|
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in Royal visit to Pattaya
Graciously presides over official opening and stone laying ceremony at Redemptorist Vocational Center and School for the Blind
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn lays the
foundation stone for the new HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
Building at the Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind. (Photo
courtesy Bureau of the Royal Household)
Social Welfare director of the Pattaya
Redemptorist Vocational School, Father Larry Patin presents a model of
the new multi-purpose building to HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
(Photo courtesy Bureau of the Royal Household)
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn receives
garlands from the Pattaya Redemptorist Vocational School staff and
personnel. (Photo courtesy Bureau of the Royal Household)
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn receives
a gift from Walter Meyer, one of the benevolent patrons of the fund.
(Photo courtesy Bureau of the Royal Household)
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn anoints
the foundation stone with sacred markings. (Photo courtesy Bureau of the
Royal Household)
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn presents
a pin to Orora Sribuaphan, director of the Pattaya Redemptorist School
for the Blind. (Photo courtesy Bureau of the Royal Household)
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn plants a
Ta Baek Tree as it will bring peace and charm to the people at the
Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind and become the symbol of the
school. (Photo courtesy Bureau of the Royal Household)
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
graciously presents Bishop Philip Banjong Chaiyara a plaque of
recognition for his dedication in caring for the Redemptorist
Foundation.
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
officially opens the new multi-purpose building at Pattaya Redemptorist
Vocational School.
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn signs
the memorial book as Sister Phavinee Phichaisrisawat, director of the
Pattaya Redemptorist Vocational School looks on. (Photo courtesy Bureau
of the Royal Household)
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn looks
over the model of the Maha Chakri Sirindhorn building at the Pattaya
Redemptorist School for the Blind. (Photo courtesy Bureau of the Royal
Household)
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn walks
through the exhibition zone of the building and talks to some of the
students. (Photo courtesy Bureau of the Royal Household)
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn shows
keen interest in the students’ projects at the exhibition zone. (Photo
courtesy Bureau of the Royal Household)
The new multi-purpose building at Pattaya
Redemptorist Vocational School.
Students and teachers excitedly await the
arrival of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. (Photo courtesy Bureau
of the Royal Household)
Narisa Nitikarn
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn officially opened a
new multi-purpose building at Pattaya Redemptorist Vocational School on
February 15, and then laid the foundation stone for the HRH Princess
Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Building at the Pattaya Redemptorist School for
the Blind, which is under the patronage of Her Royal Highness.
Father Worawut Saraphan, license holder of the Vocational School,
welcomed Her Royal Highness when she arrived at 9 a.m. School director
Suporntham Mongkolsawat and Father Lawrence Patin, director of
Redemptorist Social Welfare, also escorted Her Royal Highness, who was
photographed with committee members and administrators, and with
personnel of the Redemptorist Foundation for the Development of Disabled
People.
Her Royal Highness then went to lay the foundation stone at the Maha
Chakri Sirindhorn Building at the Pattaya Redemptorist School for the
Blind. School director Mrs Orora Sribuaphan greeted HRH the Princess,
who also planted a Lagerstroemia Floribunda jack tree. Her Royal
Highness met the students and played music with them before her
departure.
The multi-purpose building at the Redemptorist Vocational School
replaces an earlier two-story timber structure that acted as a female
dormitory. The building was deteriorating and was no longer able to
effectively cater for the demands being placed upon it.
Father Ray had begun raising funds for a new building in 1999 and after
his death in 2003 Father Philip Banjong Chaiyara continued his work.
Construction began in March last year. The new building, while still
acting as a female dormitory, also has computer workrooms, language
rooms, and a study room. It also has an elevator and wheelchair ramps.
The security system is designed to international standards.
Designed with a traditional Thai-style roof, the building is three
stories in height, and 18 meters wide and 52.5 meters long. The total
area is 2,100 square meters. The budget for construction was 21,319,000
baht, while the teaching and educational equipment, furniture and
bedroom supplies were a further 9,681,000 baht.
The HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Building is under the Royal
Patronage of Her Royal Highness. On June 17, 1993, HRH the Princess came
to unveil a plaque to commemorate the opening of the Pattaya
Redemptorist School for the Blind. Her Royal Highness had donated her
own funds for the children, and established the Princess Maha Chakri
Sirindhorn Fund for Blind People.
