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Regent’s School Year 10 GCSE Drama Group
visits the Camillian Centre, Rayong
Father Giovanni explains the
work of the Centre.
Maria Maksimova and Alena Pushkova
Year 10 GCSE Drama students
By way of preparation for a play for AIDS Day on December 1, students in the
Year 10 GCSE Drama Group recently visited the Camillian Centre in Rayong,
one of the leading centers in Thailand for the care in the community of
people with the HIV virus.
After a warm welcome from two of the staff, Mr Marco and Mr Paul, we were
first informed how in late 1995, the Camillian Centre was founded in the
Province of Rayong by Father Giovanni Contarin, an Italian priest. The
Centre was built mainly to provide much-needed shelter and care to homeless
people living with the HIV virus, with particular attention being given to
the care of women and children.
 Father
Giovanni and the Regent’s students.
Our first stop was the classroom where we watched an informative power-point
presentation about the main activities of the Centre, how people contract
the virus and the most effective ways of treating the disease. From this
presentation, we learned a lot about life after contracting the HIV virus,
about the volunteers and their plans for the future development of the
Centre.
The whole group was impressed with the ‘before and after’ pictures of the
children and the amazing recovery after treatment with the anti-retroviral
drugs. The smiles on the children’s faces said it all!
 The
students soon made new friends.
Father Giovanni took a break from his busy schedule to show us around the
Centre, which now includes a handicraft centre, a social area, a
well-equipped playground, chapel and a pavilion in the centre of a beautiful
pond which gave the whole place a feeling of serenity and calm.
In one of the adjoining playgrounds we met with some of the children and the
students who spoke Thai were able to exchange greetings straight away.
Before long, we had all made friends with the children.
Father Giovanni said most of the young people attend local schools and go on
occasional outings. The adults, who are well enough, are given small tasks
to do at the Centre. Several live 40km away at the Garden of Eden, a
specially designated area of land where the patients grow their own
vegetables and try to live as normal a life as possible.
There is also another building nearby for teenagers so they can adjust to
life back in the wider community.
A welcome new addition to the facilities has been a brand new swimming pool.
The overall impression was of cheerful friendliness and optimism from people
who have been given back their dignity and purpose in life. The students
were told how the rate of infection has dropped from 150,000 to 20,000 in
the past 10 years.
Before we left, we presented Father Giovanni with a cheque for 25,000 baht
which will go towards the work of the Centre. The students also took the
opportunity to purchase Christmas cards and small gift items made by the
patients.
The trip left a strong impression on the students, especially how Father
Giovanni and his dedicated staff talked about their work and their caring
attitude to the people staying there, as well as how each person was treated
with dignity and with individual attention.
There was lots of laughter on
the day.
Presentation of 25,000 baht to
the Camillian Centre.
Students with one of the older
residents.
Regent’s students at the main
entrance.
GIS students create
their very own krathongs
Alice Swann Razon
Just like every other year, we celebrate Loy Krathong in school,
whether it is simply a matter of making or making and floating in it an
artificial pond created by the Thai department. However, this year has
been different from many other years as it was on the same week as a
Royal mourning for the nation. This put into perspective at our school
that as much as we would like to celebrate Loy Krathong with friends and
family; we had to show our respects to HM the King’s sister and honour
the water goddess for providing water for us all year round.
Students from all year groups were assembled outside on the school court
on traditional Thai mats. Each year group has a collection of materials
which they need in order to prepare a true krathong. Along with this, a
table is set up where different kinds of flowers could be chosen
according to the student’s preferences. Most flowers from the bunch were
orchids of course and students had to make their way around the teachers
who were busy decorating the krathongs the Thai department had prepared
for them in advance.
For many students, it was not their first time making a krathong, but
for those who had never created one before learnt the art of being
patient, especially when folding the banana leaves into a triangular
shape which were pinned onto the floats with tiny nails. In a way, from
plain floats they turned into a crown highly vibrant and decorated with
flowers which replaced the jewels on a real crown.
As part of a Thai custom, it is pleasurable to be able to create your
own krathong. Each krathong is personalized by its maker and by the end
of the day many students were proud of their art work as many enjoyed
taking photos and showing them round to their teachers. It is nice to
know that Loy Krathong is celebrated annually as many students enjoyed
making their krathong in school with friends and floating it with their
families on water in the reflection of the full-moon night of the
twelfth lunar month of the traditional Thai calendar.
Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya
Xmas Charity Light Up
George Hazard
It’s that time of the year again for the annual Hard Rock Hotel
Pattaya Xmas Charity Light Up.
This year the hotel will join forces with the Rotary Club Eastern
Seaboard to support the greatest cause of all: children in need. The
beneficiaries this year will be the children at Baan Hinwong Primary
School in Sattahip. Funds raised at this year’s Christmas tree light up
will go towards providing basic needs, such as pure water, building
renovation, toilets, canteen, books, computers - the list is too long to
be contained in this page. Most of the children attending this school
come from very poor families.
 The
Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard has voluntarily expressed its intention
through Peter Malhotra, district governor of Rotary International
District 3340, to assist Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya to actively participate
in this fundraising. This should ensure that the Rotary Club’s clean
drinking water project, which they already have been supporting for 13
schools in the area, is again sure to see the light at Baan Hinwong
Primary School.
Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya has prepared a great evening to raise money for
the needy children of Baan Hinwong Primary School. This is a unique
opportunity for you to have a good time, enjoy good food, good
entertainment with a Hard Rock twist and contribute a bit to the
community, and feel good about it.
The annual event this year will take place on Saturday, December 13
starting at 6 p.m. at the Hard Rock Hotel’s Hall of Fame. The evening
will include a succulent dinner, along with entertainment provided by
Sahajak “Poo” Boonthanakit performing Elvis Presley numbers; and Prod
Thanapat performing sixties and rock ‘n’ roll melodies.
The entrance price is 2,000 baht per person or 18,000 baht per table of
10 people. Reservations can be made at Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya’s
Marketing Communications Department, 038 - 428 755-9.
Now in its 7th year, the Christmas Charity Light-Up Event at Hard Rock
Hotel Pattaya has always been fun-filled but very meaningful. This year,
the event will be highlighted by the ceremonial lighting of Hard Rock
Hotel’s themed Christmas tree, which changes motif each year. This is
followed by pre-dinner cocktails and then the international buffet
dinner at the Hall of Fame from 6 to 9 p.m., with unlimited beverages. A
very special auction follows with exclusive Auctioneer Steve Graham, who
will rock your world with exciting prizes. The Elvis Show begins at 10
p.m.
We are honored to have General Kanit Permsub, Deputy Chief Aide-De-Camp
and General to His Majesty the King lending his support to our appeal
for this special event.
We believe that the success of this charity event is entirely dependent
upon the generous support of kind individuals like yourself. Any of your
great efforts in uplifting the life of the underprivileged will be of
course commended and memorized.
If you want to support only one charity this year, this is the one!
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