|
Big C Supercenter hands over scholarships to local students
Corporate responsibility for a better community
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
The level of corporate responsibility for the betterment
of society showed its face when Big C Supercenter in South Pattaya was the
venue when store management under the auspices of the Big C Foundation
handed over 50 scholarships, worth 3,000 baht each, to District 3 education
office head Dr Suthep Chitayawong for children in the Banglamung area.
The Big
C Foundation handed over 50 scholarships, worth 3,000 baht each, to children
in the Banglamung area.
The scholarship handouts are part of the foundation’s
efforts around the country to boost education and provide secondary students
the necessary means to continue their education without the financial burden
often placed on low income families. This funding makes a vital contribution
to the recipients’ opportunity to continue their schooling.
 Dr.
Suthep Chitayawong, director of the Chonburi District 3 education office,
distributes scholarships to the children.
During the handout ceremonies Wattana Jantaworaniont,
Pattaya deputy mayor in charge of education was present to assist in the
ceremonies.
 Wattana
Jantaworanont, Pattaya deputy mayor hands over scholarships to secondary
school students.
The Big C Foundation, formed in 2002, collects funds from
its 37 Big C outlets throughout the nation and annually distributes
5,400,000 baht in the form of 18,000 education grants to children throughout
Thailand. Over the last year the foundation has also built education and
sport facilities for a number of institutions in Chonburi, Chiang Rai and
Nontaburi.
Last week’s donation was a culmination of effort between both the North
Pattaya and South Pattaya stores.
Burapa University celebrates its 49th anniversary
Outstanding students presented with scholarships
Burapa university faculty members led the way for the
recent celebrations of Burapa University’s 49th anniversary at its
Bangsaen campus. Chonburi governor Pisit Khetpasook was the guest of honor
during the festivities as faculty members awarded outstanding students with
merits of achievement in front of over 1,000 people.
Special religious ceremonies were conducted on the
morning of July 9 as graduation certificates and merits were awarded.
Scholarships were also awarded to students as part of the anniversary with
10 students receiving educational funding.
Burapa
university faculty members and friends celebrated Burapa University’s
49th anniversary at its Bangsaen campus.
Following the awards ceremonies Prof. Dr. Thamrong Buasri announced that
special funding was also allocated to the construction and refurbishment of
the cultural exhibition hall. Chanyuth Hengtrakul, who was present for the
ceremonies, also handed over 50,000 baht towards the construction costs in
support of the university to benefit the education of its students.
Government youth environmental preservation project launched
Youth camps will focus on ecology and protection
The government has announced plans for a
five-year environmental preservation project that will involve more than a
million youths. The scheme centers on running environmental preservation
youth camps, aimed at increasing the awareness among Thai youths of the
importance of environmental preservation, according to Thanee
Viriyaratanaporn, a senior national park official. The camps will also
promote and develop eco-tourism in Thailand’s natural parks. At least
200,000 students are expected to join the environmental camps this year.
The organizers of the project hope to establish a support
network for the preservation of the country’s natural resources and
environment through these camps. The camps will be held in various national
parks across Thailand, and will involve a series of activities.
National park officials and guest speakers will provide
the young participants and students with information on wildlife, tropical
trees and plants. They will also advise them on how they can best help
preserve the country’s natural environment, and maintain the ecological
balance.
According to Krisada Supabpaiboon, a senior official of
the Royal Forest Department, the five year environmental preservation youth
camp project is the first project of its kind to be organized by the
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The Education ministry is
also involved in running the project.
This year around 130 natural parks will be involved in
the project, with each camp having at least 1,500 young participants. Three
marine parks will also be part of the scheme.
In the course of the next five years, these camps will be
conducted in 148 natural parks throughout the country. The three marine
parks will also continue to be used. The Khao Yai Natural Park’s
Management Development Center will also host at least 5,000 participants a
year. (TNA)
Khao Kheow Open Zoo launches three exciting campaigns for July, August, and September
Chills, thrills and nature in the raw
Decha Chalermyart
The nation’s biggest open zoo, Khao Kheow, is now
offering new ways of educational entertainment for those who love being in
the middle of pure nature, want to experience an unforgettable moment and
stroke the heads of harmless jungle animals.
Three programs were designed for July, August, and
September. In July, ‘Mazai Return’, a famous tribe from Kenya will
arrive from their village to perform a new show called ‘Acrobatic Kenya
Show’. Also, bird watching enthusiasts will be able to trek along a new
trail designed for them to enter more secret parts of the jungle under the
supervision of bird experts.
In August, the zoo will celebrate the 72nd birthday
anniversary of HM Queen Sirikit along with the rest of the country. The
biggest and oldest bird dome, now in its 21st year, will be the major
attraction of the month.
An exhibition of HM the Queen’s works involving nature
protection and maintenance, the newly decorated botanical garden, and
diverse species of birds will be on display for viewers.
In September, a group of fearless men from Khok Sanga in
Khon Kaen province, who risk their lives performing with poisonous snakes,
will excite and thrill their audience.
Keep the morning tickets in hand because each of them is
worth a 50% discount when purchasing a night safari trip. For more
information call 038-298195 and 038-298272.
Bangkok Pattaya Hospital ‘Caring For Healthier Kids’
Mike Franklin
Bangkok Pattaya Hospital continues to actively support
the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive, and once again will be on
station at the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive Children’s Fair
on Sunday September 12, 2004 at the Diana Garden Resort & Driving
Range.