After many kind-hearted people donated to the fund, the school committee
then was able to buy a 300 square wa plot of land located opposite the
Blind School to build this new building. The layout for the new
multi-purpose building was designed by Chucheep Saisawat, and Suchai
Suchiwanichakul is the building’s architect. It is being built with at
least 20 million baht from the fund.
Her Royal Highness became patron of the school on June 2, 2004, and the
school had presented a plan for expanding its educational base. This was
for supporting students at the school and blind people from other
institutions who wished to extend their education.
After the ceremony, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn proceeded to
view the exhibition and enjoy performances by students of the
Redemptorist School for the Blind.
The Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind under the Royal Patronage
of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is one of the projects under the
care of the Father Ray Foundation, which provides a loving home and
education to 750 orphaned and neglected children and disabled young
people each year so that they have the chance to lead an independent
life. The Foundation also runs the Pattaya Orphanage, the Redemptorist
School for the Disabled, the Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, and the
Street Kids project, all in Pattaya.
Year of the Pig off to an auspicious start
Chinese New Year extravaganza centers on Bali Hai Pier
Story and Photos by Narisa Nitikarn and
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
The Year of the Pig was greeted in great style in Pattaya over the
period February 16 to 18, with festivities centered on Bali Hai Pier.
City hall, in cooperation with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, put on
a diversity of activities that ranged from Chinese cultural shows
through to a children’s talent competition and a bun-eating contest.
Festivities started on Friday 16th, with performers from eight provinces
in China putting on dazzling displays of music, dance, acrobatics and
martial arts skills.
On the morning of Saturday the 17th Thai-Chinese citizens paid respects
to their ancestors, and the temples were crowded and full of color.
During the evening there was a stuffed-bun eating contest. Num Dandee,
who came second in the contest last year, ate 17-and-a-half buns within
10 minutes and won this year’s first prize of 4,000 baht.
Sunday the 18th, which marked Chinese New Year itself, saw huge crowds
gather around the pier to watch the dragon dancing and a display of fire
eating. Amongst the spectators were Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn and
former Chonburi parliament member Chanyuth Hengtrakul. The dragon parade
made its way into Walking Street to bless businesses in the zone.
The noodle-eating contest drew 80 challengers to the stage. Pairat
Pattanawibul came first after eating 1.07 kilograms of noodles and was
awarded 4,000 baht.
The Chinese boy who received first prize in the talent show was Haritcha
Smertvej, aged eight, who performed traditional stick dancing on stage
and won 8,000 baht. First prize in the Chinese girls’ talent show went
to six-year-old Nathapicha Chalothornpiset, who won 8,000 baht with a
sensational Chinese cultural dance that captured most of the votes from
judges.
After the contest, numerous bands took turns entertaining the crowd.
Other places like Hard Rock Hotel and Khao Kheow Open Zoo also had
Chinese New Year celebrations.
Hard Rock faces brighten the evening.
Acrobatic performances from China are
spectacular.
A lovely young actress performs a lantern
dance at Bali Hai Pier during the Festival.
The celebrations reached dizzying heights
this year.
Chinese Lion Dance at Hard Rock Hotel
Pattaya.
People pay respects to their ancestors in
the morning on February 17.
Hardy competitors take part in the bun
eating contest.
Cultural performances from 8 different
Chinese states were a great edition to this year’s festivities.
Competitors dig in for the noodle eating
contest.
(L to R) Carrie-Anne Khoo, Roslyn Khoo,
Busyrat Permsub, General Kanit Permsub, peter Malhotra and Andrew Khoo
enjoy the Chinese New Year Festival at Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya.
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya welcomes the world
The Bangkok Hospital Pattaya saw another chapter in
its history revealed with the Grand Opening of the new 15 storey
building adjacent to Sukhumvit Road, in the hospital complex.
 CEO
of Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, Dr. Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth,
presided over the ceremony
The CEO of Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, Dr. Prasert
Prasarttong-Osoth, presided over the ceremony, after being welcomed by
Dr. Yingdao Krairiksh, the CEO of the Bangkok Eastern Hospital group.
Dr. Prasert spoke of the development of the Pattaya hospital over the
past 16 years, being the first of 13 hospitals run by the Bangkok
Hospital group, and its striving towards international standards, both
as far as the construction of the new building, as well as the cutting
edge technology and modern equipment that it houses.
The director of the hospital, Dr. Pirus Pradithavanij, told the guests
present that following two years of building and a capital expenditure
of 1.2 billion baht, this new building had now increased the Bangkok
Hospital Pattaya’s bed capacity to 400.
