Pattaya Mail - FRIDAY DECEMBER 7 - DECEMBER 12, 2018 (Vol. XXVI No. 49)

26th Year

Established in 1993

VOL.XXVI No. 49

Pattaya’s First English Language Newspaper

FRIDAY DECEMBER 7 - DECEMBER 13, 2018

30 BAHT

Happy Hanukkah Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush dies at 94 In this June 5, 1989 file photo, U.S. President George H.W. Bush holds a news conference at the White House in Washington. Bush died at the age of 94 on Friday, Nov. 30, 2018, about eight months after the death of his wife, Barbara Bush. (AP Photo/Marcy Nighswander, File) (Obit appears on page 20)

3rd Annual Riviera Group ‘Sports Day 2018’ is another Huge Success Story on page 18-19

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights and the Feast of Dedication, is observed for eight nights and days. This year the celebration began at sunset Dec. 2 and will end in the evening Dec. 10.

The festival is observed by lighting the candles of a candelabrum with nine branches, called a Hanukkah menorah (or hanukkiah). One branch is typically placed above or below the others and its candle is used to light the other eight candles. This unique candle is called the Shamash. Each night, one additional candle is lit by the Shamash until all eight candles are lit together on the final night of the holiday.

Other Hanukkah festivities include playing dreidel and eating oil-based foods such as latkes and sufganiyot, and dairy foods.

Happy Hanukkah to all our friends.

(Photo by Photo by Gil Dekel/Wikipedia commons.)

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PATTAYA MAIL

Pattaya to add more motorcycle taxis in January

Pattaya temple paying reward to ID pet dumpers

Boonlua Chatree

Warapun Jaikusol

Pattaya will add to its large stable of motorcycle taxis when registration opens again Jan. 1.

Banglamung Deputy District Chief Pichet Thammahol said Chonburi Province ordered another registration period in late September.

The idea is to give more people a chance to earn a living wage by becoming legal drivers.

Registration will continue through March 31 with applications to be made at police stations. Applicants must bring their public-motorcycle license, bike registration and

Wat Boonsamphan is offering 1,000-baht rewards for anyone who can identify the people dumping unwanted dogs and cats at the temple.

To date, more than 200 have been set loose there.

Lay minister Wanchai Sanngam said the temple’s animal problem is getting out of control, as people who get puppies and kittens heartlessly abandon them once they grow up and aren’t as cute anymore. Rather than take responsibility, they dump their duties on monks.

The result has been Boonsamphan has come to resemble an animal shelter, he said. Pens have been built to corral the dogs, as

Pattaya will add to its large stable of motorcycle taxis when registration opens again Jan. 1.

ownership documents or a contract showing the bike has been leased to them.

Police will inspect and certify new drivers by the end

of March, paying special attention when new motorcycle stations are set up so they do not overlap the boundary of another base.

Jomtien traffic lines confuse

New safety lines painted across a Jomtien Beach intersection has both drivers and pedestrians scratching their heads as to their meaning.

drivers slow down and be aware they’re entering an intersection.

No parking zones also had been painted along the side of the two roads.

Baywatch East Pattaya residents want billboards checked Boonlua Chatree Residents near the railwayparallel road want Pattaya officials to check whether the many advertising signs and billboards erected along the route are legal.

Drivers complained the signs block their view and also worried that they may fall down into traffic during storms. They want officials to check not only permits, but whether the signs are anchored well enough.

Wat Boonsamphan is offering 1,000-baht rewards for anyone who can identify the people dumping unwanted dogs and cats at the temple.

they were defecating all over temple grounds.

The monks are so upset that they are now paying informants 1,000 baht a case if anyone can identify the people dumping animals. Wanchai said the offer has had some

results, with photos and tips given that have pointed back to the people stealthily disposing of their animals.

Anyone with information on animal dumping at the temple can call 081-801-7296 24 hours a day.

Thepprasit Soi 7 to get flood relief

Boonlua Chatree New safety lines painted across a Jomtien Beach intersection has both drivers and pedestrians scratching their heads as to their meaning.

The crisscross pattern spanning the junction of Thappraya and Thepprasit roads – the so-called Grand Jomtien Junction – reminded people of the world-famous Shibuya, Tokyo intersection, one of the world’s busiest.

Some speculated the lines meant “no parking”. In fact they are there to make

VOL. XXVI No. 49

Pattaya plans to lay much larger drainage pipes under Thepprasit Soi 7 to relieve chronic flooding.

Deputy Mayor Pattana Boonsawat and city engineers met Nov. 29 with community leaders at the Kung Ten Had Kud Dua restaurant, which sits at the heart of the low-lying flood plane. Flooding is so bad there small cars can’t even pass through.

Pattana told locals that the city council already has approved a plan to replace the current 60-centimeter wide drainage pipe with a 200-cm. pipe.

However, pipe must be laid along the entirety of Soi 7, to the Ton Pho Market so water can be sent to

Deputy Mayor Pattana Boonsawat and city engineers meet with community leaders to discuss plans to lay much larger drainage pipes under Thepprasit Soi 7 to relieve chronic flooding.

Soi Wat Boonkanjanaram and Soi Jularat.

The rebuilt road also will be raised and new

sewer lids installed.

No budget or timetable for the project was disclosed.

(PCPR)

Jomtien trees trimmed Staff reporter Work crews were out Nov. 28 trimming tree branches in Jomtien Beach throughout the shoreline area, as they had grown quickly during the rainy season.

Falling branches could cause accidents or injuries.

The pruned wood was brought to a processing center to create fertilizer.

Work crews were out trimming tree branches in Jomtien Beach.

December 10 is Constitution Day Monday, December 10 marks Constitution Day in Thailand.

The holiday is celebrated annually to commemorate the advent of the Constitutional Monarchy in Thailand.

Constitution Day is a public holiday, and as such all

government offices, banks and many businesses will be closed. Shopping centers and bank currency exchange booths, however, are open.

Places of entertainment are allowed to remain open without restriction.

VOL. XXVI No. 49

PATTAYA MAIL

Pattaya hits the Big 4-0 Pattaya marked its 40th year of cityhood with a merit-making ceremony attended by public officials and residents.

Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome presided over the Nov. 29 ceremony at which nine monks from local temples chanted for continued good fortune. Afterward they enjoyed a morning meal.

Officials also paid respects to the statue of King Taksin the Great, the spiritual founding father of Pattaya, and a wreath was laid for Prinya Chaowaritthamrong, the former Industry Ministry permanent secretary who donated the 10 rai of land that Pattaya City Hall now sits on.

Pattaya came into being with the Pattaya City Administration Act of 1978. Before that the area was known as

Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome presided over the Nov. 29 ceremony marking Pattaya’s 40th year of cityhood.

Naklua Sanitation District, established in 1956, which was expanded to South Pattaya in 1964 with a manageable area of 22.2 sq. kilometers.

As Pattaya grew, the government issued the Pattaya City Administration Act of 1978, dissolving Naklua Sanitation District and Pattaya

City was born. The city has been administered under a special autonomous system of city management since November 29, 1978. (PCPR)

Completion of accessible Sukhumvit overpass set for year-end should wrap by the end of December.

The long-delayed project was requested by the school but delayed by lawsuits and budget diversions. It is expected to open about two years behind schedule.

The wheelchair-accessible pedestrian bridge across Sukhumvit Road should be completed by year-end, the Father Ray Foundation said.

Warapun Jaikusol The wheelchair-accessible pedestrian bridge across Sukhumvit Road

should be completed by year-end, the Father Ray Foundation said.

Foundation Vice President Rev. Michael Picharn Jaiseri

said Nov. 26 construction of the elevator-equipped overpass near Redemptorist Technological College for Persons with Disabilities

Pattaya neglecting newly rebuilt beach Boonlua Chatree Tourists are complaining that all the money and effort Pattaya has expended to rebuild its beach is being wasted through neglected maintenance.

Numerous visitors told reporters about weeds, moss and water-filled gouges running through the northernmost part of the beach near the Dusit Thani Hotel.

The low-lying beach suffers constant inundation from storm runoff flowing across Beach Road. The water has cut grooves in the newly replaced sand and wild grass and moss has grown there.

In addition, tourists complained, there are uncollected bags of garbage also growing mold.

Numerous visitors told reporters about weeds, moss and water-filled gouges running through the northernmost part of Pattaya Beach.

Tourists pointed out that Pattaya has spent more than a half-billion baht to repair

its beach, but won’t spend the relatively little money to keep it looking beautiful.

Read more news at pattayamail.com

FRIDAY DECEMBER 7, 2018 3

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PATTAYA MAIL

Walking Street ladyboy arrested for pickpocketing

VOL. XXVI No. 49

Would-be gold thief locked inside shop

Boonlua Chatree

Patcharapol Panrak

A Korat transvestite was arrested for allegedly pickpocketing an Italian tourist on Walking Street.

Sunthorn Huajaipetch, 23, was taken into custody Nov. 26 following a complaint from Daniele Freda, 35. The ladyboy was captured with 5,270 baht Freda said belonged to him.

The Italian said he was on Walking Street when Sunthorn accosted him and, while declining a salacious offer, didn’t realize his pocket had been picked.

A Surin mahout got locked inside the Sattahip gold shop he attempted to rob thanks to quick thinking by a store clerk.

Police showed up at the Mae Jarin gold shop Nov. 26 to find an angry Thana Insamran, 23, wearing a face mask and holding a knife, but trapped behind a metal-mesh door and safety glass. Officers spent about an hour calming the caged robber down before slapping on the handcuffs.

Clerk Rungnapa Panon, 25, who had escaped into a safe room in the back of the store, said staff thought Thana was a customer so they buzzed him into the shop only for him to

Sunthorn Huajaipetch shows police how he pickpocketed an Italian tourist on Walking Street.

Baht bus driver vindicated after report he ejected bleeding Russian Teerarak Suthathiwong A Pattaya baht bus driver was fined 1,000 baht for slamming on the brakes, injuring a Russian tourist, leading to a bogus claim that almost cost the driver his license.

Chayapat Rithbamrung, 41, became the latest object of scorn on the Thai interwebs after a Family Mart clerk told police he ejected a bleeding Vera Ivanova, 26, from his truck after she bashed her head on a roof support Nov. 28.

In fact, he didn’t. Both Ivanova and Chayapat confirmed the Russian got off the baht bus of her own accord after being injured.

And she didn’t pay. Police warned Sakda Kulamart, 19, not to spread false stories and suggested to Chayapat that the driver could sue the clerk for defamation.

The tempest in a teapot erupted around 3:30 a.m. when Ivanova and a friend hopped on a baht bus at the

A lawyer was in serious condition at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya after being severely beaten by two men when his pickup truck clipped their motorbike in Pattaya.

Sakchai Amnuaypornpaisan, 49, suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in the Nov. 28 attack near Pattaya Technological

appear with a balaclava over his face and waving a knife.

He demanded a five-bahtweight gold necklace while employees fled into the back and called police. Thana was

left inside the locked shop with no way to get out.

Police said the elephant handler was a gambling addict and tried to rob the shop to pay off his debts.

Walking Street worker busted for robbing customer Boonlua Chatree

Pattaya baht bus driver Chayapat Rithbamrung (not shown) was fined 1,000 baht for reckless driving causing injury when he slammed on the brakes sending Vera Ivanova into a roof support.

Pattaya Bus Station to go to their hotel. Chayapat said he was about to enter a Thappraya Road intersection when a motorist ran the red light. He braked to avoid an accident and Ivanova banged her head on the metal roof strut.

The Russian woman said she and her friend got off the truck to seek medical attention, not bothering to pay the driver anything. Chayapat

said he didn’t know the woman was hurt and decided not to chase after the deadbeat customer.

The pair entered the Family Mart where Sakda said a fellow staffer translated for him, blaming him for the story that the driver threw the women off the baht bus to bleed elsewhere.

Police only fined Chayapat for reckless driving causing injury.

Lawyer beaten senseless after road accident Teerarak Suthathiwong

Thana Insamran was arrested after he tried to rob the Mae Jarin gold shop, but was trapped inside by a quick thinking store clerk.

College for Persons with Disabilities on Sukhumvit Road.

Sakchai’s cousin, Lakchai Korawith, 52, said his relative was driving home to Nong Plalai when he clipped the motorbike.

Both bike and pickup stopped and Sakchai got out to check on the two men in their early 20s and saw they were unhurt.

However, both set upon him with wooden clubs, beating

him to the head and body.

They then fled the scene.

Lakchai called on police to press their investigation, saying it’s strange the two men would have clubs and attack him if they weren’t hurt. He speculated the road accident and beating could have been orchestrated by one of Sakchai’s disgruntled legal opponents or clients.

A Walking Street prostitute was arrested for allegedly robbing a foreign tourist who brought her back to his hotel room.

Netthip Yingyong, 48, was taken into custody Nov. 28 after a complaint from the unidentified victim who told police the Yasothon woman approached him on the nightlife strip soliciting sex.

But he said he fell asleep during a massage and woke up to find Netthip gone along with 200 euros and 4,000 baht.

Netthip Yingyong was arrested for allegedly robbing a foreign tourist who brought her back to his hotel room.

She was captured quickly based on CCTV images.

Police said Netthip confessed, saying she was in debt.

Pattaya police arrest Facebook ‘matchmaker’ for fraud Teerarak Suthathiwong Pattaya police arrested a Samut Sakhon woman for scamming lonely people with a Facebook-advertised matchmaking service.

Narumol Yimlamai, 31, was captured Nov. 30 at her home in Samut Sakhon.

The arrest followed a complaint by an unidentified 41year-old Pattaya women who said the “Ponphom Jantorn” Facebook page promised to fix her up with foreign men after paying an application fee of 300 baht.

However, the victim was tricked into sending many

additional payments finally totaling 200,000 baht before the supposed matchmaker disappeared.

Police said Narumol confessed she had scammed many lonely women seeking foreign partners. Investigators encouraged other victims to come forward.

Grieving family calls on police to investigate model’s ‘suicide’ Patcharapol Panrak Sattahip police insist that a Chiang Mai model who drowned in Najomtien committed suicide, despite protestations by grieving family members.

The body of Veerapat Sudjai, 25, was due to be sent for a forensics examination on request from his mother and girlfriend.

Veerapat’s body was recovered by divers from the sea off Ban Klong Nammao

Beach. Rescuers said his mouth was foaming.

Mother Pattra Tain and girlfriend Muay Sudjai, 23, arranged a Buddhist ceremony to free his spirit, but then called on authorities to further investigate his death.

Veerapat had been working as a model in Pattaya and on Nov. 23 messaged Muay that he was having hallucinations and told her that “he was scared and wanted to go home”.

She drove from Bangkok

but was horrified to discover the location he sent her was the beach where he walked into the sea and drowned.

Muay said her boyfriend of four years had never done drugs and that she doesn’t understand why he would be having hallucinations. She believes he was drugged and coerced into killing himself.

Police said the autopsy will be performed but they have no doubt Veerapat committed suicide.

VOL. XXVI No. 49

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PATTAYA MAIL

Luck runs out for Sattahip lottery shrine

This time, there was nothing left.

The shrine was rebuilt bigger and better after the last time it was destroyed.

Patcharapol Panrak

Subsided Soi Khao Noi repaired

First it was demolished, then rebuilt much larger. Now a famed Sattahip shrine where gamblers prayed for lucky lottery numbers has simply disappeared.

The so-called “Gamo Shrine” on Sukhumvit Road, 500 meters from U-TapaoRayong-Pattaya Airport, had survived for about 10 years, despite numerous attempts by lottery brokers to burn it down or destroy it.

In October the “lucky” shrine was thought to have met its end. Pieces of the shrine and the dolls and items that adorned it were scattered on the ground Oct. 14. But gamblers rebuilt it.

However, three days before the government’s December

Nongprue public works crews repair a section of Soi Khao Soi that had subsided due to repeated flooding.

Warapun Jaikusol Nongprue public works crews repaired a section of Soi Khao Noi that had subsided due to repeated flooding.

Heavy machinery and workers ripped up the road

in front of the Pattaya Hill 2 development Nov. 29 to pour in new concrete to lift the road to the same level as drainage pipes.

Sub-district Councilman Metasit Somla said several parts of Soi Khao Noi – which often resembles

roaring rapids after heavy rains – had collapsed, pushing drainage pipes through the road’s surface.

The result has been numerous accidents and real peril to motorcyclists.

The road was reopened in about three days.

lottery draw it was removed.

Only scraps were left behind and an empty space where it used to sit under a tree. Even the tree was gone.

Superstitious lotto addicts unsparingly were infuriated.

The shrine’s demise allegedly is linked to recent draws where winning numbers

matched the last two digits on the “gamo” banknotes that adorned the shrine.

Gamblers alleged that underground lottery operators – who also use the same numbers drawn by the legal lottery – were angry at losing out to the many people and got rid of the shrine once and for all.

Gamo notes lottery gamblers use to predict winning numbers.

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PATTAYA MAIL

Second Hand or “Passive Smoke” Attn: Dr Iain Corness; First off, let me say you wrote a great article on the subject of second hand smoke and its affects. Your article gave several statistics and medical information on the subject.

However, I doubt if it will have an effect on the situation in Pattaya’ Pattaya passed a law against smoking in restaurants and bars 9 to 10 years ago. At first there were signs posted and empty beer cans brought out for the smokers use. If a bar manager was challenged about the smok-

ing he looked at you like you were a crazy farang and later on the signs disappeared and ash trays were back on the bars. The signs gave a duel message: “No Smoking, No Photos”. I would take out my camera and immediately a waitress would run over and say “no, no” and I would point out several smokers and point at the signs, to no avail.

Again, great article, however, I think your article will have little effect in Pattaya and your efforts might be put to better use if you started a campaign to get

the bars and restaurants to obey the law and have the police enforce it! Right now, it is just another law that passed and with no enforcement like so many others.

Another approach might be to tax the hell out of cigarettes, which worked well in the U.S., where smokers are down to 25% of the population’ Thank you Pattaya Mail for the opportunity to respond to the article.

From: “A non- smoker dying of second hand smoke”

Wild dogs on Thappraya Road Editor; Last Thursday, Nov. 29, a very nice Canadian lady living at Royal Cliff Garden was viciously attacked by 5 wild dogs. I met her today in our car park as she was returning from the hospital (3rd visit since Thursday). She fears infection or rabies from these wild rabid dogs with claw wounds & tooth punctures.

I asked if she reported it but she said no, just going to the hospital, worried about rabies or worse.

There were 4 or 5 people (falang & Thai) standing around there but did nothing to help.

I feel sad about it and felt I had to tell someone about this.

Woefully yours, George Strampp Ed’s note: City hall declined responsibility, care expenses. They said people will have saying there is no office or head officer to to report stray dogs to the city hall and they talk to about any reimbursement on medical will send a team to catch them.

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Some encouraging signs for non-smokers Sir, There are some very encouraging signs pointing to an ultimately almost smoke free Pattaya. Students found smoking in school will now be sent for re-education. This in itself is a good move provided that it is not seen as a punishment but as a programme to help them to be better citizens. It is to be hoped that the ‘camps’ will not conflict with their education.

Some beach areas are now ‘non-smoking’ and again this is, per se, a good move but one wonders whether it would not be better to have the entire beach as non-smoking with small enclaves designated for smokers.

Smoking near another person is a form of assault essentially no different from punching someone but because of its long standing entrenchment smokers can do it with impunity. This has to be brought to an end but only authorities can do this otherwise there would be unpleasant confrontations.

In the meantime nonsmokers should certainly make known their revulsion to second hand smoke.

It is very important that smokers who wish to give up should have access to the best possible advice and treatment. Giving up smoking is very difficult as Dr Corness reminded us in his

article on smoking. There is an abundance of clinics in Pattaya offering treatment from anything from a frozen shoulder to gastric reflux but I have yet to see one which specializes in helping smokers or even offers any treatment for smokers.

There are techniques and herbs which can be very helpful. Large amounts of vitamin C for example, is a great help as it not only replaces the vitamin lost through smoking but also helps to subdue cravings for nicotine. Perhaps a small subsidy would persuade some clinics to offer anti-smoking treatments.

Dr M. Nightingale

No Deal Brexit - Effect Dear Editor; Watching BBC World News on 29th November I heard the comments made by the Governor of the Bank of England regarding the effects of the UK leaving the EU without reaching an acceptable Brexit deal. The G. of the B. of E. indicated the Pound could plummet (his words) against other World Currencies. Currently the Thai Baht/Pound is trading at B41.87 (30th November) and a number of colleagues have indicated this could fall to B35 to the Pound.

This rate was that which I received when I first visited Thailand many years ago.

However, prices at that time were more than reasonable in shops and bars.

Should the Pound fall to such a level the effect on those UK Farangs having to deposit B800,000 into a Thai Bank Account or B65,000 per Write to the Editor:

E-mail: mailbag@pattayamail.com

month (whichever option they choose) will be devastating to many. The current trading value of the Baht to Pound I calculate at Pound 1587 per month or close to Pound 19,000 per annum, it does not take a mathematician to calculate the Pound cost should the Baht fall to B35. Per annum = Pound 22,000 + or per month = Pound 1,857!

It is my belief that the UK Govt. cares not a jot for those UK Citizens choosing to live abroad and currently not being a drain on UK resources, financially or otherwise. Should those Farangs opt to return to the UK due to the impact a no Brexit deal could have on them, the financial impact on the UK would be very heavy. Increased Pension receipts, free bus travel in their local area, free medical cover through the NHS

and other benefits which could be claimable depending on their personal financial status.

I also believe that the impact this could have on the Thailand/UK Tourism trading would be immense, with many deciding to visit other countries rather than a currently expensive Thailand, again dependent upon the trading value of the Pound.

There certainly appears to be no winners in this situation and all we ex-pat Farangs can wish for is a reasonable Brexit deal and a status quo in living conditions. Thailand is and always will be a beautiful country with wonderful people and weather and let us pray that Theresa May comes to her senses and makes the right decisions on behalf of us all.

Yours faithfully, A Very Concerned Farang

Note: Letters printed herein in no way reflect the opinions of the editors or writers for Pattaya Mail, but are unsolicited letters from our readers, expressing their own opinions. No anonymous letters or those without genuine addresses are printed, and, whilst we do not object to the use of a nom de plume, preference will be given to those signed.

China halts work by team on gene-edited babies Marilynn Marchione Hong Kong (AP) - China’s government ordered a halt Thursday, Nov. 29, to work by a medical team that claimed to have helped make the world’s first gene-edited babies, as a group of leading scientists declared that it’s still too soon to try to make permanent changes to DNA that can be inherited by future generations.

Chinese Vice Minister of Science and Technology Xu Nanping told state broadcaster CCTV that his ministry is strongly opposed to the efforts that reportedly produced twin girls born

earlier this month. Xu called the team’s actions illegal and unacceptable and said an investigation had been ordered, but made no mention of specific actions taken.

Researcher He Jiankui claims to have altered the DNA of the twins to try to make them resistant to infection with the AIDS virus. Mainstream scientists have condemned the experiment, and universities and government groups are investigating.

He’s experiment “crossed the line of morality and ethics adhered to by the academic community and was shocking and unacceptable,” Xu said.

A group of leading scientists gathered in Hong Kong this week for an international conference on gene editing, the ability to rewrite the code of life to try to correct or prevent diseases.

