HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]: 

Au revoir Janine, see you later

How to avoid the pitfalls of labour laws

PILC welcomes new members

Bangladeshis commemorate International Mother Language Day

Pattaya Gay Festival kicks off with Las Vegas theme

- EDITORIAL -

Au revoir Janine, see you later

 Elfi Seitz

One of the most beloved women in town, Janine Tillmann, former guest service manager at the Thai Garden Resort, said good-bye to her many friends at a party held at the Moon River Pub last week.

Rene and Ploy together with hotel management welcome Alexandra Mller (3rd right) and say a fond farewell to Janine Tillmann (4th left)

Janine leaves Thailand, after two and a half years, for another destination in Asia. She will be moving on to Vietnam to become the office-manager of Diethelm Travel for the south.

Good luck Janine,
Auf wiedersehen.

Janine had mixed feelings about her leaving. She was sad to leave all her good friends in Thailand but with a sense of confidence looks forward to new adventures.

Rene Pisters, general manager of the Thai Garden Resort and his lovely wife Ploy, along with management and staff, Janine’s friends and admirers attended the party to bid Janine a fond farewell and shower her with gifts and flowers wishing her success in her new adventure.

How to avoid the pitfalls of labour laws

Staff Reporters

At a recent Pattaya City Expats Club Sunday meeting at Henry J Beans, Michael Doyle from Seri Manop and Doyle’s International Legal Practice spoke about two important issues which could affect foreigners. He outlined the problems that could be encountered in labour relations and the laws relating to foreign ownership of land and condos in Thailand.

Michael Doyle, author of Doyle’s Practical Guide to Thailand Business Law, was the guest speaker at a recent Pattaya City Expats Club Sunday meeting.

Whilst sharing some of the intricacies of the labour law and problems that foreign employers and foreign employees might find themselves faced by while undertaking business in Thailand, Doyle outlined the scenarios that employers must work through carefully if wishing to lower the number of their employees without paying too much severance pay or finding themselves taken to the Labour Court.

The main thrust of his presentation was, “Take care to follow the rules, make sure that the employees are aware of the working conditions of their place of work and that they perform accordingly.” All the procedures are outlined in Chapter 6 of his book Doyle’s Practical Guide to Thailand Business Law, which is available at the main bookstores here in Pattaya at a very reasonable 595 baht.

Doyle went on to talk about condominium and land ownership by foreigners and the legal issues of such ownership. The basic advice for this topic is given in Chapter 7 of his book.

Prior to his settling in Thailand, Doyle received a BA in History, Political Science and Russian Language in 1993 and went on to pursue a legal education at the University of Arkansas School of Law where he received his JD in 1996. He was selected to participate in a programme at Cambridge University in England where he studied International Business Transactions and the Law of the European Community.

Doyle has been admitted to the American and Arkansas Bar Association. After being admitted to the State Bar of Arkansas Doyle moved to Bangkok in 1996 to develop his international legal career. His immersion in the Thai language and culture, understanding of Thailand’s legal and business nuances have complimented and redefined Seri Manop and Doyle’s International legal practice.

Doyle joined Seri Manop in 1999 and was named a partner in 2002/3. He maintains a highly regarded involvement with US and European entities and their executives in Thailand and South East Asia while focusing his areas of practice on tax law, finance, corporate law and labour law.

The Pattaya City Expats Club always advises that anyone undertaking any purchase or getting involved in business should check everything through a reputable lawyer prior to involvement.

PILC welcomes new members

Elfi Seitz

Judy Hoppe chaired the monthly meeting of the Pattaya International Ladies’ Club, which was held at Bruno’s last Tuesday March 1.

New members were welcomed to the club including Pat Floeth, one of the longest staying residents of Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard. Pat and her husband Dieter are proprietors of three of the most successful German restaurants in the area, the Deutsches Haus on Pattaya Beach Road and the Old Germany in Maptaput and Ban Chang.

Fredi Schaub presents Judy Hoppe with the prizes.

Asked why it took her so long to join the PILC, Pat said, “My family and business come first. I have dedicated the last 30 years of my life to helping my husband run the businesses and raise our children. Now that Heide and Mickey are older and off seeking their own fortunes in far away lands, I can relax a bit. But only just a little bit, because we still have Steffie our youngest with us, who is studying at St. Andrews, and the businesses are thriving. But it’s not only relaxing, because now I would like to dedicate more time to helping the community and the underprivileged who need our attention and care.”

Veteran members pose for a photograph with “newcomer” Pat Floeth (standing 2nd left).

Arlette Cykman reported that the North Star Library is becoming very popular. She also announced that the popular PILC Family Day would be held on Sunday March 20 at the “Sea Sand & Sun” near Sattahip. The fun day lasts from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Arlette promises a day of fun-activities not only for the children but for the adults as well.

