The Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) usually has an informative speaker at their weekly meeting, but periodically invites an entertainer for a Words & Music presentation where they not only entertain but also offer some information about their background or other interesting events in their life. At the PCEC’s Wednesday, August 9, meeting, it was a Words & Music event with Aleksandra Khan, a Russian vocalist from a Korean background, who told her life story while she enthralled her audience with her dynamic singing of both Russian and English songs.
Aleksandra began with a Russian song about friendship then spoke about how she became an entertainer and chose to come to Thailand. Although her mother is from North Korea, she was born in Tajikistan, part of the USSR at that time, and later moved with her family to Russia. Although she speaks very little Korean, her mother taught her many Korean songs. She described her background in growing up in Tajikistan and Russia and how her interest in singing led to her career as an entertainer, not only as a singer, but also as a dancer.
It was a very interesting story about how she first came to Thailand in 2015. A friend who did business in Thailand suggested she should visit and sing here. The friend had an apartment in Pattaya and gave her his key and invited her to use it. She arrived, but did not know anyone, so she began looking for entertainment venues where she could perform, especially those catering to Russian clientele. She wasn’t discouraged when a fellow Russian singer told her she was wasting her time as he had also been looking for some time and there was nothing available.
However, after being turned down at the first Russian restaurant on Walking Street where she inquired, at the second, the manager allowed her to sing. He was impressed and hired her as an entertainer. Not only that, she suggested to the fellow Russian singer that they also apply there, they did, and they too were hired. Yves Baron, well-known singer and music promoter here in Pattaya, heard her sing and arranged for her appearances at other venues in Thailand. She said she loves Thailand and its people, which makes it such a great place to continue her singing and dancing career. She said she has also found time to teach dancing to Thai children.
At the conclusion of Aleksandra’s presentation, MC Ren Lexander brought everyone up to date on upcoming events and called on George Wilson conduct the Open Forum portion of the meeting where the audience can ask questions or make comments about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya. To learn more about the PCEC, visit their website at https:/pcec.club.