Although the science holds promise for helping people already born and studies testing that are underway, a statement issued Thursday by the 14-member conference leaders says it’s irresponsible to try it on eggs, sperm or embryos except in lab research because not enough is known yet about its risks or safety.

The conference was rocked by the Chinese researcher’s claim to have

helped make the world’s first gene-edited babies. Conference leaders called for an independent investigation of the claim by He, who spoke to the group Wednesday as international criticism of his claim mounted.

There is no independent confirmation of what He says he did. He was scheduled to speak again at the conference on Thursday, but he left Hong Kong and through a spokesman sent a statement saying, “I will remain in China, my home country, and cooperate fully with all inquiries about my work. My raw data will be made available for third party review.”

Several prominent scientists said the case showed a failure of the field to police itself and the need for stricter principles or regulations.

“It’s not unreasonable to expect the scientific community” to follow guidelines, said David Baltimore, a Nobel laureate from California Institute of Technology who led the panel.

There already are some rules that should have prevented what He says he did, said Alta Charo, a University of Wisconsin lawyer and bioethicist and a conference organizer.

“I think the failure was his, not the scientific community,” Charo said.

Gene editing for reproductive purposes might be considered in the future “but only when there is compelling medical need,” with clear understanding of risks and benefits, and certain other conditions, said Dr. Victor Dzau, president of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, one of the conference sponsors.

“Not following these guidelines would be an irresponsible act,” he added.

Other sponsors of the threeday conference are the Academy of Sciences of Hong Kong, the Royal Society of the United Kingdom and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and U.S. National Academy Sciences.

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New lander will add to humans’ long fascination with Mars Marcia Dunn Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP) - In our solar system family, Mars is Earth’s next-of-kin, the next-door relative that has captivated humans for millennia. The attraction is sure to grow with last week’s arrival of a NASA lander named InSight.

InSight should provide our best look yet at Mars’ deep interior, using a mechanical mole to tunnel 16 feet (5 meters) deep to measure internal heat, and a seismometer to register quakes, meteorite strikes and anything else that might start the red planet shaking.

Scientists consider Mars a tantalizing time capsule. It is less geologically active than the twice-as-big Earth and so retains much of its early history. By studying the preserved heart of Mars, InSight can teach us how our solar system’s rocky planets formed 4 1/2 billion years ago and why

they turned out so different.

“Venus is hot enough to melt lead. Mercury has a sunbaked surface. Mars is pretty cold today. But Earth is a nice place to take a vacation, so we’d really like to know why one planet goes one way, another planet goes another way,” said InSight’s lead scientist Bruce Banerdt of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

Today’s Earthlings are lured to Mars for a variety of reasons.

Mars - “an incredible natural laboratory” - is reasonably easy to get to, and the U.S., at least, has a proven track record there, noted Lori Glaze, NASA’s acting director of planetary science.

The cherry on top is that Mars may have once been flush with water and could have harbored life.

“Trying to understand how life is - or was - distributed

across our solar system is one of the major questions that we have,” Glaze said Wednesday at a news conference.

“Are we alone? Were we alone sometime in the past?”

In two years, NASA will actually seek evidence of ancient microbial life on Mars - if, indeed, it’s there.

On Monday, the space agency announced Jezero Crater as the landing site for the Mars 2020 rover, which will gather samples and stash them for return to Earth in the early 2030s. The crater’s ancient lake and river system is brimming with diverse rocks, making it a potential hot spot for past life.

Repeat, past life. NOT present.

Michael Meyer, NASA’s lead scientist for Mars exploration, said the Martian surface is too cold and dry, with too much radiation bombardment, for life to currently exist.

Indian police break up international computer virus scam New Delhi (AP) - Indian police said they have arrested nearly two dozen people on suspicion of defrauding people around the world by sending fake pop-up messages warning them that their computers were infected with a virus and offering to fix the problem at a price.

Police officer Ajay Pal Sharma said those arrested last week posed as representatives of Microsoft and other companies and used their logos.

The arrests were made after input from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and Interpol, Sharma said. Microsoft was the complainant in the case.

He said those arrested have been running the scam out of call centers in the Indian capital and the neighboring states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for months.

The pop-up messages prompted victims in the United States, Britain, Australia and other countries to call a phone number shown on their computer screens, he said. They would then be scammed out of money in exchange for supposedly fixing the problem.

Those arrested were mostly people in their

Indian policemen carry seized computer hardware and other items after a press conference at a police station in Noida, a suburb of New Delhi, India, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

20s and early 30s who quit their jobs in call centers. Police recovered hard drives, servers, laptops, cellphones and computers from them, Sharma said.

In 2016, Mumbai police arrested 70 people for allegedly cheating thousands of Americans. They would call their victims from call centers in Mumbai and tell them that they owed unpaid taxes and should buy prepaid cash cards to settle the debts or face jail.

With a smirk, official says Russia will verify moon landings

Roscosmos state space corporation head Dmitry Rogozin said in a video posted to Twitter on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, that a proposed Russian mission to the moon will be tasked with verifying that the American moon landings were real, though he appeared to be making a joke. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool Photo via AP, File)

Moscow (AP) - The head of Russia’s Roscosmos space agency has said that a proposed Russian mission to the moon will be tasked with verifying that the American moon landings were real, though he appeared to be making a joke.

“We have set this objective to fly and verify whether they’ve been there or not,” said Dmitry Rogozin in a video posted last Saturday on Twitter.

Rogozin was responding to a question about whether or not NASA actually landed on the moon nearly 50 years ago. He appeared to be joking, as he smirked and shrugged while answering. But conspiracies surrounding NASA’s moon missions are common in Russia.

The Soviet Union abandoned its lunar program in the mid-1970s after four experimental moon rockets exploded.

This image made available by NASA shows the planet Mars. This composite photo was created from over 100 images of Mars taken by Viking Orbiters in the 1970s. In our solar system family, Mars is Earth’s next-of-kin, the next-door relative that has captivated humans for millennia. (NASA via AP, File)

Recorded observations of Mars - about double the size of Earth’s moon - date back to ancient Egypt. But it wasn’t until the 19th century that Mars mania truly set in.

Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli began mapping Mars in the 1870s and described the observed channels as “canali” - Italian for channels. But with the recently completed Suez Canal on many minds, “canali” became understood as artificial, alien-made canals.

Adding to the commotion, the U.S. astronomer behind the Lowell Observatory near

Flagstaff, Arizona, Percival Lowell, decided the channels were transporting water from the poles for intelligent civilizations living near the equator.

Lowell’s musings influenced H.G. Wells, author of “The War of the Worlds” in 1898. The 1938 radio broadcast of the science-fiction novel terrified many Americans who thought Martians were actually invading.

Ray Bradbury’s classic 1950 novel, “The Martian Chronicles,” kept up the Mars momentum.

Fast-forward to the 21st century, and SpaceX founder

and science fiction enthusiast Elon Musk is leading a real-life charge to Mars. He envisions hundreds of thousands of people streaming to Mars in giant SpaceX ships and colonizing the red planet in order to continue the species.

Just this past week, Musk revealed new names for the interplanetary ships and booster rockets: Starship and Super Heavy.

Musk is so passionate about Mars that he hopes to die there one day, although he stresses not on impact.

While NASA is holding out for its own Mars missions with crews, it has turned its more immediate attention back to the moon. An orbiting outpost near the moon could serve as an embarkation point for the lunar surface and even Mars, according to officials.

It also would serve as a closeto-home proving ground before astronauts zoom 100 million miles to Mars.

All the observations and reports coming back from NASA’s robotic explorers at Mars will help the human Mars pioneers, according to Thomas Zurbuchen, chief of science missions for NASA. That’s the charm of Mars, according to scientists.

Going to Mars is “a dream,” said the French SpaceAgency’s Philippe Laudet, project manager for InSight’s seismometer. “Everything is captivating.”

New Zealand halts Huawei from 5G upgrade over security fears Nick Perry Wellington, New Zealand (AP) - New Zealand’s international spy agency has halted mobile company Spark from using Huawei equipment in its planned 5G upgrade, saying it posed a “significant network security risk.”

The action follows a ban in Australia, where the Chinese telecommunications giant was blocked in August from rolling out Australia’s 5G network due to security concerns.

In New Zealand, Huawei has previously helped build mobile networks. In March, Spark and Huawei showcased a 5G test site across the street from the Parliament, in a publicity move that was attended by then Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran.

The latest development could have diplomatic and economic implications for New Zealand, which relies on China as its largest trading partner but which is also part of the “Five Eyes” security alliance that includes the U.S., Britain, Canada and Australia.

At a daily briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China was

“severely concerned” over the decision.

“The economic and trade cooperation between China and New Zealand is mutually beneficial in nature,” Geng said. “We hope New Zealand will provide a levelplaying field for Chinese enterprises’ operation there and do something conducive for mutual trust and cooperation.”

Huawei said in a statement it was looking into the situation and would actively address any concerns to find a way forward. It said the company was committed to developing trusted and secure solutions for its customers.

New Zealand was the first developed nation to sign a free-trade deal with China in 2008, and China buys billions of dollars of New Zealand’s dairy exports each year, which are often used in making infant formula.

New Zealand’s previous conservative government had a close relationship with China. But over the past year under liberal Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand has pulled back somewhat, embracing a warmer relationship with Japan and putting resources into the Pacific, in

part to counter China’s growing influence there.

Huawei suffered a setback in the U.S. market in 2012 when a congressional report said it was a security risk and warned phone companies not to buy its equipment.

The private Chinese company was started by a former People’s Liberation Army major in 1987.

Spark is one of three main mobile network operators in New Zealand. The companies compete for customers over their own network of cell towers, using radio spectrum that is licensed from the government.

Spark said it is disappointed with the decision by New Zealand’s Government Communications Security Bureau. But the company said in a statement it’s confident it can still launch its 5G network by July 2020.

Spark said it had wanted to use Huawei 5G equipment in its planned Radio Access Network, which involves technology associated with cell tower infrastructure. The company said it has not yet had time to review the detailed reasoning behind the spy agency’s decision, or whether it will take further steps.

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PATTAYA MAIL

ED is more than a talking horse It seems that a large percentage of expat males in this country live in fear of ED. Not Ed the talking horse of the 60’s black and white TV, but Erectile Dysfunction!

It almost seems like this affliction is life threatening.

Judging by the number of signs outside small medical clinics, Erectile Dysfunction, or ED, must be very prevalent in Thailand. The sign usually indicates the treatment as well, where take your choice from Viagra, Cialis or Levitra. It’s all there on the sign. Salvation is here. Hallelujah, ED has been conquered, just like we did with smallpox all those years ago.

I used to have a very old cat. Didn’t do much, just slept under the back stairs most of the day. Got up a couple of times for a pee and something to eat and then went back to sleep again. But that cat was a hell-raiser in his heyday.

No female tabby cat was safe with him around.

What has that to do with ED, I hear you ask? I would suggest - everything! You see, I believe that lots of males out there get this ED label hung around their necks, until they begin to believe it. Somehow, this fit young virile 50 year old suddenly gets this disease called ED when in his 60’s. Where did this disease come from? How did he get it? How do you get rid of it, and how do the rest of you make sure you don’t get it either?

Before we get too much further into this, I want you to think back to when you were in your late teens, early twenties. You could run 100 meters in well under 13 seconds.

Now you probably can’t run that distance at all. Is this a new disease? Should we call it “Leg Dysfunction”, or LD for short?

When you were in your twenties, you had no problems reading the newspaper, but by the time you were 40, it was becoming a bit of a problem. By the time you were 60, you really had problems with distance vision as well as reading.

We should probably call this “Visual Dysfunction”, but the initials VD have already been taken, so let’s call it “Seeing Dysfunction”, or SD for short.

In your twenties you probably didn’t have any problems with the erectile thingy either. You know, the dangly bits. In fact, it was probably overactive. But as you got older, the frequency and intensity began to slow up somewhat. By the time you were 60 you were told you had this terrible disease - ED. But what’s the difference between LD, SD and ED? I would suggest to you, that there is no difference. I made up LD and SD, because neither is a true “dysfunction”, but just the natural aging that occurs. Likewise, I would suggest that ED is not a true “dysfunction” when it occurs

later in life. It is just part of the natural aging process too. You haven’t got a disease. You’re just growing older, like my cat.

Now there are a few differences from Mr. Tom Cat and Mr. Tom Expat. Sex is not just procreational, it is recreational, and is something about which we have built up great mystique. We judge ourselves on our horizontal abilities, rather than our intellectual achievements. Those with younger wives feel that they are letting the side down (or something else) if they cannot rise to the occasion (sorry about that) every night, or every second night, or every “whenever” that you have decided “homework” should be done.

So what should be done about it? Well, first off, the Viagra, Cialis, etc., do work, but they open up much more than just the door to the bedroom, they open you up to physical exercise (I was going to say “viagorous” exercise, but Ms. Hillary stole that line) for which your body might not be fit enough. This is why these medications should only be taken after examination by a doctor, to ensure your general level of fitness is good enough.

Homework shouldn’t become undertaker’s work!

Talk to your doctor and get a good check-up first!

No accounting for these tastes: Artificial flavors a mystery Candice Choi New York (AP) - Six artificial flavors are being ordered out of the food supply in a dispute over their safety, but good luck to anyone who wants to know which cookies, candies or drinks they’re in.

The dispute highlights the complex rules that govern what goes in our food, how much the public knows about it, and a mysterious class of ingredients that has evolved over decades largely outside of public view.

On food packages, hundreds of ingredients are listed simply as natural flavor or artificial flavor. Even in minute amounts, they help make potato chips taste oniony or give fruit candy that twang.

“The food system we have is unimaginable without flavor additives,” said Nadia Berenstein, a historian of flavor science based in New York.

The flavors are also at the center of a dispute over how ingredients should be regulated.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is giving companies two years to purge their products of six artificial flavors - even though the FDA made clear it believes the ingredients are safe in the trace amounts they are used.

In November 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has decided to give companies two years to purge their products of the six ingredients, described only as “artificial flavors” on packages.

The words “artificial flavor” or “natural flavor” refer to any of thousands of ingredients. (AP Photo/ Patrick Sison)

The six artificial flavors in question, with names like methyl eugenol, benzophenone, ethyl acrylate and pyridine, are used to create cinnamon or spicy notes, fruity or minty flavors, or even hints of balsamic vinegar.

The FDA and the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association, an industry group, did not respond when asked for examples of products the six ingredients are used in. But they noted in statements that the compounds have natural counterparts in foods like basil, coffee, grapes and peppermint, and that the action

does not affect the naturally derived versions.

The FDA said it had to order the artificial versions out of the food supply because of a lawsuit brought by consumer advocacy groups that cited a 60-year-old regulation known as the Delaney clause.

The rule prohibits additives shown to have caused cancer in animals, even if tested at doses far higher than what a person would consume.

In a statement, the flavor industry group said the Delaney Clause doesn’t allow regulators to assess an ingredient’s risk based on modern scientific understanding, but that changing it would require an act of Congress. As far back as 1981, the Government Accountability Office issued a report saying the clause should be re-examined because of its inflexibility.

Christopher Kemp, a professor of cancer biology at

the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, doesn’t think the rule is necessarily too strict a threshold. He said animal studies provide the strongest evidence about cancer risk in humans, and that it is better to err on the side of caution.

Erik Olson of the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the groups that sued over the six ingredients, said it’s also unknown what effect they might have when used in combination with other ingredients. And since they’re listed only as “artificial flavor,” he said people don’t know in what concentrations they’re used in particular products.

“It’s all secret. You can’t pick up an ice cream or chewing gum or a baked good and have any idea what chemicals are in there,” he said.

Berenstein, the flavor science historian, said the ingredients in flavors don’t have to be specified in part because regulators decided long ago that listing the names of compounds on packages might just confuse people. And she stressed that flavors are used in infinitesimal amounts. In 2015, the flavor industry estimates just 40 pounds of one of the now banned artificial ingredients was produced.

But Bernstein said a more robust regulatory system might inspire greater public confidence about flavors.

In a separate but related lawsuit, the FDA is also facing a challenge over its oversight of the universe of ingredients companies can put into foods, including artificial flavors.

New flavors, sweeteners and other ingredients can go through an FDA petition process to be approved as food additives. But another option lets manufacturers deem their own ingredients to be “generally recognized as safe.”

There’s no clear rule for when ingredients should take one path or the other.

The artificial sweetener Splenda is an approved food additive. Another sweetener, stevia, was declared GRAS by manufacturers.

The six artificial flavors in question were approved food additives, along with dozens of other synthetic

flavors. The flavor industry group also regularly declares other ingredients like them to be GRAS, without formal review by the FDA. Critics say GRAS determinations were meant for basic ingredients like salt and vinegar, not highly engineered ingredients. The advocacy groups suing the FDA say the GRAS option has turned into a loophole that lets companies approve all sorts of ingredients without public scrutiny, including artificial flavors.

In September, a judge allowed the legal challenge to move forward.

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 7, 2018

Odds and Ends The Associated Press

Steer too beefy to become burgers reprieved to life on farm Lake Preston, Australia (AP) - Knickers the steer is huge on the internet - for being huge. The black-and-white Holstein Friesian won social media fame and many proclamations of “Holy Cow!” after photos surfaced of the 194-centimeter (6-foot-4-inch) steer standing head and shoulders above a herd of brown wagyu cattle in Western Australia state. Owner Geoff Pearson said Knickers was too heavy to go to the slaughterhouse. “We have a high turnover of cattle, and he was lucky enough to stay behind,” Pearson said. Australian media say Knickers is believed to be the tallest steer in the country and weighs about 1.4 tons. Instead of becoming steaks and burgers, 7year-old Knickers will get to live out his life in Pearson’s fields in Lake Preston, southwest of Perth.

(Channel 7’s Today Tonight via AP)

Stranger returns lost wallet and adds extra cash Brandon, S.D. (AP) - A South Dakota man had his lost wallet back with some extra cash thanks to a stranger. Hunter Shamatt thought he’d never see the wallet again when he lost it on a flight to Las Vegas for his sister’s wedding. Inside was $60 cash and a check for about $400. Shamatt told KSFYTV he then received a package a few days later along with the wallet and a letter. The stranger wrote he found the wallet wedged between a seat and a wall on a flight from Omaha, Nebraska, to Denver. He added $40 so Shamatt would have “an even $100” to celebrate the wallet’s return. The stranger only signed the letter with initials. Shamatt was able to thank the man after tracking down his return address in Omaha.

Money laundering: Dutch police find cash in washing machine Amsterdam (AP) - Dutch police who found 350,000 euros ($400,000) hidden inside a washing machine have detained a man on suspicion of - what else? - money laundering. Police said in a statement that officers were checking a house in western Amsterdam for unregistered residents when they found the valuable laundry load. A photo displayed on the police website showed bundles of bank notes, mainly 20and 50-euro bills, crammed into the drum. The officers also found a money-counting machine, a gun and several cell phones. The 24-year-old suspect’s name was not released, in line with Dutch privacy rules.

PATTAYA MAIL

Crossword No 1323

sponsored by

Massic Travel

Across 1. Send into exile (6) 4. Grumble (6) 8. Teacher (5) 9. Italian child (7) 10. Letter (7) 11. Requirements (5) 12. Horticulturalists (9) 17. Made a mistake (5) 19. Associate, collaborator (7) 21. Mender of shoes (7) 22. Elk (5) 23. Zestful enjoyment (6) 24. Gemstone (6)

Down 1. Fuss (6) 2. Naught (7) 3. Swagger (5) 5. Love story (7) 6. Combine (5) 7. Self-centred person (6) 9. Apiarist (9) 13. Coarse sieves (7) 14. Nightfall (7) 15. Sporting swordsman (6) 16. Clergyman (6) 18. Revolt (5) 20. Dance of Cuban origin (5)

Last week’s answers Across: 1. Gala, 3. Mal de mer, 9. Seaweed, 10. Night, 11. Inept, 12. Naming, 14. Giggle, 16. At ease, 19. Prague, 21.

Model, 24. Llama, 25. Galleon, 26. Endanger, 27. Odds.

Down: 1. Goslings, 2. Leave, 4. Aiding, 5. Denim, 6. Magenta, 7. Rota, 8. Dental, 13. Feelings, 15. Garland, 17. Temple, 18. Meagre, 20. Grain, 22. Dread, 23. Flee.

Ten-Minute Sudoku An easy Sudoku puzzle that should not take long to complete.

The rules of Sudoku are simple. Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Each row must contain one of each digit. So must each column and each 3x3 box.

Answer next week.

Last week’s answers:

No. 226

Iowa council gives final approval to ‘toy’ firearms ban Sioux City, Iowa (AP) - A city council in northwest Iowa has banned people from carrying some types of “toy” firearms. The Sioux City Council voted for a third time to adopt an ordinance that bans pellet and BB guns. The ordinance doesn’t ban Nerf or squirt guns, or guns that shoot suction-cup darts. Sioux City Police Capt. Mark Kirkpatrick has said officers have had multiple encounters with replica weapons and faced the question of whether to use deadly force.

He has said people carrying toy firearms tend to be teenagers or young adults seeking personal protection or street credibility. The Sioux City Police Department says no one in the city has died from a police encounter while carrying a toy firearm, but that there are more than 50 such deaths nationwide each year.

Treasure hunter flip flops on returning missing gold coins Columbus, Ohio (AP) - A treasure hunter has taken back a pledge to turn over 500 missing coins minted from gold found in a shipwreck off the South Carolina coast. The Columbus Dispatch reports Tommy Thompson agreed last week to deliver the coins to a court-appointed receiver by Sunday to settle a lawsuit brought by an investor. The paper says the deal fell apart Friday when Thompson said he has no idea how to obtain the coins. Thompson found the S.S. Central America in 1988 after convincing more than 100 investors to fund the voyage for nearly $13 million. Thompson never repaid the investors. He became a fugitive and fled to Florida.

VOL. XXVI No. 49

Answers next week.

VOL. XXVI No. 49

FRIDAY DECEMBER 7, 2018

PATTAYA MAIL

11

Say “Cheese”

How many times have you said that, I wonder? Of course, you don’t really expect people to say anything at all except smile, although invariably some witless idiot will shout “Gorgonzola!” It’s moments like that when I feel the need for a hand grenade or small chain saw. As far as portraits are concerned, I am not a great fan of smiley ones. I much prefer a natural look even if it verges on a glare. And in any case, this custom of smiling in photographs is a relatively modern phenomenon.

A couple of days ago I was browsing though a collection of ancient family

photographs which travelled to the East with me when the Old Country was beginning to lose its charm. There are photographs going back generations, some of them clearly taken in studios. Everyone looks grim, with not a flicker of a smile among the lot of them. In those days few people smiled for photos, especially the studio portraits.

Photographers will be quick to point out that it’s all to do with exposure, or at least it was in the earliest days of photography. Between the 1840s and 1860s exposure times were between sixty and ninety seconds, which is far too long to hold a smile or even an amicable expression. Try it sometime.

You’ll find that your face muscles become rigid and you gradually assume the appearance of a lunatic.