The Ambulance & First Aid Unit will again be on
station for the day and be on hand throughout the Children’s Fair, to
deal with any situation that needs medical care. Everyone is welcome to
come by and have a free blood pressure check with the duty nurse.
 The
“Brush Your Teeth Choir” performs to the delight of all – and carries
a valuable lesson.
Neera, Neil, Reina and staff from the International
Department will also be part of the team energetically selling tickets at
the Children’s Raffle stand. There will be the usual wonderful range of
prizes sponsored by Pattaya Sports Club, the Jesters and other generous
individuals.
Dental Care for the children at the Fountain of Life
Center is one of the most vital projects currently provided by Bangkok
Pattaya Hospital, and this on-going vital program continues to be funded by
the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive.
 Fountain
of Life children receive dental care at Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital.
Diane Connelly, affectionately known as the ‘Tooth
Fairy’, continues to work hard to organize an effective Dental Program
but she does need additional volunteer help so as many children as possible
at the Center can be treated regularly. She can be contacted at the
Fountain of Life Center.
 The
“Brush Your Teeth Choir” hams it up before a performance.
Diane is quick to explain that getting these children to
the dentist from an early age is so important, as their family
circumstances do seriously work against the possibility of them having good
teeth.
Many of the children are given sweet drinks by their
carers to pacify them, and add to this a total lack of tooth brushing and
the effects are awful. It is easy to blame the families for lack of hygiene
and bad diet, but in reality this is just a small part of the problems for
the very poor. Pattaya is a prosperous city but there are many people who
still do not have access to running water. Brushing teeth then hardly
becomes a priority.
At the Fountain of Life Center the teachers quickly
teach the new children about health and hygiene and they all brush their
teeth after meals, but what about the rest of the time? The tooth decay in
the children shocks the dentists and is really hard to treat. Many of them
have untreated abscesses. If your teeth are rotten you also don’t want to
chew on fresh fruit and meat, instead they fill up on soft sweet things and
rice, which means they may look OK, but are actually malnourished.
This is where the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital comes in. The
Dental Department treats many of the children each week, made possible by a
generous 40% discount. Great credit must go to Dr Thasannee and the doctors
and nurses for their professional and caring treatment of the children. A
new member of staff, Dr Orissa, who is a pediatric dentist, can treat even
the most difficult cases.
This year the program has been busier than ever with
“Operation Share Smile”. The dental team has given free sealants to
almost 90 children ensuring their healthy molars stay that way, a gift for
the future. Fluoride tablets have been donated by the hospital to protect
the children’s teeth and the team has visited the center to give free
fluoride treatment.
In the last year 160 dental visits have been made, often
involving difficult root canal treatment to preserve the children’s
teeth. Although some of the children have long and difficult treatment
there are few tears, as most children are desperate to show ‘Nang Fa”
their bad teeth in the hope of a ride in her car to the dentist and to come
back with their toothache gone and often a present from the dentist!
It may sound silly to say that success causes a problem,
but due to the work at the Center in processing ID documentation and
enabling children to progress to the government schools, the intake of
children is increasing, as word is out that the Fountain of Life Center is
their stepping-stone to an education. This means many more teeth to be
cared for! There are many ways that the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity
Drive fund will be used to help the beneficiaries this year, as Lewis
Underwood outlined a recent Pattaya Mail ‘Care for Kids’
article. However, a top priority has to be getting the ‘Kids’ on the
path of life with a set of teeth that ensures they have the wonderful
‘Thai Smile’.
Keep up to date with the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ web site at
www.care4kids.info and see Pattaya Mail next week for more news
about the Jesters Children’s Fair.
IB Diploma continues to
grow well at the Garden
As for all IB Diploma students world wide, July 6 was
a key date for the Year 13 students of Garden International School, Rayong
– the day when they were able to access their IB Diploma results after
two years of tests, course work and final examinations.
The IB Diploma is a very challenging university entrance
qualification that is recognized in one hundred and two countries and by
over one thousand universities. It was established at Garden International
School in 1997 and, since 1999, the school has been producing Diploma
graduates who have used the qualification as a passport to university
entrance in various countries such as the UK, Canada, Nepal, Australia and
Thailand to name but a few.
Teachers
and IB Diploma students enjoyed a proud day on July 6, the day when they
were able to access their IB Diploma results after two years of tests,
course work and final examinations.
GIS IB Diploma coordinator, Sue Burke, was thrilled with
this year’s results: “In terms of the highest overall grades and of the
average grades, this year’s results are by far and away the best ever. In
September we will be enrolling at least ten students for IB – our biggest
ever number – and these results will really give all the new students a
big boost and something to aim for.”
This year’s graduates – Ian Clubb, Pathama Razon,
Nalini Schaduangrat, Gareth Sutcliffe, Nicole Kim and Aarthee Vittal will
be using their newly acquired diplomas and certificates to enroll for
universities in Hong Kong, France, The UK, Australia and Thailand.
Sue Burke adds, “The students have been fantastic,
they have overcome a lot of difficulties this year and yet they’ve
produced our best results ever. I’m really proud of them.”
For more details of the IB Diploma program at Garden International
School – and of the new GIS IB Scholarship for 2004/5 - contact Sue Burke
on 038 880360 or gisrayon @loxinfo.co.th
|
