Critters and creatures in all their wonderful color and
beauty are all around us; this was the message from Nature Photographer Ian
Frame at the Sunday, August 5 meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club. After
being introduced by Donna Westendorf, Ian began by letting everyone know
that although he has many interests, such as Chinese ink painting, Tai Chi,
jogging, and composing funny verse, it is nature photography that is his
true passion. He said that successful nature photography is not so much the
camera equipment as it is the person behind the camera.
After being introduced by
PCEC member Donna Westendorf, Scottish Nature Photographer Ian Frame began
by letting everyone know that although he has many other interests, it is
nature photography that is his true passion. Here Ian shows one of his
pictures; a Long Tailed Macaque he encountered whilst living in Brunei.
Ian, originally from Scotland, spent thirty years working
in Brunei on the edge of a tropical rain forest. Exotic wildlife such as
monkeys and snakes were regularly found in his garden, and in the office car
park. Even as a schoolboy, Ian was interested in photography. He developed
and printed black and white photographs in his garden shed. He progressed
through all manner of cameras until the development of digital cameras, in
the late 1990’s; these allowed him to experiment without having to consider
printing costs. Ian purchased a number of early “point & shoot” digital
cameras, but it was not until early 2006 that he finally obtained a digital
Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera with macro lens. Today, that one camera and
lens are the only two pieces of equipment in Ian’s photographer’s bag.
Ian shows off the tools of
his trade - his main (only) camera is a Nikon Single Lens Reflex (SLR)
camera, with a macro lens. More of Ian’s pictures can be seen at www.
pattayadaze.wordpress.com.
The advent of digital photography allowed Ian to spend
every weekend out photographing wildlife. Most weekends he would shoot in
the order of a hundred wildlife photographs. The best of these he would
forward to the local Natural History Society. He said that although he would
get replies with Latin names for the creatures and critters, he really
wasn’t interested in all that. It was clear from his presentation that he
enjoys taking photographs of them and sharing that beauty with others. He
has also held a number of Wildlife Photographic Exhibitions.
The pictures he shared with the Club were quite stunning
and his narrative about the particular creature was interesting and
informative, be it a monkey, snake, butterfly, beetle, praying mantis, and
many more. Ian has a blog where he posts many of his photos at http://www.
pattayadaze.wordpress.com. The photographs posted on this site are mostly of
the wildlife found in the undergrowth adjacent to the pavement outside his
Pattaya condo - each morning; he does his “blog walk” along Jomtien Beach
2nd Road. To quote Ian, “Many people walk along this pavement every day, yet
I suspect that I am the only one who has noticed the praying mantises,
snakes, lizards, millipedes, bugs and caterpillars that live there. I look
at it as getting to know my neighbours!”
Ian’s passion particularly
relates to urban wildlife - this photogenic young lad was pictured right
here in downtown Pattaya.
He said his favourite subjects were snakes, and he found
lots of them; especially in Brunei. He discovered that they were not the
vicious venom spitting creatures depicted in Hollywood movies. Instead, they
most likely would slither off to avoid contact. He spoke of a particular
snake that he encountered often on his walks in Brunei; he called him Arthur
and after a time, he could approach and even stroke his tail. He pointed out
that in a year, about 8 people are killed by a snake in Thailand, whereas
10,000 are killed in traffic accidents - so you are much safer around snakes
than traveling on the roads.
He provided some tips for photographing wildlife. Take a
camera with you when you go out. You have to look, if you don’t you will
never see much of the wildlife that is there. On his “blog walk,” there is
an abundance of wildlife in the area; but you have to walk slowly, move in
close, and pay attention. He suggests that you set your camera to manual
focus; that way, you know what type of picture you will be getting. Adjust
your speed for your subject and the setting. Focus on the subject’s eyes if
possible and use a flash.
After Ian answered several questions, MC Roy Albiston
updated everyone on upcoming events and called on Lawrie McLoughlin to
conduct the always interesting and lively Open Forum where questions are
asked and answered about expat living in Thailand; Pattaya in particular.
Read more about the Club’s activities on their website at
www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com.
Latino Groove IX - International Day
Havana Bar & Terrazzo’s 9th
Latino Groove featured the theme “International Day”.
Havana Bar & Terrazzo recently hosted the 9th Latino Groove
under the theme “International Day” together with Steps & Rhythm Dance Academy.
Great feedback was received by guests as they participated by showing up in
their colorful and creative national costumes. The evening started with Bachata
workshop and continued with a lot of Latin dance moves by the instructors and
guests throughout the evening.
Havana Bar offered a special extended Happy Hour from 7 p.m.
- midnight and the entrance was free for all to join. Latino Groove happens
monthly at Havana Bar, Beach Road, North Pattaya.
For more information please call 038 725 555 or visit out
website and facebook page at www.facebook.com/HavanaBar .Pattaya and
www.dining-experience.com/pattaya.
Sukhawadee House launches Station restaurant with party
Businessmen, politicians and CEOs
take to the stage to start the party.
Manoon Makpol
Sukhawadee House launched its new Station restaurant with a
lavish party for hundreds of guests and VIPs.
Panya Chotitawan, founder and chairman of Saha Farms, which
operates the Baroque-style Pattaya tourist attraction, welcomed Mayor Itthiphol
Kunplome, area politicians and business leaders to the “Dreams and Aspirations”
event July 29.
Food and beverages were from Station, the new restaurant on
the 80-rai Sukhumvit Road property. Guests were entertained by classical dance
performances, a magic show and music from Jennifer Kim.
