Together with HRH Princess Chulabhorn the new school building is inaugurated
Alisa Phanthusak welcomes Her Majesty Queen Silvia.
Elfi Seitz
Pattaya laid out the red carpet for royalty when Her
Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden and Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn
graciously presided over the inauguration of the newly completed vocational
training building at the Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind on April
8, 2010.
Her Majesty Queen Silvia addresses the guests at the
opening ceremony.
They were welcomed by Aurora Sribuaphan, director of the
Pattaya Blind School, Sutham Phanthusak, International Commissioner of the
National Scouts Organization of Thailand and Senee Jittakasem the Governor
of Chonburi amongst the many dignitaries that lined the red carpet
reception.
In her report to the Queen and Princess, Aurora
Sribuaphan said “The Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind, under the
patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, was
licensed by the congregation of the Most Blessed Redeemer in Thailand to
construct two buildings for teaching blind people.
“Part of the budget for the two buildings being
constructed came from money donated through the HRH Princess Sirindhorn
Foundation which was established after the Princess came to inaugurate the
school building in 1993 and donated 5,000 baht towards the development of
education for the blind. The school used that amount to set up the
foundation with the aim of receiving donations from kind-hearted people.
“The two buildings to be connected in an L shape consist
of the HRH Princess Sirindhorn Building, completed with a budget of 17
million baht and the Father Ray Building which was for the past few years
still under construction at a cost of 14 million baht.”
HM Queen Silvia is truly impressed by the handicraft
skills of the blind children.
She thanked the generous sponsors who helped to finish
the building project, one of which included a generous US$30,000 donation
from Her Majesty’s very own “Queen Silvia Fund”, which is operated by the
World Scout Foundation which raises funds for Scouts with disabilities.
The blind children performed Thai traditional dances and
songs much to the delight of the two royals and ended with a moving
rendition of “You are my sunshine.”
Her Majesty Queen Silvia and HRH Princess Chulabhorn
jointly officiated in the unveiling of the sign on the new building before
planting a tree on behalf of His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden in
gratitude for His unbounded benevolence in helping to finish the project and
one each in their own names in commemoration of their historic visit to the
Pattaya Blind School.
In her address to the guests, Her Majesty Queen Silvia
told the story of when His Majesty the King of Sweden went on a diving
adventure with a group of blind children. The water was very muddy and
visibility was very poor. The blind children gathered around him and guided
him through the dark waters. He said that he immediately realised how blind
people feel when there is only darkness around them and also how they can be
a guiding light to others by leading them through darkness. From that moment
on His Majesty felt a sense of bonding with the blind and determined to help
them in any way he could.
Her Majesty expressed Her feelings about the opening of
the new school building and the whole ceremony saying, “Well it was
wonderful to see it and of course I am going to tell His Majesty how
beautiful it is.
I saw the children and I saw the wonderful work they have
done and so I really congratulate all the Swedish and Thai friends who
together could finish the school. I think there are now one hundred and
eighty blind children who are able to go to the new school. They gave us a
wonderful reception today, they even played music on all different
instruments and it was very touching. I wish them all the best.”
After the ceremonies Her Majesty Queen Silvia was hosted
to a luncheon at the Grappa Restaurant in the Woodland Residences, where
sponsors of the project were recognised and thanked for their generosity and
also to the he 17th February Pattaya School for the Blind building project
committee under the chairmanship of Sven Philip Sorensen, advisor to the
Swedish Executive Scout Board and Sutham Phanthusak, International
Commissioner of the National Scouts Organization of Thailand who had worked
tirelessly for more than a year in making this dream real.
Sutham Phanthusak was also honoured by Chonburi province
when Governor Senee Jittakasem presented him with a “Prestigious Citizen of
Chonburi” award.
At the end of a most eventful morning, Her Majesty said,
“I know that Pattaya is a beautiful place so I am coming back.”
Her Majesty Queen Silvia and HRH Princess Chulabhorn
enjoy the
performances of the blind children.
HM Queen Silvia and HRH Princess Chulabhorn
plant trees in commemoration
of their visit.
HM Queen Silvia receives a painting of Their Majesties the King
and Queen
of Sweden from the Phanthusak family (l-r) Darin,
Varassaya, Sutham, Orawan
and Alisa).
The elegant looking new building decorated with Thai
flags.
Aurora Sribuaphan (left) and Sutham Phanthusak (right)
present their reports to the Royal visitors.
Governor Senee Jittakasem (left) proclaims Sutham
Phanthusak
as a Prestigious Citizen of Chonburi.
Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden speaks with Elfi Seitz of Pattaya Mail Television (PMTV)
Elfi Seitz:
I am here at Woodlands Residences today and have the absolute honor and
great pleasure to speak to Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, who is here
for the opening of the new building of the The Pattaya Redemptorist School
for the Blind.
