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Famed traditional Thai puppet show opens at Pattaya City Walk
(L to R) Suriya Suksakit,
assistant minister of culture, Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome, Niti Kongkrut,
director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Pattaya office, Pisut
Kiewsod, managing director of the Jo Louis Puppet Theatre, Keerati
Tanasriwanitchai, executive for Pattaya City Walk, Paripan Nunpakdee, vice
president of JSL Co., Ltd., and Surin Yongkeaesod, executive for the Jo
Louis Theatre.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
One of Thailand’s best-known puppet shows can now been seen in
Pattaya in a showcase of traditional arts at Pattaya City Walk (next to the
Royal Garden Plaza, towards Walking Street).
 Professional
dancers perform the wing dance.
The Jo Louis puppet show, a longtime fixture at Bangkok’s Suan Lum Night
Bazaar, began nightly shows July 8 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. The act performs in
a new, 50 million baht theater decorated with Himapant Forest of Buddhist
mythology and offers a menu of traditional Thai food.
Assistant Culture Minister Suriya Suksakit said the traditional arts show
brings a much needed bit of culture and family entertainment to Pattaya.
 Puppeteers
bring the 7-headed snake to life.
“Thai tourists feel that they don’t have many places to rest and eat with
entertainment for the family,” he said. “I think the Jo Louis project is
therefore very interesting.”
Pattaya City Walk executive Keerati Tanasriwanitchai agreed. Until now, the
city has not offered many cultural attractions. “People ask why Pattaya
doesn’t have much art and the answer has always been that Pattaya survives
on entertainment, but I don’t agree. I think it’s simply because no artistic
attractions have been built.
“Suppose foreigners stay three days in Pattaya. I don’t believe they will
want to visit only entertainment establishments. I just believe they have no
choice. They will most likely have no choice,” he said. “This is being done
to bring culture into this area and it will be art that the next generation
can enjoy.”
 Puppeteers
are highly trained dancers, too.
Pisut Kiewsod, managing director of the Jo Louis Thai Puppet Theatre, said
that the new cultural center was established to cater to both Thai and
foreign tourists. It also puts culture ahead of profit, he said, pointing to
a menu of food from the 19th century era of Kings Rama IV and Rama V. The
“Heaven of South Pattaya” theater and dining area boasts 60 tables and a
courtyard for Thai dance shows and special exhibitions.
The centerpiece of the new theater, however, is the puppet show, patterned
after the classic puppeteers of Thai history. The shows follow stories of
Buddhist lore and fantasy, featuring dance and music. The Jo Louis troupe
was founded by the late Sakon “Jo Louis” Kiewson whose traditions are being
carried on by puppeteers who’ve taken his work to Japan, Turkey, Russia,
Norway, Sweden and other countries.
Hanuman captures the Supan
Matcha.
Kinaree dancers show the
elegant wing gesture.
It’s a breath-taking show.
The elaborate “Heaven of South
Pattaya” theater and dining area boasts 60 tables and a courtyard for Thai
dance shows and special exhibitions.
Pattaya teens get high on dance
at No. 1 competition
Chonburi Deputy Governor
Songpol Champapan opens
the To Be No. 1 Aerobics & Dancercise Championship 2009.
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Get high on life, not drugs. That was the message behind the day of
dancing and pageantry at North Pattaya’s Central Center when more than 50
area youths took to the stage for the “To Be No. 1” competition.
 A
future star sings her heart out.
Children cheered on more than 50 of their friends during June 24 Aerobics &
Dancercise Championship and Youth Contest while area politicians and leaders
of the To Be No. 1 anti-drug organization implored everyone to only pursue a
healthy buzz.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome said drugs have become a nationwide problem that
threatens Thailand’s economy and national security. The problem in Pattaya
is no less severe, he added, which is why To Be No. 1 clubs were established
in all area schools. Part of a national organization chaired by HRH Princess
Ubolratana, the clubs steer teens away from drugs through exercise and
programs to boost self image.
One way to do that, Itthiphol said, was through competition. Kids like to
compete and by putting them in teams, such as dance squads, children learn
the value of mutual respect and group harmony.
Chonburi Deputy Gov. Songpol Champapan said the To Be No. 1 program is being
supported throughout the province through the Chonburi Public Health
Department.
A young crooner belts out his
favorite tune.
This young performer truly
shines through.
Elaborate costumes are part of
the fun.
A young star sings with backup
dancers.
Youngsters perform traditional
Thai dance.
To Be Number One!
Aerobics & Dancercise are the
main theme of the competition.
The competition’s young
performers put on a show.
Teens cheer on their friends
at the To Be No. 1 contest.
Grappa and South African grapes
Dr. Iain Corness
About two years ago, a small, vivacious woman called Reni
Hildenbrand brought her wines to Pattaya. She had called her boutique
vineyard the Hildenbrand Estate, a small holding in the Landgoedwyn region
of South Africa, with only 18 hectares under grapes.
 Reni
is particularly proud of her unwooded Chardonnay.
The Hildenbrand wines immediately attracted a strong following in Thailand,
and it was with great pleasure that we met up again with Reni in the Grappa
Italian restaurant in the Woodlands Suites.
She had brought a strong representative sample of the offerings from her
South African vineyard, and some strong representatives from South Africa,
including Allan Riddell, the consultant to the Board of the South African
Trade Promotion and Maurice Bromley from the South African Chamber of
Commerce.
Reni was particularly proud of her unwooded Chardonnay, saying in an
exclusive interview with Pattaya Mail TV that the world opinion was going
away from the heavily wooded wines, both whites and reds, and the wines she
had brought were also tending towards the unwooded varieties.
 Dr.
Iain Corness (left) and Peter Malhotra (right) are all smiles as they taste
Reni Hildenbrand’s (center) wine.
The Grappa restaurant, which is one of the most elegant venues in Pattaya,
also rose to the occasion, presenting a tuna carpaccio as the first course,
to go with the unwooded Chardonnay, but then brought out a ‘tom yum’ style
snow fish fillet soup. This was a very interesting fusion of East and West
and the 2005 Semillon went with this perfectly, as suggested by Reni.
The main courses were a choice of osso bucco or chicken breast, both were
very flavorsome and the choice of reds to go with them was likewise, with
the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Shiraz being outstanding wines.
 Wine
connoisseurs sample wines from the Hildenbrand Estate.
Reni also suggested that the Shiraz went well with chocolate, and it
certainly did with the chocolate dessert produced by the Grappa kitchen
team.
In all, a very pleasant evening, with great food and great wines, which
attracted some great company for the evening.
Grappa Ristorante and Wine Bar, Woodlands Suites, Soi 22 Pattaya Naklua
Road, tel 038 052 299, email [email protected]. Open seven days 11
a.m. through till last orders in the kitchen 11 p.m. Secure parking
underneath Woodlands Suites.
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