifying the facts in the
submission and wishing the Skal team and Pattaya good fortune at the awards
ceremony in South Africa.
Also giving strength to the project and support to the
new club, a number of Pattaya members joined the meeting and fun on Koh
Samui.
The documentary was produced by Capital TV. It runs for
an exciting and informative 7 minutes. It takes viewers on a journey through
3 generations of a Pattaya family - father Samron, his son and grandson,
then it goes on to explain the differences in the environment that Pattaya
City and this family have experienced over the years.
The mini-film features the city’s water rehabilitation
programme, the structure, the costs, the implementation thereof and the
effective results.
A grand effort to produce and send the information abroad
was instigated by Panga from the Royal Cliff Resort, TAT and city hall, all
of whom supplied the financial support in making this presentation a
reality.
Members of the Skal Pattaya Eco-Tourism Committee
included: David Smith (Peace), Deborah Bundityanond (Rabbit Resort), David
Holden, Michael Swart and Panga Vathanakul (all from the Royal Cliff), Bob
Lee (president Skal Pattaya), Robert Schruball (lecturer - university),
Raine & Les with their crew (Capital TV), the “stars” of the show:
Samran, son Anucha and grandson Toh, and quite a number of behind the scenes
personnel.
The great thing about being involved with such a project
is that there are no losers - only winners. Anything that can be done to
improve our city is a positive reflection of the action being taken by those
who care.
Without a doubt - Skal does care!
Do’s and don’ts for the tyro traveler
Think before you drink!
Noel Bruyns
Foreigners who like their steaks rare or medium should
think twice about placing such orders with their waiters. This is the advice
from Dr Eberhard Stockmann, director of medical services at Siemens in
Germany, who offers a list of do’s and don’ts for those who wish to
remain healthy in tropical countries and climates.
Our own medical correspondent, Dr. Iain Corness, says
that while most of Dr. Stockmann’s advice relates to issues outside of
Thailand, travelers should remember that the hygiene standards in some of
the lesser developed Asian countries are not as stringent as you can expect
here. This is particularly true for ice (the ‘shaved’ ice used in
roadside drinks in particular, and fruits and vegetables may not be washed).
* Eat only well-cooked or roasted food (no rare steaks).
* Eat only fruit and vegetables that can be peeled.
* Take care with ice cubes! They may be made from tap
water and contain bacteria not killed off by freezing.
* Never drink tap water but use sealed mineral water
bottles.
* Drink as much water as possible (2-3 liters a day and
more, according to the amount of physical effort you perform).
* Since ‘Delhi Belly’ and similarly named diseases
are frequently caused by germs which quickly multiply in food in a tropical
climate, do not eat food that has been out of the refrigerator or wok for
many hours.
Malaria is still a problem in many parts of Asia. Dr
Stockmann agrees that malaria is not a threat in places like Pattaya or
Bangkok, but suggests that if you go to the far north, near the border with
Myanmar, or the areas towards the Cambodian border, for example, you should
take preventive medication and other sensible precautions. These can
include:
* If you are outdoors in the evening or at night, keep as
much of your body covered by clothing.
* Use a mosquito repellent containing DEET on your hands
and face and other exposed regions.
Dr. Corness adds that travelers contemplating trekking in
the far flung regions of Asia should consult their doctors in their own
countries for advice on suitable vaccinations and prophylactic medications.
The Bakery Company and Super Sandwich Express, a recipe for success
Suchada Tupchai
Many of Pattaya’s residents relish hot fresh bread
straight from the oven. The demand for quality bread is so great that the
Bakery Company, run by long-term resident Peter Meuleman, has joined forces
with Saipin Ineke, manager of Super Sandwich Express to meet that demand.
 Peter
Meuleman, Saipin Ineke and staff at the Thappraya Road shop.
Located on Thappraya Road opposite Jomtien Complex, the
small restaurant has been refurbished and reopened.
“Our shop was previously open and we had regular
customers who like a quiet, clean restaurant with good-tasting food. Now we
have a wider range of fresh bread along with coffee and tea for our
customers,” said Saipin.
Meuleman, who operates his bakery out of Soi Batman, is
supplying the shop with mince and vegetable pies, fruit tarts and sausage
rolls, among other tasty morsels.
The Bakery Company and Super Sandwich Express is open daily from 8 a.m.
to 6 p.m. with fresh bread baked daily.
Pattaya City Expats Club elects new board
Pattaya City Expats Club PCEC held its annual general
meeting on July 4. Due praise for all his work, leadership and untiring
efforts over the years was paid to Drew Noyes, the retiring PCEC chairman,
who then gave a brief review of events and before handing over for the
election to the acting secretary.
The acting secretary gave a brief report outlining the
growth of the club’s activities over the year whilst Peter Wheeler and his
two able scrutineers counted the ballots. When the results of the election
were declared it had proved to be a close call at the end with a tie for the
9th position.
The new board members are: Max Rommel, Richard E. Smith,
Chris Hill, Allan Sherratt (all from the previous board), Michael Berris,
Thor Halland, Peter Steed, John Botting, and Richard Silverberg (new
members).
At their first board meeting Max Rommel, a founder member
of the club, took over the duties of chairman and Richard E. Smith the
co-chairman, Thor Halland was elected secretary with Richard Silverberg part
of the secretariat. John Botting became sergeant at arms and Chris Hill
continues to head the Helpline. Michael Berris heads charity activities with
Peter Steed in charge of speakers for the weekly meetings and topic
research.
In his report on the year’s activities Allan, acting
secretary, stated that the club had continued to grow through the year both
in numbers and stature. He said that it had become recognized as a vital
force in the local community, in the Banglamung amphur and in the province
of Chonburi.
The good-standing of the club has been established
through the many activities that members (as groups within the club) have
attended or been involved in. The widening of club activities has involved
the continuing help in obtaining driving licenses and now Thai lessons and
has been achieved principally through the personal efforts and connections
of our club chairman Drew Noyes.
The provision of help in attending “Buddhist” events
has also come through the club’s continued link with Songporn and Sermsak.
The newsletter has continued to be a source of help and
connection with the members living here and around the world in their home
countries.
The website has continued to grow with more submissions
from Richard Smith and others constantly updating the information on many
topics, primarily on the ongoing changes in visa requirements.
The club has continued to give its support to many local
events and was, again through the good offices and involvement of chairman
Drew Noyes, the prime organizer of the foreign contribution to the Loy
Krathong Festival. This being a first for “foreign” representation at a
previously “all Thai” Festival.
Whilst many people have contributed through the year to
keep the club as active as it is, many may still not realize the great
contribution that Drew has made by allowing his staff and office facilities
to be utilized on a regular basis to organize and carry out these many tasks
during his term as chairman. In the wait for the results of the election
Drew did what he is best at and what the club will miss when he ceases to be
the MC; he continued to keep the meeting flowing with ad hoc items and
introduced new members and then asked if anyone had any comments or
questions from the floor.
Mention, with thanks, was made of the part played in the
club by David in Pattaya up to his untimely death last year. Brain Maxey
also spoke on behalf of members to thank all who, at the Sunday meetings,
played their part behind the microphones and in the limelight.
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