Both Station and the Sukhawadee restaurants are open daily
for lunch and dinner and offer catering services.
The beautiful grounds at
Sukhawadee House have been prepared to welcome guests for the Dreams and
Aspirations party.
It doesn’t get any more lavish
than this.
ABC Asia Business celebrates 12th anniversary
Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit
Ekasingh was the guest of honor at the Aug. 4 gala at the Amari Orchid Resort &
Tower swimming pool.
Warunya Thongrod
ABC Asia Business celebrated its 12th anniversary with a
lavish party for old and new customers.
Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh was the guest of honor
at the Aug. 4 gala at the Amari Orchid Resort & Tower swimming pool. Managing
Director Helmut Buchberger said the party was thrown to celebrate 12 years in
Pattaya, as well as his own birthday two days earlier.
ABC Asian Business provides accounting, legal and real estate
services. Begun in 2000 to serve German businesses, the company has many new
customers among Russian and Eastern European-run companies.
Ronakit congratulated Buchberger and the company head in turn
thanked his long time and new customers alike before welcoming them to the large
buffet and bar.
Pratheep “Peter” Malhotra,
Managing Director of the Pattaya Mail Media Group, congratulates Helmut
Buchberger, Managing Director of ABC Asian Business.
The soothing sounds of local
musicians permeate the background at the Amari Orchid Hotel Pattaya.
Singapore-Thai Chamber of Commerce committee
congratulates Helmut Buchberger (right) on the 12th Anniversary of ABC Asia
Business in Thailand.
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HHN boss wins Hilton Dine & Fly July contest
(From left) Hilton Hotel
Pattaya’s Michel Scheffers (Director of Operations), Peta Ruiter (Director of
Business Development) and Food and Beverage Manager Simon Bender (right),
present the prize to Radchada Chomjinda (2nd right), head of the Human Help
Network Thailand.
Warunya Thongrod
The head of the Human Help Network Thailand won two nights in
Koh Samui when she was selected as July winner of the Hilton Pattaya’s Dine &
Fly contest.
Radchada Chomjinda received airfare, accommodations and
breakfast for two at the Conrad Koh Samui Aug. 8 from Operations Manager Michel
Scheffers and hotel executives at the beachfront restaurant’s Edge restaurant.
The Dine & Fly contest, which runs through Oct. 16, rewards
Hilton customers who spend at least 3,000 baht in the Pattaya Hilton’s
restaurants and spa. Grand prizes include trips to Koh Samui, Malaysia and
Paris.
The next drawing for the Malaysia trip will be Sept. 4.
4 Pattaya hotels cooperate in blood drive
Supinda Jaturongkhakul does her
part to help refill Somdej Na Sriracha Hospital’s blood banks.
Sunturak Sangdokmai
Employees from four Pattaya hotels joined to refill Somdej Na
Sriracha Hospital’s blood banks with a cooperative blood drive.
About 60 employees from the Pattaya Hiso, Tropicana, @mind,
and Grand Sole hotels flowed thought the Grand Sole over three hours July 27 to
roll up their sleeves and donate to the Thai Red Cross.
Grand Sole General Manager Saeree Tantemzup and Banglamung
Red Cross Chairwoman Nuanjan Saeng-uthai oversaw the proceedings, which raised
18,600 cc of blood.
Untimely Departure
By Dr Iain Corness
A relatively small but select audience of around 20 people
were able to view a most interesting documentary film on Near Death Experiences
(NDE) at the Pullman Pattaya Hotel G last week.
Sonia Barkallah, producer and
director of a most interesting documentary film on Near Death Experiences.
The film was produced and directed by Sonia Barkallah, a
young French woman who devoted seven years of her life to the study of NDE and
the research needed to produce the 90 minute documentary.
Amongst the researchers filmed in the movie were some of the
leading lights in NDE research, including Dr. Raymond Mooney, author of the
highly credited book “Life after Life”.
The numbers of people experiencing an NDE were very
interesting, being much more than you would imagine. Twenty million recordings
in Europe and 12 million in the USA.
Sonia Barkallah brought forward the various postulations as
to the nature of NDE including hallucinations, anoxia (shortage of oxygen) and
the effects of psychotropic drugs. However, a leading Dutch cardiologist stated
that 30 percent of cardiac arrests in his unit experienced NDE, and there was no
history of hallucinations, anoxia or drug effects.
Just what is “consciousness” was investigated, as some
respondents with an NDE were clinically brain dead when the NDE took place.
Other researchers showed that by stimulating one particular area of the brain,
the subject felt he or she had actually ‘left’ their own bodies (OBE - out of
body experiences).
Many people who had an NDE spoke in the documentary as to how
and what happened to them, and an amazing similarity was shown, including a
tunnel with intense white light, and a feeling of “love”. Some reported meeting
deceased family members and most felt they had been changed themselves by the
NDE, to be happier and to no longer fear death. This also has led to much
interest from practitioners in the field of palliative care.
Meditation was shown to mimic the effects of OBE, but again,
how does the human psyche adapt to all this?
It was obvious from the documentary that the scientific
community does not yet have the answers to the conundrum, but Sonia Barkallah is
hopeful that by raising the level of information by way of her documentary, we
might just get that little bit nearer to finding the scientific basis for NDE.
I am indebted to Dr. Olivier for bringing this documentary to
my attention, and Monsieur Christian Civet-Lobstein for his assistance on the
evening.
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