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Newly installed club presidents pledge to carry
on the noble task of doing good in the world
 Pratheep
Malhotra
District Governor Elect
District 3340 Rotary International
With 32,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical regions,
Rotary is the most renowned service organization in the world. Our
celebrated motto, ‘Service Above Self, speaks for itself, but did you
know that with the passage of time since Paul P. Harris founded the
first Rotary Club in Chicago, Illinois in 1905, the true purpose of this
amazing organization is ‘To do good in the world’? Imagine a world
without Rotary. Imagine not having 1.2 million Rotarians to care for the
well being of the underprivileged, the sick, the hungry and the
homeless. If that were the case, what would these 1.2 million people do,
if they would not have the opportunity to help others?
We are very fortunate indeed that there is Rotary in this world and that
we have the privilege to call ourselves Rotarians. But more
significantly, we are granted this gift to be able to use our physical
and mental resources to be of service to mankind in their various needs.
Wilfrid J. Wilkinson, Rotary International President
(2007-08)
Wilfrid J. Wilkinson, Rotary International President for
2007-08 says, “Bringing someone hungry a meal only feeds his stomach.
Bringing him a meal and sitting with him while you eat together feeds
his soul.”
“The 2007-08 theme Rotary Shares will act as a daily reminder of what
ordinary people can accomplish through the extraordinary work of Rotary,
What makes Rotary great is our expressing the love in our hearts through
the work of our hands and our minds.
As Rotarians, we don’t just sit back and talk about loving other human
beings. As Rotarians, we demonstrate that love, and we share that love,
through helping each other.
Almost everything Rotary does involves sharing. We share our time, we
share our talents, and we share our money with others who need our help.
Furthermore, in Rotary, sharing doesn’t mean giving away what you have
to spare, what you don’t need for yourself. Sharing means giving of
yourself, selflessly, for the good of others. And Rotarians don’t need
to do this alone. They know that when the need for service in their
community can’t be met by one club alone, they can call on Rotarians
from around the world to help.”
Doing good in our community
Just this past year Rotarians have been actively involved in
practically every aspect of service in our community. It was touching to
see Dr. Olivier Meyer, president of the Rotary Club Pattaya Marina and
members of his club at the Polio Immunization days, when they so
lovingly held up babies and administered the polio vaccine into their
mouths.
Amongst the many other notable actions, Rotarians demonstrated
extraordinary love and care, when they arranged for corrective surgery
for Chakrit, an 11-year-old boy, who suffered burns that left scars on
his right arm, right cheek, scalp and his right ear. Rotarians
generously committed themselves to assist and sponsor him in the long
term for his everyday life and studies.
Rotarians in the Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya, Eastern Seaboard and
the Taksin Pattaya clubs have also been actively involved with numerous
humanitarian projects to help the underprivileged. Scholarships for
children, support of a school for autistic children in Korat, rebuilding
the lives of those deeply affected by the tsunami that hit the south of
Thailand in December 2004, heart surgery for babies, supporting orphans
and even assisting in sending three of them to go to school in
Australia, where they are looked after by members of the Rotary Club of
Eaglehawk.
Working with the physically challenged, the aged and the sick.
Supporting the Camillian Social Centre that takes care of children and
adults infected with the dreaded HIV/AIDS virus.
Working with the Chonburi Juvenile Court and Remand Home to assist in
the rehabilitation of wayward children. Refurbishing and building
libraries and providing them with books that are beneficial to the
children’s education.
Giving food to children who don’t get lunches at school, building and
overhauling water filtration systems in schools so that children have
clean and hygienic water to drink.
These are just a few noteworthy examples of what Rotarians can and will
do to alleviate the sufferings of our fellow man.
Just as the list is endless, so is the work of Rotarians. So when Rotary
completes one full yearly circle on July 1, every Rotary Club in the
world installs a newly elected President and a Board of Directors to
guide and lead Rotarians in their respective clubs to seamlessly carry
on the never-ending work of Rotary for the good of the community and by
doing so for the good of mankind.