But the exposure issue is only half the story, or to be

Dear Hillary, What with clothes being so cheap in Thailand we have friends who keep telling me they are bringing an empty suitcase so that they take all their new clothes back with them. The problem is that both of them are around a size 18, or just about twice the size of the local women. They are really going to stand out here. I have been looking around the fashion shops before they come, but the clothes establishments (even the designer shops) just don’t stock size 18, and “one size fit all” just doesn’t work in this case. Do you know of any places that sell larger sizes? If you don’t, how do I tactfully break the news to them?

Karl Lagerfeld Dear KL, I am honored! A famous designer writing to Hillary. And wanting my advice on fitting dresses to models. It’s just a pity the models in question are so large. The best places for bargains in clothes are still Pratunam in Bangkok, but that’s a bit far away. If they are coming in three months, then they can spend some time looking - but size 18 is just a little bit optimistic. However, all is not lost. Tailoring for women as well as men is very inexpensive in Thailand.

They will make anything to measure in 48 hours (they’ll tell you 24, but it usually takes a couple of fittings). Tell your friends to bring over any favorite outfits and they can also copy these right down to the last stitch, and at a price very much less than the cost of the original items in their home country.

Dear Hillary, I am a frequent visitor to Thailand and Pattaya I have read the books written about bar girls also read with interest

more precise, a fifth of it. Broken, missing or rotten teeth also played a part, for in the 19th century effective dental care was not widely available. In his book A Brief History of the Smile, art historian Angus Trumble explains that because bad teeth were normal it didn’t mean they were desirable.

He explains that “people had lousy teeth, if they had teeth at all, which militated against opening their mouths in social settings.”

Another reason was that photography was far less common than it is today.

People might have their pictures taken a few times in their entire lives and for some it was literally a oncein-a-lifetime experience. A portrait session in a photographer’s studio was an expensive undertaking and treated with due solemnity. Mark Twain was one of the funniest writers of his generation but looking at his

Mark Twain c. 1890.

photo, you’d never guess.

Of course, early portrait photography was influenced by formal portrait painting which was intended to be a serious and responsible depiction of the subject, not a captured fleeting moment in time.

Victorian etiquette and conceptions of beauty were

your column whilst in Pattaya and at home on the net, it is a great source of quality information and amusement, so I should have been prepared.

I am divorced and two years ago I met a young lady in one of the sea front bars and the usual holiday romance ensued, liking this girl too much I arranged for her to return to her family home in Chiang Mai while I returned to Liverpool and began sending her money on a monthly basis. I can see a number of you shaking your heads already.

After lots of contact via email telephone and a few further trips back to Thailand and our feelings being even stronger, we applied for a six month visa to the UK and I brought my young lady home. We returned to Thailand in the November last year and were married; now we reside in the UK but hope to live in Thailand by this time next year.

All my family and friends adore Lek and she brings to me fits of laughter on a daily basis, this Thai lady is a joy to be with full of genuine love affection and compassion.

Lek works extremely hard in and around the house and garden and always has a smile to give to everyone, the elderly people next door think she is a true treasure and are extremely fond of her, so am I one of the lucky ones or are the Thai girls too much maligned by a few bad apples amongst them?

Happy Harold Dear HH, Are you a lucky one? I think the old hands would say you definitely are the lucky one, Petal. However, just as there are “few bad apples” as you say, there are also a few good

different to ours. A small, tightly-controlled mouth was considered aesthetically pleasing. Smiling in a formal photo was unbecoming, especially for people who felt they enjoyed a high social status. A smile could be considered lewd, suggestive or downright vulgar. I read somewhere that during

this era, photographers got the desired facial expression by instructing their subjects to say “prunes”.

In formal portraits, a serious appearance prevailed well into the twentieth century when exposures had become instantaneous. Like habits, old attitudes die hard.

Only with the advent of cheap consumer cameras, faster film, more relaxed attitudes to photography and generally better dental health, did the smiles begin to appear. According to Angus Trumble, the custom of saying “cheese” dates from the 1920s. The distinguished British portrait and fashion photographer Sir Cecil Beaton sometimes used to instruct his subjects to say “lesbian” though no one seems to know exactly why. If you’re being photographed in Sweden you’ll probably be asked to say omelet. I just thought you’d like to know.

apples, and it would seem you have found one. But I hasten to caution that your romance is still only two years old, with much of that time being spent apart from each other.

The ‘honeymoon’ period is still on. For your sake (and hers) I do hope you will be just as happy in another two years. Let me know.

Dear Hillary, I still wonder if the letters you get are real. Surely people aren’t as stupid as they make themselves out to be? It seems as though these old people are on a course of self destruction, because they all fall for the same old traps and tricks. Are there that many lonely people out there? Are they so lonely they will take companionship from anyone, no matter how much it costs?

Lyall Dear Lyall, “Are there that many lonely people out there?” Yes, Petal, there are. Older men do get lonely and it is very difficult for them to find intimate satisfaction in the western countries, being thought of as some sort of pervert for even thinking about female company. So you can see it is easy to understand why they come to Thailand and get caught up in the bar scene. The problems occur when they become so involved with one of the bar ladies that they confuse the fact that they are buying rent-a-friends, not a lifetime lover. Are the letters real? Are the situations real? Just re-read Harold’s letter (above yours) and you can see the genuine needs of a divorced man, which were filled by a young lady from a bar. Perhaps not the best situation, but one that is working for him.

Read more news at pattayamail.com

12 FRIDAY DECEMBER 7, 2018

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PSC donates uniforms to School No. 8 volleyball team

Surat Mekhavarakul (5th right), Peter Malhotra (4th right) with PSC members, teachers and athletes pose at the presentation ceremony.

Warapun Jaikusol The Pattaya Sports Club donated uniforms to the student athletes selected to compete in the ‘16th All Thailand Regional Administrative Organisation of Thailand Students Games’.

PSC President Pratheep Malhotra together with Charity Chairperson Noi Emmerson, Acting Secretary Ingkarat Chaimongkon, PSCA committee member Nittaya Patimasongkroh and other PSC members were welcomed to

Pattaya School No. 8 by Surat Mekavarakul, chairman of the school’s Basic Education Board, and Subin Wongthi, acting principal.

One of PSC’s goals is to promote and support local sports and develop skills for competitions. So the club donated 15,000 baht for uniforms for the school’s boys volleyball team as it prepares to go the Chiang Mai games.

Surat additionally donated 10,000 baht and pledged another 50,000 baht towards development of the sport if the boys team can bring home a gold medal.

Father Ray SOS Rice drive underway Warapun Jaikusol The 2018 SOS Rice appeal kicked off Dec. 5 and continues throughout the weekend to encourage Pattaya residents to donate rice to help feed the 850 children and students with disabilities living at the Father Ray Foundation.

Rev. Peter Pattarapong Srivorakul, the foundation’s president, announced the start of the 22nd-annual campaign Nov. 27 with Pitak Peanpitak, regional manager for CP All, the franchiser of 7-Eleven stores, who made the first donation of the year.

Each drive aims to collect 70,000 kilograms of rice to

The 2018 SOS Rice appeal continues this weekend to help feed the 850 children and students with disabilities living at the Father Ray Foundation.

feeds children for the coming year. Volunteers will be at shopping malls and department stores across Pattaya Dec. 8-10 to receive donations.

75,000kgs of rice is needed each year.

Donations of rice, foodstuffs and cash can also be dropped off at the Father Ray Foundation Welcome Center on Sukhumvit Road, between North and Central Pattaya roads.

The SOS Rice drive was pioneered by D.D. Afare, a Belgium businessman and editor of L Echo du Siam, who was touched by the kindness of HM the late King Rama IX. Therefore, he had chosen HM’s birthday as the day to organize campaigns to donate money and rice in various stores and shops starting from 1996 and have expanded to include other businesses.

For more information, call 081-723-5949.

VOL. XXVI No. 49

Satit Udomseuksa students win sectionals

Master Justin Kitdipat.

Congratulations to both Master Justin Kitdipat and Miss Bunika Mahasab, students at Satit Udomseuksa School. At this year’s ‘68th Student Handicraft Fair 2018’ event both students showed their eloquence, passion and determination to win in their sections.

Master Justin won for the

Miss Bunika Mahasab.

‘foreign language’ section in the multi skills competition, levels Secondary 1 to Secondary 3 for the Secondary Educational Service Area 18.

Miss Bunika won for the ‘English-speaking foreign language’ section in the impromptu speech competition Primary 1 to Primary 3 for the Primary educational

service area 18.

They both have now won places in the final to represent this province’s area. The finalists should be very proud of themselves. The school would like to thank Mr. Andrew and Teacher Sweet for their hard work to help the students prep for these important competitions.

VOL. XXVI No. 49

FRIDAY DECEMBER 7, 2018 13

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U.S. Embassy to host consular outreach worldwide policy, and no exceptions can be considered, please see the No Cash Announcement.

All payments at U.S. Embassy Outreach Events must be made in the form of a bank draft.

All bank drafts must be: * Purchased from Bangkok Bank, Kasikorn Bank, or Siam Commercial Bank (SCB). (There is no need to have an account at the bank to purchase a bank draft) (Kasikorn Bank calls a “Bank Draft” a “Bill of Exchange”) * Made out to “American Embassy Bangkok.” (No variations, errors, or typos are permitted. Do not write on or make any markings on the bank draft.) * In the exact amount of Thai Baht (THB) for your total service. * Submitted at the time of service. * Issued within the last six months. You can show this to the bank:

The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok is pleased to provide services in Pattaya.

Date: Wednesday December 12, 2018 Time: 10:00AM to Noon Venue: Dusit Thani Pattaya Hotel Address: 240/2 Pattaya Beach Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20150, Thailand Hotel phone: +66 (0) 3842 5611 Website: https://www.dusit.com/dusitthani/pattaya/location Email: dtpa@dusit.com No appointment necessary, services are provided on a first come – first serve basis.

To expedite your service, please consider arriving with your documents filled-out completely, correctly, and NOT signed. Documents, forms and applications can be accessed at http://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/ Services offered and official exchange rates on 12 December 2018 * 3,740 THB- Renewal of adult passports * 3,910 THB- Renewal of minor (under age 16) passports * 4,930 THB- Renewal of first adult passports * 4,930 THB- Replacement of adult lost/stolen passports * 3,910 THB- Replacement of minor (under age 16) lost/ stolen passports * 1020 THB- Adult passport card * 510 THB- Minor passport card * 1,700 THB (per notary stamp) – Notary– including Income Affidavits Above fees are based on an exchange rate of 34 THB to 1 USD Please Note: You must bring copies of your passport biodata page and each supplementary document required with a passport application per the online instructions. Please follow all relevant passport renewal instructions according to above links. Original documents will be returned to the applicant, however, the copies will not.

Important: For applications on behalf of minors, the child and both parents must appear in-person.

Payment Method: Please be advised the U.S. embassy will no longer accept cash (U.S. Dollars and Thai Baht) at Outreach Events for American Citizen Services. This is a

Destination LONDON

⌫ ⌫    ⌦   

Fees and exchange rates are included in individual outreach announcements and posted on our website.

Please note: * Cashiers’ checks, personal checks, cash, credit cards, bank drafts from any bank other than Bangkok Bank, Kasikorn Bank, SCB or any other form of payment will not be accepted. * The Bank Draft requirement only applies to Consular Outreach Events and mail-in passport renewal services. U.S. Embassy Bangkok and Consulate Chiang Mai will continue to accept payments made by credit card or cash (THB or USD) for services rendered on-site during normal business hours.

Return of Passport The passport retrieval process has changed! – Beginning 1 July 2018: Passport return by Thai Post registered mail: Your new passport will be sent to your mailing address in Thailand through registered mail. ACS will cancel your current passport at the time of application and return it to you.

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Purchase a prepaid Thai Post envelope at the outreach event for 100 THB (separate bank draft is required).

Do not include the cost of the envelope in your total bank draft for services.

Nearby participating banks: Bangkok Bank North Pattaya Branch 212/1-3 Moo5 Naklua Banglamung Chonburi 20150 038-498-067 Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) WongAmart Branch 500/1 Moo5 Nong Phrue Sub District Chonburi 20260 038-413-376 038-413-598 Kasikorn Bank Pattaya –Naklua Branch 157/140-141 Moo 5 Nong Pru Bang Lamung Chonburi 20150 038-420-960 You may use any branch of the three participating banks.

The above branches are suggested since they are near the venue.

Special Notes: Consular reports of birth abroad and authentication of signature services cannot be processed at consular outreach events.

We are no longer able to assist with Social Security inquiries, applications and/or claims. As of October 1, 2017 all beneficiaries and applicants living in Thailand must direct all questions regarding Social Security to SSA Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) in U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines at FBU.manila@ssa.gov. Please visit http://www.ssa.gov for more Social Security information.

For information on U.S. Citizen Services please see http:/ /th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/

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14 FRIDAY DECEMBER 7, 2018

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VOL. XXVI No. 49

Christmas comes early to PCEC Roy Albiston, Pattaya City Expats Club’s chairman and this Sunday’s, MC had the privilege of introducing Margie Grainger’s slum kids all decked out in holiday garb to sing and dance the hearts away from their audience at the Sunday, November 25, meeting. In what was a first for the Hand to Hand Foundation and the PCEC, twenty plus children from the slums came and performed a Christmas program, with Christmas carols (in Thai and English) and some dances. The performers ranged in age from 3 to 14 years.

The older kids started with two dance routines, one jingle bells and another more up-tempo number backed by a dance video. The kids mimicked the moves from the dance video and did mighty well at it at that. All were enthusiastic which enthralled their audience.

To the tune of 99 bottles of beer on the wall, the smaller children wearing their “snowman” masks sing “10 White Snow Men.”

speech and the realization that deaf children without training live in a wordless and therefore dreamless world. Emotional as he told the story of his inspiration, Ren’s singing draped with the little girls was a show stopper.

After the children’s performance, which was rousingly received, Margie Grainger gave a recap of her story on how she came to create the Hand to Hand Foundation

It was a heartwarming moment for the PCEC audience as member Ren Lexander told the story about a song he wrote, “I Have A Dream”, to recognize deaf children and then performed it with these 3 younger children, one of which is deaf.

The youngest members of the troupe were then added to the mix and sang several songs including two never sung in public, ‘twinkle twinkle Christmas star’ and an adorable rendition of ‘10 white snow men’ sung to the familiar tune of bottles of beer on the wall. Each wore a white “snowman” mask. As they counted down from 10, each masked child snowman pretended they had “to go” really bad and promptly exited the stage. What a delightful number and audience favorite!

The highlight of the performance came when Member Ren Lexander, who is also the PCEC’s Program Scheduler, told the story about an original song he wrote and then performed with 3 of the youngest performers, one of which was deaf. The song ‘I have a dream’ was inspired by two factors…Martin Luther King’s famous

and its current activities; sincerely thanking the PCEC for past support. She was especially proud of the construction of an 8-unit apartment building now being completed with one of the units set aside for abused women counseling. Families have already moved in, taking them out of the slums and off the streets.

The Hand to Hand Foundation – among its many activities – runs a pre-school and a Saturday Kids Club for the children from the slums of Pattaya. Margie is the founder and vice-president of the Foundation and she is responsible for overseeing all projects. She is also the international liaison and sponsorship coordinator.

She teaches English at the pre-school and is also part of the prison ministry team.

If you meet Margie you will know of her huge heart and

The Holiday Inn Pattaya was gracious enough to provide a special free breakfast - much to the enjoyment of the 20 plus children from Hand to Hand Foundation.

love for the poor and underprivileged in Pattaya; she loves to have fun and encourages others too!

She ended by saying that anything you can donate, from clothes to utensils, can and will be used in furthering the Hand to Hand Foundation’s activities. She said they are always looking for second hand clothing, household supplies and toys, or anything else that you might have around the house that you no longer need. Further, they accept items regardless of their condition as everything can be used at either the preschool, slum or prison. In this regard, she told the story of one friend who tried for a year to give things that she told Margie she would not be able to find a use for.

After many attempts, with Margie always finding a use, she finally gave up. So, Margie’s message is, if you don’t need it, donate it. She mentioned they do have some drop off locations in

addition to their location.

To know more about their activities, visit http://www. handtohandpattaya.com. To learn where the drop off locations are located, email: handtohandpattaya@yahoo.com.

After the presentations, MC Roy Albiston brought everyone up to date on upcoming events and then turned it over to the Open Forum portion of the meeting where questions are asked and answered and comments made about Expat living in Thailand, Pattaya in particular. For more information about the PCEC and their activities, visit www.pcec. club. Also, a special Thank You to the Holiday Inn for providing a complimentary breakfast for the children, which obviously they enjoyed.

Member Ren Lexander interviewed Margie Grainger about the Hand to Hand Foundation after the presentation to the PCEC. To view the video, visit: https:// www.youtube.com/watch? v=qfdsd9tvDRA&t=3s.

MC Roy Albiston presents Margie Grainger with the PCEC’s Certificate of Appreciation for bringing some of the Hand to Hand Foundation children to entertain with an early Christmas program.

VOL. XXVI No. 49

FRIDAY DECEMBER 7, 2018 15

PATTAYA MAIL

Snow Business

Claude Debussy in Normandy, 1904.

The other day, one of my Thai friends was bemoaning the fact that he’d never seen snow. I tried to reassure him that it’s really nothing special and looks a lot better than it actually is. I explained that snow on the roads and pavements eventually transforms itself into a slippery, horrid grey sludge. I have no idea how far we’d need to travel from here to find snow, but certainly somewhere north of Chiang Mai. I suppose Korea or Japan would be the nearest places to but it seems an awfully long way to travel. Perhaps the Himalayas would be closer.

But not for me, thank you. I hate the stuff.

When I was a music student a friend came to stay with us who had never seen snow before either. It was the middle of winter and one day when were out in the car there was a sudden heavy snowfall which left everything covered, though the roads were just about navigable. Our friend begged me to stop the car so that he could experience the snow first-hand. He eventually rolled a huge snowball and in innocent merriment lobbed it into the car. I was furious and screamed that he

was an idiotic fellow of uncertain parentage or words to that effect. He simply hadn’t realized that snow was frozen water and when it melted seconds later everything was soaked. To his credit, he apologized profusely, though the car radio was never the same again.

Several composers have been attracted to snow, or at least to similar ideas. RimskyKorsakov’s opera The Snow Maiden springs to mind, as does the ballet by Erich Korngold entitled The Snowman. He was a child prodigy and wrote the work at the age of eleven. At its first performance in Vienna it was a sensation. Korngold incidentally, was eventually to become one of the most important and influential composers in Hollywood.

I can think of two major w o r k s i n s p ired by the snowy Antarctic. The most well-known is probably Sinfonia Antarctica by Vaughan Williams but Peter Maxwell Davies, another English composer also wrote an Antarctic Symphony. There’s also the Ballet of the Snowflakes from the peculiar operetta by Offenbach, A Trip to the Moon. It was loosely based on the novel From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne who was evidently a bit miffed that parts of his story had been pinched.

Claude Debussy (1862-1918): The Snow is Dancing (Children’s Corner).

Boris Berman (pno) (Duration: 02:30; Video: 1080p HD) Children’s Corner is a suite of six delightful pieces for piano which Debussy dedicated to his daughter Claude-Emma, who was about three at the time. She was known in the family as Chou-Chou and was evidently a lively and friendly child.

The music, written at various times during 1906 and 1908 is not for children to play, but instead is imbued with notions of childhood and nostalgia associated with watching a child grow up.

The suite features some of Chou-Chou’s favourite toys but technically it presents something of a challenge for the pianist. The Snow is Dancing is the fourth piece in the suite and is difficult to play successfully. It’s a charming musical picture of snowflakes swirling around, though in the middle section there’s a strange, dark ominous moment. I hope that little Chou-Chou was not easily freaked out. Interestingly, she was raised with an English nanny with the result that her toys acquired

A new collection of essays

by Jonathan Franzen Ann Levin One subject comes up frequently in Jonathan Franzen’s latest collection of essays: how to live responsibly in the face of our all but certain extinction as a species.

“Every one of us is now in the position of the indigenous Americans when the Europeans arrived with guns and smallpox: our world is poised to change vastly, unpredictably, and mostly for the worse,” he writes. “I don’t have any hope that we can stop the change from coming. My only hope is that we can accept the reality in time to prepare for it humanely.”

“The End of the End of the Earth” brings together 16 essays and speeches written mostly in the past five years, although the publisher chose not to list the original publication date or media outlet. Half are about birds, birdwatching and climate change, subjects the author cares about as deeply as literature and writing.

“If you could see every bird in the world, you’d see the whole world,” he writes in “Why Birds Matter,” a lyrical essay that persuasively argues that

bird populations “indicate the health of our ethical values.”

The rest touch on a variety of subjects, including photography, technology and Manhattan, pre-gentrification.

One piece published two days after 9/11 shows the limits of deadline journalism because like virtually everyone else in America, Franzen thought things would never be the same.

“In the space of two hours, we left behind a happy era of Game Boy economics and trophy houses,” Franzen says. Well, not exactly.

The trophy houses in 2018 are even bigger.

In the final essay Franzen slyly offers up a bit of advice for readers who, like him, worry about finding a moral and ethical way to live in the late Anthropocene.

After noting the human tendency to take the short view, he observes that every minute in America, 30,000 paper cups are tossed even as rain forests are leveled to supply the world with pulp.

“Your life is complicated enough already without dragging a reusable cup around with you all day,” Franzen says. Sure, but reading that sentence, you know that’s exactly what you should do. (AP)

English names, reflected in the English titles of each movement.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (18401893): Waltz of the Snowflakes. Perm Theater Symphony Orchestra cond.

Artem Abashev (Duration: 11:49; Video: 1080p HD) Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker has enjoyed enormous success since its Russian première in 1892. In case you’re wondering, the Nutcracker was also a toy and a mechanical one at that. The unlikely plot was based

on a story written by the German author E. T. A. Hoffmann and surrounds a girl called Marie whose favourite toy, a mechanical nutcracker becomes alive and whisks her away to a magical kingdom populated by dolls.

Tchaikovsky’s score for the ballet has become one of his most famous works, in particular the suite that he extracted from the ballet. The Waltz of the Snowflakes is characterized by flurrying sounds to evoke images of whirling snowflakes. And by the way, the orchestra in this video hails from the Russian city of Perm where in December, January and February it snows almost every day.

To watch these YouTube videos, either use your Smartphone to read the QR codes or go to this article online, click on the “live” links and go direct to the videos. If you have a laptop, sound quality can be improved significantly by using headphones or external speakers.

16 FRIDAY DECEMBER 7, 2018

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VOL. XXVI No. 49

Game not over in ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’ Jake Coyle Los Angeles (AP) - Having liberated arcade game characters from their rigidly ordained roles in 2012’s “Wreck-it Ralph,” its sequel, “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” sends our charmingly lopsided duo — the hulking, bigfisted Ralph (John C. Reilly) and the glitchy pipsqueak candy-colored racer Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) — into that expansive netherworld where clickbait lurks and pop-ups proliferate.

For a pair of pixelated beings whose existence has heretofore been limited to a handful of video games, they’re decidedly not in Kansas anymore. The web of “Ralph Breaks the Internet” is a strictly PG-rated, sanitized version; there are no dark turns down 4chan alleys or face-to-faces with Colin Kaye If you glance at a handful of concert programmes or even popular books about music it really does seem that the entire history of music was dominated by a handful of individuals. I refer of course to people such as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Tchaikovsky and their famous contemporaries. These people were indeed giants in the pageant of musical history but it’s easy to forget that during the last four hundred years there have been hundreds of other composers beavering away and producing concertos, operas, symphonies and countless chamber works that are simply not played any more.