Fredi Schaub, chef extraordinaire, outdid himself not only in charm but also with his delicious meal. To top it off he most generously donated two raffle prizes for the lucky draw.

All the ladies enjoyed the first class service at Bruno’s.

Bangladeshis commemorate International Mother Language Day

Bangladeshi residents of Pattaya, led by Jashim Uddin Ahmed Khan, held a special function of remembrance and celebration to mark International Mother Language Day. The celebration took place at the Regent Marina Hotel, and was highlighted by traditional Bangladeshi songs and speeches of patriotism.

Singers entertain the guests with patriotic songs.

Ekushey, February 21, is a national day of mourning and celebration in Bangladesh. It mourns five language martyrs, Barkat, Salam, Rafiq, Shafiq and Jabbar. They were slain on February 21, 1952, when authorities opened fire on a student procession in the university campus in demand of Bangla to be proclaimed as the national language. Bangla was the language of the majority, and the movement for Bangla as the national language gained momentum from this day.

Masud (2nd right) and his line-up of the new Bangladeshi Committee in Pattaya.

The event triggered a series of social and political movements, and it is claimed that February 21, or in Bangla, the “Ekushey February”, was the germinal for the Movement for an Independent and Sovereign Bangladesh.

In 1999, UNSECO declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day. The date has been chosen in due recognition of the historic day of Bangladesh. The Ekushey has thus transcended national boundaries and has become an internationally recognized event. Bangladeshis all over the world celebrate this day.

Pattaya Gay Festival kicks off with Las Vegas theme

The 2005 Pattaya Gay Festival was launched with due ceremony in Pattayaland Soi 3 with a Gold Rush theme of Viva Las Vegas. The street was closed to traffic and all the businesses cooperated in servicing the many hundreds of visitors and residents who made the whole evening both an entertaining and financially successful one for HEARTT2000 and other charities for which the Pattaya Gay Festival works tirelessly throughout the year.

The 2005 Pattaya Gay Festival was launched with due ceremony in Pattayaland Soi 3 with a Gold Rush theme of Viva Las Vegas.

MC’s Jim and Mark kept the evening going with appearances in various guises and encouraging those at the party to part with their money on a spin of the Wheel of Fortune to win vouchers for various restaurants and the opportunity to win 1 baht gold chains.

As the evening progressed the party-goers were entertained by Toi from Le Caf้ Royale, the Showboys from Throb Showbar, Divas and Dudes from Boyz Boyz Boyz, David from La Cage and the show boys and girls from Topman.

The Festival organizers wish to thank those who attended and gave so generously and those who had to work quickly and behind the scenes to create the staging, the d้cor, costume and routines for the entertainment, and not forgetting the fireworks display. The improved sound system was most effective and there can be few complaints that people missed hearing their lucky numbers.

The next major event will be a gala fund-raising dinner at Bruno’s Restaurant on Wednesday March 30 at 8.30 p.m. Tickets are available from the Ambiance Hotel Pattayaland Soi 3.

A full list of future events can be seen on the Website at www.pattayagayfestival.com

The committee is always happy for more Pattaya businesses to pledge a sponsorship to help the work of PGF and HEART2000 to provide medications for AIDS/HIV sufferers. Contact any committee member or through [email protected]

EDITORIAL: International Women’s Day

Suchada Tupchai

We have just passed International Women’s Day in which women of all ages participate. In modern Thai society, Thai women are becoming a driving force in the nation’s government, whether through high ranking government positions, political circles or more specifically, in 2005, numerous women have been elected to serve the people in government. International Women’s Day highlights and furthers women’s rights.

The women’s movement has a long history. On March 8, 1857, women factory workers protested in the streets of New York, demanding their right to work. Their call for justice continued until 1911 when International Women’s Day was first recognized. It has become a tradition since for women to voice their opinions and demand their human rights as women, in the fight for equality for equal pay for equal work.

The movement continued when the United Nations, in 1957, hosted a meeting with many nations to declare one day for Women’s Right’s and International Peace. That turning point led to changes and word of the movement spread from country to country. Most countries now celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8. Women throughout the globe stand firm on their principles of fairness, equality, freedom, peace and intellectual and workplace equality for women.

In Thailand, March 8, 1989 was when the day became known to the populace and a committee was formed to promote the cause; since then activities have been held annually.

The movement has changed over the years and currently many factions look to maintain and fight for their rights and as such have been successful in their efforts. If you look deeper, March 8, International Women’s Day, is not just a one day event, it is a day where people jointly show their unity and promise that they will continue their efforts throughout the year to build a better society with justice and equality between men and women.

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