This month saw installation ceremonies at four Rotary clubs in Pattaya.
Rotary Club of
Jomtien-Pattaya
The Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya was first when on June 1,
at a glittering affair held at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, President
Max Rommel passed on the chain of office to Jan Koos Abbink.
In his installation speech Jan said, “Health, literacy, and water will
remain the service emphases for Rotary International and providing clean
drinking water to the community will be one of our club’s main
priorities this coming year. I emphasize that supplying clean water
systems to schools would be a priority for the Rotary Club of
Jomtien-Pattaya. To a poor person a glass of clean drinking water is as
expensive as a glass of good wine is to us. “Here’s to Clean
Water…Cheers!”
Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard
The next day the Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard held their
installation event at the Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa, where President
Marlies Fritz, after one of the most remarkable years of achievements in
humanitarian projects, passed on the baton to President Stefan Ryser,
who in a heartfelt speech said, “Bring us to the hungry, the sick, the
illiterate and the suffering and we’ll do our utmost to ease their
pain.” A true Rotarian, through and through. The world will become a
much better place with people like Stefan, who really cares.
Rotary Club of
Taksin-Pattaya
A week later on June 9, John Botting was installed as
president of the Rotary Club of Taksin-Pattaya taking over from Charles
Evans. The event was held at the Amari Orchid Resort and Tower. John
said, “Rotary is about continuation. This is why we have adopted the
wheel as the international symbol for Rotary. Rotary keeps on rolling,
year after year, and for over 100 years now. Every year all the
presidents change and every board changes, but what Rotary stands for
does not change.
The philosophy of our founder Paul Harris defines our spirit and our
unwavering devotion to serve our fellow men and women. The past informs
the present, and the present shapes the future. Rotary is also about
fellowship, and is a great global connector. Through Rotary
International we can connect with many individuals throughout the world
working together to improve people’s lives here in Pattaya and
throughout Thailand.”
Le Rotary Club Pattaya Marina
On June 15, Le Rotary Club Pattaya Marina, the only French
speaking club in South East Asia held installation ceremonies at the
Grand Eastern Hotel, where ‘old-timer’ Nic Demet took over the reins
from Dr. Olivier Meyer. In his speech the veteran Rotarian said, “Our
focus will be to support the Rotary Foundation and working together to
achieve as many of our goals as possible. We will create friendship with
all the clubs in Pattaya, and above all raise considerable funds with
our ‘bamboo banks’.”
Nic, who has been a Rotary Club president twice before said, “With 25
years of experience, this ‘old re-elected president’ will do the best he
can to assist District Governor Dr. Arnon Chirajavala and work under the
guidance of Dr. Oliver Meyer the outgoing president. Together we will
succeed, because we have Rotary in our hearts. Our target is to help
eradicate polio from the face of the earth, support AIDS treatment
projects, give education to children and most important to give every
human being clean water to drink.”
District Governor
Dr. Arnon Chirajavala
District Governor Dr. Arnon Chirajavala conveyed his good
wishes to all the Rotarians in District 3340 RI. He said, “The most
vital ingredients in Rotary are ‘Love and Kindness’. Love comes from
neither reason nor logic. Nor does it have a formula. Love comes from
our hearts. We demonstrate this love from our hearts and soul by sharing
and helping others by using our own two hands. We help the
underprivileged, the needy and those who need help.
Throughout the years you have been successful in implementing projects
conforming to the principles of the Four Avenues of Service. You have
worked with kindness and love in your hearts and have realized
significant achievements in your community service projects.
I trust and hope that Rotarians will continue to uphold the most
honorable ideals of Rotary Shares into the future.
On the occasion of the installation of the new President and Board of
Directors of all the Rotary Clubs in this district, my wife Siriluk and
I wish to express our sincere happiness and heartily welcome the new
administrators of your respective clubs.