Unlike the late eighteenth century when concert-goers demanded to hear the newest and latest music, those of today generally prefer to hear works they already know. Few people want to hear obscure works by longforgotten composers. Concert promoters are well aware

Infowars conspiracies. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t cruel truths that Ralph must confront in cyberspace — none more than when a crestfallen Ralph sees the responses to his popular viral video. Never read the comments.

In trading Qbert jokes for eBay ones, “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” directed by Rich Moore and Phil Johnston, does more than shift the puns. If “Wreck-it Ralph” was a nostalgic “Toy Story”like trip into ’80s arcade games, “Ralph Breaks the Internet” is more current.

Life inside the arcade has gotten repetitive for Vanellope, who’s tired of winning the same old rainbow-colored races in her game, Sugar Rush. But while the videogame characters are convening in their Grand Central-like terminal, a new plug labeled “WiFi” arrives above. “It’s either Wiffle ball or an arranged marriage,” says Ralph.

Soon after, the impending unplugging of Sugar Rush (due to a malfunction)

This image shows characters Ralph and Vanellope von Schweetz in a scene from “Ralph Breaks the Internet.” (Disney via AP)

prompts a kind of migrant crisis. All of the game’s characters flee before they get trapped in the shutdown and need new, adoptive homes.

Vanellope crashes with Ralph, but he can see his friend — and their friendship is indeed endearing — is feeling lost. Ralph resolves to journey into the internet to purchase the replacement part that will save Vanellope’s game. Crawling through the router, they speed through optical cables and arrive in

an infinite, glittering cityscape populated by towers of tech (Amazon, Google) and Byzantine byways of zipping digital avatars.

It’s an idealized vision of the internet. There are no trolling Russian bots here, just some distracting ads and a quite charming, bespectacled search engine (voiced by Alan Tudyk) that will try to finish every sentence. The pair’s initial plans prove more complicated once they discover the

online world isn’t just a game, but a place dictated by real money. To raise the money, Ralph quickly turns video star, churning out meme-inspired videos with the help of a Buzztube executive (Taraji P. Henson).

There are other adventures, too. Vanellope finds a far grimier, “Grand Theft Auto”-like racing game called Slaughter Race, a realm presided over by a stylish driver voiced by Gal Gadot. It’s hardly the kind of game that anyone would imagine a good fit for a petite ponytailed pixie.

But she thrills to the more grown-up racing world, eager to test her skills. Online, you can find your niche.

Other cyber doors are less appealing. In one self-referential diversion, Vanellope walks into a room of Disney princesses. Jasmine, Moana, Cinderella, Ariel, Snow White, Belle and others are sitting around, waiting to participate in an online quiz: “Which Disney princess are you?” They all speak a little similarly (and they note,

none have mothers) in a segue of self-deprecation for Disney that’s both a welcome gag and, for the media behemoth, false modesty.

There’s much that’s clever in “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” but it’s the film’s heart — thanks to Reilly and Silverman’s voice work and easy rapport — that has made them more than a whiz-bang graphical blast. These are fragile and sensitive protagonists trying to be themselves in a world of pop-culture-prescribed roles. In “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” it’s Ralph who has to do some soul-searching.

The movie isn’t always quite up to the task. It would be better if it went further and wrestled more with the online world than used it as another bits and bytes background.

Really, it doesn’t quite live up to the title. Ralph could have done more damage.

“Ralph Breaks the Internet,” a Disney release, is rated PG for some action and rude humor. Running time: 112 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

plenty of musical novelties and surprises.

The Bandung Trio gave a compelling performance with some excellent rhythmic piano playing from Hazim Suhadi.

This was especially noticeable in the second movement with its lively “hunting theme” played on the oboe and horn. There’s a delightful slow movement and the Finale contained some surprisingly chromatic effects contrasted with beautifully played lyrical moments.

Carl Reinecke excelled in virtually every musical field in which he was involved. In his earlier days, he was considered one of the best concert pianists anywhere. As a conductor, he turned the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra into one of the finest orchestras in the world. He was a renowned composer and teacher of composition whose students included Grieg, Bruch, Janacek, Albeniz and Delius. His Trio in A minor

for Oboe, Horn and Piano dates from 1887 and is considered one of the finest works of its type. For me, it was the highlight of the concert.

The Bandung Trio seemed at their best in this fascinating work. The lyrical opening theme was superbly played

by Cooper who always has a rich, clear tone and an excellent sense of phrasing. The sprightly and delicate second movement showed the trio in excellent form. Some beautifully wistful piano playing from Hazim opened the slow movement followed by a fine horn solo from Bob, a lovely melancholy tune which had a fin de siècle feeling about it.

The bustling Finale must have sounded quite modern to listeners in the 1880s. At one point, there’s even a surprising hint of Poulenc. It brought the work to a resounding climax, much to the delight of the audience which responded enthusiastically.

The concert closed with a most appropriate piece of music: a folksong from Indonesia. Perhaps it came from Bandung.

Musical byways of this and are sometimes reluctant to present works which are not part of the mainstream repertoire.

This is a shame, because the musical byways of history offer just as much enjoyment and fulfillment as the motorway. So it was with particular interest that I attended a recent concert at Ben’s Theater in Jomtien to hear a programme in which the two main works were by Heinrich von Herzogenberg (From left) Hazim Suhadi (piano), Cooper Wright and Carl Reinecke. They may (oboe), and Bob Stoel (horn) of the Bandung Trio be unfamiliar today but in perform at Ben’s Theatre in Jomtien. their time they were considered important composers dering why they chose the who was ten years older. He and influential musicians. name, both Cooper and Bob was a prolific composer and The concert was given by have worked as guest musi- wrote a vast amount of music The Bandung Trio which cians with the Bandung Phil- including oratorios, orchesconsists of Cooper Wright harmonic Orchestra and tral works, two symphonies, (oboe), Bob Stoel (horn) and Hazim was born there. chamber music and many Hazim Suhadi (piano). They The Austrian composer songs. The Trio in D for take their name from the In- Heinrich Picot de Peccaduc, Oboe, Horn and Piano was donesian city of Bandung Freiherr von Herzogenberg, composed in 1889 and demwhich is about the same size as his imposing name implies onstrates the composer’s as Chicago and lies almost was descended from a French highly original style. It’s a ninety miles southeast of aristocratic family. He was a genial, intimate work cast in Jakarta. In case you’re won- contemporary of Brahms four short movements with

VOL. XXVI No. 49

PATTAYA MAIL

FRIDAY DECEMBER 7, 2018 17

Pink Fairies: ‘The Kings Of Oblivion’ mott@pattayamail.com What a band. Everybody loved the Fairies and on their night they were the best band in the world (on their off days – well, the less said the better).

They played every free festival there was, always turning up for them, but sometimes forgetting to turn up to the ones that they were supposed to be paid for. They toured with the equally infamous Hawkwind, ending every concert with a set of “Pinkwind”, where everybody got up on stage for a jam that would either be marvelous or, depending on the state of the respective band members, a complete shambles.

The Pink Fairies were well known for their excessive Rock ‘n’ Roll lifestyle; ultra cool looks (denim, leather,

very long frizzy hair, cowboy boots and eternal shades), couldn’t care less attitude, and excellent musicianship.

Unfortunately the latter quality was generally ignored by the press, but mind you, the band didn’t exactly help themselves with their barely concealed contempt for the press or the music business hierarchy in general.

This dog’s favorite Fairies’ story is that of turning up at Maidstone Civic Hall in southern England to witness the band in motion. After a very under-rehearsed Fairies had blown the roof off with a ramshackle 40 minutes set including encore (“City Kids”, “Lucille”, “Johnny B. Goode”, “Well, Well, Well”, “The Snake” and a 10 minute “Uncle Harry’s Freak Out”), we were greeted by a very annoyed looking Larry Wallis announcing from stage that the management had told them they were booked for 90 minutes and if they didn’t play 90 minutes they wouldn’t get paid. The band then came

back on stage, played exactly the same set again, only with “Uncle Harry’s Freak Out” including an extra 10 minutes drum solo. So the band got paid, management were happy, and the audience all got to see the Fairies twice.

This album under review, “The Kings Of Oblivion”, was the Pink Fairies third official release, after “Never Never Land” in 1971 and “What A Bunch Of Sweeties” in 1972. But to say the lineup had been consistent was like saying that the English cricket batting lineup was reliable. Already come and gone through the revolving Fairy door had been ex-Pretty Things drummer

Twink (off to play in The Stars with fellow spacemen Jack Monk and Pink Floyd’s Syd Barret), ex-T.Rex man Steve Peregrine Took, Trevor Burton of Move Fame, Mick Farren and Larry Wallis (who both came back), Paul Rudolph (lured away by promises of fame and fortune by Hawkwind… another fine mess) and Mick Wayne, who, although only in the band for 6 to 7 gigs, wrote their surprise hit single “Well, Well, Well”.

When Mick Wayne was kicked out of the band, this left the way open for the glorious return of Larry ‘Lazza’ Wallis, who’d been showing off his wares with Blodwyn Pig and U.F.O. (Wallis’ parting shot to U.F.O. after being fired for not turning up to rehearsals had been, “You may rehearse, I create”). Joining the nucleus of Duncan Sandersand on bass and ‘Wildman of Rock’ Russel Hunter on drums, the Fairies then enjoyed a period of stability (18 months) during

After rescue, Gaza’s only grand piano makes public comeback Fares Akram Gaza City (AP) — The only grand piano in the Gaza Strip was played in public for the first time in a decade last month — following a complicated international restoration effort to fix the instrument after it was nearly destroyed in an Israeli airstrike.

Some 300 fans attended the Sunday, November 25 performance, staring in awed silence as Japanese and local artists performed for them. For many, it was the first time they had ever heard a piano performed live.

“Playing this piano is feeling like playing history,” said Japanese pianist Kaoru Imahigashi. “It’s amazing. I felt the prayer of peace for many people.”

The piano’s story goes back many years, mirroring in many ways the story of Gaza.

The Japanese government donated the piano some 20 years ago, following interim peace accords between Israel and the Palestinians. At the time, Gaza was envisioned as becoming the Singapore of the Middle East.

Fayez Sersawi, a Culture Ministry official, said he was responsible for receiving the piano, which was placed at a large theater in the newly built al-Nawras resort in northern Gaza. He said music festivals were a regular activity before the beginning of the second Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation in 2000.

In 2007, the resort closed the theater and the swimming

Japanese pianist Kaoru Imahigashi performs during a concert to mark the debut of Gaza’s only grand piano, now fully restored, in Gaza City, Sunday, Nov. 25. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

pool and scaled down most activities after Hamas, an Islamic militant group, took control of Gaza by force after winning legislative elections. Under Hamas rule, many forms of public entertainment, including bars, movie theaters and concert halls, have been shuttered.

An ensuing Israeli-Egyptian blockade, meant to weaken Hamas, and severe damage after a three-week war with Israel in January 2009 closed the resort altogether.

The piano was silenced and sat unused until 2014, when an Israeli airstrike during a third war with Hamas destroyed the al-Nawras hall. The piano was miraculously found unscathed, but rickety and unplayable.

After the piano was discovered, the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, which sponsors development programs in Gaza, got involved. Workers from the agency took the serial number and contacted

Yamaha, its producer. The company confirmed that the instrument had been manufactured between 1997 and 1998.

“Everything matched,” said Yuko Mitzui, a representative of the cooperation agency.

The Belgian nonprofit group Music Fund, which supports music instruction in the Palestinian areas, sent a French expert in 2015 to restore the piano. Another Belgium restorer visited Gaza last month and put the final touches on the instrument. A limited, private concert was held as trial.

All 300 seats of the theater hall at the Palestine Red Crescent Society were occupied with fans of all ages for the November performance, as the rapt audience listened eagerly and clapped in applause at the end of each performance.

Kaoru, the pianist, stroked the keys smoothly as opera singer Fujiko Hirai performed the Japanese folk song “Fantasy on Sakura Sakura.”

It was the first time that Yasmin Elian, 22, attended a piano concert. “I liked how people interacted” with the artists, she said. “This encourages me to learn piano.”

Gaza has one music school, the Edward Said Conservatory, with 180 students. It suffers a lack of funding and operates in several rented rooms at the rescue services’ main ambulance station.

Ismail Daoud, a conductor who heads the school, said it’s hard to bring pianos to Gaza because of their weight and their prices, but that his school “desperately needs them.”

Larry Wallis.

which they recorded this remarkable guitar driven album.

There is no doubt that this is Wallis’ album, having a hand in writing all the songs, singing, playing guitar, plus production and engineering credits.

The album opens with the classic “City Kids”, which Wallis was to take with him when he formed Motorhead with Lemmy after the latter was kicked out of Hawkwind (it all gets very incestuous, doesn’t it). Here, the song is in its original version, all crunchy guitars, rock solid bass and drums with a catchy chorus, which you’ll find yourself singing along to second time around.

All the songs here are 24carat solid gold easy action and it is one of Rock music’s great injustices that this album is not regarded as one of its all time classics. Out of all the Fairies albums this is possibly their best, certainly their most refined studio

effort (but should be played at 11 for maximum effect).

Over the years there have been many Pink Fairies reformations and comebacks, at one time there were four different versions of the band on tour, plus up to eighteen albums released under the Fairies banner. But take my word for it, anything with Larry Wallis on it is sheer class. As for “The Kings Of Oblivion”, who can resist a cover with three flying pink pigs on it, all wearing shades?

Rating: 5 Stars Track List: City Kids I Wish I Was A Girl When’s The Fun Begin?

Chromium Plating Raceway Chambermaid Street Urchin Pink Fairies: Larry Wallis – lead guitar, big guitar, lead vocals Duncan Sanderson – bass guitar, lead vocals Russell Hunter – drums

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VOL. XXVI No. 49

3 Annual Riviera Group ‘Sports D rd

Winston Gale, owner of the Riviera Group, welcomes guests and athletes to the 3rd annual Riviera Group Sports Day.

Former Chonburi MP Chanyuth Hengtrakul speaks of his commitment to the wellbeing of the community.

Sarah Osborne-James (left), Head of Regents International School, presents a donation of 25,000 baht to Winston Gale for the welfare of underprivileged children.

By Special Correspondent The Riviera Group, Pattaya’s leading Real Estate Developer held their 3rd Riviera Sports Day on Saturday 24 November at the Regents International School.

Chanyuth Hengtrakul, former MP of Chonburi and former Secretary to the Minister of Health presided over the annual games. Together with Winston Gale, Riviera Group owner, and Sarah Osborne-James, Head of Regents, they officially opened the event after a parade that seemed to have extraordinary choreography for so many.

Winston Gale said, “Thank you Mr. Chanyuth for taking time from your busy schedule to honour us with your presence here today and thank you Sarah for your kind hospitality in hosting the event at your wonderful school. I extend a warm

welcome to all those who work alongside us to this sensational sporting venue.”

He then went on to thank and praise his wife Sukanya Gale and their key team members who worked tirelessly in the background making sure the event ran smoothly along with all the necessary organizing.

With over 500 people attending and taking part, and brightly coloured shirts displaying varying teams seen everywhere, the stage was set for not only a fun filled day of competitive play but also towards eventually building and strengthening friendships amongst contractors and suppliers who work closely with The Riviera Group.

The Riviera Group has a noble tradition of helping children, especially those underprivileged children who need medical care but cannot afford to pay for it.

Fun & laughter, thrills & excitement, beauty & splendor, the Riviera Sports Day was a wonderful celebration of friendship and love.

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Day 2018’ is another Huge Success

Sukanya Gale, owner of the Riviera Group, kept the day’s proceedings running like clockwork.

To this end 230,000 baht was raised from the sales of tickets priced at 200 baht.

The Regents International School also kindly donated 25,000 THB towards this worthy cause.

Various sporting events were held, including the 3,000 metre race around the schools oval track, the 100m sprints, 400m relay races, volleyball, tug-ofwar, sepak takraw and various humorous comedy games like the sack race, blindfolded girls searching for eggs, and the hilarious dangling-brinjal-hit-thegolf-ball race.

The highlight of the day saw the Regents football team pitch themselves against The Riviera’s finest. After a hard slog, Regents had the legs, winning a justified 4-2 victory and raised the large Riviera Football Trophy at the end of the day.

By sunset, hundreds of medals were given out to teams, winners and runners-up.

Celebrations were held for most of the day. Various hot and cold foods, BBQ and kebabs along with endless drinks were provided throughout, as was a music band with accompanying dancers on stage playing into the sunset and later into the night.

All very typical Riviera Style “Do it with style and very well or simply don’t bother”.

As far as community events go, this one is definitely one for the calendar next year. The good news is, it seems like the trendsetting team of The Riviera Group plan to extend an invitation to many more members of the business community to join in the next Annual Riviera Games in 2019.

Were in!

(Above) Ubonjitr ‘Min’ Thamchop, Agents Relation/ Marketing Manager, holds up the coveted Riviera Champions Trophy before the main event.

No one does it better! Sukanya and Winston Gale celebrate ‘in style’ at the end of a most memorable Riviera Sports Day 2018.

Everyone is a winner. Winston presents hundreds of medals and trophies to the participating athletes.

There were thrilling and heart-stopping moments around the sports venues whilst the less energetic adults played hilarious garden party games.

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VOL. XXVI No. 49

Bush mourned as a great statesman, a man of uncommon decency

In this Jan. 7, 2009, file photo, President George W. Bush, center, poses with President-elect Barack Obama, second left, and former presidents, George H.W. Bush, left, Bill Clinton, second right, and Jimmy Carter, right, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

was the end of the Cold War and nuclear arms race.”

During that time and after, Gorbachev said, he always appreciated the kindness Bush and his family showed him.

An avid outdoorsman who took Theodore Roosevelt as a model, Bush sought to safeguard the environment and signed the first improvements to the Clean Air Act in more than a decade. It was activism with a Republican cast, allowing polluters to buy others’ clean-air credits and giving industry flexibility on how to meet tougher goals on smog.

Darlene Superville, Michael Graczyk & John Rogers Washington (AP) - George H.W. Bush, a patrician New Englander whose presidency soared with the coalition victory over Iraq in Kuwait, but then plummeted in the throes of a weak economy that led voters to turn him out of office after a single term, has died. He was 94.

The World War II hero, who also presided during the collapse of the Soviet Union and the final months of the Cold War, died late Friday night, Nov. 30, at his Houston home, said family spokesman Jim McGrath. His wife of more than 70 years, Barbara Bush, died in April 2018.

Bush was honored with a state funeral at National Cathedral in the nation’s capital on Wednesday, followed by burial Thursday on the grounds of his presidential library at Texas A&M. Bush’s crowning achievement as president was assembling the international military coalition that liberated the tiny, oil-rich nation of Kuwait from invading neighbor Iraq in 1991 in a war that lasted just 100 hours. He also presided over the end of the Cold War between the United States and the former Soviet Union when communism began to crumble on his

In this Jan. 20, 1989, file photo, President George H.W. Bush raises his right hand as he is sworn into office as the 41st president of the United States by Chief Justice William Rehnquist outside the west front of the Capitol as first lady Barbara Bush holds the bible for her husband. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty, File)

watch, with the Berlin Wall coming down, the Warsaw Pact disintegrating and Soviet satellites falling out of orbit.

“We didn’t agree much on domestic policy, but when it came to the international side of things, he was a very wise and thoughtful man,” former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, a Democrat who lost the presidency to Bush in 1988, told The Associated Press on Saturday.

He credited Bush’s ability to negotiate with former Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev as playing a key role.

“It was a time of great change, demanding great responsibility from everyone,” Gorbachev told the Interfrax news agency. “The result

In this Oct. 29, 1991, file photo, President George H.W. Bush gestures during a joint news conference with Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, at the Soviet Embassy in Madrid. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File)

At the G-20 summit in Argentina, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was raised in then-divided East Germany, told reporters she likely would never have become her country’s leader had Bush not pressed for the nation’s reunification in 1990.

George Herbert Walker Bush was born June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts, into the New England elite, a world of prep schools, mansions and servants seemingly untouched by the Great Depression.

His father, Prescott Bush, the son of an Ohio steel magnate, made his fortune as an investment banker and later served 10 years as a senator from Connecticut.

George H.W. Bush enlisted in the Navy on his 18th birthday in 1942, right out of prep school. He returned home to marry his 19-year-old sweetheart, Barbara Pierce, daughter of the publisher of McCall’s magazine, in January 1945.

They were the longest-married presidential couple in U.S. history. She died onApril 17, 2018.

Lean and athletic at 6-foot2, Bush became a war hero while still a teenager. One of the youngest pilots in the Navy, he flew 58 missions off the carrier USS San Jacinto.

In this Nov. 3, 1980 file photo, former President Gerald Ford lends his support to Republican presidential candidate Ronald Reagan and his running mate George H.W. Bush, in Peoria, Ill. (AP Photo/File)

He also signed the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act to ban workplace discrimination against people with disabilities and require improved access to public places and transportation.

In Washington, the former Republican president won praise from leaders of both parties.

Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan lauded him for leading the nation with “decency and integrity,” while Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi said it was a “privilege to work with him.”

Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee said Bush “befriended political foes, reminding Americans that there is always more that unites us than divides us.”

In this Nov. 8, 1988 file photo, President-elect George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara wave to supporters in Houston, Texas after winning the presidential election. (AP Photo/Scott Applewhite, File)

He had to ditch one plane in the Pacific and was shot down on Sept. 2, 1944, while completing a bombing run against a Japanese radio tower. An American submarine rescued Bush. His two crewmates perished. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery.

After military service, Bush enrolled in Yale University, where he would become a scholar-athlete, captaining the baseball team to two College World Series before graduating Phi Beta Kappa after just 2 ½ years.

After moving to Texas to work in the oil business, Bush turned his attention to politics in the 1960s, being elected to his first of two terms in Congress in 1967.

He would go on to serve as ambassador to the United Nations and China, head of the CIA and chairman of the Republican National Committee before being elected to two terms as Ronald Reagan’s vice president.

Soon after he reached the zenith of his political popularity following the liberation of Kuwait, the U.S. economy began to sour, however, and voters began to believe that Bush, never a great orator, was out of touch with ordinary people.

He lost his bid for re-election to then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton, who would later become a close friend. The pair worked together to raise tens of millions of dollars for victims of a 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, which swamped New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in 2005.

“Who would have thought that I would be working with Bill Clinton of all people?” he joked in 2005.

Clinton said he would be “forever grateful” for that friendship.

Bush approached old age with gusto, celebrating his 75th and 80th birthdays by skydiving over College Station, Texas, the home of his presidential library. He did it again on his 85th birthday in 2009, parachuting near his oceanfront home in Kennebunkport, Maine. He used his presidential library at Texas A&M University as a base for keeping active in civic life.

He became the patriarch of one of the nation’s most prominent political families. In addition to George W. becoming president, another son, Jeb, was elected Florida governor in 1998 and made an unsuccessful run for the GOP presidential nomination in 2016.

The other Bush children are sons Neil and Marvin and daughter Dorothy Bush LeBlond. Another daughter, Robin, died of leukemia in 1953, a few weeks before her fourth birthday.

