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Bangkok Hospital Pattaya
researches ex-pat needs
From left: BHP Assistant
Director Kamjorn Suriyasin, Peter Smith (AA Insurance Brokers), John Seymour
(Northern Thai Realty), Rick Bryant (Foster Wheeler), Richard Smith (PCEC),
Peter Malhotra (Pattaya Mail Publishing), BHP Deputy Director Dr. Narintara
Boonjongcharoen, Dr. Iain Corness, (Consultant in the International
Department) and Don Ratcliff (American Embassy representative).
In a very innovative move, the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya
invited several ex-pats, from many spheres, for a fact-finding working lunch
at the hospital. This was part of a movement towards further integrating the
hospital within the ex-pat community by first finding out the foreigner’s
needs.
Frank discussions and exchanges were held, which proved to be beneficial for
everyone, and as a result, the hospital is able to pursue its goal of being
a center of excellence for the entire Eastern Seaboard community. Many
suggestions which will be advantageous for ex-pats were noted and direct
communications between hospital management and the foreign community were
initiated.
The hospital intends to have more of these events, with the first group
consisting of Richard Smith (PCEC), Don Ratcliff (American Embassy
representative), Peter Smith (AA Insurance Brokers), Peter Malhotra (Pattaya
Mail Publishing), Rick Bryant (Foster Wheeler) and John Seymour (Northern
Thai Realty). They met with the hospital’s Deputy Director Dr. Narintara
Boonjongcharoen, Assistant Director Kamjorn Suriyasin and Dr. Iain Corness,
the Consultant in the International Department.
PIC celebrates its 33rd birthday with donation to the elderly
Vimolrat Singnikorn
The PIC Group celebrated its 33rd anniversary by making a donation of essential
goods and household items to the residents of Ban Banglamung Social Welfare
Development Center for the Elderly.
 The
PIC Group, led by Dr. Sanya Viravaidhya (center), celebrated its 33rd
anniversary by making a donation of essential goods and household items to the
residents of Ban Banglamung Social Welfare Development Center for the Elderly.
The presentation on July 20 was led PIC Group president Dr Sanya Viravaidhya,
who along with other board members gave items such as slippers, cooling powder,
umbrellas, rice, milk, fruit juice, blankets and first aid kits valued at more
than 70,000 baht to the residents.
Dr Sanya said that the PIC Group was actively involved in society and that
representatives regularly took part in special events. In August, he said,
nurses from Pattaya International Hospital will take part in the provision of
medical examinations for local people with special facilities arranged at Tesco
Lotus South Pattaya branch, and the Big C South Pattaya branch.
The PIC Group includes Pattaya International Hospital, the PIC Kitchen, and the
Sugar Hut Resort.
A full and interesting
Sunday morning
Uyi from the Rasayana Retreat
& Spa addresses the PCEC.
The Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) meeting on Sunday
July 29th at Henry J. Bean’s comprised of another typically full and
interesting Sunday morning.
MC Roger Fox commenced the proceedings by reminding everyone that the PCEC
exits as a voluntary club and that appreciation should be extended to all
the organising officers.
The morning’s main speakers represented the Fairtex Sports Club and Hotel
and the Rasayana Retreat and Spa which is located in the Fairtex building.
First to speak were Uyi and Lynn from the Spa who described the specialist
treatments available and their benefits. These include Detoxification, Colon
Hydrotherapy, and Fasting Program Counselling, Diet and Lifestyle Advice,
and Clinical Nutrition and Herbal Prescription. The ‘Expat Clean Start
Promotion’ was introduced and this included two special detoxification
packages which were made available to PCEC members.
Next to speak was Ted Okuno from the Fairtex Sports Club who introduced the
very high quality facilities which were available there. Ted also provided
some very attractive packages for the use of the Club’s facilities.
Following the meeting, for those who wanted to participate, transportation
was provided to the facilities where a number of tests, free of charge, were
performed. These included an Anti Oxidant analysis, a Body Fat Test, a Basic
Metabolic Rate test and Blood Pressure Test. Therapists were available to
interpret the results and make individual recommendations. Several members
took advantage of the offer of the tests and enjoyed the visit.
Back at the meeting, Richard Silverberg, the club’s resident computer
expert, presented this week’s ‘Website of the Week’. This week it was Google
Earth. Richard described the many uses of this excellent website which
includes satellite images of the entire globe. Major cities and landmarks
are particularly well covered and a monthly newsletter can be subscribed to.
