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Peter Cummins to contribute to forthcoming book on “Photographers of HM King Rama the Ninth”
By Pattaya Mail reporters
Recently, a team led by Sermsakdi Sabhananda, President and
Editor-in-Chief of the “Leader’s Digest” newspaper and comprising
members of the Palace Public Relations team and the Court official
photographer, Nom Pongkanchananukul, visited the Pattaya Mail premises,
for discussions with Peter Malhotra and Peter Cummins.
 Old
friends meet, Peter heartily greets Khun Nom.
During the visit, it was pointed out by Sermsakdi , that there would be
a bi-lingual book published about “Photographers of Rama the Ninth”
which would include a biography of the photographers and a selection of
their pictures of HM the King.
The Pattaya Mail is honoured and happy to note that our own special
correspondent, Peter Cummins, was one of the three western photographers
selected to join six Thai nationals, to be featured in this venture.
The book to be published will be dedicated to His Majesty, who is the
Patron of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, honouring the 60th anniversary of
the King’s accession to the Thai Throne. There will be many threads of a
Royal marine tapestry interwoven into the photographers’ book.
 Pratheep
Malhotra shows the two Royal photographers the many publications on HM
the King that Pattaya Mail published.
Some of our readers will, no doubt, recall the many stories and personal
photographs of our Beloved Monarch and the Royal Family which Peter has
had published in our own columns, the Bangkok Post, the Nation, Thai
Airways International’s Sawasdee in-flight magazine, on several
occasions, and elsewhere, over the past decade and a half.
This has included a contribution to the definitive volume published by
the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, “The King of Thailand in
World Focus”, published to celebrate the Monarch’s fifth cycle, 60th
birthday in 1987.
“His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great: Monarch for the
Millennium” was written by Peter and published by the Pattaya Mail, to
honour the King’s sixth cycle, seventy-second birthday on the fifth of
December, 1999.
 Peter
and Nom reminisce about the good old days over a beer at the Royal
Varuna Yacht Club.
This rare book contains unique pictures of Their Majesties the King, the
Queen and other members of the Royal Family, taken by Peter when he was
privileged to sail with His Majesty off the Klai Kangwol Palace, some 20
years ago. The publication features many intimate and informal pictures
rarely seen of HM the King.
Many of these photographs have been featured in various exhibitions and
Peter is quick to acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of the
Royal Photographer, Nom Pongkanchananukul who was a constant source of
support at the Klai Kangwol regatta, during that period.
Sermsakdi himself has mounted several photo montages, featuring pictures
of the “King the Sailor”, one in particular at the Pattaya sea-front
Beach Road, attended by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, quite
recently.
In fact, it was Khun Nom, the man who has taken, processed and
distributed literally thousands of photographs of Thai Royalty, who
reminded Peter that of all this output, he has only one picture of
himself with the King. And, that, Nom gratefully acknowledged, was taken
by Peter himself on that weekend at Klai Kangwol, 20 years ago. Nom
guards this single picture with an understandable obsession
Thus, it was a most happy reunion here at the Pattaya Mail and we are,
indeed, proud that our own writer/photographer will be acknowledged in
this manner.
After the “Pattaya Mail” meeting. Peter escorted the group, regaled in
“PC Classic” polo shirts, up to the Royal Varuna Yacht Club where the OK
dinghy was displayed. This single-handed craft was the same design which
His Majesty had built and won his Gold medal in the Fourth South East
Asian Peninsular Games in December, 1967. Of course, the splendid
evening at the Royal Varuna the sea-front, was the scene of many
reminiscences which permeated the group, from the halcyon days when all
the Royal Family came to Pattaya and sailed dinghies off the old Varuna
Marine Club in South Pattaya (now the Royal Varuna Yacht Club).
We shall keep our readership informed of the progress of the proposed
book, which, of course, will also reflect positively on our own
dedication and loyalty to HM the King and the Royal Family, over the
years.
The team of Royal
photographers pose with the Pattaya Mail team for a group photograph.
Thanks to Sermsakdi Sabhananda (front 3rd right) the long- separated
friends found each other again.
Yesterday once more.
Kamolchai ‘James’ Padungkit, manager of the RVYC and others welcome the
distinguished guests.
Hopping along at Rabbit Resort
Gillian Thom
The first Beach Party at the Rabbit Resort was held on Saturday 1 July,
and despite the ever-present threat of stormy weather, over 85 members,
families and friends of PILC gathered for a fun event on the beach.
The owners of the Rabbit Resort, Paisan and Deborah, had really “pushed
the boat out” to decorate the resort beautifully for our event, and the
service of their staff was outstanding throughout the evening. The
resort is tucked away on Dongtan Beach in Jomtien, but fortunately the
road in front of the hotel had been specially opened for us, and no-one
went missing or got lost.
Games were provided for the little ones, and despite the blustery
conditions, there was a great crowd of youngsters wanting to try their
hands at hoopla, basketball and quoits, all vying for the small prizes
on offer. Gillian’s husband Andy and her family visiting from the UK,
plus the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital team, were all kept very busy on the
games stands.
Dr Ian Corness, as MC for the evening, rallied the troops into a
delicious buffet of barbeque, Thai and western food, finishing with a
yummy homemade ice-cream, and the band played favorites old and new.
There was a popular raffle with prizes donated from all around Pattaya,
including a beautiful print from Gallery Opium, facials and spa
treatments, and full medical checkups at BKK Pattaya Hospital!
The PILC is very grateful to the Rabbit Resort and Bangkok Pattaya
Hospital for their generous sponsorship of this event, which enabled us
to raise more than THB 82,000 to put towards our Dental Care programme
at the Ban Jing Jai children’s home. We look forward to an even bigger
and better event next year!
For more information about the Pattaya International Ladies Club, please
contact the President, Gillian Thom, on 038-756923 or 017626003, or
e-mail to [email protected]
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