In this June 6, 1964, file photo George H.W. Bush, candidate for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate, gets ret u r n s b y p h o n e a t his headquarters in Houston, as his wife Barbara, smiles at the news. (AP Photo/Ed Kolenovsky, File)

VOL. XXVI No. 49

Articles For Sale/Rent As611/01-52/ Pattaya Mail Cartoonist Michael Baird (M.J.B.) has 3 brand new cartoon E-Books out. These and his other 10 cartoon EBooks can be bought from www.amazon.co.uk or www. booksmango.com. You will now be able to see all of Mike’s cartoons in FULL COLOUR. His 3 new Kindle E- B o o k s a r e “ P a t t a y a

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Cartoon Memories”, “Ladyboy Book 3” and “Pattaya Unforgettable Memories”. These cartoons are for grown-ups and would be unique gifts.

You never know - You might see yourself in them!

Articles/Services Wanted Aw01/01-52/ Missionary in Rayong sponsoring Little Duck Nursery needs help.

Please - Any unwanted items you have would be appreciated. (Eng) Rev Stephen 086 600 5682, (Thai) 0875 381 586

Businesses for Sale or Rent Bop03/31-52/ Spacious Double Shophouse, Thepprasit Road, Soi 5; very good business location; land 240sqm; business space 150sqm; 6 rooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 kitchenettes;

2-4 locked parking spaces; partly furnished; 4,900,000 THB or near offer; Joe: 092753 9309, info@ gopropertythailand.com, www.gopropertythailand.com Bop02/31-52/ Guesthouse in the heart of Pattaya, Thappraya Road; Land: 210Twah (840sqm) and approx. 800sqm business space on 2 floors; 14 rooms; tropical garden; family owned since 30 years; 11,950,000 THB o.n.o.; Go Property Thailand; 093 161 5995, info@gopropertythailand .com, www.goproperty thailand.com

Bop01/31-52/ Big Shophouse; located close Sukhumvit Road / Central Road; commercial space 200sqm; 19,950,000 THB o.n.o.; Go Property Thailand; 093 161 5995, info@ gopropertythailand.com, www.gopropertythailand.com

Notices No01/30-52/ Looking for a game of snooker with a retired ex-professional UK snooker player? Tel. Mike on 089 152 3202

Pets Pets03/01-52/ Homeless puppies available for adoption to warm and caring homes! All puppies are healthy, vaccinated and acclimated to people. If you are looking for a friend for life, just call 088 402 6772 or e-mail to karin @carefordogs.org.

Read more news at pattayamail.com

Pattaya Emergency Numbers Pattaya Call Center ................................ 1337 Police Station .......................................... 191 - Pattaya ................................................... 038 424 186 - Banglamung ......................................... 038 221 800-1 Highway Police ....................................... 038 392 001 Fire Brigade ............................................. 199 Pat. Int. Hopsital ..................................... 038 428 374-5 Bkk-Pat Hospital ..................................... 038 259 911 TAT Central Office: Region 3 Pattaya . 038 428 750 Tourist Police ......................................... 038 429 371, 1155 . .................................................................. 038 410 044 (FAX)

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VOL. XXVI No. 49

Pets02/01-52/ **Free Cats and Kittens** We are still trying to find loving homes for over 40 cats and kittens.

Please check the pictures on our website or ring Sandra.

Call 085 287 5004 http:/ cats4youinpattaya.webs.com

Property for Rent Houses, Villas Prb05/47-51/ For Rent: Bt.10,900 Per Month, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 3 A/C, Furnished, Pool, Clean, Beautiful, Soi 53 Nern Plabwan at Soi 45. Tel: 084-351-8254 Prb04/46-50/ TOWNHOUSE, Off Soi Khaotalo, Like new, quiet, safe, two bedroom, one bathroom, patio, carport, Thai kitchen, air-conditioned, FULLY FURNUSHED, Guarded Subdivision, Communal Pool, One Year Lease Minimum, Bt.9,5000. Monthly, Bt.19,000. Security Deposit.

English, 087-805-5276

Condos, Apartments Prc216/42-09/ Royal Park Luxury Service Apartments and penthouse suite, Jomtien: starting at 15,000 baht/month. 56-70sqm, one bedroom, large living area with balcony and European kitchen, Free internet. Enjoy

ROAD- very quite; 3,950,000 THB; 092- 753 9309, info @gopropertythailand.com, www.gopropertythailand.com

our rooftop swimming pool.

Short walk to the beach.

Monthly and daily rentals, Contact 086 111 7414 or check on our website www. royalparkjomtien.com to see why we are number 1 in Jomtien Prc216/47-51/ Rent 22,000 THB/month – Sea-front condo with infinity pool, tennis – Banglamung - 204sqm, 2-bed, 2-bath. See pictures at: www.facebook.com/ thailand.bayview, Tel: 082 122 4335, Email: bay.view @live.com Prc215/48-52/ Markland studios, 48sqm, beachfront, sea-view balcony, furnished, internet, refurbished: 15,000 Baht/month, minimum 12 months. Contact owner: ian.thailand@hotmail.com, 087 137 1529

Property for Sale Houses, Villas Psb32/47-51/ Bargain Pool Villa needs to be viewed. Refurbished very specious, 3 bed 3 baths, huge living room. Separate Euro kitchen and Thai kitchen Luxurious salt water pool with Jacuzzi and remote gate parking for 2 cars. Land 125TW, House 300m2. SP3 village Siam Country Club with excellent security 5.8 M Tel: 083 102 9293, also available for rent 40,000 baht per month.

Psb31/46-08/ House for sale: 1,850,000 Baht. Location in Soi Nernblabwan. Tel: 096 397 9541, Line ID: domicil24, Email: duangpee.domicil @gmail.com Psb30/45-49/ New house, nearby Regent School: 2.8 MB, Land 400sqm, 3-bed, 2bath, big living/kitchen, parking 4 cars, terrace, garden.

Tel. 081 623 3784 (Eng/Thai) Psb29/13-52/ 1-storey single house, living area 130sqm, land size 300sqm, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, fully furnished, European Kitchen, close to Satit School: 3.75 million baht. Tel. Heiner 0818611907 Psb28/31-52/ 5-storey Townhouse in Pratumnak; lobby, 9 rooms and 8 bathrooms; total area 320sqm; big garage; the property was

completely restored in 2015; new bathrooms, new rooms, new air-conditioners; new electric wiring; must see!

Great Opportunity! Only 6,200,000 THB; 092- 753 9309, info@goproperty thailand.com, www.goproperty thailand.com

Psb27/31-52/ City Villa in the heart of Pattaya; completely renovated; close to 3rd Road / LK Hotel; in walking distance to Soi Buakhao; 120sqm living space; land approx. 150sqm; 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living room, kitchenette; fully furnished; 2 new Flat TVs; 3 air-cons; big storeroom; garden, carport & parking; NO THROUGH

Psb26/31-52/ 3-storey Townhouse located in Pratumnak Hills close to “Royal Cliff Hotel”; living space 200sqm; fully furnished with high quality furniture; living room with dining area, 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, guest toilet; 1 European kitchen; terrace; 2 balconies; Jacuzzi bath; 3 aircons; ceiling fan; WiFi access; storage room; carport; very nice and clean place to live; 4,950,000 THB; Go Property Thailand; 093 161 5995, info@gopropertythailand .com, www.goproperty thailand.com

Psb25/31-52/ Villa located on Pattaya East Side, only 5 min. from Sukhumvit/Thepprasit Road; Land size 760sqm, living space 350sqm; partly furnished; living room, dining room, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, guest toilet; Jacuzzi; European kitchen, security 24/7; private pool; tropical garden; garage; parking; 15,500,000 THB;

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092- 753 9309, info@ gopropertythailand.com, www.gopropertythailand.com

Psb24/31-52/ Big Villa with 5,200sqm park similar land; located close to Huay Yai Road; living space 650sqm; fully furnished; 1 living/dining room; 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, full European kitchen; terraces; WiFi; private pool 10m x 5m; outdoor shower and toilet; small lake with sala; air-con in all rooms; fitness gym; many storerooms; 85sqm office in separate building; alarm; own well; pantry & laundry room; double garage; automatic gate; 3 BBQ’s; the property is completely walled in: 24,950,000 THB; Go Property Thailand; 093 161 5995, info@ gopropertythailand.com, www.gopropertythailand.com Psb23/31-52/ 3-storey modern “BAUHAUS-Style Villa” and a wooden “Traditional Thai Style house” on 1 Rai of land located in Pratumnak, Pattaya; 360sqm living space on 3 floors with gallery; Thai

house has 100sqm living space; short distance to the beach; both properties are partly furnished; open living room over 2 floors; dining room; 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 1 kitchen; terraces; WiFi; storage rooms; private parking; 75,000,000 THB; Go Property Thailand; 093 161 5995, info @gopropertythailand.com, www.gopropertythailand.com

Psb22/31-52/ Big Villa located in a clean & well maintained Resort in East Pattaya, 12 min drive to Sukhumvit Road; quite & peaceful; 1,632sqm land; living space approx. 500sqm; fully furnished with custom made quality furniture; 1 living room; 1 dining room; 3 bedrooms, 3 ensuite bathrooms, guest toilet, 1 kitchen, maid’s house; pool 10m x 5m (salt

water); many terraces; security 7/24h; double garage; fully air-conditioned; laundry, pantry, many storerooms; office; SOLAR hot water; double wall and roof insulation; emergency power generator; double glazed insulation windows; 25.000 liter water storage; 35,000,000 THB or best offer; 092- 753 9309, info @gopropertythailand.com, www.gopropertythailand.com

FRIDAY DECEMBER 7, 2018 23

beach-front road near new Terminal 21 shopping center: 48sqm, beach front balcony, furnished, refurbished, pool, fitness, foreign ownership, 3mio Baht, also finance options available by owner, details ian.thailand@hotmail.com, Tel. 087 137 1529

Condominiums Psc91/48-52/ The Grass Pattaya Tai, New Condo, 1 bedroom, fully furnished, kitchen, living room, balcony, garden view, 2 floor, 1.65 million (Negotiable) Tel: 080-776 0602 Psc90/46-08/ Condo for sale: 750,000 Baht. Location in Soi Nernblabwan. Tel: 096 397 9541, Line ID: domicil24, Email: duangpee.domicil @gmail.com Psc89/45-49/ Beachfront Condo at Bangsaray Condominium: 150sqm, 2-bedrooms, 2-bathrooms, 300m from beach, only 137units in 20-rai of green landscaped surroundings in an exclusive residence. Excellent decoration, fully furnished, TVLCD 50". Hot Sale 7.9 million (4x,xxx baht/sqm). Tel. 0813358102 (owner), for photos: pitipity@hotmail.com, Line: piti.t Psc88/45-02/ PRATAMNAK, 2-bedrooms, 2-bathrooms, Brand New! Sale: 3 Million Baht. High Floor, Includes furniture and appliances. Foreign name. Tel. 064 723-9972 Psc87/44-53/ Markland Studios, Soi 1, Pattaya

Psc80/31-52/ City-Studio Jomtien VIEW TALAY 1; 6th floor; living space 32sqm; 500m to the beach; fully furnished; 1 living-bedroom; 1 bathroom; kitchen; balcony; WiFi; security 7/24h; community pool; parking; restaurants, bars, supermarket 24h, laundry in the building; directly located at the 10-Baht-Taxi route and Shuttle Bus to Airport BKK; 1,250,000 THB; (or rent 7,900 THB) 092- 753 9309,. info @gopropertythailand.com, www.gopropertythailand.com Psc79/31-52/ Studio on the beach in Pratumnak, 50sqm, totally quite & peaceful, fully furnished; private access to the beach; big sea view terrace; 1 living-bedroom, 1 bathroom, full kitchen; washing machine; security 7/24h; community pool on beachfront; restaurant on pool side, parking; supermarket and laundry; 2,450,000 THB; (or rent 12,500 THB) 092 7539309, info@ gopropertythailand.com, www.gopropertythailand.com

Psc76/31-52/ Seaview Apartment in Pattaya, Pratumnak Hills with 2 bedrooms, 11th floor; 3 balconies; living space 101sqm; fully furnished; living room; 2 bathrooms, 1 European kitchen; 2 new air-conditioners, ceiling fans; double security door, security 7/24h; fitness gym; sauna; steam room; community pool; parking; restaurants, bars, supermarket, laundry; 7,495,000 THB; Go Property Thailand; 093 161 5995, info@gopropertythailand.com, www.gopropertythailand.com Psc74/33-52/ Studio located close to Pattaya Beach and “Rhompo Night Market”, Jomtien 2nd road, living space 47sqm, fully furnished, 1 living/bedroom, 1 bathroom, kitchenette, terrace, WiFi, Security 7/24h, fitness gym, community pool, garage, “10 Baht Taxi Route”, supermarket, laundry close by: 1,600,000 THB; GO PROPERTY THAILAND 093 -161 5995, info@goproperty thailand.com, www.go propertythailand.com

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24 FRIDAY DECEMBER 7, 2018

PATTAYA MAIL

VOL. XXVI No. 49

Poopay and Tan bag the gold PSC Golf from The Billabong Bar from Nick Farazerley, Stan Rees, Lloyd Shuttleworth, Dave Smith and Mark Wood.

There were no ‘2’s today from the ladies.

Monday, Nov. 26, Phoenix Gold – Scramble We would like to start by saying a huge thank-you to the management and friendly staff of Phoenix Gold Golf course for their help in making this charity day for a small school in Petchaburi a great success. Their professional attitude and manners were above and beyond the normal. Also a special thanks to Goort and Penny for their contribution to the day.

With 16 groups playing from two tees (Mountain and Lakes) we got away right on time and the golf just flowed along. The weather was grand but a little hot and the course was in fantastic condition.

Playing a two-person scramble it turned out to be a fun day and in the final shake-up the men had to give way to the

Friday, Nov. 30, Phoenix – Scramble

Brian Chapman with Nu and Tan. Lloyd Shuttleworth (left) with Brian Chapman of Haven Consultants.

ladies. Poopay and Tan came first with a net score of 60.7 while the other winners were at net 62 and net 62.3.

The amount of money raised on the day was just under 84.000 baht and once again thanks to everyone for their support and generosity.

Wednesday, Nov. 28, Green Valley - Medal Green Valley was in great condition with greens that not only held but were very fast to putt on. The fairways were just superb to play off and hopefully it will stay this way for ever more.

With 8 groups playing, we were away to a good start in perfect weather for golf. The Haven Consultants trophy was the prize today and the top scores were all in the 60s, with Peter Thomas taking third with a net score of 69 and Peter LeNoury lost a countback on net 68 to Lloyd Shuttleworth, the latter with a

gross 73 off his 5 handicap.

In the ladies division there were 3 groups playing and the scoring was not as good as usual. Taking third spot was Miss Kran with a net 72, her being beaten on a countback

by Miss Nu also on net 72. The winner of the Haven trophy was Miss Tan with a net 69.

There were five ‘2’s, coming

Phoenix again today for the monthly scramble, with 12 groups playing on a course in fantastic condition.

It is always good to see the stalwarts of this day every month come to challenge for the prize, and it was one of those days for the Valley Hackers (Ed, Don, Doug and Ted), taking third spot with a net score of 58.9. Second on the day went to the Billabong team of Capt Bob, Gary Ritchie, Colonel Bob Pearce and Paul Greenaway with a net score of 58.4, and it was great to see Willie Mercer, Alistair Aitken, Paul Montgomery and Tony Stevens take the top spot with a net score of 56.7.

Bill & Bryce take the plaudits PSC Golf from The Bunker Boys Monday, Nov. 26, Kabinburi S.C. – Stableford 1st Bill Almeida & Bryce Buckley 43pts 2nd Tony Oakes & Geoff North 41pts 3rd Daryl Vernon & John Chesney 40pts Fifty-six golfers made the trip to Kabinburi to participate in the second Bunker Boys Annual Golf Challenge.

A number of players decided to make the trip early traveling on Sunday and enjoying a relaxing evening, while the remainder had an early Monday morning start from Pattaya. Groups came from most of Pattaya’s golfing venues.

The course was in excellent condition with lush wellgrassed fairways, and greens that ran quick and true, even the greens that had recently been cored were still good.

The weather was hot but a strong wind cooled things down nicely. The format for the first day was a pairs competition with the first three pairs recognised, there was also a near pin and a longest putt competition. Given that

Bunker golfers at Kabinburi Sports Club.

Golfer of the month Geoff Parker.

it was a team competition scoring was modest for this format. To speed up play, groups were put off the first and tenth tees simultaneously.

The winning pair were Bill Almeida and Bryce Buckley with a combined score of fortythree points, i.e. the best individual Stableford score for each hole totaled up to find the team score. Second place went to Tony Oakes and Geoff North with forty-one points while Daryl Vernon and John Chesney took third place with forty-points.

Near pins went to Steve Mann and Barry Wellings while the second Bunker Boy in the winner’s circle

Ken Davidson snared the longest putt.

Back at our base the Serenity Hotel and Spa golfers enjoyed a sumptuous buffet laid on by our host Olivier Daniel and his staff.

Tuesday, Nov. 27, Kabinburi S.C. – Stableford A Flight (0-14) 1st Keith Allen 38pts 2nd Barry Wellings 38pts 3rd Chris Kerr 36pts B Flight (15+) 1st Stan Stuart 42pts 2nd Bill Almeida 38pts 3rd Tony Robbins 36pts Overnight rain and cooler conditions greeted players for the second day of competition. The ‘pick, clean,

and place’ rule was applied (fairways only) although it proved to be not necessary.

The format for the game was individual Stableford score.

The winner of the A flight was Keith Allen with thirty-eight points. Second went to Barry Wellings also with thirty-eight but losing on countback, while third place went to Chris Kerr on thirty-six points.

In the B flight, Stan Stuart took first place with an excellent forty-two points. Bill Almeida, appearing in the winner’s circle for the second time, took second place with thirty-eight points, and Tony Robbins carrying an injury battled manfully to third place with thirty-six.

Near pins went to Alan Sullivan. Kim Danboise, Nigel Harrison, and Steve Baker while Paul Hack took out the longest putt.

Prior to dinner and the presentation of prizes in true golfing tradition a charity chipping competition was held at the pool to raise funds for the family of the recently deceased Steve Allison from the Golf Club, a longstanding stalwart of the Pattaya golfing scene, a significant amount of cash was raised in this worthy cause.

Friday, Nov. 30, Pattavia – Stableford 1st Geoff Parker (16) 38pts 2nd Ken Davidson (22) 34pts 3rd Michael Brett (15) 34pts 4th Gordon Melia (21) 34pts The last game of the month was played at the popular but difficult Pattavia course where a field of nineteen took part. The course was as usual in fine condition but the greens are now starting to get faster as they dry out in the summer heat and provide a real challenge. Lag putting is out of the question on most greens and if a putt is above the hole and

doesn’t go in then it’s almost a guarantee that one is faced with another long putt uphill for the return.

Speed of play was very comfortable today with no holdups or delays.

Geoff Parker announced his intentions clearly for the upcoming club championship with a well compiled thirty-eight points winning by a solid margin.

Reigning club champion Ken Davidson made sure he was not out of the reckoning taking second place with thirty-four points, finishing the back nine with twentyone. Third place went to Michael Brett also on the same score as was Gordon Melia in fourth. There was a fourth player also on thirtyfour but he had the worst back nine of all four.

Near pins went to Les Hall, Ken Davidson, Neil Carter, and Nial Glover.

The win catapulted Geoff Parker to top position in the race for golfer of the month edging out Neil Carter who led for most of the month and also Keith Norman who failed to fire at the crucial time.

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 7, 2018 25

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Price burns up Pattavia with hot score

Another day dawned and golfers descended on the Pattavia course for the November Pattaya Amateur Golf Society (PAGS) tournament on Wednesday, 28th.

The day’s field of 105 players which included an improved contingent of 16 ladies had to contend with a course seeming to play hard and fast, with a light breeze to add some interest to approach shots.

Ken Price (H/cap 15) shot the best round of the day, winning the B Flight for handicaps 14–22, with an outstanding 45 points. Mind you, Ken needed to shoot this score as Glenn Armistead (18), who has averaged 40+ points over his past 3 PAGS rounds, signed for 43 points, while Bill Kana (22) picked up third spot with 41.

A Flight for handicaps 0– 13 was won by Juha Harilo (13) with a solid 41 points, while the minor places required countbacks with 3 players on 40 points. Daniel Isaramat (12) led the way with a back nine of 21, while Mike Gerri (10) edged the

Ken Price (right) receives his prize golf bag.

unlucky Sami Torkkeli for the bronze 19/18.

In the C flight, for handicaps 23+, there were countbacks required to settle the winners with Mike Warner (34) with a comparatively paltry 39 points getting the better of Odd Hansen (29) 18/17 on the back nine. Gabriel Enright was the successful countback winner for third spot, beating James Sulavori 18/15 after both players signed for 38 points.

Ladies winner was Pai Vos (29) with a creditable 41

points, while Wiyada Stafford (28) had 40 points to go with her technical on hole #2.

Low Gross winner was Peter Park (5) with 76 to go with his technical on hole #1, while further honourable mentions go out to Ken Price with his 2 long drives and his approach on hole #10. Unlucky countback loser Sami did get some consolation with a technical prize on #8.

Next month’s final event of the year is at Greenwood on 17 December.

Levin on fire at Pattavia PSC Golf from Café Kronborg

Barling finds treasure in his game The Tara Court Golf Society Sunday, Nov. 25, Green Valley Stableford We had 21 players tee it up today on a course in excellent condition and the with greens getting back to their normal speed. All groups were around in 4 hours or under and the temperature was just right also.

Two divisions today with the cut at 17 & 18+ and the “A” division was closely contested and you had to have played to handicap or better to feature in the prizes.

A countback was need to separate first & second places with Michael Williams (H/cap 12) on 37 points c/b 18-19 getting the gong ahead of Craig Hitchens (11) c/b 21-16 in second. Taking the bronze was Russell Gilroy (16) with 36 points.

In “B division scoring was not as good, with Tony Kennedy (25) in first place on 34 points while second went to Terry Mangan (22) with 32 and third to Pat Carty (22) on 31.

Tuesday, Nov. 27, Treasure Hill – Stableford A overcast and breezy day made for great cool golfing weather and we had 24 players for our monthly visit to Treasure Hill. The course was in excellent condition and the greens fairly fast.

The tee blocks were forward today which made club

Garry Barling.

Michael Williams.

selection a bit harder as hazards and other problems now came into play.

One player had an excellent score today and was the clear winner in “A” division (0-17). Garry Barling (H/cap 9) shot a fine 41 points to finish well clear of Ted Morris (17) in second with 36.

Third place went to Jon Batty (7) on 35 points and Wayne Antlitz (14) was fourth with 33.

Taking top spot in “B” division was Tony Kennedy (25) on 36 points while second went to Joe McArdle (16) on countback over John Villany (20), both with 35 points. Completing the podium was Bernie Staffors (18) in fourth with 31.

The big winner of the day with the only ‘2’ was Jean Fok Chak.

Star today on a course which is probably in as good a condition as it has ever been and now with the completely renovated clubhouse it is one of the best in the area.