The PCEC looks forward to more interesting websites that Richard comes up
with. The URL of Google Earth is www.earth. google.com.
Harry Sigworth, better known as Sig, then confirmed that the popular club
dinner will take place at the restaurant, the Asian Moon in the Jomtien
Complex on August 9th. Sig also put a call out for more pool players to join
the mid week pool club.
The regular Open Forum was then underway led by the duo of Bob L’Etoile and
Sig Sigworth. Having previously encouraged any club member who wished to
participate as the main speaker, the next meeting will see Michel deGoumois
take the stage. As always the Open Forum proved to be the usual lively and
entertaining session.
For more information regarding not only PCEC Sunday meetings but also the
varied mid week activities, please see the Community Happenings section of
Pattaya Mail or, for more details, visit the Club’s website at pattayacityex
patsclub.com.
Bookworms meet at
PILC Book Club
Sue K
The Pattaya International Ladies Club (PILC) Book Club meets once a month
where members can discuss that month’s book selection. The Book Club has
been active for many years. The last Tuesday of every month is designated as
“Book Club Day”, and the members take turns hosting the monthly meeting.
 From
left to right: PILC Book Club members Rachel Hoag, Mari Parino, Paula
McDonald and Debbie Cavanaugh discuss “Saving Fish From Drowning”.
The July meeting was held in the home of Judy and Bruce Hoppe. It was a
lovely morning with members gathered in the living room that overlooks
Pattaya Bay and the Dusit Hotel. Panoramic views of the city, mountains, and
water provided the backdrop for a lively discussion about the book “Saving
Fish From Drowning”.
This book was written by Amy Tan, who is of Chinese heritage and lives in
the United States. Ms. Tan was trying to encourage readers to look at the
moral consequences of everything that we do and to realize that each person
interprets what they see, hear, and touch in a different way. Sometimes
people will see and hear the same thing, but they will respond entirely
differently to the stimuli. The story is about morality and intentions. As
one character puts it, “You can’t have intentions without consequences. The
question is, who pays for the consequences?”
The story was set in Burma/Myanmar in the early 1990’s. A diverse group of
people from San Francisco, California get together and plan a Christmas
holiday trip to Asia. Their tour guide, Ms. Bibi, dies suddenly just before
the tour group is to depart but the group decides to go ahead with the trip
since no monetary refunds will be given.
There are many twists and turns in the book, but it is a good bet that
everyone will find it interesting and easy to read.
If you would like more information about the PILC Book Club, please call
Debbie Cavanaugh at 038-734-680.
Never trust
a skinny chef
Miss Terry Diner
One of Hong Kong’s leading chefs came to Pattaya last week, in search of
further inspiration. He is Hugo Man-To Leung, who amongst other awards is a
gold medal recipient from the Chaine des Rotisseurs, a Commander in the
Commanderie des Cordons Bleus of France and the Honorary Chairman of the
Friends of Escoffier China Chapter.
 Hugo
Man-To Leung came to Pattaya leading a party of 40 gourmets.
Hugo is very well known in Hong Kong, being a TV personality and publisher
of the Gourmet Secret Agent videos, as well as being an author and director
of the famous Tai Wing Wah restaurant in the New Territories in Hong Kong.
It was obvious from the outset that Hugo Man-To Leung enjoys his food, and
has done so for some years. To be able to fill out his trousers as well as
he did is not something which happens overnight! “Never trust a skinny
chef,” is a well known phrase in restaurant circles, and there was no
denying that if this is true, one would be able to trust chef Hugo
implicitly!
 Hugo
Man-To Leung
Claiming that he was in Pattaya for a holiday, he, however, came leading a
party of 40 gourmets and had been systematically descending on some of
Pattaya’s gourmet venues. I caught up with him at the Mantra restaurant, and
this was certainly one restaurant which could offer the Chinese chef some
inspiration with its seven different cuisines all under the one roof.
It was very pleasing to see that Hong Kong’s gourmets had chosen Thailand,
and Pattaya in particular, for a fact (and food) finding mission. The
standard of cooking available in Pattaya has been world class for some years
now, and the Mantra’s “dare to be different” theme certainly interested the
Hong Kong ‘foodies’.
Hugo also brought along some of his cook books, but unfortunately these were
all in Chinese; however, the charming Chinese interpreter from the Mantra
was able to tell me some of what was printed inside. All I have to do now is
go to the Mantra every night and get the rest of the book. Not too onerous a
task!
