Chiang Mai Governor meets PCEC group

Chiang Mai Governor ML Panadda Diskul met with the PCEC group during their visit north last February. Judith Edmonds and 7 others from the Pattaya City Expats Club traveled to Chiang Mai; primarily to see Chiang Mai’s famous Floral Festival. Judith shared their experience with the Club at the Sunday September 2 meeting. After being introduced by Master of Ceremonies Richard Silverberg, Judith began her photographic presentation.

MC Richard Silverberg begins the meeting by inviting new visitors to introduce themselves, before asking Judith Edmonds, Club Treasurer, to tell us of the trip to Chiang Mai she and husband Les made with other club members.

At a very early hour, the eight of them traveled by luxury vehicle to Suvarnabhumi airport where they boarded an Air Asia flight for Chiang Mai. They were met at the airport and whisked off to the Empress Hotel, a 4-star luxury hotel at Chiang Mai’s center near the Night Bazaar.

A highlight of their visit was a meeting with the Chiang Mai Governor ML Panadda Diskul, who Judith described as a very charming gentleman who spoke excellent English and made them feel they were honored guests to his province. He also gave each PCEC member a commemorative coin as a memento of their visit.

Judith describes the geothermal geyser at the Spa in Chiang Rai. The geyser erupts very frequently in a spectacular performance.

Since their main purpose was to see the Floral Festival, Judith described the beauty of this annual event. It is held in the public garden of Suan Buak Haad; a very pleasant public space at any time, with formal gardens arranged around a series of pools and bridges. There is a children’s play area, and places where refreshments are available. Another highlight of the trip was watching the night procession; a well lit up colorful parade of beauty and flowers.

But, there are also many other things to see in Chiang Mai and the PCEC group took advantage of them including visiting many beautiful temples. One of these Judith described was Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep which is situated on Doi Suthep Mountain about 15km from the city. Its complex includes a gorgeous gold-plated pagoda, many murals, and the famous Naga serpent stairway that brings you to the top and for those that have visited in the past represents a very long climb. However, the PCEC group were undaunted by this challenge as they took the easy way; cable car to the top and a leisurely stroll back down those stairs. The temple is well worth the trip as the view from this height is spectacular. They also visited an Elephant park and show while in Chiang Mai.

Some of the prize winning orchids at Chiang Mai’s famous Floral Festival.

Although the sightseeing was great, good food and refreshment was another worthwhile activity. Judith had special thanks for Thai member Sermsakdi, who in helping to arrange the trip chose the different restaurants they used where the food was abundant, flavorful, and reasonably priced. Judith highly recommended Tian Zi Restaurant and Tea Room, an open air vegetarian restaurant. Judith pointed out how all of the tables were different adding to the ambiance. Another restaurant that she highly recommended was the Good Earth restaurant. It served excellent Chinese cuisine in its enclosed and air conditioned dining area. Not to be left out, she said the Empress Hotel also had a great lunch buffet offering a variety of choices.

But, Chiang Mai was not the only stop on their excursion. They traveled from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai stopping at some interesting places on the way. One was the White Temple (Wat Rong Khun). A popular sightseeing stop because of its uniqueness, such as the use of skulls in the design and a bridge over a pit of hell; which has sculptures below of people with hands raised trying to escape from hell and climb to heaven. There was also an unusual spa where water trickled down to a fountain that was located in the middle of the road. Of course, they also found Chiang Rai to have some fine restaurants with Judith giving specific mention to the Fuan Jarin; located on the river with a great view and Thai food. But, upon entry, it is the sight of many pastries on display that catches your attention; the owner’s mother does the baking - a skill picked up during her many years in the USA.

Trip members celebrate the end of the day with some refreshments at a restaurant in Chiang Mai.

In conclusion, Judith mentioned their visit to the palace of the King’s Mother which was built fusing Lanna and Swiss architectural styles. Judith noted that it looked much like a Swiss Chalet; it is built on top of a mountain and surrounded by beautiful gardens.