Although everyone knows this is a very difficult course, the scoring today was very poor and despite having a reasonably large group none of us managed to play even near to handicap. Joe McArdle (18) was very surprised to find out that he actually won with 32 points, beating Colin Aspinal (17) on a countback. Gary Barling (9) was playing his last game with us for this trip and he also lost out on the count back and had to settle for the third spot. Tony Kennedy (25) made his second visit to the podium this week as his thirty points was good enough to take the fourth place, relegating Ken Hole (21) to the fifth and last place on countback.

Thursday, Nov. 29, Eastern Star Stableford We were back here at Eastern

Goddard stars at Siam Country Club PSC Golf from Lewinskis’ Bar Tuesday, Nov. 27, Bangpra – Stableford

Argo Levin and Kurt Sandgaard with Dave Richardson.

Monday, Nov. 26, Khao Kheow Stableford A Flight (0-23) 1st Peter Bygballe (19) 37pts 2nd Lotte Boskov (23) 35pts 3rd Ronnie Ratte (20) 33pts B Flight (24+) 1st Karen Brown (31) 33pts 2nd Kurt Sandgaard (32) 30pts 3rd Svend Gaarde (28) 27pts The testing B & C loops at Khao Kheow were the game today and the course was in fine condition with fast greens.

We had two flights with the cut set at handicap 23.

Peter Bygballe won the A flight with a fine 37 points ahead of Lotte Boskov in

second on 35 point and Ronnie Ratte third with 33.

Karen Brown took the B flight honors with 33 points, Kurt Sandgaard was second with 30 and Svend Gaarde took third on countback from Elias Magnusson and Steen Habersaat, all with 27 points.

Thursday, Nov. 29, Pattavia - Stableford A Flight (0-22) 1st Argo Levin (14) 43pts 2nd Peter Bygballe (19) 40pts 3rd Ronnie Ratte (22) 36pts B Flight (23+) 1st Kurt Sandgaard (32) 38pts 2nd Arne Pedersen (24) 36pts 3rd Jan Lovgreen (23) 32pts Near Pins: Tore Eliassen,

Peter Friis, Alex Christiansen, Jan Lovgreen.

Long Putts: Kurt Sandgaard, Svend Gaarde.

Pattavia was in fine condition with no sign of the greens being cored and sanded just a month ago. We had two flights again with the cut set at handicap 22.

Argo Levin topped the A Flight with an amazing 43 points, Peter Bygballe was second on 40 and Ronnie Ratte third with 36.

Kurt Sandgaard took the B Flight with 38 points ahead of Arne Max Pedersen in second on 36 and Jan Lovgreen in third on a countback from Svend Gaarde, both with 32 points.

Back to early start today (8.20am) and the course was noticeably busier than previous visits. The course looked wonderful, even though there was a very slight drizzle, making the temperature very comfortable.

The winner today was JeanPierre with an excellent 35 points off a handicap of 10, followed home by Maurice (h’cap 9) on 32 and Angus on 29 points off h’cap 6.

Wednesday, Nov. 28, Chee Chan G.C. – Stableford Work is continuing all around the entrance, approach road and car parks at this new golf venue, no doubt at a pace in time for the official opening 12th December.

Nobody could prevent J.P. Gasson from picking up his second win in as many days, this time with 33

Angus Neilson, Jon Goddard and Dave Prosser.

points. Second was newcomer John with 30 points off a h’cap of 13 and Jim Black (15) took third with 29.

Friday, Nov. 30, Siam Old Course Medal It was blue tees medal for everyone today on this well presented busy course and the extra length gave way to a number of NRs. Jon Goddard from Kuala Lumpur joined us today

together with Dave Prosser to continue their series of challenge matches against their annual opponents, both Angus Neilson and Jim Black. After winning at Laem Chabang on Thursday, Jon, playing off h’cap 6, continued his fine form with a gross 75 (net 69) playing from the blue tees, to win the day. Jon was level par on the back nine. Second place went to Dave with a net 70 (off 9), with Angus back in third on 76.

26 FRIDAY DECEMBER 7, 2018

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VOL. XXVI No. 49

Kenny gets his clubs back, wins big PSC Golf from the Pattaya Links Golf Society Monday, Nov. 26, Royal Lakeside Stableford A Flight 1st Colin Service (17) 39pts 2nd Maurice Roberts (13) 36pts 3rd Anthony Molan (10) 35pts B Flight 1st Kenny Jepson (30) 43pts 2nd Jim Ferris (22) 37pts 3rd Martin Hoblyn (24) 37pts When Phil and Maurice decided to sort the many sets of golf clubs not in lockers, they identified who the owners were and marked them accordingly. However, there was one set looking tired, dusty and as Phil said “with spiders running all over them” that they could not identify, so Maurice took them home in case the owner turned up.

When the owner retrieved his bag, there were a couple of clubs short, but eventually found. Kenny Jepson, happy to play with his own clubs again, just scorched around Royal Lakeside today like there was no tomorrow.

His 43 points spread-eagled the field to take the “B” flight win for his second Green Jacket. Next best in the flight was Jim Ferris, who is playing well of late, scoring 37 points to nudge out recent winner, Martin Hoblyn, on a countback.

Kenny Jepson (centre) with Derek Phillips (left) and Gordon Nelson.

“A” flight saw last start winner, Colin Service, make it back to back with a great haul of 39 points to finish 3 points clear of Maurice Roberts, while Anthony Molan, in his final game this trip, completed the placings with 35 points.

Near Pins were won by Huw Phillips (3), Derek Hutchinson (6), Gabriel Enright (12), Tommy Marshall (15) Consolation nines came from Chris Walsh (front) with 22 points and Petur Petursson (back) on 19 points.

Wednesday, Nov. 28, Pattaya C.C. Stableford 1st Brian Talbot (16) 39pts 2nd Dave Arataki (26) 36pts

3rd Alan Walker (28) 34pts 4th Martin Hoblyn (24) 33pts What a difference the last nine months have made as this course was in very good condition with fairways where the ball sat up, well tended bunkers and greens more consistent than they have been for a while. The only drawback was the general Thai greenkeepers’ passion for placing pins on slopes, noticeably on seventeen where a well placed uphill four-footer could pass the hole and end up eight feet back down the slope.

The single flight saw scores which were generally quite low, reflecting the difficulty of the challenge but fourth place went to the consistent

Martin Hoblyn on 33 points, one behind Alan Walker in third who was playing his swan song round before returning to Australia for a few weeks.

Second place went to Dave Arataki with his strong iron play giving him 36 points.

The winner was English golfer Brian Talbot who took his game to another level as he recorded 39 points for his best win in a long time.

The consolation awards went to Kevin Timbrell for his best front nine (18 points) and Niall Caven (best back nine of 18 points).

Near pins went to Maurice Roberts (5), Tony Browne (7), Colin Service (12), and the ubiquitous Dave Arataki (16)

Friday, Nov. 30, Khao Kheow Stableford A Flight (0-19) 1st Huw Phillips (16) 39pts 2nd Kevin Timbrell (18) 35pts 3rd Darren Beavers (17) 34pts 4th Colm Lawlor (14) 34pts 5th Derek Phillips (17) 33pts B Flight (20+) 1st Stuart Kidd (21) 34pts 2nd Matt Cronin (20) 32pts 3rd Nigel Harrison (21) 31pts 4th Mike Firkin (23) 30pts 5th Dave Arataki (26) 29pts This Friday morning thirtyseven golfers set out for

Brian Talbot.

Khao Kheow Country Club with hopes riding high. The weather was certainly on our side as we teed off the yellows on A1. Breezy with low humidity made life very comfortable. Unfortunately, this only lasted about half the round before it went back to the energy sapping usual.

The low season maintenance has been completed and the course is in great condition. There was the odd wet patch on some fairways, although carts did travel on course, bunkers are well maintained and caddies raked them, and the greens are running at speed and true.

Khao Kheow is never regarded as an easy course, where each hole is different

and provides its own challenges. Today, the A and B combination sent out the challenge but only one player was up to it.

Huw Phillips was the only golfer to beat his handicap, scoring a meritorious 39 points to easily take out “A” flight and the Green Jacket.

Kevin Timbrell has been in town for a couple of weeks and hit his straps today to take a clear second place with 35 points. A rejuvenated Darren Beavers brushed aside his last start “wig” to score 34 for third on countback over Colm Lawlor, and then Derek Phillips, 33 points.

The scoring in “B” flight was somewhat lower, but 34 points was enough to give Stuart Kidd the win. In second was Matt Cronin with 32 points followed by Nigel Harrison on 31, ahead of Mike Firkin with 30. Dave Arataki completed the podium scoring 29 points.

Near pins went to Huw Phillips, Darren Beavers, Mike Tottenham, and Dave Heyes while consolation nine best scores came from Tony Browne (front) with 18 points and Kevin McEntee (back) also with 18.

Read more news at pattayamail.com

Lee shoots the lights out Traveller’s Rest Golf Group Monday, Nov. 26, Pattana – Stableford Division 1 1st Reg Glass (18) 41pts 2nd Mimi Fujimoto (6) 40pts 3rd Svend Hommel (17) 37pts Division 2 1st Peter Williamson (21) 39pts 2nd Peter McGinty (23) 36pts 3rd Bart Bingham (19) 35pts One of the best and most difficult courses in Pattaya would have to be Pattana, it’s a pleasure to play on and it’s in magnificent condition.

Taking full advantage of the layout was Peter Williamson who negotiated the course well and romped home in division two to take first place with a commendable 39 points.

In division one it was Reg Glass who had been suffering from jet lag for the last few days but had the ball on a string and absolutely smashed the course with an incredible 41 points

Tuesday, Nov. 27, Green Valley – Stableford Division 1 1st Ito Akitoshi (11) 38pts 2nd Geoff Pratt (15) 37pts 3rd Mike Rushant (12) 35pts

Division 2 1st Suresh Mehta (19) 36pts 2nd Derek Thorogood (17) 36pts 3rd Reg Glass (17) 35pts Tuesday and we were once again heading for Green Valley with bus loads of hopefuls itching to get a mention in the roll call. In division two, Derek Thorogood was just pipped for the top spot by Suresh Mehta by virtue of a stronger back nine. In division one there was no need for a countback as Ito Akitoshi posted the best score of the day with 38 points and took the line honours.

Wednesday, Nov. 28, The Emerald – Medal Division 1 1st Mike Rushant (12) net 69 2nd Dave Palmer (9) net 71 3rd Richard Talbot (15) net 72 Division 2 1st Peter Williamson (16) net 70 2nd Jim Swander (21) net 73 3rd Ged Blairs (28) net 76 Emerald was the venue for the penultimate TRGGFerdinand Cup and with only two places left up for grabs the competition was

Friday, Nov. 30, Burapha - Stableford

Lawrence Lee.

Reg Glass.

fierce. Wiping out another contender was Mike “The Machine” Rushant who already has a spot in the finals but wanted to eliminate some of the competition. Mike’s 81 of the stick, net 69 certainly did that and whittled the field down in his favour.

In division two Peter Williamson was vying for a spot in the finals but although he won his division with a fine 86, net 70, it wasn’t enough to get him over the line.

2nd Sakai Yasuo (10) 32pts 3rd Seil Peter (04) 31pts Division 2 1st Jim Swander (21) 38pts 2nd Alain Hefner (15) 33pts 3rd Derek Thorogood (17) 32pts Our regular Thursday visit to Phoenix and once again we took on the on the Mountain and Lakes courses. With perfect conditions we were expecting some pretty high scores, however with the exception of Jim Swander nobody else shot their handicap.

Jim posted a very credible 38 points whilst in division one Mike “The Machine” was very surprised to be awarded first place with a modest 34 points.

Thursday, Nov. 29, Phoenix – Stableford Division 1 1st Mike Rushant (11) 34pts

Division 1 1st Geoff Pratt (14) 38pts 2nd Alain Hefner (15) 38pts 3rd Mike Rushant (11) 38pts Division 2 1st Lawrence Lee (23) 45pts 2nd Jim Swander (20) 38pts 3rd Ted Senior (16) 37pts On Friday we were paying our regular visit to Burapha where Lawrence Lee shot the lights out and posted an unbelievable 45 points to literally smash his division by a massive seven shots. In division one it was a lot closer and required countbacks for all three places before a winner could be determined.

Coming out on top was Geoff Pratt whose twenty-two

points on the back nine clinched the deal, however it did go down to the last three holes before that became evident.

Saturday, Dec. 1, Greenwood – Stableford 1st Chun Yung-Park (10) 38pts 2nd Terry Smith (03) 37pts 3rd Billy Allan (12) 34pts We closed the week out at Greenwood where for the first time in ages we only required one division. Coming out in first place was Chun Yong-Park who obviously used his handicap to his advantage and just scraped home, beating Terry Smith by a single shot with a a fine 38 points.

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Stielow secures monthly mug PSC Golf from The Growling Swan Monday, Nov. 26, Mt. Shadow Stableford A-Flight 1st Keith Buchanan (15) 30pts 2nd Colm Lawler (14) 29pts 3rd Mashi Kaneta (14) 26pts B-Flight 1st John Coetzee (20) 32pts 2nd Colm Mullen (27) 29pts 3rd Colin Stielow (25) 28pts Near Pins: #5 Troy Pickford, #8 Geoff Williams, #15 Steve Younger, #17 Mashi Kaneta.

Long Putts: #9 Colm Lawler, #18 JC Lhoste.

Today, 22 eager golfers found a course still in good condition despite all the

recent rain and carts were allowed off the paths. We played from the white tees and found plush fairways, greens running true and clean bunkers. But if you ventured from the fairways you could find yourself in deep trouble.

Keith Buchanan was having his last hit with us for a few weeks and was one of only two golfers to return with scores in the thirties.

Keith greeted the A Flight judges with 30 points, one shot clear of second place getter Colm Lawler. Last spot on the podium went to Mashi Kaneta, having not come back for the

tees. The course was in great shape; fairways were good and greens ran true with the bunkers clean and raked.

A Flight saw Mashi Kaneta take first spot with net 70, two strokes clear of Josie Ryan. Third spot went to a count back and Bill

Keith Buchanan and John Coetzee.

presentation he would not be aware that he had made a podium finish.

B Flight welcomed back John Coetzee with the score of the round, an unbeaten 32 points. Second home was Colm Mullen, with Colin Stielow taking third one shot behind second and four off the leader.

Wednesday, Nov. 28, Pleasant Valley – Medal Mashi Kaneta, Colin Stielow and Don Richardson.

DATE:

FRI 07

Apple’s Irish

Mt. Shadow

Bunker Boys

Treasure Hill

SAT 08

A Flight (0-14) 1st Mashi Kaneta (12) net 70

SUN 09

2nd Josie Ryan (5) net 72 3rd Bill Stienmann (11) net 74 B Flight (15+) 1st Colin Stielow (25) net 67 2nd Don Richardson (18) net 71 3rd Alex Field (15) net 72 Near Pins: #5 Gordon Clegg, #8 Alex Field, #13 Mashi Kaneta, #17 Steve Younger.

Long Putts: #9 Don Richardson, #18 Denis Steele.

Must be something about ‘mug day’ and today we went with twenty-three golfers, ensuring that we were to play 2 flights off the white

MON 10

TUE 11

WED 12

Crystal Bay

FRI 14 Eastern Star

Eastern Star

Greenwood Plutaluang

Khao Kheow

Green Valley

Growling Swan Billabong Golf

THU 13

Pleasant Valley

Cafe Kronborg Colin’s Golf

Steinmann got the nod over Steve Younger.

B Flight found this month’s mug winner in the shape of Colin Stielow who had a very good score of net 67, placing him 4 strokes clear of second placed Don Richardson. Alex Field finished off the podium a further shot behind.

Pleasant Valley

Mt. Shadow

Eastern Star

Khao Kheow Crystal Bay

Burapha

Phoenix

Pleasant Valley

Mt. Shadow

Greenwood

Crystal Bay

Plutaluang

Pleasant Valley

Lewinski’s

Siam Old Course

Green Valley

Bangpra

Khao Kheow

Burapha

Siam Old Course

The Links

Eastern Star

Mt. Shadow

Pleasant Valley

Treasure Hill

Le Katai

Green Valley

Burapha

Greenwood

Pattaya C.C.

I Rovers Retox Game On Siam Country Sugar Shack Harry’s Golf The Golf Club

Greenwood

Greenwood Pattavia

King Nage

Pattaya C.C.

Mt. Shadow

Eastern Star

Green Valley

Plutaluang

Pattana

Pattavia

Pleasant Valley

Mt. Shadow Parichat Khao Kheow

Khao Kheow Pattavia

Pattaya C.C.

Khao Kheow

Pattana

Green Valley

The Players Lounge Tropical Golf

King Nage

King Nage

Royal Lakeside

Valley View Hackers

Green Valley

Green Valley

Outback Golf Bar

Green Valley

Burapha

Pattana Green Valley

M.Kheow/G.Prix

Green Valley Laem Chabang

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The Bunker Boys meet at the M-Club off Pattaya 3rd Road for golf outings every Monday, Wednesday and Friday (www.bunkersociety.com). Transportation leaves from Cafe Kronborg on Soi Diana Inn at 8:15 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, (contact Dave on tel. 038 602 2117). Colin’s Bar plays golf Sun/Mon/Wed & Fri (www.colinsbar.com). The Growling Swan plays golf on Monday & Thursday (www.thegrowlingswan.com). Lewinski’s in Soi Pattayaland 1 (Soi 13/3), now have a new schedule, 5 days per week Monday thru Friday. Transport is available everyday, call Jack on 0815781956 for further information and booking. The Pattaya Links Hotel Golf Society departs from Soi Buakhao on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Call Phil on 0625 933 380 or visit www.thelinkshotelpattaya.com. The Golf Club is located on Soij LK Metro. Call Phil on 090 769 3778. Tropical Golf meets at BJ’s Holiday Lodge at 8am on Tuesday’ & Friday. Call Derek on 089 034 0629

28 FRIDAY DECEMBER 7, 2018

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VOL. XXVI No. 49

Wilder keeps heavyweight title, fights Fury to split draw Greg Beacham Los Angeles (AP) — Tyson Fury dominated long stretches of his heavyweight title bout against Deontay Wilder with shifty technique and graceful defence.

He still ended up flat on the canvas in the 12th round, his eyes rolling backward while Wilder celebrated above him.

Fury somehow gathered his wits, rose and made it to the final bell. That’s when both hulking men heard a verdict that didn’t satisfy them, but nearly guaranteed a rematch of this exciting showdown.

Wilder and Fury fought to a split draw last Saturday night in Los Angeles, with Wilder retaining his WBC heavyweight title after knocking down his British challenger twice.

“One hundred percent we’ll do the rematch,” Fury said. “We are two great champions. Me and this man are the two best heavyweights on the planet.”

Wilder (40-0-1) floored Fury (27-0-1) in the ninth and final rounds, yet Fury clearly outboxed Wilder for large portions of their meeting at Staples Center.

Fury appeared to be on his way to a decision victory when he came out for the final round — and a minute later, he looked totally finished when Wilder put him on his back with a right-left combination. Yet Fury rose, summoning strength at the critical moment of his comeback from a 2½-year ring absence amid bouts of drug abuse and depression.

“I hope I did you all proud after nearly three years out of the ring,” Fury said. “I was never going to be knocked out tonight. I showed good heart to get up. I came here tonight and I fought my heart out.”

While Wilder kept his belt, Fury remained the unofficial lineal champion of the heavyweight division by virtue of his victory over Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015.

Judge Robert Tapper scored the fight 114-112 for Fury, while Alejandro Rochin favored Wilder 115-111.

Judge Phil Edwards scored it a 113-113 draw.

“We gave each other all we’ve got,” Wilder said.

“We’re the best in the world.

The respect was mutual.”

Tyson Fury, of England, lies on the canvas after being knocked down by Deontay Wilder during the 12th round of their WBC heavyweight championship boxing match Saturday, Dec. 1, in Los Angeles.

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

While both men thought they won, neither was overly upset by the verdict in front of a frenzied Hollywood crowd.

They embraced warmly and immediately talked about a rematch in the spring.

“When you get two warriors, you get a great fight,” Wilder said. “That’s what we proved tonight, and I’m ready to do it again.”

The bout was a rare meeting of two unbeaten heavyweight stars in their apparent primes, with both fighters putting aside caution and the typical squabbles over

money or belts to stage one of the most compelling matchups in the glamour division’s recent history.

And the fighters delivered, each in his unique way. The 6-foot-9 Fury spent nearly every moment of the fight nimbly avoiding Wilder’s punches in a masterful display — except for the two moments when the 6-foot-7 Wilder viciously knocked him to the canvas.

A punch to the top of Fury’s head shockingly put him down in the ninth, but

he bounced up quickly.

With just two minutes left in the fight, Wilder buckled Fury’s knees with a right hand and knocked him senseless with a perfect left on the way down.

Even though Wilder made a throat-slashing gesture and mouthed “It’s over,” Fury beat the count and went back to work.

Wilder failed to win for the first time since his semifinal bout at the Beijing Olympics, and he failed to knock out his opponent for only the second time in 41 career bouts. Yet the Bronze Bomber showed remarkable resourcefulness and power, avoiding what would have been a decision loss with those two knockdowns.

“We’re both warriors, but with those two drops, I think I won the fight,” Wilder said.

“I came out slow. I rushed my punches. I didn’t sit still. I was too hesitant. I started overthrowing the right hand, and I just couldn’t adjust.”

Fury responded admirably to a big step up in competition after a lengthy absence and two warmup bouts, but

Wilder got him in just enough trouble to earn a draw.

Staples Center had a frenzied atmosphere after the high-energy introductions, but the fighters settled into a technical bout early. Fury used his twitchy movement and near-constant feints to disrupt the rhythm of Wilder, whose trademark looping punches rarely found their mark. The Englishman made Wilder miss constantly, particularly ducking under Wilder’s big right hand with grace.

Fury was elusive and creative in the seventh and eighth rounds, and Wilder appeared to be out of answers.

But early in the ninth, Fury went down when he absorbed a shot to the top of the head from Wilder.

The punch wasn’t the biggest of the fight, but Fury was stunned — and he responded by getting up and raising his aggression in an exciting round.

Fury went right back to work in the next two rounds, and a decision appeared to be in reach. But Fury went down again — and nearly everybody thought it was for good.

Modric wins Ballon d’Or, Hegerberg takes women’s award

NZ win Dubai Sevens beating US in final 21-5

Olympique Lyonnais’ Ada Hegerberg (center) poses with Real Madrid’s Luka Modric (left) and Paris St Germain’s Kylian Mbappe during the Golden Ball award ceremony in Paris, France, Monday, Dec. 3. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

New Zealand’s players celebrate after they beat the U.S. in the final of the Dubai Rugby Sevens in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Dec. 1. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

John Leicester & Jerome Pugmire Paris (AP) — Luka Modric ended the long reign of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo by winning the Ballon d’Or for the first time on Monday, while another first saw Norwegian forward Ada Hegerberg win the inaugural women’s trophy.

Messi and Ronaldo had won every Ballon d’Or since 2008, and usually fought only each other for the greatest recognition among soccer’s elite. Women’s fight for recognition on the

biggest stage took a big step with Hegerberg’s award.

Modric won the Champions League with Real Madrid and then guided Croatia to the World Cup final in July.

The midfielder was voted player of the tournament.

