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Monster fun as ghosts and ghouls stalk Pattaya on Halloween
Transforming into the
night of the living dead.
She laughed so hard she
was in stitches.
Four students from ISR,
Ploy, Anna, Isabel and Danielle, scared all the tenants at the Residence
Garden on Halloween.
Scary people were seen in
front of Ripley’s Believe it or Not.
Are you ready to make the
journey to the other side?
I vant to drink your
blooooooood.
The devil made me do it…
Another scary munchkin.
Scaring the customers into
Ripley’s Believe it or Not.
(Above) Brave kids hold
their ground at Ripley’s Believe it or Not.
Scarred for life at the
Diana Garden.
Although there were less
ghosts on Walking Street this year, some still managed to haunt the
area.
I want my mummy.
A family affair at
Ripley’s? The Adams family maybe…
Walking Street was lively,
as usual.
It’s no secret, these
women are scary tonight.
Pattaya Mail Reporters
Ghosts, ghouls and beasts of all descriptions stalked the streets of
Pattaya during the night of October 31, as the city celebrated Halloween
with some particularly blood-curdling events.
 Ooooh,
scary…
One of the most monstrous ideas came from Ripley’s Believe It Or Not at
the Royal Garden Plaza, which held a Fantasy Coffin Party, and asked
five well-known Thai actors and actresses to design their own coffins.
Actors are very aware of the dangers of corpsing on stage, which to
non-thespians translates as collapsing into giggles, but this must have
been a new one for the celebrities.
Even so, the five came up with some cute ways to exit in style. Nawarat
Yugtanunt’s coffin was in the shape of a strawberry, Puri Hirunyapruek’s
was shaped like a bowling pin, Sai-Inthira Jaroenpura chose a dolphin,
Im-Achita Wuthinuntsurasit stuck with the marine life theme and opted
for a penguin, while Rawid Terdwongse chose the shape of a rocket “so
that it could reach heaven more quickly.”
 Nittaya
Patimasongkroh emerges from the house of the dead.
Elsewhere in town, Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation was
encouraging the public to make donations for coffins for deceased people
with no relatives in the Pattaya area. Presumably they would be happy
with conventional coffin-shaped coffins.
Also active on Halloween Night were the Hard Rock Cafe and the Green
Bottle Pub, who both had popular parties, while employees at the Diana
Inn Hotel donned Halloween fancy dress. Guests must have thought the
hotel was run by a skeleton staff.
Pattaya Mail reporters were out and about, and not to be confused with
the other hideous monsters. They said that this year the fun was in
general a little more subdued. Walking Street, usually a hotbed of
Halloween festivities was not as lively as in former years with fewer
visitors dressed in their deathly best.
Ripley’s Believe it or Not
donates money to the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation to purchase
coffins for deceased people with no relatives.
The Green Bottle Pub crew
are dead on their feet.
Rotary plans series of major events
to honor HM the King’s birthday
Celebrations to be held in Lumpini Park on November 18, 2007
An artist’s impression of the
spectacular float that will feature during the parade to honor HM the King.
(L to R) Dr. Krisada
Ruengareerat, Assistant Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office; Pichai
Chaipojpanit, Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Bangkok Metropolitan
Administration, Suchada Itthijarukul, chairwoman of the organizing committee
and Apa Ataboonwongse Tansode, Governor of District 3350 R.I. display their
Rotary spirit at the press conference held at the Bangkok Metropolitan
Administration.
Representatives from the 4
Rotary Districts in Thailand unite
to promote this historic event.
The Rotary celebrations
organizing committee for HM the King’s birthday gather
for a group photo.
Free treatment will be
given to treat 800 cases of cataracts, 80 cases of valvular heart disease,
80 cases of degenerative knee, and 80 cases of finger lock.
Rotary Clubs throughout Thailand are planning a series of
events to celebrate the 80th birthday of His Majesty the King, with those in
the Bangkok Metropolitan area intending to donate 80,000 plants to public
parks and also to organize free medical check-ups in Lumpini Park.
