Burapa Bike Week revs up 7,000 fans

Club leaders and local politicians stand shoulder to shoulder during the opening ceremonies.

Manoon Makpol

More than 7,000 Thai and foreign bikers rolled into Pattaya for the 15th Burapa Bike Week last month.

Motorcycle enthusiasts enjoyed music, shows and shopping at the Eastern National Indoor Sports Stadium on Soi Chaiyapruek during the two-day “week” Feb. 11-12. Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome and former area politicians kicked off festivities with the annual “Drive for Peace” through the city.

Thai rock legends Lam Morrison and Ad Carabao along with musician Pongpat Wajirabanjong entertained while crowds flocked to booths selling goods for cars, bikes and bodies.

Akarapol Yaram, head of the Buriram Bike Club, once again brought his charges to Pattaya for the event.

The highlight of the event were 10 weddings between motorcycle club members, including Prasan Nikaji, president of the Burapa Motorcycle Club. Sonthaya Kunplome, former Minister of Sports and Tourism presented flowers and Burapha flags to all the married couples.

Prasan said the annual festival draws bike fans from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and other countries.

Among them is Akarapol Yaram, head of the Buriram Bike Club. Each year he leads his 65 members and 45 custom bikes to Pattaya, raising funds for charity along the way. To get here, members have been stuck in traffic, broken down and faced a public that sees only noisy motorcycles and scruffy bikers instead of the goals behind their journey.

Akarapol urges his members - and all drivers - to not drink and drive. In the case of his club, he reminds the bikers they have to set a good example. Doing otherwise would only damage the reputation of bike clubs and events such as Burapa Bike Week, he said.

The big bike parade turns heads down Beach Road.

Motorcycles parade down Pratamnak Hill.

Sonthaya Kunplome, former Minister of Sports and Tourism, presents Burapha flags to “just married” couples.

Growing old can be a pain in the back

Degenerative spine problems can happen when you grow older. This was the topic at the February 19 meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club. Phyathai Sriracha Hospital International Executive Gavin Waddell announced that a nurse was set up in the back alcove to provide free blood pressure checks and then introduced Dr. Montien Sirisuntornlak, M.D. to speak about degenerative spine cascade, which is the process by which the human spine changes and degenerates over time. It is a continuous process that can begin at any age and often takes 40-50 years or more to run its course and will affect 90% of the population to some degree during their lifetime.

Dr. Montien Sirisuntornlak, M.D., of Phyathai Sriracha Hospital, speaks about degenerative spine cascade, the process by which the human spine changes and degenerates over time.

With diagrams and pictures, including pictures from MRI scans, Dr. Montien described the causes, symptoms, and treatment for this condition; also known as spinal stenosis. This is a narrowing of the spinal column that causes pressure on the spinal cord, or narrowing of the openings where spinal nerves leave the spinal column. Initially, he said, there may be no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they often start gradually and worsen over time. The most common parts of the spine affected are the neck and lower back. Symptoms vary, depending on the location.

If it is spinal stenosis in the neck, symptoms will be numbness or weakness or tingling in a leg, foot, arm or hand. You may drop things more often or have a tendency to fall. You can also feel neck or shoulder pain. In severe cases, nerves to the bladder or bowel may be affected, leading to incontinence. Compressed nerves in your lower (lumbar) spine can cause pain or cramping in your legs when you stand for long periods of time or when you walk. The discomfort usually eases when you bend forward or sit down.

PCEC Board Member David Meador updates fellow members and guests on upcoming events in Pattaya and the ‘Land of Smiles’.

There are many different types of problems that can reduce the amount of space within the spinal canal. The most common of these problems are related to degeneration and the aging process. He described the age related causes, which can be osteoarthritis, disk degeneration, or thickened ligaments. Other causes are Paget’s disease of the bone, achondroplasia (congenital), spinal tumors, and spinal injuries.

Dr. Montien then explained the diagnostic tests that can be performed. These include x-ray, CT scan, and MRI scan with the MRI being the test of choice. Risk factors are primarily age or inherited conditions. Treatment most likely will start with medications such as antidepressants to ease pain, anti-seizure drugs to reduce pain caused by damaged nerves, and opioids. Physical therapy may also help. Also, your nerve roots may become irritated and swollen at the spots where they are being pinched. In such cases, injecting a corticosteroid into the space around that constriction can help reduce the inflammation and relieve some of the pressure.

Dr. Montien said that surgery may be considered if more conservative treatments haven’t helped, you are disabled by your symptoms and you are in otherwise good health. However, he pointed out that spinal surgery is complicated and strongly recommended that you seek out a second opinion if your doctor is recommending surgery.

Phyathai Sriracha Hospital International Executive Gavin Waddell (left), Dr. Montien Sirisuntornlak, M.D. (right) and Nurse Wanvisa pose for a photo following Dr Montien’s very interesting presentation.

He also mentioned that there are some lifestyle and home remedies that can be done to alleviate the symptoms. For cervical (neck) stenosis, you can apply heat or cold packs to the neck and to take great care in avoiding injuries to your head and neck as they can worsen your symptoms. For lumbar stenosis, you can use canes or walkers as they provide stability and can also help relieve pain by allowing you to bend forward while walking. Also, losing excess weight can help because extra weight puts additional stress on joints and bones, particularly the lower back.

After Dr. Montien answered several questions, Master of Ceremonies Richard Silverberg called on Al Serrato to conduct the always informative Open Forum where questions are answered about expat living in Thailand, recommendations made about movies and restaurants, and occasionally the telling of a joke or two.

The Pattaya City Expats Club meets every Sunday at the Amari Orchid’s Tavern by the Sea Restaurant. Read more about the Club’s activities on their website at www .pattayacityexpatsclub.com.

