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Perfect balance struck
at PCEC meeting
Not only was a busy programme presented at this week’s
meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) on Sunday August 19th at
Henry J. Bean’s but also the perfect balance was struck. The meeting
consisted of a speaker who provided some valuable information which was then
followed by a very entertaining session.
 Lonesome
Dave & Ludo entertain the PCEC.
The morning got underway with MC Gary Brown welcoming back Dr Somchai
Trakoolshokesatian from the Lasik and SuperSight Centre of Bangkok Hospital
Pattaya. Dr Somchai provided a great deal of information regarding the
functioning of the eye. He also explained that the deterioration of sight is
part of the natural ageing process which can be expected in the over 45 age
group which just about covers everybody in the PCEC!
Dr Somchai is a world pioneer of SuperSight optimal lens surgery. He
described the benefits of SuperSight surgery, the primary one being that it
was a method of providing permanent correction of vision. Previously it was
possible to correct either distance or near vision. SuperSight enables both
to be restored.
Dr Somchai explained that not every patient was suitable for the surgery and
a thorough examination was carried out before proceeding. In the previous
six years Dr Somchai had provided the treatment for 1200 patients. Following
Dr Somchai’s talk, as could be expected, a large number of questions were
put to him.
MC Gary Brown was then able to announce some special SuperSight promotional
packages which had been made available to the PCEC. Also accompanying Dr
Somchai were a number of Bangkok Hospital Pattaya personnel who offered free
eye checks to all those attending the meeting.
The meeting then went on a different tact with the introduction by Lane
Holmes of three internationally famous comedians who, following a
performance at the Spice Club, Bangkok, were due to perform at the Hard Rock
Hotel on 19th August. The PCEC were entertained by brief but amusing
performances by Ludo Vika, ‘Lonesome’ Dave Conrades and Todd Paul. Each
performer had their own brand of humour, including ‘Lonesome’ Dave’s comedy
country music and which was enjoyed by all the attendees.
PCEC resident computer guru Richard Silverberg continues to come up with
interesting websites and this week was no exception. He introduced movieseer
which provides much detail of the available movies in Thailand. For example,
it is possible to select Pattaya theatres to check the movies which are
showing, track down where specific movies may be showing and also to receive
a weekly email bulletin showing the latest movie offerings. The URL is
www.movieseer.com. The PCEC looks forward to see what Richard comes up with
in the coming weeks.
Board Member Harry Sigworth announced that the PCEC had been invited to
participate in Governor Pracha Taerat’s event, the Street of Culture, by
providing a PCEC Culture Show and booth. The event took place in the grounds
in front of the Bali Hai pier, and ran from August 23rd to the 26th,
including a big fireworks display and shows with a troupe of Jordanian
performers.
One half of the Open Forum duo, Bob L’Etoile, was absent this week so PCEC
regular Larry King stepped into the breach. 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 pattayacityexpatsclub.com.
PILC donates to Tamar Center
The Pattaya International Ladies
Club Welfare Team presents 25,000 baht to the Tamar Center.
Ingrid Cunliffe
On Tuesday August 14, the Pattaya International Ladies Club Welfare Team, which
consisted of Kathleen and myself, presented 25,000 baht to Nella Davidse, the
director of the Tamar Center, and her wonderful staff and a few of the girls.
The funds will be put towards the intake of woman for the next 3 months training
session.
This center works with local churches to provide help and options for the many
prostitutes in Thailand, which can number from 300,000 to 2.8 million!
The outreach team from the center regularly visits the bars in Pattaya and tries
to build relationships with the girls and offers English, card making, hair
dressing and bakery as the main projects in which the girls can train to have a
better life. The center has a fabulous bakery in which the Pattaya Ladies Club
purchases banana cake for the ladies at Garunyawet Disabled Ladies Home every
month, and it is delicious.
The center and shop are situated behind Soi Buakao night market. You can also
purchase cards from the center and their web site is as follows:
www.projlife.com. You can see for yourself the wonderful range of baked goods
that you can order.
If you require any more information about this wonderful center please phone
66-38-414-432 and the helpful staff will be available to you. Pattaya
International Ladies Club members are proud to be associated with this
worthwhile project and we will continue to support them in the future.
PILC Annual Bazaar set for Saturday October 6
A date for diary: One of the major annual fund raising events organized by
the Pattaya International Ladies Club (PILC) is the Annual Holiday Bazaar.
This year, as in previous years, the Bazaar will be held at the Royal Cliff
Hotel and Resort on Saturday October 6.
 As
was the case last year, thousands of items will be on sale at the PILC
Annual Bazaar.
PILC would like to thank the kind sponsors of the 2007 Bazaar; Volclay Siam,
Transpo and Foster Wheeler. Last year the bazaar raised over half a million
baht, which has been used to support charities in the Pattaya area. It is
hoped that this year even more money will be raised.
Vendors come from all over Thailand to sell their wares and there are also
several stalls where you can buy direct items made by charitable
organizations, so helping a particular cause. As always, there will be many
Christmas items on sale, including the exclusive Christmas crackers and
decorations handmade by PILC ladies. It’s a great place to buy some
Christmas presents!
One of the highlights on the day is the Raffle draw. Tickets are now
available from PILC members. This year there are some excellent prizes to be
won including 1, 2 and 3 night stays in super hotels in Pattaya, Bangkok,
Chiang Mai and Krabi; dinners for 2 at some fine restaurants in Pattaya; a
family membership to a luxury fitness club; spa and beauty treatments and
many, many more fabulous prizes. All prizes have been kindly donated for
this charity raffle.
The bazaar will open at 10.00 a.m. The 100 baht entrance fee is a direct
donation to charity. So put the date in your diary!
If you would like more information about the bazaar please contact Cindy
Logue at [email protected] or ‘phone 086-0397811.
Disabled children of
Garunyawet enjoy hosted lunch
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Lunch was hosted for the children of Garunyawet Home for the Disabled on
August 18, and at the same time 10,000 baht was donated to the home’s funds.
The lunch was hosted by Surat Mekawarakul, culture chairman of Banglamung
District Council together with Community Relationship Radio 101.25 MHz.
The visitors handed essential supplies such as medicines, blankets and
electric light bulbs to Mrs Theera Kemawat, director of the home.
Surat said that he and the DJ 101.25 MHz team had the same objective in
hosting the lunch, which was to show the children at the home that the
community really cared for them. Some of the kiddies were also fans of the
radio station, making this an especially big day for them.
There were 360 children taking part in the lunch, and the visitors donated
10,000 baht to Garunyawet as funding for lunches in the following days.
Theera said that the Garunyawet Home for the Disabled was established on
April 8, 1991, and initially had 60 disabled persons. The original name was
the Home for the Disabled and the Crippled of Banglamung, but Her Royal
Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously bestowed a new name,
Garunyawet Home for the Disabled, meaning “House of Mercy”.
Surat Mekawarakul, culture
chairman of Banglamung District Council and his team, along with a team from
Community Relationship Radio 101.25 MHz, pose with the happy residents.
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