 The
Rotary wheel will come alive when 800 Rotarians gather to interpret the
Rotary symbol for photographs to honor His Majesty’s 80th birthday.
Mrs Suchada Itthijarukul, chairwoman of the organizing committee in
Metropolitan Bangkok said that some events are also planned as fund-raisers,
with all income after the deduction of expenses being presented to His
Majesty the King for his royally sponsored projects.
Rotary is working with Bangkok City Hall on the organizing of the
activities. Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayothin has already announced that
80,000 plants and saplings would be received from Rotary for planting in
public parks under Bangkok Metropolitan Administration authority. This, said
the governor, is in accordance with the BMA’s own environmental conservation
policies.
The plants will be delivered by a parade of floats that will take place on
November 18, starting from Lumpini Park and proceeding along Ploenchit Road,
Payathai Road and Rama IV Road before re-entering the park. The parade cars
will stop for people to take souvenir photos along the route.
Free health check-ups will also be held on November 18 at Lumpini, with
those who are accepted for free operations being transferred to
participating hospitals. Rotary says that the free treatment will cover 800
cases of cataracts, 80 cases of valvular heart disease, 80 cases of
degenerative knee, and 80 cases of finger lock. All people interested in
participating in this project must apply by presenting their ID cards and 30
baht health card at the activity location.
Another important activity will be 800 Rotarians gathering to interpret the
Rotary symbol for photographs to honor His Majesty’s 80th birthday. The
photographs will be used to publicize the celebrations amongst Rotary Clubs
worldwide.
Suchada said that November 18 at Lumpini Park would also feature booths
promoting other activities such as Rotary work to eradicate polio, and
various Rotary family events. Entertainment will be provided on-stage
throughout the day, ending with a concert featuring Whaen Thitim, Calorie
Bla Bla, Rose Sirinthip, C nam from AF 1 and Tod Thongdee.
Rotary is a worldwide organization that works to support the
underprivileged, along with world friendship and peace. There are about
1,200,000 Rotary Club members throughout the world.
For additional information please contact: Kanok-on Kasemsuk 089-816-4021 /
02725-9493, or Nisakorm Joraka 081-801-6501 / 02725-9366.
Youngsters from the South attend
successful Pinnacle youth camp
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk and Mike Franklin
The 1st Youth Leadership Camp organized for pre-college level students by
the Pinnacle Hotels Resort and Spas Group came to a successful close on
October 18, with a ceremony conducted by Pol Lt Gen Jetnakorn Nabhitabhata,
Commander of Provincial Police Region 2.
 Dr
Vongbhum Vanasin, president of the YLDF.
Held in conjunction with government and private organizations, the camp was
organized through Pinnacle properties in Samui, Bangkok, Jomtien, Songkla
and Satun.
The purpose of the camp was to help develop leadership skills amongst the
youngsters, particularly as relating to the hospitality industry, and to
show them practical aspects of the Sufficiency Economy whose concept was
developed by His Majesty the King.
Held over the period October 15 to 18 at the Pinnacle Grand Jomtien in
Pattaya, the camp had its official closing ceremony on October 18, chaired
by Pol Lt Gen Jetnakorn Nabhitabhata along with Itthipol Khunplome, chief
advisor to the mayor.
Dr Vongbhum Vanasin, president of the Youth Leadership Development
Foundation (YLDF) said the attending youngsters had the opportunity to learn
about hotel occupations directly from experienced people, and to develop
friendships amongst youngsters from different backgrounds.
 Rungratree
Thongsai, the most admired trainer at the YLDF camp.
Right from the beginning, it was a very encouraging inaugural Youth
Leadership Development camp inspired by Dr. Vongbhum. The sixty-six
students, many from the three troubled Southern provinces of Yala, Pattani
and Narathiwat, who qualified for attending the camp by writing winning
essays, assembled on the Monday morning at the opening ceremony, quietly
apprehensive as to what lay ahead in the ensuing four days. Hardly any of
the students knew each other prior to arriving at the Pinnacle Grand
Jomtien, but that was about to dramatically change.