Mint of Norway visits Royal Thai Mint

(L to R) Jan Olav Aamlid, senior adviser to the Mint of Norway; Jan-Eirik Hansen, CEO of the Mint of Norway; Dr. Naris Chaiyasoot, Director General of the Treasure Department and Kjell Wessel, manager of sales and marketing of Mint of Norway.

Jan Olav Aamlid

CEO of the Mint of Norway, Jan-Eirik Hansen and manager of sales and marketing, Kjell Wessel, paid a visit to Director-General Naris Chaiyasoot of the Treasury Department of Thailand to discuss mutual ideas how they could work together.

Later in the afternoon, Jan-Eirik Hansen, Kjell Wessel and Jan Olav Aamlid, senior adviser to the Mint of Norway, paid a visit to the Royal Thai Mint. They had meetings with the management of the Royal Thai Mint and discussions of what the Royal Thai Mint could supply for the Mint of Norway, and what the Mint of Norway could supply for The Royal Thai Mint. It looks like both parties had mutual interests.

Kjell Wessel and Jan-Eirik Hansen had a look at News to Remember and House of Coins, Thappraya Rood, with its impressive collection of old newspapers.

The visitors were given a tour of the Royal Thai Mint and they were very impressed with the quality of their work. They also had the pleasure of meeting some of the 700 employees of the Mint.

The Royal Thai Mint produces circulating coins, commemorative coins, medals and Royal Decorations. Mint of Norway produces blanks, circulating and commemorative coins and medals for Norway and other countries. One very well known medal, the Peace Price Medal, is produced by the Mint of Norway.

Jan-Eirik Hansen and Kjell Wessel also took time to visit their senior adviser, Jan Olav Aamlid in Pattaya before leaving for Hong Kong.

Father Ray Foundation puts final touches on St. Patrick’s Day parade

Manoon Makpol

More than 1,000 people are expected to join in a St. Patrick’s Day parade being organized by the Father Ray Foundation and area Irish clubs.

Rev. Michael Picharn Jaiseri will direct this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Foundation Acting President Rev. Peter Pattarapong Srivorakul and Vice President Rev. Michael Picharn Jaiseri met with Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh Feb. 21 to work out the final details of the March 17 march, which could see as many as 40 floats and 100 flag bearers, Jaiseri said.

This year’s parade would follow a new route, abandoning Beach Road for a single traffic lane on Second Road from Pattaya School No. 8 at South Road to the Alcazar Theatre near Soi 5. Exact time for start of the green march has not been set, but will kick off no later than 2 p.m., Jaiseri said.

The charity’s involvement in the parade to celebrate a holiday so closely associated with green beer is due to the saint’s establishment of many churches and schools in Ireland, foundation officials said.

While organizers are hoping for a good turnout for the parade, they will have to compete with the Pattaya Music Festival, which takes over the city from Feb. 16-18.

Culinary delights at The 2nd Pattaya Gourmet Festival

From left back row: Kai-Uwe Klenz, executive chef at Amari Orchid Pattaya, David Cummings, general manager of Amari Orchid Pattaya, and Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh join with other Amari staff at a press conference held Feb. 28 to announce the 2nd Pattaya Gourmet Festival.

Following the success of the inaugural event in 2011, Amari Orchid Pattaya is proud to present the 2nd Pattaya Gourmet Festival at Mantra Restaurant and Bar from 17-22 March 2012. The event promises to be a prestigious week-long celebration of ambrosial dishes, superb wines and liquor, and fascinating Gala dinners.

At this year’s festival, guests will experience the Opening Night Gala Dinner with Stonefish wines, Australian wines, Perrin & Fils wine dinner, and Australian barbeque night. Guests will also be impressed by the Grand Finale Gala Dinner, with all four guest Chefs - plus the Amari Orchid Pattaya Executive Chef – producing their own creative course on the evening of Thursday, March.

The four visiting chefs are:

Maria Elia from JOE’s Restaurant in London.

The only female master chef for this festival took positions in various restaurants in the UK and other countries, including the legendary El Bulli and Arzak restaurants in Spain, as well as The Oriental Cooking School in Bangkok. She was also a Head Chef at London’s Delfina restaurant for 10 years and opened her own renowned Whitechapel Gallery Dining Room, not to mention that she is also a food writer and chef in a television programme. At present, Maria is an Executive Chef at JOE’s Restaurant in London, where she enjoys playing with people’s palates and creating deceptively simple, multi-layored dishes.

Steven Snow from Fins Restaurant and Bar, Australia.

Celebrity chef Steven Snow is the owner and chef of Fins, Australia’s most awarded regional restaurant. The author of the current best seller “Byron Cooking and Eating”, Steven is also feature chef on Australia’s lifestyle television programme Guide to the Good Life. His experience also grants him opportunities to showcase his talent on ABC National Radio as a regular guest speaker. Recently he opened his second Fins restaurant, Fins Club by Quinta Magnolia in a small seaside village near Lisbon, Portugal.

Yannick Ollivier Cayrol.

This connoisseur of French food has 8-year experience in various hospitality industries. His creativity in food and pastry elaboration comes from his wide range of cooking experience, including Thai, Indian, and Spanish cuisine.

Chan Kam Yuen from Hong Kong.

A to-be owner of Cantonese restaurants in Hong Kong and Bangkok, Chan Kam Yuen brings to the festival his 3-decade long experience in cooking. He is not only talented in creating exciting dishes, but also inspires tastes that are unique in their very own right. His own created cuisine is brought to a different level by his unique skill.

Note: As seats are limited at the festival advance reservations are highly recommended. For more information, please contact 038 429 591.