“As a kid we all have dreams.

My dream was to play for a big club and win important trophies,” Modric said. “The Ballon d’Or was more than just a dream for me and it is really an honor and a privilege to hold this trophy.”

Ronaldo was second in the polling followed by France forward Antoine Griezmann.

France’s teen star, Kylian Mbappe, was fourth.

France Football magazine has been awarding the Ballon d’Or since 1956, and created a women’s award for the first time this year.

Hegerberg is a three-time Women’s Champions League winner with French side Lyon and scored a tournamentrecord 15 times last season.

“I want to say thanks to France Football. It’s a huge step for women’s football,” Hegerberg said. “I want to end this speech with a message to all young girls in the world.

Believe in yourselves.”

Dubai, UAE (AP) — New Zealand won the Dubai Sevens rugby title a record-tying sixth time after beating first-time finalist the United States 21-5 last Saturday.

The Kiwis easily beat the Eagles on Friday in pool play, but the final was in the balance until two minutes to go, when Andrew Knewstubb’s second conversion to Dylan Collier’s brazen try gave the Kiwis a safe 14-5 lead.

Moments before, the U.S. knocked on and the ball went out. New Zealand had a choice of scrum or lineout and chose a quick throw in.

The U.S. was caught napping and Collier lumbered 60 meters to the posts.

New Zealand had only two reserves instead of the usual five after a sapping 7-5 win over England in the semifinals. But the Eagles, at full complement, couldn’t expose the tired New Zealanders because they weren’t able to offload, and were plagued by errors.

After taking an early lead, New Zealand were reduced to six at the start of the second half when Luke Masirewa was sin-binned for a high tackle, and a Martin

Iosefo break drew the Kiwis to free Stephen Tomasin to score untouched for the U.S. But then the Eagles knocked on at the restart, Collier caught them sleeping, and to cap a comical phase, they lost possession when they had eight men on the field.

A converted try to Ngarohi McGarvey Black finished the scoring, as the New Zealand men followed their women’s team from a day before in becoming champions. But the men’s last Dubai title was nine years ago.

The second leg is this coming weekend in Cape Town.

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Lavette shines at Eastern Star The Jomtien Golf Society Monday, Nov. 26, Chee Chan G.C. Stableford Twenty-seven of us were playing here probably for the last time until next May. It was a tougher test of golf than three weeks ago with a strong wind throughout the round but the course was still in great condition.

We had an equal cut of 617.0 and 17.1 + in the two divisions and Bruce Gardner, just returned from a trip ‘down under’, topped division 2 with 34 points. We then had three 30-pointers fighting for the next positions and with a 15/14/12 back nine countback Shane Tutton took second, Dave Howden was third and John

Walsh fourth. In fifth place Steve Harris beat Rick Assi 17/15 after they both scored 29 points each.

Thirty-two points was the best score in division 1 with three contenders so a 18/15/ 14 back nine countback had Dennis Scougall as the winner, Ron Miller in second place and Paul Young third. Bob Comartin came in fourth on 31 points and Mark Potton took fifth after beating Neil Gamble 15/14, both with 29 points.

Near pins went to (Div 1) Bob Comartin, Tim Hake and Jerry McCarthy, and (Div 2) Jim Connelly, Stave Harris, Shane Tutton and Paul Young.

Tim Hake birdied the 3rd in division 1 and Grant Cadell

the 12th and Jim Connelly the 17th in division 2 in the ‘2’s today.

Wednesday, Nov. 28, Treasure Hill Stableford A slightly smaller field than Monday’s outing with the cut today set at 10-14 and 16+ and 36 points was the best of the day, coming from Bob Comartin to win division 1. Dennis Scougall was in the frame again in second on 35 and Pete Sumner took third with 33 points.

In division 2, John Walsh lost out to Willy Van Heetvelde on an 18/15 countback after they both came in with 33 points and six points behind in third place was Frank Grainger.

Carmody tastes medal success PSC Golf from the Tropical Golf Group

(From left) Bob Comartin, Nu, Dennis Scougall and Johnny Walsh.

Near pins were claimed by (Div 1) Bob Comartin, Neil Gamble, Dennis Scougall and Pete Sumner, and (Div 2) Rick Assi, Frank Grainger and Shane Tutton.

Bob Comartin birdied the 6th and in division 2 there were three rollovers in the ‘2’s to Plutaluang on Monday.

Friday, Nov. 30, Treasure Hill – Stableford November wound down with a trip to the always challenging Treasure Hill Golf and Country Club. The three and four-balls had been set and 20 hopeful players hit the road.

The first hole at Treasure Hill is a difficult par 5, dogleg, left, that is followed by a long par three. In fact, most every hole offers some kind of challenge. The course is not easy, but it was a great day to walk around the course. The three-balls that led the way

We had six groups out today with the cut at 8-17 and the highest score of the day came in division 2, with Ron Lavette winning with 38 points. Ray Daws was second on 35

Gettinby goes big at Pleasant Valley

Tuesday, Nov. 27, Greenwood B & C - Medal This day it was time to play for the Tropical Golf monthly mug and to hoist and/or drink from this lovely vessel is the dream of many Pattaya golfers. Sixteen golfers headed out to Greenwood with visions of cradling the mug later in the day.

The B-course at Greenwood is open again and although it has a little more “growing in” to do it is in excellent shape and also quite challenging. Previous rains left parts of the course slightly soggy but we avoided ‘lift-n-clean’.

Don Carmody (c/h 32) used his handicap strokes wisely and negotiated the tricky course with a rock solid net 70. A steady back nine helped Don win on countback and take the mug over Gordon Clegg.

In the A-Flight (0-19), Takeshi Hakozaki (c/h 16) had a fine net par-tying 72, just one stroke ahead of Mashi Keneta (16) at net 73. Big Deryl Neufeld and Andre Van Dyk had identical scores off identical handicaps (17 & 74) with Deryl taking the countback honors.

In B-Flight (20+), poor Gorden Clegg (29) lost the mug by half a point with his net 70.

Mick Coghlan (26) was four shots off with his net 74, followed by “Buckers” Buckingham (26) at net 75 and Colm Mullen (31) rounding out the flight with net 76.

Friday, Nov. 30, Eastern Star Stableford

points and Frank Kelly placed third with 33. Bruce Gardner came in fourth with a poor score of 29, but he was happy with that.

37 points won division 1 and on top of the podium again was Dennis Scougall.

Pete Sumner was second one point behind, with Paul Butler third on 35 and Colin Aspinall fourth with 31.

There were some very tough pin placings out there today with at least six flags positioned one foot from a gradient so a three-foot putt finished six feet down the slope.

Near pins went to (Div 1) Bob Comartin and Mark Stanley (3), and (Div 2) Ray Daws, Glyn Evans and Guy Russell.

Playing off an 8 handicap with three near pins under his belt, Mark Stanley birdied the 17th for the only ‘2’ of the day.

PSC Golf from Siam Country Resort Pattaya Tuesday, Nov. 27, Pleasant Valley Stableford

Monthly mug winner Don Carmody.

were able to complete the circuit without delay. As the last of the four balls returned to the clubhouse, the day’s winners were determined and the golfers packed back into the cars for the drive back to Pattaya.

The A flight (0–15) had the score of the day, with Takeshi Hakozaki totaling 39 stableford points, playing from his course handicap of 15. Second went to Rob Brown (7) with 31 points while John Davis (12) was able to sneak into third with 28.

In the B flight (16-25), Graham Buckingham (25) was in first, right on his handicap with 36 points. Second was Tom Harrington (18) with 35 points, making what has been recently a rare appearance on the winner’s list. Mick Coghlan (24) was third with 34.

Daryl Evans (26) was first in the C flight (26+) with 35 points, Colm Mullen (30) took second with 31 and Frank Xin (24) was third with 30.

The best front nine, not placing, went to Gorden Clegg’s 17 while, Mashi Kaneta had the best back nine score with 18 points.

We went to Pleasant Valley with 3 groups on Tuesday and the course was in reasonable shape. Many times this course is too wet but today we were slightly surprised by the better conditions. The weather was ok today too so no barriers for good results.

Sam Gettinby was really on fire today and won with an amazing 47 stableford points.

At a respectful distance came Ty Anderson in second with 37 points, beating Stan Rees on countback.

Paddy Devereux took fourth with 35 points.

Near pins were claimed by Dave Smith and Ty Anderson.

Andy Nesbitt, Stan Gettinby & Sam Rees.

Thursday, Nov. 29, Mt. Shadow – Stableford This course was in excellent condition and was a pleasure to play. The weather was sunny and very hot but we had a nice breeze. The game was exciting to the end and was eventually decided

on the last hole. Sam Gettinby was still in good form, butAndy Nesbitt got him on the final hole by way of a countback. Stan Rees also had a chance but lost out on his inward nine score after all three ended with 36 points overall.

The near pins went to Paddy Devereux, Dave Smith and Andy Nesbitt.

Cyclists turn out in droves for Bangkok Bank Cycle Fest From page 36 The festival village zone offered many recreational activities for cyclists and spectators including bicycle equipment shops, food and drink stalls, music stages and fun interactive games to enjoy.

Dr. Taveelab Rithapirom, Asst. Managing Director of Bangkok Bank, said the festival this year had raised a

total of 720,000 baht from the fun ride application fee which would be donated to the Fr. Ray Foundation, which cares for orphaned children and those who suffer from disabilities.

This year’s cycling champions were as follows: Master category (62km) - Filip De Troetsel (male) and Pornpat Bhusripong (female); Open category (62km) - Puridet Intapiw (male) and Patthiya Suthitham (female); Classis

category (46.5km) - Nathachai Malaithong (male) and Kullaporn Chareonsukh (female); Sprint category (31km) - Rungsimun Hungard (male) and Kullaporn Chareonsukh (female); Off Road category (41km) - Ekapol Phupuak (male) and Sara Tighe (female); and Team Time Trial (46.5km) – Team Tanaphon Srinaumnuayphone (male) and Team Katherine Hume (female).

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Luis Ortiz (left) hits Travis Kauffman with a knockdown punch during the sixth round of their heavyweight boxing match Saturday, Dec. 1, in Los Angeles.

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

VOL. XXVI No. 49

Mikaela Shiffrin, of the United States, skis down the course during the women’s World Cup super G ski race in Lake Louise, Alberta, Sunday, Dec. 2. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

South Korea’s Jinyoung Park and Doung Kyu Kang race down the track during a luge World Cup doubles event in Whistler, British Columbia, Friday, Nov. 30. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) (Above) Barbarians’s Lood de Jager (left) celebrates after scoring a try during the international Rugby Union match between Argentina and the Barbarian’s at Twickenham stadium in London, Saturday, Dec. 1.

(AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Tiger Woods hits from the third tee during the first round of the Hero World Challenge at the Albany Golf Club in Nassau, Bahamas, Thursday, Nov. 29.

(AP Photo/Dante Carrer)

Memphis Grizzlies’ JaMychal Green goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers’ Mike Muscala during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 2, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won 103-95. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

New Zealand’s batsman Henry Nicholls leaves the pitch after being dismissed by Pakistan’s Yasir Shah in their 3rd test match in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Dec. 3. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

VOL. XXVI No. 49

Renault-Nissan typical of uneasy East-West auto partnerships Yuri Kageyama Tokyo (AP) — The recent arrest of Nissan’s former chief executive Carlos Ghosn has raised doubts over the future of the alliance among automakers Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors that he helped to forge. Such partnerships wax and wane over time, but they’ve grown in importance as companies develop electric vehicles, net connectivity and artificial intelligence for autos.

Ghosn was arrested Nov. 19 in Tokyo on suspicion of under-reporting his income and other financial misconduct. The boards of Nissan Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Motor Corp. voted unanimously to oust him as chairman, while Renault SA of France has kept him while seeking more information about his case.

With Ghosn gone, speculation is growing Nissan may review its alliance with Renault. Renault owns 43 percent of Nissan, while Nissan owns 15 percent of Renault, with the French government also holding a 15 percent stake. Renault rescued Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy in 1999, but the Japanese automaker is now more profitable than its French partner.

This is not the first time East-West auto alliances in Japan have run afoul, underlining the challenges of such collaborations. Here’s a look at some other alliances and why they folded:

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In this April 13, 1985 file photo, then Toyota Motor Corp. Chairman Eiji Toyoda (left) and then General Motors Corp. Chairman Roger B. Smith shake hands in front of a Chevrolet Nova at the new United Motor Manufacturing Inc. plant in Fremont, Calif.

(AP photo/Paul Sakuma)

FORD-MAZDA U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co. helped engineer a turnaround at Japan’s Mazda Motor Corp., forming an alliance in 1979 and taking a 25 percent stake. That was raised in 1996 to 33.4 percent, considered a controlling share in Japan.

Ford sent executives and shared technology and auto parts to help cut costs at struggling Mazda. But the U.S. automaker ran into problems of its own and became hungry for cash, Mazda began buying back stakes, spending 17.8 billion yen (about US$150 million at today’s exchange rate) to buy back 6.8 percent of its own shares in 2008. The U.S. automaker, based in Dearborn, Michigan, gave up its top stakeholder position in Mazda in 2010 and now owns no stake in the Japanese company.

Hiroshima-based Mazda, which makes the Miata roadster, has more recently entered a partnership with Japan’s top automaker Toyota Motor Corp., investing in a plant that makes vehicles for both brands in the U.S. and sharing technology.

GENERAL MOTORSTOYOTA The 50-50 joint-venture plant in Fremont, California, between Toyota Motor Corp. and U.S. automaker General Motors Co. started rolling out cars in 1984 and was heralded as a pioneer in international collaboration.

Known as NUMMI, or New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc., the plant inspired feel-good stories about how American workers were learning and taking pride in Toyota’s famed super-efficient production methods.

F1 reaches new deal with Pirelli as tire supplier until 2023

Pirelli CEO Marco Tronchetti Provera (center) poses with his staff behind the new Pirelli tyre ahead of the Emirates Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina racetrack in Abu Dhabi, Sunday, Nov. 25.

(AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) Read Pattaya Mail Online Updated Daily www.pattayamail.com | Facebook/pattayamail Email: ptymail@pattayamail.com

Dr. Iain is currently on leave. The weekly car quizzes are postponed until he returns.

Abu Dhabi, UAE (AP) — Formula One has reached a new four-year deal with Pirelli as its tire supplier from 2020-23 inclusive.

F1 chairman and CEO Chase Carey says “we are delighted to have reached this agreement, which guarantees a long-term stable future.”

The current partnership expired at the end of 2019.

As from 2021, F1 will move toward narrower front tires.

Governing body FIA also wants its tires to degrade more slowly to encourage more aggressive driving.

Akio Toyoda, the grandson of Toyota’s founder who now heads Toyota, worked at NUMMI from 1998 to 2000, as have other top Toyota executives, an experience meant to ready them for a globalizing industry and increasingly diverse workforce.

But the NUMMI plant, which had produced the Pontiac Vibe and Chevrolet Nova, closed in 2010 after General Motors declared bankruptcy and Toyota pulled out, moving production to other plants in North America.

DAIMLER CHRYSLERMITSUBISHI MOTORS German-U.S. automaker Daimler Chrysler bought a 37 percent stake in Tokyobased Mitsubishi Motors Corp. in 2000, but the alliance felt rocky from the start.

Mitsubishi Motors was embroiled in a years’ long scandal over its systematic cover-up of auto defects.

Rolf Eckrodt, sent in by Daimler Chrysler, stepped down as chief at Mitsubishi in 2004. The Mitsubishi group gradually recovered the stake in Mitsubishi and Ghosn engineered a 34 percent-stake purchase by Nissan in 2016 amid another scandal.

Daimler Chrysler never managed to fix the debt and lagging sales at Mitsubishi Motors, which makes the Pajero sport-utility vehicle and the i-MiEV electric car.

Porsche shows off new edition of mainstay 911 sports car

This undated photo shows the new Porsche 911 Carrera 4S. (Porsche via AP)

David McHugh Frankfurt, Germany (AP) — Porsche says its future is in electric cars but for now it is rolling out a more powerful version of its internal combustion mainstay, the sleek 911 sports car.

Stuttgart-based Porsche, part of Volkswagen, is to show off the eighth version of its brand-defining model at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The new 911 doesn’t look much different than earlier editions of the car. The new one has bigger wheel housings and a slightly wider body but the same long hood, sloping roof and prominent headlights that have marked successive versions since 1963.

The company said in a news release that the new 911 Carrera S and 4S have flat sixcylinder turbocharged engines putting out 443 horsepower, 23 horsepower more than the predecessor.

The Carrera S has a top speed of 191 mph and accelerates from zero to 60 mph (96.5 kph) in 3.5 seconds.

In the United States, the rear-drive 2020 Carrera S has a base price of $113,200 and the 4S all-wheel drive version starts at $120,600, not including a $1,050 delivery fee. They can be ordered now and will reach dealers in summer 2019.

Porsche boss Oliver Blume says that the 911 remains “the core of our brand, we are making it even more emotional.”

Blume says nonetheless by 2025 about half of all new Porsche cars and SUVs will have electric motors, whether they are all-electric or hybrids combining batteries with internal combustion engines.

He was quoted by the Welt am Sonntag newspaper as saying that the company would be ready for a world in which some cities and countries are talking about banning internal combustion cars in coming decades. “It’s clear, the future belongs to electric mobility,” he said.

The company is developing an all-electric sports car, the Taycan, that would compete with sports car offerings by Tesla, BMW and others.

Motor Expo 2018 unveils new models by 60 brands Bangkok - Over 60 car and motorcycle manufacturers have unveiled new vehicles at the Bangkok Motor Expo this year, with preorder sales expected to exceed 55 billion baht.

Motor Expo 2018 focuses on showcasing high-tech motor vehicles that provide convenience and safety features, while delivering a satisfying driving experience for car enthusiasts. Highlights include concept cars of the future, equipped with AI-driven safety features and accessories, such as the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA, Mazda Vision Concept, MG E-Motion Concept, and

MINI John Cooper Works GP Concept.

The event expects 1.5 million people to attend, and as many as 45,000 cars and 8,000 motorcycles in preorders worth over 55 billion baht.

The forecast would send car sales for 2019 to more than one million units.

The Motor Expo 2018 is open to the public until December 10 at IMPACT, Muang Thong Thani. (NNT)

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VOL. XXVI No. 49

Redemptorist Vocational School for People with Disabilities reaches 30th Anniversary milestone Derek Franklin

Father Peter lays a garland on the statue of Father Ray, the school’s founder.

In 1984 the first four students were admitted into the Redemptorist Vocational School for People with Disabilities. The school was founded by the late Father Ray Brennan after seeing many disabled beggars on the street of Pattaya. He wanted to do more than just hand out money and food, so he opened the school with the aim of giving young adults living with a disability the chance to learn a trade so that they could go on and ‘earn their own rice’.

Today the school has been upgraded to college status, and today celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of registration, and also recognition, by the Ministry of Education.

Since opening more than three decades ago the school has changed with the times. For many years the majority of the students had physical disabilities, very few mental disabilities were

Taking care of their school.

Another successful graduate.

seen. Today almost half the current students are living with a mental disability, such as brain damage, and there are also students with multi-disabilities, coping with a physical as well as a mental disability.

Over the years the school has achieved so much to be proud of. Almost three thousand five hundred students have enrolled, and those who have graduated have gone on to live independent lives and ‘earn their own rice’.

Students have competed against students from top universities in computer and electronics competitions, and won.

Many are working is positions where they are promoting the rights of those living with disabilities.

Next time you go shopping at one of Pattaya’s many department stores and supermarkets and see a person with a disability working it is highly likely they are graduates from the school.

Winners of the 2018 Hackathon competition.

In recent years the school has reached out to young people living in the deep south of the kingdom, offering help to those injured and living with a disability in the war torn provinces, offering them an education, regardless of their religion.

Others have gone on to represent the school, the province and the country at national and international sporting events, including former teacher Suppachai Koysub, winner of four gold, four silver and a bronze medal from the Paralympic Games in Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008

and London 2012.

Earlier this year the Ministry of Education upgraded the school to college status.

While the students will now receive a higher diploma the college will continue to welcome and admit students with little or no prior education on the Elementary and Pre-Education courses.

The college will continue to educate and empower people with disabilities. Empower them to have the confidence and self-esteem to go out into the workforce as equals, and with the education and skills to ‘earn their own rice’.

2018 Para-sailing World Champions; in their first ever competition.

Students are encouraged to never think they can’t do something.

November 2018 and the arrival of a new group of students.

All religions are welcomed at the school.

Suppachai Koysub, former student, teacher, Paralympic gold medalist and inspiration.

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E-mail: comhaps@pattayamail.com

Events The next meeting of Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) will be held on Sunday, December 9. Dr. Niratchada Sap-Anan, M.D., Neurologist from Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, will speak on the topic of “In search of a good night’s sleep. What happens to your sleep patterns as you age and what you can do about it.” The program starts at 10:30 am with a buffet breakfast available from 9:00 to 11:00 am on the 4th floor of the Holiday Inn’s Executive Tower located behind the Holiday Inn’s Bay Tower on Beach Road.

The annual Jet Ski King’s Cup-World Cup Grand Prix 2018 takes place at Jomtien Beach from December 6-9.

The event features competitions in multiple categories, from Novice to Amateur and Pro and gives spectators the chance to view at first hand some of the top racers and freestyle acrobats in the sport. For more information, visit website: www.jetskiworldcup.com.

A Joint Chambers Eastern Seaboard networking evening will be held at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club on Friday, December 14 from 6.30 p.m.

– 9 p.m. (last drinks at 8.30 p.m.). Entrance cost is THB 500 on the door for members

and THB 1,000 for non-members. Admission includes freeflow drinks and finger food.

The Eastern Seaboard Businessmen’s Dinner is a monthly event taking place at the Mantra Restaurant at the Amari Pattaya Resort on the last Thursday of the month. It brings together business leaders from various backgrounds including Automotive, Aerospace, Real Estate, Architecture, FMCG, Electronics, White Goods, Logistics, Recruitment, Legal, Consulting, and others in a relaxed atmosphere. If you are interested in attending please contact Anuttra.Sukruen@tinfish.co.th.

Sanctuary of Truth in north Pattaya invites people to participate in a 5 religions ceremony and monk ordination to commemorate HM King Bhumibol, King Rama IX, on Sunday 9 December 2018 starting at 6 a.m. Entrance is free and all are welcome but those attending are requested to wear polite dress. For more information, call 038 110 626.

The Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard invites all Rotarians and friends to an annual Christmas Party on Thursday December 20 from 6.00 pm at the Parkview Ballroom Siam Bayshore Resort. Tickets are priced at THB 1500 and include a sumptuous

Crème Glacée d’Asperges (cold asparagus soup) In environment, this is a most refreshing soup, similar to the Spanish Gazpacho. With asparagus being easy to procure, you can either cook the fresh variety, or even use tinned asparagus spears for this soup. The cooking is simple but requires a blender.

Ingredients serves 4 Thin asparagus spears unpeeled, cooked32 (680gms) Asparagus cooking liquid (reserved) 180mls Heavy cream 60ml Plain yoghurt 60 gms Sour cream 2 tbspns Lemon juice 2 tspns Cucumber diced 30 gms Pinch cayenne pepper Salt and freshly ground white pepper Chopped parsley and chives, for garnish

Cooking Method Cut off approximately 4 cm pieces of the tip ends of the asparagus and put aside. Cut the remaining stems into 2.5cm pieces and put in a food processor until pureed, about 1 minute.