 Banglamung
District Chief Pratheep Jongsuebtham congratulates BHP Director Dr.
Piras Pradithavanij (right).
He said, “The building is equipped with state-of-the-art medical
technology and equipment such as the Cath Lab, and modern support
systems for effective patient care such as a helipad, fully computerized
medical records and an electronic delivery system for X-rays and other
radiological procedures such as CT scans, MRI and MRA.”
Prominent groups in the community also joined in the Grand Opening to
welcome the new expansion in medical services provided by the Bangkok
Hospital Pattaya, including the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand
with Vice Chairman Graham Macdonald; the Australian-Thai Chamber of
Commerce, Tony Emmett the Eastern Seaboard Coordinator; several ladies
from the Pattaya International Ladies Club including Rosanne Diamente;
the Cosmopolitan Lions Club Jomtien with President Peter Smith ably
supported by Felicity and Graham Smith; the Rotary Clubs of
Jomtien-Pattaya, Taksin-Pattaya and Pattaya with presidents and past
presidents Max Rommel, Dr. Olivier Meyer, Dieter Precourt and Don
McLachlan and many other members; Skål International of Pattaya and the
East with Deborah and Paisan Bundityanond; the Pattaya City Expats Club
with Richard Smith plus many representing the different private
enterprise fields such as Sutham Phantusak (resorts), Jack Levy
(insurance) and Bobby Brooks (real estate).
At an event of this significance to the Eastern Seaboard, provincial
government and local administration were well represented with the
governor of Chonburi, the district officer and government officials, the
mayor of Pattaya Niran Wattanasartsathorn and advisor Chanyuth
Hengtrakul and deputy mayors and representatives from the immigration
police.
Amongst the many dignitaries who had come to congratulate the local
group were two previous directors of the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, Dr.
Pichit Kangwolkij and Dr. Somchai Pattana-Anek, as well as Dr.
Krittavith Lertutsahakul, the CEO of the Bangkok Hospital groups BNH
Hospital, Bangkok Phrapradaeng Hospital, Bangkok Hospital Phuket and
Bangkok Hospital Hat Yai.
With the rate of expansion that has been seen in Pattaya over the past
few years, it will not be long before the extra bed capacity will be
used, but the hospital has more land and further expansion will be
possible. With the possibility that U-Tapao airport may have to be used
for public aviation, this would accelerate the Pattaya growth explosion
even further, asserted CEO Dr. Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth.
This new hospital building is in line with the general upward movement
in the development of Pattaya itself, and is a milestone in the history
of Pattaya of which Pattaya residents can be proud.
Dr. Prasert
Prasartthong-Osot (2nd left) presented 8,200 beach umbrellas to Mayor
Niran Wattanasartsathorn for the city to use to brighten up local
beaches.
The new wing of the
hospital is equipped with the most modern technology.
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya
employs has experienced surgical teams in residence.
Pattaya International Ladies Club Welfare Projects
How PILC spends the money
The Pattaya International Ladies Club (PILC) is a
club for women who come to live or work in Thailand. It gives women the
opportunity to meet people, make friends and help some of the many
charitable causes in the area. During 2006, almost 2 million baht was
raised for charity. This money was used to help many different causes,
and with the continued generosity of sponsors and hard work by many PILC
members, these worthy projects will continue to be supported during
2007.
 The
PILC Welfare team, headed by Rosanne Diamente (2nd left), hands over a water
pump to try and deal with the flooding problem at the Drop In Centre.
Often PILC works with other organizations like the Mercy Centre, the Father
Ray Foundation, the Pattaya Orphanage Trust, Jesters Care for Kids, and
others, to help realise larger projects.
These are just some of the many projects that PILC were involved with:
Pattaya Father Ray Street Kids Home
This home helps about 180 children. Some children have parents
who are working; others come from troubled homes or have simply been
abandoned. The PILC Dental Programme was set up to provide dental care for
all the children, as well as a hygiene programme.
A counselor was provided for young girls at the home to help them with the
many problems they have had to face due to abuse.
The highlight of the year for the children was the annual shopping trip to
Carrefour when each child can choose a new shirt or blouse, trousers or
skirt and a pair of shoes.
Education scholarship
PILC helps with the educational needs of many children, providing
money for books, equipment and school uniforms, shoes and socks - children
cannot attend school without the correct uniforms. School 7: 27
scholarships; Wat Nong Ket Noi School: 11 scholarships; YWCA programme: 11
scholarships.