Abiba Leening, a student from Satun who attended the project said that the
camp had been interesting and worthwhile. He had made new friends and
learned about the hotel sector. Previously, he said, he had disliked the
concept of service work, but after attending the camp he could see it as a
choice for a career. Abiba said that before attending, he had had worries
about his Southern Thai accent but these had proved unfounded.
The program was comprehensive, thorough, demanding and, in reality, a
character building exercise teaching the key elements of ‘sufficiency
economy’ and the fundamental skills needed in the hotel hospitality
business. The camp was generously and widely sponsored. Lufthansa, through
the good offices of Wolfgang Schmidt (GM, S.E. Asia), played a major role in
that regard and York Bendix (Cultural Attaché, German Embassy) warmly
endorsed the initiative of Dr. Vongbhum in establishing the Youth Leadership
Development Foundation.
The four days of intensive training and social activity passed quickly,
peaking at the Thursday evening closing ceremony when sixty-six vibrant and
enthusiastic students were clearly transformed, superbly confident and
displaying great camaraderie. Divided into four competing teams for the
week, they had each learned a dance routine in just two days and performed
to a standard as though it was part of a long standing repertoire. The
multi-media presentations by the authors of the four winning essays were
also to a high standard, representative, and greatly appreciated by all.
The climax at the close was justifiable reward for Dr. Vongbhum; Ingo
Rauber, GM Pinnacle Grand Jomtien and his efficient management and staff,
and not least the dozen teachers who had given so much to the students
throughout the week.
It was an emotional and heart-warming close, tears were shed, hugs were
exchanged, and the spontaneous affection between the students and teachers
said it all.
The experience had been such for some that ‘camp-lag’ would inevitably set
in for a few days after they returned home to normal routine, but richer for
the experience none-the-less.
One can only look forward to 2008 and Dr. Vongbhum’s next inspiring Youth
Leadership Development camp at the Pinnacle Grand Jomtien Resort and Spa.
Pol Lt Gen Jetnakorn
Nabhitabhata presents certificates of achievement
to the students.
Banpot Somchue president of
the class thanked the organizers on behalf of the camp participants while
Pol Lt Gen Jetnakorn Nabhitabhata, Itthipol Khunplome and Dr Vongbhum
Vanasin look on.
Youngsters proudly display
their certificates.
Students got their chance to
visit the city hall and observe the operations.
The attending youngsters, apart from their daily Yoga
exercise, had the opportunity to learn about the hotel business directly
from experienced professionals and to develop friendships amongst youngsters
from different backgrounds.
It was an emotional and
heart-warming close of the camp, tears were shed
and hugs were exchanged. The spontaneous affection between the students
and teachers said it all.
Marriott stages a real
Bavarian Oktoberfest
Bang, bang, the silver hammers came down upon
her head.
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The Bavarian ‘Leder Hosen Band’ kept up the
oom-pah-pah atmosphere.
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Oktoberfest beer flowed throughout the evening.
Michael Albers
Pattaya Marriott Resort and Spa opened its own Oktoberfest celebrations on
October 19, with the Garden Cafe Terrace as the venue.
Some typically Bavarian competitions were held, such as nail hammering and
alphorn blowing. Nick Geisbühler and Georg Hilber, a duet well known even
beyond Bavarian fields, provided the musical accompaniment throughout the
evening with some original Oktoberfest hits.
Supplied with a plate of sauerkraut, gherkin, grilled sausage Nuremberg
style with sweet mustard and a cool, bright or dark Weihenstephan wheat
beer, one was in possession of the most important Oktoberfest utensils.
Serving maidens dressed in traditional Bavarian garb delivered the “barley
juice” directly to the tables.
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Thai-Bavarian ‘frauleins’ liven up the Marriott
Oktoberfest.
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