With the processor running, pour in the asparagus cooking liquid and process for 5 seconds. Add the heavy cream, yoghurt, sour cream and seasonings and process to combine, for about another 5 seconds.

Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the asparagus tips.

Cover (glad wrap is fine) and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice. Adjust the seasonings and divide among four serving bowls.

Garnish with the diced cucumber, parsley and chives and serve over ice for a further effect.

Fax: 038-427596

Christmas buffet dinner plus soft drinks, red and white wine and beer served all evening. Order your tickets by sending an email to JanAbbink: abbinkjan@gmail.com.

A Farmers’ Market takes place every 2nd Saturday of the month at the Holiday Inn hotel on Pattaya Beach Road from 10.30 am - 3.30 p.m. Products range from wellness items, jewelry, freshly prepared food, organic vegetables and fruits. The next market will be held Dec. 15.

A stamp market is held every Sunday from 10.00 a.m. till 3.00 p.m.at Rahnpintang Moe Kata Restaurant, Panji Place, on Soi Ponphraphanimit 7 (200m from the Bangkok Highway underpass). Here can you exchange stamps from the whole world. Call 089 091 3418 for more information and directions.

Dining Start your festive season with a Christmas carvery buffet at Hard Rock Cafe Pattaya. Enjoy Christmasthemed dishes such as traditional roast turkey, glazed ham, beef wellington, celery root mash, roasted potatoes with rosemary, Christmas pudding with brandy sauce and fruit cake, Chocolate Yule Log, just to name a few.

Served from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. on Monday 24 Dec. 2018 and from noon-3 p.m. & 6 p.m.-9 p.m. on Christmas Day Tuesday 25 Dec. Santa Challenge for lil’ rockers from 7 p.m.-8:45 p.m. Price Bt 999 net per adult, Bt 499 net per child (12-18 years old), kids under 12 eat Free. Starz Diner will also serve a Christmas buffet dinner on Monday Dec 24 & Tuesday Dec. 25 from 6-9:30 p.m. and priced at Bt. 1,299 per person, including a complimentary glass of mulled wine, and Bt. 550 per child, including a complimentary beverage (kids under 12 eat free). A live band, Christmas carol singers and Santa Claus will supply the entertainment. For reservations, call 038-428755 ext. 8323 or e-mail: secfb.pty @hardrockhotels.net.

Hilton Pattaya invites you to celebrate the festive season with a choice of dining package and a spectacular view of Pattaya bay. Edge Restaurant offers roasted whole turkey, Alaskan king crab, Fine de Claire oyster,

caviar, grilled seafood (tiger prawn, rock lobster, blue crab and river prawn), foie gras, Australian beef, lamb, honey glazed Virginia ham and dessert corner at THB 2,850 net per person (half price for kids 6-12 years old and free for kids 0-5 years old). Beverage package is priced at THB 2,550 net per person. The buffet is available on December 24, from 6pm – 11pm for dinner and on December 25, 2018 from 12noon – 3.30pm for lunch and 6pm – 11pm for dinner.

Horizon Rooftop Restaurant & Bar offers a 3-course set menu and choices of starters priced at THB 3,650 net per person and available on December 24 and 25, 2018 from 6pm – 11pm. For more information or reservation, please call +66(0)38 253 000 or bkkhp_fb@hilton.com or pattaya.hilton.com.

Enjoy a Christmas Eve dinner at The Point, Dusit Thani Pattaya on Monday 24 December from 18.45-23.00 hrs.

Embrace the Christmas spirit and enjoy an elaborate buffet dinner featuring Christmas pudding and many delicacies of the holiday representing an international cuisine. Entertainment includes superb shows, dance performances, and a special visit from Santa Claus along with the chance to win fabulous lucky draw prizes. Price: THB 3,200 net per adult and THB 1,600 net per child.

Book before 20 December and get a 20% early-bird discount (terms & conditions apply). Call 038 425 611 Ext. 2149, 2150 or email to dtpafb@dusit.com.

After 14 years as the Landlord of an Irish Pub, the name Kim Fletcher has not disappeared. Kim may have gone from Jamesons, but his wife Goy has ensured that the name Fletcher has not died by opening Fletchers’ Folly, a boutique pub on the Dark Side. Kim is trying to get used to being retired, but the new ‘pensioner’ loves regaling the drinkers with stories from his lifetime in pubs, punctuated with his characteristic laugh. Fletchers’ Folly is on Siam Country Club Road, opposite Maxxis tyres and 300 meters before the “Chicken Crossroads”.

Food and drinks at very reasonable prices.

Saturday Night Buffet is back at AVANI Pattaya

Resort & Spa. Experience regional favourites galore, street dishes an artisan desserts, as you relax with classical Thai dance and live music. Every Saturday night at Sala Rim Nam Restaurant from 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm.

Priced at THB 599++ per person. Kids under 5 eat free.

For more information and reservations, call 038 412 120 Great dining options this month at Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya: Round ‘em up and grab your stetson every Monday night for Cowboy Night at Flames restaurant with a grilled steak and seafood buffet that is fun for families, groups and couples. Priced at 1,199++ baht, and half price for children, the Cowboy Night buffet is served from 18.30 to 22.30 hrs. Live the Italian life every Tuesday night at Acqua restaurant with a buffet of authentic Italian dishes served from 18.30 to 22.30 hrs: Priced at only 950++ baht per person, and half price for children. A family menu of all-youcan-eat prawns in a great range of recipes is served every Wednesday evening at Coast Beach Club & Bistro, priced at only 950++ baht per head, and half price for children, the buffet serving is available between 18.30 and 22.30 hrs. Enjoy an Asian-inspired grilled seafood buffet every Friday evening at Flames beachside BBQ restaurant for just 1,199++ baht per person, and half price for children. For more information and reservations, call 038 714 981.

Pizza and Pasta All You Can Eat at Mövenpick Siam Hotel Na Jomtien: Twist Restaurant features Italian classics like creamy Carbonara

or meaty Bolognese with a choice of pasta, or the delicious Prosciutto Pizza with your choice of regular or whole wheat dough. The menu also includes original Thai-fusion pizzas and pasta such as the Tom Yam pizza with chili paste, prawn, squid and Thai herbs or the tasty Green Curry Pasta. Available all day from Sunday – Thursday at only THB 500 per person, with a glass of soft drink.

For more information or reservation, call 033 078 888.

Special culinary nights at Persimmon restaurant, Pattana Golf Club & Resort: Pizza Pasta Night on Tuesday at only 299 Baht or 399 Baht including sangria or wine, customers can choose ingredients for their pasta and pizza. Seafood Night on Wednesday at only 399 Baht, customers can choose varieties of fresh seafood cooked to order in the open kitchen. Carnivore Night on Friday at only 499 Baht offers a free flow chicken, lamb, beef or pork BBQ direct from the charcoal grill. In addition, for only 100 Baht customers can choose or combine lots of ingredients and level of spiciness to create your own Som Tam, all day, every day. Call for reservation at 038 318 999 ext.

11212/11230 or email restaurant@pattana.co.th.

Big Fish restaurant at Siam@Siam Design Hotel Pattaya enhances its seafood buffet with more premium catches and live music entertainment. The restaurant offers a nightly Seafood BBQ Buffet at only THB 777 net or THB 1,099 net with free-flow wine. Enjoy highquality, premium seafood cuisine as you listen to acoustic Continued on page 35

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Going Green Have you ever wondered why wine usually comes in green bottles? The colour of the bottle is largely the choice of the winemaker, local traditions, practical issues and these days perhaps, customer expectations. Most red wine comes in green bottles. It was once thought that red wine was particularly sensitive to light and the green bottle also helped to conceal any sediment that might appear. Perhaps it was simply cheaper to use green glass. I’ve noticed that in countries which produce both red and white wines (which are most of them) the whites are nearly always

bottled in transparent glass.

Perhaps this is simply because in a dark cellar the colour helps to distinguish the whites from the reds. In Germany transparent bottles are rarely used. The white wines of the Mosel Valley come in tall light green bottles whereas the whites from the Rhine Valley are always in tall brown bottles, which at least make them instantly identifiable.

Bottle technology developed significantly during the eighteenth century and it became possible to produce containers of a reasonably consistent size and shape.

The colour of the glass was

usually determined by the minerals available and during this time, the wine bottle changed from a squat-looking dumpy thing to something closer to the Bordeaux-style bottle we know today.

Merlot grapes.

But have you ever noticed how many different bottle shapes there are? Putting aside various novelty shapes, there are about a dozen standard designs for table wines all of which come from the Old World. The tall Bordeaux style bottle is the most common, with its high shoulders and short neck. It was evidently designed for storage, because high-quality wines are aged on their sides to keep the cork moist. The high shoulders prevent sediment from reaching the cork and the straight sides allow the bottles to be stacked on top of each other. Although most wine is made for early drinking, the Bordeaux-style bottle remains a favourite design.

In Alsace, the wine bottles are green or brown and they’re tall and elegant with long necks similar in shape to those of the Rhine and Mosel valleys. In Burgundy, different shades of green are popular among wine-makers and the bottles have gently sloping shoulders and a rather wide body. Further

south in the Rhône Valley, wine is sold in broad heavy bottles usually with a coat of arms embossed below the neck.

Maipo Sauvignon Blanc-Chardonnay (white), Chile (Bt. 499 @ Big C) So let’s look at two wines from Big C, though the stock seems to vary slightly between branches. Viña Maipo was founded in 1948 in the Maipo Valley, a region known for producing quality wines.

This wine is a pale straw colour with faint hints of green. There’s a fresh and delicate aroma but you’ll need to let the wine breathe in the glass for a few minutes especially if the bottle has just been taken out of the fridge. The Chardonnay, with its honeyed aromas of pineapple, peaches and citrus aromas seems to come through first, despite the fact that the grape accounts for only 15% of the blend. Then, a bit later, the slightly mineral and grassy notes of the Sauvignon Blanc appear.

Sauvignon blanc grapes.

The Sauvignon character seems rather more noticeable on the taste because there’s a sprightly dash of acidity which you can’t miss, a very firm dry body and a long tangy finish. These two grape varieties make for a

French vineyard.

good blend because the soft quality of the Chardonnay helps to keep the lively Sauvignon Blanc under control. Because of its refreshing crispness, this would make an excellent aperitif but I’d guess it would work well with richly-flavoured fish dishes or something like chicken in a creamy sauce. It would go well with that old 1970s favourite Pollo Sorpresa but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a decent one in these parts.

Esprit de Bacchus (red), France (Bt 795 @ Big C) From the south of France, this is an attractive ruby-red wine. It’s a notch up from basic table wines and it’s as easy-drinking earthy wine that you find in many a French bistro and the kind of thing that the average French country workman

knocks back every day with lunch and dinner. This bright ruby red wine has a lovely aroma of raspberries, dark fruit, dusty herbs and a hint of leather. There’s a very faint floral perfume in there too, possibly violets, although I wouldn’t lay much money on the violets.

The wine has a good, dry medium body with mild tannins up front and plenty of fruit on the palette. There’s an attractive dry finish too, with tannic overtones. To me this wine seems very much in the spirit of Bacchus, because it’s a pleasant wine to glug and enjoy. It would be fine with spicy pizza, grilled meats or richly flavoured cheeses.

It has an attractive traditional label too, making the bottle appear rather more expensive than it actually is. And just in case you’re wondering, it comes in a green bottle.

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E-mail: comhaps@pattayamail.com

From page 33 guitar and piano music from prominent local artists. Seafood BBQ Buffet at Big Fish is available every night from 6:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. For reservations call 038 930 600 or email fbsec@siamatpattaya.com.

The Thai Garden Terrace Restaurant offers nightly dining presentations with different themed “all you can eat” buffets at the resort poolside: Monday – Italian buffet; Tuesday – BBQ buffet; Wednesday – multi-cuisine buffet; Thursday – German buffet with roasted pig; Friday – Thai buffet; Saturday – international buffet; Sunday – steak & skewers buffet. The buffet starts from 6 p.m., runs until 9 p.m. All this for just 399 baht net per adult. What you see is what you pay, no additional service charges or VAT. For reservations call 038 370 614 or make your booking at www. thaigarden.com under “buffet reservation”. Thai Garden Resort is located on North Pattaya Road, 200 meters from the Dolphin roundabout and 200 meters before Tesco Lotus.

oysters. Yupins is also taking bookings for Christmas dinner at 995 baht per person. For more information or reservations, call 038 250394 or visit website: www.yupins.com.

Linda’s Restaurant is large with seating for 200 people, with a covered al fresco verandah outside for those who wish to smoke. Inside, in air-conditioned comfort, there are comfortable chairs and decent sized tables, with white starched napery. Linda’s Restaurant, 315/177-180 Moo 12, opposite the Jomtien Complex. Thappraya Road, Jomtien. Open seven days from 7.30 a.m. until late. Tel: Reservations: 038 252 726, www.lindasrestaurant.com, street-side parking. Email linda@lindasrestaurant.com . GPS 12.901655 N 100.869.

BBQ Pork Spare Ribs & Jasmine Rice for only 195 baht

The happy BBQ chef at Thai Garden.

Yupin’s Restaurant in Jomtien Complex offers some fabulous culinary options including Fines De Claires Oysters arriving fresh ‘Par Avion’ from Normandy in France. Served on ice with lemon and on request a spicy Thai sauce for dipping. An amazing experience. Only 595 baht per six

Yamato Restaurant located on Soi Yamato has been around for more than 39 years and the soi was named after its oldest tenant. This is a restaurant to take a few people with you. The prices are certainly not over the top, and the quality is superb. Yamato Japanese restaurant, 219/51 Soi Yamato (13/1), close to Beach Road end, telephone 038 429 685 or 038 421 618. Open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner.

Yamato’s mixed sashimi plate which had octopus, salmon, tuna, crab sticks, sea bass, squid and mackerel.

Fines De Claires Oysters at Yupins.

The legendary Somsakdi Restaurant has been in operation in Pattaya for more than 40 years. Proprietor and Chef Somsakdi is still cooking and running his amazing

Fax: 038-427596

restaurant at 78 years of age.

The menu is probably the largest in Pattaya, with 374 individual items. Each dish is in Thai with an English explanation underneath.

Rather than be swamped by choices, let Somsakdi guide you. After all, who knows his dishes better than he?

Somsakdi Restaurant, Pattaya Soi 1, tel. 038 428 987, 038 423 284, 038 429 869, limited parking plus on-street parking in the soi. Hours 11 a.m. until 11 p.m., seven days.

Spa & Hotel Promotions eforea spa at Hilton Pattaya introduces a 120-minute spa package ‘Total Bliss’ for your ultimate relaxation and facial skin nourishment: Priced at THB 4,300 net per person and THB 8,000 per couple and available until January 31, 2019. For more information and reservations, call 038-253-000.

AVANI Spa offers a spa buffet package: 90-minute AVANI signature touch massage and International Buffet Dinner at Garden Cafe for one at only THB 2,700 net.

Advance reservations required, contact AVANI Spa at Tel. 038 412 120.

Entertainment Pattaya Players theatrical troupe will stage a Christmas pantomime production of “Puss in Boots” on Friday, December 7 at the Venue, Jomtien (7pm), Sunday, December 9 at the Eastern Grand Palace Hotel (4pm), Monday, December 10 at Sandbar, Jomtien (8pm), and Saturday, December 15 at The Loft, Lake Mabprachan (2pm).

Admission to all shows is free. For more information visit www.pattayaplayers.org or call Chris on 086 109 4537 or Gary on 085 913 1827.

Enjoy great music from Thomas Reimer, one of the most famous European Jazz guitarists, playing live every evening (except Tuesday) from 6.00 p.m. - 10 p.m. at the Sugar Hut restaurant on Thappraya Road, call 038 364 186 for details.

Community Services The North Star Library on Sukhumvit Road, north Pattaya holds regular Thai language classes Mon - Fri from 10.30 a.m. till 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. Cost of

admission is 100 baht per session for library members and 200 baht for non-members.

Private lessons are also available for 200 baht per hour. In addition, the library also holds Yoga training every Tuesday from 1 - 2 p.m. at the Father Ray Foundation. Cost is 1200 baht for 6 sessions (first session free). For more information, call 081 575 4854 or email wan_nujan@yahoo.com

Groups & Associations Rotary Club of JomtienPattaya (English) meets every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at Royal Cliff Grand Hotel, Pattaya City.

Fellowship begins at 18.30 hrs and Dinner meeting at 19.00 hrs. President Vutikorn Kamolchote Email: <vutikornk@hotmail.com> Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard (English) meets at the Siam Bayshore Hotel, 17.30 hrs for 18.00 hrs on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month, followed by dinner (Fellowship) President Brian Songhurst Email: <bjs2904 @yahoo.com> Rotary Club Phönix Pattaya (German) meets every Tuesday at the Holiday Inn Pattaya at 19.00 hrs. President Peter Schlegel Email: info@rotaryphoenix-pattaya.org.

Le Rotary Pattaya Marina, seul Rotary Francophone d’Asie, vous accueille les premier et troisième vendredis de chaque mois, début des réunions 19h, à l’hôtel Pullman G Pattaya Wongamat 445/3 Moo 5 – Soi 16 – Pattaya Naklua Road. Venez agir avec le Rotary pour changer des vies. Pierre Yves Eraud Président 2018-2019 Email: < info@rotarypattayamarina.org.

Rotary Club of Pattaya (Thai-English) meets at the First Pacific Hotel, Central Road on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month. Meetings begin at 19.00 hrs. President Stephen Devereux Email: < stevecarlow@gmail.com> The Thai Stamp Alliance is a new internet and social media group created to share information, including posts of events like Exhibitions and Auctions. If you live on the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand and have an interest, email thaistampalliance@gmail.com. or find us on Facebook.

Post 12146 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States of America (Ban Chang – U-Tapao, Thailand) meets the second Saturday

of each month at 13:00 at Sinthavee Park Condo, 2/1 Moo 5, in Ban Chang. If you are interested, please contact Membership Chairman Dan Morgan at <banchang vfw12146membership@gmail .com> or visit website: www. banchangvfwpost12146.org.

The Royal British Legion Thailand meets the last Saturday of every month from 2 p.m. at the Tropical Bar on Soi Khao Noi (Watboonsampan near the Temple entrance) in East Pattaya. You do not need to have served in the Armed Forces to become a member and can join in the many social events arranged throughout the year. The Legion’s primary aim is the care and welfare of those who have served and/or their dependents. For general enquiries send email to <secretary@rblthailand .org, www.rblthailand.org>.

Alcoholics Anonymous: The Pattaya Group meets Monday, Tuesday and Friday at 5 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. All meetings are closed (alcoholics only) and are held at Soi Skaw Beach (off Pattaya 2nd Rd). Contact Carl 08-456-31671. The Good Morning Pattaya Group meets 9 a.m. every morning. All meetings are ‘open’: contact 084 564 8479. The Jomtien Group meets every day at noon at Jomtien Long Stay Hotel:

Contact, Andrew 086 107 6631. The Scandinavian Group meets on Tuesdays and Fridays 6 p.m. at the Norwegian Seaman’s Church, Thappraya Road Soi 7: contact Hans 085 135 7755 or Rune (Rayong) 089 754 9515.

10.30 a.m. meetings every day at Satree Pattana Centre on Soi Skaw Beach off Second Road. Call 084 564 8479.

The Samaritans of Thailand English Help Line operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide support to the expatriate community.

English-speaking staff, trained in crisis intervention will provide active, non-judgmental and empathetic listening services on the phone.

All calls will be handled on an anonymous basis and are free of charge. (02) 713-6791.

Overeaters Anonymous The ‘Up to You’ group meets Wednesdays 9:30-10:30 a.m. in the housing area just behind Pan Pan Restaurant in Jomtien on Thappraya Road.

Call Steve at 038-364-207(h) or 089-250-1359 (cell) for directions or more information.

Narcotics Anonymous Hotline: 082 811 2686. 3 English speaking meetings in Pattaya near Central Festival and 2 in Jomtien each week.

Also regular Thai speaking meetings at 12 noon every Sunday, and Persian Farsi speaking meetings at 5.30 pm on Thursdays. Please call the Hotline for details.

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Regents School crowned football champs rd at 3 Riviera Group Sports Day The Riviera Group, Pattaya’s leading real estate developer, recently held its third annual Riviera Sports Day at the Regents International School in Pattaya.

An action packed day of sports, camaraderie and charity fund-raising climaxed with one of the highlights of the event, a football

match between the Regents’ and Riviera’s finest ball players. After a friendly but spirited contest, Regents proved they had the stronger legs and emerged worthy 4-2 winners to claim the Riviera soccer trophy for 2018.

For a full round-up of the day’s events, turn to pages 18 & 19.

Jet-ski stars hit the surf this weekend The annual Jet Ski King’s Cup-World Cup Grand Prix 2018 takes place at Jomtien Beach from December 6-9.

The event features competitions in multiple categories, from Novice to Amateur and Pro and gives spectators the chance to view at first hand some of the top racers and freestyle acrobats in the sport.

Along with the on-water racing action, spectators can also

enjoy a plethora of onshore entertainment including model contests and live concerts by bands Titanium and Voice.

Tickets for the event run from 250 baht for non-reserved seating up to 1,250 for access to the VIP section.

Four-day passes are also Winston and Sukanya Gale and their son Toby of the Riviera Group team (green shirts) present the football champions trophy to the victorious Regents School football squad during the Riviera Group available for 499 baht.

For more information, Sports Day, November 24 at the Regents International School in Pattaya. visit website: www.jetskiworldcup.com.

Wilder keeps WBC heavyweight title, fights Fury to split draw Turn to page 28

Cyclists turn out in droves for Bangkok Bank Cycle Fest

Teerarak Suthathiwong Over 2,600 Thai and foreign cyclists joined the 2nd Bangkok Bank Cycle Fest, held November 25 at Siam Country Club in East Pattaya.

This year the event was honored by the presence of famous Thai actors Nat Thephasasin Na Ayutthaya, ‘Wan Wan’ Arunnapa Panitchjaroon and ‘Mint’

Wanitcha Kanjanaapirak as brand ambassadors along with former professional cyclist and 2011 Tour De France champion Andy Schleck.

The event was divided into long distance races up to 62km, team time trials, off road cycling and a short distance family fun ride along beautiful and scenic routes.

Continued on page 29 Riders line up prior to the start of the Family Fun Race during the 2nd Bangkok Bank Cycle Fest, Sunday, November 25 at Siam Country Club in Pattaya.

Former Tour de France cycling champion Andy Schleck of Luxemburg (2nd right) poses with Thai celebrities Nat Thephasasin Na Ayutthaya, ‘Wan Wan’ Arunnapa Panitchjaroon and ‘Mint’ Wanitcha Kanjanaapirak during the Bangkok Bank Cycle Fest.

Cyclists compete in the male Open category over a 62km scenic course around Siam Country Club.

PATTAYA MAIL is edited by Nopniwat Krailerg for Pattaya Mail Publishing Co., Ltd. Printer, publisher and owner Offices: 62/284-286 Moo 12, Thepprasit Road, Pattaya City 20150.

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