Cafe Royale raises
53,000 baht for charity
The Three Divas perform at a
special buffet and cabaret on August 5 hosted by Le Cafe Royale, Boyztown,
which raised 53,000 baht for Heartt2000.
A special buffet and cabaret on August 5 hosted by Le
Cafe Royale, Boyztown, raised 53,000 baht for Heartt2000, the AIDS and HIV
charity which assists sufferers in the Chonburi area with anti-retroviral
drug treatment.
The event, which attracted 100 people, was part of the Pattaya Gay Festival
annual schedule of events which are held throughout Pattaya and Jomtien.
Stars of the evening were The Three Divas - Jim Lumsden, Ronnie Summers and
Khun Toy who is the resident singer at Cafe Royale.
This was the first time that Jim had ever sung in public and he said it was
a frightening prospect. However, he acquitted himself very well and may have
missed his vocation. The audience was also entertained by the popular
Filipino singers El Duo.
Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya to
host biggest gathering of
‘Hard Rockers’ in Asia
Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya is set to roll out the red carpet
for Rock 101 - the biggest gathering of owners, operators, general managers
and senior executives of Hard Rock Cafes and Hotels in Asia.
Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya General Manager Andrew Khoo (right) receives the
“Hard Rock Hotel of the Year Award” from Hard Rock International Chief
Executive Officer Hamish Dodd in 2005 at Orlando, Florida.
The six-day conference beginning on the 26th of August will be held in
Pattaya with the Hard Rock Hotel serving as the main conference venue.
Held last year in Hard Rock Hotel Bali, the Asian leg of Rock 101 features a
series of brand-strengthening and corporate culture-cultivating seminars,
talks and practical exercises primarily aimed at enhancing delivery of Hard
Rock’s unique ‘Kick-Ass Service’ and mission of “spreading the spirit of
Rock ‘n’ Roll by creating authentic experiences that Rock.”
Hard Rock international chief executive officer, Hamish Dodd, is expected to
attend the important event.
Rated as a four-star property by the Hotel Standard of Thailand, the
Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) and the Thai Hotels Association
(THA), Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya features 320 musical-themed rooms with 2 Club
Floors.
A recently jazzed-up Kings Club Lounge, an executive club lounge adorned by
memorabilia of two music kings; Elvis Presley and BB King, offers VIP
check-ins/outs, exclusive breakfast buffets and afternoon cocktails.
The Hotel is also staging several refurbishments in its guest rooms
beginning in September. These include re-carpeting, sound-proofing of
balcony doors and adding up on its guest amenities.
Obituary
Gerry Carpenter passed away after a protracted illness on
August 1, 2007. He was well known on the Eastern Seaboard, being a
shareholder in the Convent Entertainment group who established Shenanigans
Irish Pub in Pattaya, and a long time member of Pattaya Sports Club serving
as president from 2004 to 2007.
 Gerry
Carpenter
June 8, 1936 - Aug 1, 2007
Gerry was cremated at Wat Chaimongkol on South Pattaya Road, and following
this, the many people who had been part of Gerry’s life here went to
Shenanigans Irish Pub for the wake. Gerry would have encouraged it! In fact,
would have made it compulsory.
He was born in the UK in 1936, but during his working life moved to Canada
and then the US. From there he moved to Asia and finally set up the head
office for his company in Bangkok.
Gerry was a man who lived by the description of ‘gregarious’. Wherever there
was Gerry, there was a crowd of people, and most probably golf would have
been the topic of conversation.
Pattaya Sports Club was an important part of Gerry’s life. When he could see
that Thailand was still going to become his home after he retired, he began
to plan for this period in his life. He joined golf clubs, though still
describing himself as a “mediocre” golfer. He then joined the Pattaya Sports
Club (PSC) in the late 80’s as it was organizing regular tournaments and he
would come down from Bangkok.
Following his retirement he then moved to Pattaya, with the activities of
the PSC being a major draw card for this region, for Gerry, the “mediocre”
golfer. For a man who liked mates around him, the PSC offered all that and
he has over the years been president, vice president, and golf chairman.
Gerry had one ambition that stood out above all others. “Break 80” was what
he said a few years ago. I hope he did, but whatever, they tell me there are
some great courses where he has gone. He’s probably teeing off right now!
Gerry is survived by a son and two daughters living in the USA.
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