After Judith answered several questions, MC Richard Silverberg updated everyone on upcoming events and called on Roy Albiston 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.

Ingo Raeuber celebrates yet another milestone

Born on August 28, Ingo Raeuber, the ever-green Group General Manager of Pinnacle Hotels, Resorts & Spas commemorated that auspicious day by inviting a few friends to help celebrate his 47th birthday at Casa Pascal.

Special wishes from special person. Ingo and Natthakarn are anxiously awaiting 12.12.12 when they become one.

Ingo was born in Detmold in central Germany, one of two sons to a pharmaceutical company employee and his wife. The boys’ grandparents owned a hotel, and it was they who stimulated their interest in the hospitality industry.

His initial schooling was also in Detmold and he entered school when he was 4 years old. “I didn’t like kindergarten,” said Ingo. He described himself as a “lazy student” but it was in the hotel where he really worked. “Even when I was only 6 or 7 years old I was helping out in the restaurant.” By the time he was 16 he knew that his future lay in the hospitality industry and he began two apprenticeships (restaurant and hotel) back to back.

Ingo worked in numerous hotels on all sides of the world’s oceans, which included Westin Hotel in Boston, Bayerischerhof in Munich, Atlantik Kempinski, the Berlin Esplanade hotels, Bangkok Hilton, Grand Hanoi Lakeview, Meritus Westlake and the Dusit Hotels in Manila, Dubai and Pattaya to name but a few.

Ingo has matured tremendously and is a valuable member of our community. He is now the Vice President of the Youth Leadership Development Foundation.

Together with Dr. Vongbhum Vanasin, founder of the Pinnacle Group and chairman of the Youth Leadership Development Foundation (YLDF), Ingo is instrumental in contributing to a myriad of socially responsible initiatives in Thailand and has indeed been practicing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) long before the invention of the word. Ingo has served on numerous executive committees for organizations such as Skๅl, Rotary Club and YLDF and has built strategic alliances between the tourism industry, the community and schools throughout Thailand.

A handful of friends gathered at Casa Pascal to celebrate the happy occasion.

Ingo’s definition of success is not surprisingly, “Having happy people around you at the end of the day. Guests, shareholders and your boss!” After all, the man is in the business of ensuring that everyone is happy in Pattaya!

Everyone includes you too ... Happy Birthday Ingo!

Father Ray commemorations continue with telethon

Culture Minister Sukumol Kunplome and Sonthaya Kunplome, former Tourism and Sports Minister, launch the event.

Phasakorn Channgam
The Father Ray Foundation’s commemoration of the ninth anniversary of their founder’s death stretched into a second month, with public officials joining charity executives for a televised telethon and fair.

Culture Minister Sukumol Kunplome and her husband Sonthaya were the guests of honor at the Sept. 1 event at the Redemptorist Center for People with Disabilities. Top foundation officials gathered more than 850 children at the fair, which offered food, shopping and a prize draw awarding more than 150 prizes.

Founder “Father Ray” Brennan died Aug. 16, 2003 and commemorations have been going on since July 27.

The Banglamung and Sophon cable television operators televised the event and organizers advertised telephone numbers where Pattaya residents could call and donate funds to the charity foundation.

The “lucky draw” awarded prizes to those in attendance and those who called in donations to the group. The grand prize, a Nissan March, went to Ruamchai Tangbunchu. The full list of prize winners is available online at www.fr-ray.org/th/lucky/index.php.

Organizers also collected tens of thousands of baht in donations from sponsors and attendees. The Kunplomes donated 20,000 baht, Udomdet Service Co. 10,000 baht, Alcazar Co 50,000 baht, Active Holiday Tour Co. 10,000 baht, Lions Sotakhun Duangdara 10,000 baht, and chef Tony Khoo donated 100,000 baht. The Royal Cliff Hotels Group donated rice, dried food and cash totaling 370,000 baht, the Thai-Sikh Pattaya Association 10,000 baht and the Diana Resort Group Pattaya donated 20,000 baht.