Her Majesty Queen Silvia speaks with Elfi Seitz of PMTV.
Your Majesty, in Germany as in Sweden, you are very much
loved in the same way, because besides all your royal duties, you help so
many children and so many people in need, especially abused children. In
1999 you founded the World Childhood Foundation; please tell us the
purpose of this foundation and what you are doing for them?
HM Queen Silvia:
It started fifteen years ago when I saw that the situation of the
children was very difficult especially when it concerned sexual abuse of
children, because nobody dared to talk about it. It was absolutely taboo.
During my many trips around the world I could see how much need there was.
So then with good friends, I started the World Childhood Foundation
and we tried to help not only girls and young mothers, but also boys who
were sexually abused. There are so many
organizations that are doing wonderful work when it comes to street children
and so on, but sexual abuse is a very special need for the children. I am
very happy to say that we are working very hard on this issue. We are now in
fifteen countries and in the last ten years we have helped five hundred
projects. I am very proud about it.
Elfi Seitz:
Yes, you can be very proud, thank you so much. You do so much for the
children in need, but that’s not all, you are the patron of sixty two
organizations, as far as I know. One of them is the Silviahjemmet,
which means Silvia’s home for people with dementia. How much of your time
does all of this take?
Her Majesty Queen Silvia greets Peter Malhotra, MD of the
Pattaya Mail Media group at the end of the interview. At right is Kristine
von Blixen, Her Majesty’s lady-in-waiting who so kindly arranged for our
exclusive interview.
HM Queen Silvia:
Quite a lot I must say, but I do it with great pleasure and I am very
happy to do that. When it comes to people with dementia, I noticed that even
though the nurses and their assistants are doing a wonderful job, they
didn’t have much information about it. I decided to start a little school,
where we help the assistants and the nurses to get to know more about
dementia. We have now developed further where now we even train them by
Internet. But we have close contact with them and they practice at the
Silviahjemmet. Then there is an exam. We are working together with the
university, so our students can have their university degrees. It’s
something that is doing very well. Now we even have the ‘Malteser Orden’ in Germany who are very
interested in this program. Last October they even founded a Silvia Section
in Cologne.
Elfi Seitz:
I think the Malteser Orden are now helping them in Germany and
are working together with the
Silviahjemmet.
HM Queen Silvia:
Yes we have their cooperation and even in their hospital they have a
whole section where they work with patients with dementia according to our
ideas.
Elfi Seitz:
Your Majesty you were also kind enough to donate a lot of money to the
Redemptorist centre and your husband the King of Sweden came to see the
building, whose construction was stuck in a way, so through the World Scout
Foundation you donated a lot of money. We all thank you for that. Are you
satisfied with the outcome?
HM Queen Silvia:
It was wonderful to see the building and of course I am going to tell
His Majesty how beautiful it is. I saw the children and I saw the wonderful
work they have done. I really congratulate all the Swedish and Thai friends
who together could finish the school. I think there are now one hundred and
eighty blind children who are able to go to the new school. They gave us a
wonderful reception today. They even played music on all different
instruments which was very touching. I wish them all the best.
Elfi Seitz:
His Majesty the King of Sweden was in Pattaya quite a few times, you
were in Thailand but not in Pattaya, what is your first impression on your
first visit to Pattaya?
HM Queen Silvia:
I didn’t have much time to look around, so the only thing I can say is,
I have to come back.
Elfi Seitz:
I hope so. Your Majesty thank you so much, you made us so proud. We at
the Pattaya Mail on TV, the Pattaya Mail and the Pattaya Blatt newspapers
thank you very much.
HM Queen Silvia:
Thank you and I wish you all the best. I know Pattaya is a beautiful
place, so I am coming back.
Albert RN briefs Master Chief Eric Cole.
Bert Elson, Secretary,
Royal British Legion,
Chonburi Thailand Branch
It has taken us a couple of years to achieve it, but the
Royal British Legion Thailand now has a good working relationship with the
US Navy. To that end, we were invited to visit the USS Fitzgerald and our
group was given a guided tour by Master Chief Eric Cole.
George Barrie presents our plaque to the chief.
We had a fantastic
few hours aboard and all fell in love with our very own Albert R.N. who
served in the Royal Navy from 1946.
What we did not know was that April 1st is the US Navy’s
Chiefs’ day, the first recorded rank of Chief dated back to April 1st 1893.
Now being as they have Dry Ships (no alcohol!) they needed somewhere a
little wetter to celebrate their birthday: enter Tropical Bert’s/Royal
British Legion and the next afternoon we were the hosts and what a great
afternoon it was with plenty of “Yahoos”!
Albert RN holds court.
Eric briefs us!
The bridge.
Happy Birthday Toast.
Them and us outside Tropical Bert’s.