May the holy Virtue of the Three Gems bless you and also invoke all that
is holy in the universe to grant all your members, your families and
loved ones with eternal happiness, success and good health in body and
spirit.”
Here’s to Clean
Water…Cheers!
(l-r) President Max
Rommel, Past District Governors Jin Srikasikorn, Premprecha Dibbayawan
and newly installed President Jan Koos Abbink.
President Jan Abbink with
his new Board of directors
Bring us to your sick,
hungry and illiterate…
Past District Governors
Jin Srikasikorn and Premprecha Dibbayawan install President Stefan Ryser
as outgoing President Marlies Fritz looks relieved.
It was indeed a cause to
be happy and proud of their achievements.
Working together to
improve people’s lives.
District Governor Dr.
Arnon Chirajavala (center) congratulates outgoing President Charles
Evans (left) and newly installed President John Botting.
President John Botting and
his new Board of Directors
We have Rotary in our
hearts.
District Governor Dr.
Arnon Chirajavala (center), a pillar of strength for outgoing President
Dr. Olivier Meyer (left) and installed President Nicolas Demet (right).
President Nic Demet
introduces his new Board of Directors.
Pattaya Veterans pay their respects in Malaysia
Troops Night: Buddy
Ditchburn, WO2 Phil Owen, Middy Campbell, Col Paul Edwards, and Bert
Elson.
Bert Elson,
Ex Coldstream Guards
The names Allison, Christian and Walker probably mean little to most.
But to those of the Commonwealth and Malaysian forces who fought and
died in the Malaysian Troubles from 1948 to 1965 they were in fact the
first 3 planters to be murdered by terrorists on Saturday 16th June
1948. This act precipitated the declaration of the emergency in the then
Malaya.
 Australian
High Commissioner Jenny Williams and Bert Elson seated; Middy and Bob
standing.
To remember those who fell during those years, a memorial service is
held on the 2nd Saturday of June every year at a small church and
cemetery in the town of Batu Gajah called God’s Little Acre, the first
one being in 1980. The governments at the time decided that as it was so
close to the end of World War 2 they would call it an “emergency” rather
than a war. I feel sure that to the young men of the U.K., Australia,
New Zealand and Malaysia who fought and died in those hot and humid
conditions it was as much a war as any other, a war that they in fact
won.
 Bob
Myers, Middy Campbell seated; Bert Elson standing.
Our small Pattaya Ex Forces Club were honoured on being invited to
attend this year’s service, myself even more so as I was asked to
represent my former regiment, the Coldstream Guards, who have 7 members
at rest there. The trip to Batu Gajah was made easy and un-eventful
thanks to Air Asia and Malaysia’s excellent roads.
On arrival it was a case of check in and find the local bar! This, to
put it lightly, was dark and dingy, full of locals playing pool, and all
went quite as we entered, leaving us a little nervous. Yet to a man
every person in there walked over to us and shook our hands with the
words, “Welcome to Malaysia”. This was to be the repeated many times.
We attended three services during our stay, the first for our own fallen
followed by one for the Gurkhas and the last being for the Indians who
fell in World War 2. They were all solemn occasions, as well they should
be, but the nights were far different with free food and drink in
plentiful supply.
 The
Cenotaph at Batu Gajah.
The most memorable night was “Troops Night”, full of fun, laughter,
singing, dancing, eating and drinking. Some may ask why all the fun but
it’s what they would have wanted - they being those who lay at rest and
who gave us the likes of the Virgin Soldiers and the Malaysia we know
today. We made many new friends from the Australian, U.K. and Malaysian
branches of the National Malaysian and Borneo Veterans Association and
look forward to seeing them again next year, as yes, we will return.
Two of our members served in Malaysia during the emergency years, Buddy
Ditchburn and Middy Campbell. I did not, being too young, yet it’s just
as important for me to remember and respect, otherwise what was it all
for.
Lest we Forget.
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