Fountain of Life
The parents of the children at this centre work and cannot care
for their children whilst at work. Much of this project’s support comes from
the Jesters Care for Kids charity drive. Here young children are collected
each week day and are cared for during the day. They might otherwise be
simply on the streets whilst their parents are at work.
 PILC
volunteers run the Dental programme at the Fountain of Life and take the
children for dental treatments.
PILC volunteers run the Dental programme and take the children for dental
treatments, help with English classes and making greetings cards as well as
general caring for the children. At Christmas, PILC gave out 200 food
parcels to poor families.
Koh Pai Kindergarten
This is located in a slum area of Pattaya. This centre is
supported by the Mercy Centre, and PILC pays the salary of one member of
staff who helps care for very young children whilst their parents are at
work.
Garunyawet Home for Disabled Ladies
This is a monthly activity that many members participate in.
Every month volunteers visit the ladies, taking snacks and drinks,
interacting with them, painting their nails and applying make-up. It brings
much joy to the ladies at the home, many of whom receive few or no other
visitors.
Rayong Remand Training Centre
This young juvenile institution houses some 700 boys from the age
of 6 to 17 years. The center has been a project for PILC over many years.
This year PILC helped members of the Jesters Care for Kids replace a roof on
one of the building. There was also a day outing at the beach for some of
the boys, and help was given to a child in need of eye care. A “Flip Flop”
programme was started, where the boys make flip flops which are sold to help
the centre.
 PILC
members apply make-up and paint the fingernails of the ladies at Garunyawet
Home for Disabled Ladies.
On the same site there is a centre that houses some 54 girls. PILC, in
conjunction with the Rayong Ladies Club, PILC set up the Bakery Project. 16
volunteers bake cakes which are sold, and again the proceeds help the
centre.
Rayong and Ban Chang poor schools
Uniforms and shoes were provided for many children in this area
whose parents could not afford to buy these items.
Kao Bai Siri School
This school has able-bodied and handicapped children. PILC raised
funds from the Sattahip Oil Club, and helped by the Jesters Care for Kids,
renovated the Primary School and added grass to an area in the grounds where
handicapped children can now play safely. Playground equipment was also
donated.
The highlight of the year for
children at the Father Ray Street Kids Home was the annual shopping trip to
Carrefour.
Nikom 9 School
This school was in need of paint and toilets/bathrooms. PILC
secured a donation from a generous member and was able to help members of
the Jesters Care for Kids paint the school and build new toilets. In
addition, 130 children were bought a new pair of shoes.
Tamar Center
This center houses young women, often abused, who previously
worked in the bar district who want to change their way of life. They are
offered support and counseling, the opportunity to attend courses to learn a
new skill, and helped to find employment.
Ban Chag Loog Ya School
 Boys
are busy working on flip flop orders in the shady workshop provided by the
PILC and Jesters Care for Kids at the Rayong Child and Youth Training
Centre.
The school was provided with fans for 14 classrooms and the 100
children were provided with shoes.
Ban Jing Jai
Orphanage
A home for about 46 children, this has been a major beneficiary
of PILC during the past year. With the help of members of Jesters Care for
Kids, the 3 homes have been repaired and repainted. Furniture, playground
equipment and musical instruments to start a musical group were provided,
funded by a generous donation from a PILC member.
A Dental Programme has been set up. Over several weeks, PILC volunteers took
all the children for dental check ups and dental treatments.
An Eye care programme is currently being set up.
Muu Baan Eire
One PILC member collected funds from her home country in Ireland
and with help from the Rayong Ladies Club, 10 new homes were built and
electricity supplied for poor families in the Ban Chang area. The land was
kindly donated by the mayor of Ban Chang City. It is hoped to build 10 more
homes for the poor.
Redemptorist Drop In Centre
for Street Kids
In December PILC donated a water pump to help this centre with
the flooding problems it experiences during the rainy season. 10 bunk beds
and kitchen equipment were also provided to help improve living conditions.
Contributions to charity events
These were some of the activities PILC volunteers were involved
in 2006: A trip to the circus for poor children; Cleaning day at Ban Jing
Jai Home; Pattaya Sports Club Charity Golf Day; P.C. Classic; Jesters Care
for Kids Faire; School for Life (Chiang Mai).
If you would like more information about PILC Welfare activities or how you
can help or sponsor future projects, please contact Ingrid Cunliffe, Welfare
Chairperson, 0870631807.
Helle and members of PILC at
Koh Pai Kindergarten.
|
