Royal Cliff Beach Resort
International Regatta
Saturday, 9 March, 2002

PETER CUMMINS has been the resident yachting scribe in Thailand, covering not just yachting, but many other marine-related activities, for the "Bangkok Post", "The Nation" other regional newspapers, magazines and the visual media, since the 1970s and, more recently, for the Pattaya Mail and the Pattaya Mail TV Channel.

In the course of this, Peter has photographed and publicised almost every national championship in the Kingdom, many events in the region - Malaysia and Singapore, particularly - the Olympic Games and Paralympics in Sydney in 2000 and the finals of the America's Cup in Auckland, also in 2000 - the only Thai-based journalist ever invited to cover the America's Cup finals.

Khun Panga Vathanakul, Managing Director of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, with Royal Varuna Yacht Club Flag Commodore Don Mackenzie and other regatta supporters at the Pattaya Mail PC Classic 2001

Peter has just returned from the fifteenth successive Phuket King's Cup Regatta, dedicated to His Majesty the King, this year with BMW as the principal sponsor, as well as other ongoing supporters of this now world-famous event. His coverage always provides quality publicity to the individual sponsors and, certainly, presents a positive image of Thailand through the international press and media.

Message from
Chadej Insawang
Governor of Chonburi

As Governor of Cholburi Province, I am most happy to observe the momentum gained over the past few years, by the �Pattaya Mail PC Classic Royal Cliff Resort International Regatta� which will be held off the Royal Cliff in South Pattaya on 9 March, 2002.

With the efforts by my office to present a new image of Pattaya, dedicated to presenting a green, family-friendly holiday destination, I fully endorse this regatta which contributes so much to our resolve.

Famous for many years as a paradise of water sports and marine-related pursuits, Pattaya benefits enormously from this event which now attracts more than one hundred sailors from 15 countries participating in what must be regarded as one of mankind�s most environmentally-friendly activities.

It does, indeed, present a colourful spectacle for the hundreds of people who line the Royal Cliff water-front to see, close-hand, the yachts in action.

But it is not just colour and action. It is also the press and media coverage which the Regatta attracts and which present a most positive side of Pattaya to the world-at-large. For this we are grateful to the sponsors and all those who organize and participate in the event.I feel that the the sport of sailing, yacht racing and the related water-based activities are making a big contribution to Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard generally and the office of the Governor of Chonburi gives full support to the this spectacular event.


Chadej Insawang

Photographing HM The King

As part of his duties at the United Nations Information Service in Bangkok, he was assigned to photograph and report on such events as the installation of the new United Nations complex on Rajadamnoern Avenue, opened by His Majesty the King in April, 1993, international conferences and visits to Thailand of heads of State and other dignitaries.

Some years ago, Peter was invited by His Majesty to go to Klai Kangwol Palace at Hua Hin and race in a challenge regatta between the King's Royal Chitralada Yacht Squadron and Royal Thai Navy teams from Sattahip.

He was the only non-Thai to take part and, based upon this close contact with His Majesty, he produced a series of illustrated articles, a special colour supplement, "Sailing with the King", published by the "Bangkok Post" and, in 1999, he wrote a book - incorporating some of this unique material - entitled,"King Bhumibol the Great: Monarch for the Millennium", published by the Pattaya Mail, on 5 December, 1999, to honour His Majesty's sixth-cycle, seventy-second birthday.
A Regatta Retirement

Peter is a former Commodore of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club (1979-1980) and, in recognition of his contributions to the development of yacht racing in the Kingdom, through publicity and public relations, he was awarded an Honorary Life Membership of the Varuna Club. The Royal Varuna Club, founded in July, 1957, is the Kingdom's largest and most active yacht club which, over the years, has been host club to innummerable national, regional and world championships, including several South East Asian and Asian Games yachting sections.

At the same time as the Varuna award, the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, the national authority, granted Peter a Life membership. Both these honours were made in 1995, when a Regatta was also initiated to celebrate the scribe's 60th birthday.

This (in)glorious era was best described by Peter Malhotra, the Managing Director of the Pattaya Mail Publishing Company, last year after the seventh sailing of the Classic: "When he reached the ripe young age of 60, in 1995, the Royal Varuna Yacht Club decided to give its former Commodore a real 'sail off' into glorious retirement (from the United Nations). Sail off, he did; but, into retirement - even glorious? - NEVER."

THE PC CLASSIC;
GENESIS OF A YACHT RACE

What was then known as the "PC Classic", by the end of the sixth sailing in 1999, the regatta had attracted the attention of two major forces on the Eastern Seaboard, the Pattaya Mail and the Royal Cliff Beach Resort. Both known for their dedication to a "clean, green" Pattaya, it is little wonder that, by the end of the seventh regatta, in 2000, the Pattaya Mail and the Royal Cliff Beach Resort offed total support to an activity that must be one of mankind's most environmentally-friendly pursuits: yacht racing.

Almost forty craft, from neighbouring Royal Varuna Yacht Club, ranging from the tiny training dinghy the 2.4 m. Optimist, to the mighty 5.8 m. Nacra Catamaran, numbering 100 sailors from 15 nations, sailed to the start line off the Royal Cliff. The first "Pattaya Mail PC CLassic, Royal Cliff Beach Resort International Regatta" was well and truly launched that sparkling day, the 24th of February, 2001.

With support from Carlsberg and Coca Cola and management by the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, the regatta was a huge success. Khun Panga Vathanakul, the very able and most attractive Managing Director of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, was most happy with the outcome, the Royal Cliff's first venture into yacht racing, since the regatta celebrating the opening of the Royal Wing in 1986

Not only was the big crowd of spectators along the Cliff's lovely sea-wall area entertained with a marvellous and colourful spectacle, but Khun Panga and Andrew Wood, the Resort's general manager were happy that so many guests mingled with the sailors, sailing committee, supporters and well-wishers. A great time was had by all!

This year's "Pattaya Mail PC Classic" is scheduled for Saturday, 9 March and a big fleet is expected, with wind-surfers from the newly-formed Blue Lagoon Watersports Club and the fleets from the Royal Varuna Yacht Club bringing the action, colour and excitement very close to the shore off the Royal Cliff.

Andrew Wood anticipates a bigger and better event - even than last year - and hopes many will be involved on and off the water, for a superb activity which promotes a Pattaya we all want: clean, sparkling and healthy.
 
 
 
 

For more information as to how you can participate with sponsorship, please contact Andrew Wood, General Manager, Royal Cliff Beach Resort, Pattaya City 20260.
Tel : 038 250421
Fax : 038 250511, 038 250513,
E-mail: [email protected]