Pattaya Mail - FRIDAY OCTOBER 4 - OCTOBER 17, 2019 (Vol. XXVII No. 36)

Established in 1993

VOL.XXVII No. 36

FRIDAY OCTOBER 4 - OCTOBER 17, 2019

30 BAHT

Pattaya celebrates Vegetarian Festival 2019 Continues through October 8

The annual Vegetarian Festival is being held this week throughout Thailand. The festivities began locally last weekend with a parade and ceremony to invite Chinese gods to the party. The 10-day event hosted by the Sawangboriboon Thammasathan Foundation at the Sein Sua Vegetarian Temple in Naklua, continues until Oct. 8. During the week, participants are encouraged to eat only vegetables and vegetable products and eschew all meat, dairy and seafood, as well as refrain from killing any animals. (Full story and itinerary appears on page 3)

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VOL. XXVII No. 36

City’s water system to get major revamp The Provincial Waterworks Authority is preparing to lay an upgraded pipeline system and construct new pumping stations to increase tap water distribution capacity in the Pattaya metropolitan area, Laem Chabang and Sriracha.

At a Sept. 24 meeting at Pattaya City Hall, chaired by Pattaya Deputy Mayor Banlue Kullavanijaya, officials discussed plans for the project

and the budget required. The upgrading of the system is considered to be urgently required in order to meet rising consumer demand.

Phase 1 of the pipeline upgrade was completed in 2016 while the final two phases will see the construction of water distribution stations in Khao Mai Kaew and Nongprue respectively, as well as the replacement of several key

pipelines with those with a larger diameter and capacity.

The work is scheduled to begin in October this year, with phase 2 due to be completed by March 2021.

During the construction process, motorists and pedestrians can expect roadwork and disruption on several major Pattaya thoroughfares, including Sukhumvit Road, South Pattaya Road, Thepprasit

Beach vendors see red with new road markings Jetsada Homklin Beach operators are up in arms after City Hall’s latest attempt to reduce traffic congestion on Jomtien Beach Road resulted in a dramatic drop off in tourist numbers to the area.

Following a number of complaints, Pattaya city officials visited the seafront between Sois 15 and 19 on Sept. 26 to assess the situation and speak with disgruntled beach concessionaires.

Red and white road markings have recently been painted to prevent cars and tour buses parking in the vicinity and potentially leading to traffic snarlups. However, the net result has been a large reduction in visitors and tourists to that section of the beach and umbrella operators and food and drink outlets have seen their

Road, Soi Photisan, Soi Buakhao and the Dolphin roundabout in North Pattaya. City officials said they will strive to keep the disruption down to a minimum. (PCPR) At a recent meeting at Pattaya City Hall, officials discussed plans for the budget required to fund the Provincial Waterworks Authority’s laying an upgraded pipeline system and constructing new pumping stations to increase tap water distribution capacity in the Pattaya metropolitan area, Laem Chabang and Sriracha.

Read more news at pattayamail.com

Sellers look for boost during Vegetarian Festival Warapun Jaikusol

Chief of Special Tasks Komkrit Polwichid, along with Pattaya government officials and law enforcement visit the disgruntled beach vendors and promise to remedy the situation.

daily takings plummet.

City officials, led by Komkrit Polwichid, Chief of Special Tasks, discussed ways to remedy the situation and informed complainants that the area of markings and

parking restrictions would be reduced but would still remain at the entrance to sois and road junctions. The operation for the remedial work is expected to start soon.

As if the upcoming Vegetarian Festival wasn’t enough of an excuse to raise prices, floods in the north are making healthy vegetables scarcer. Vendors are also grumbling that there are too many vegetable sellers, and that hotels are buying less due to a slow economy.

Put all this together and vegetable sellers are asking the government to set, or allow them to set, higher prices to prop up the industry.

Thanee Sansuk, a 20-year veteran vegetable seller at Chaimongkol Market in South Pattaya, said that due to the floods, about 20% of the produce arriving at the market is bruised or spoiled. She said the hardest hit are root lettuce, coriander, and spring onion.

She admitted, however, that wholesalers do give them a price break when unsalable produce is found.

Thanee Sansuk, a 20-year veteran vegetable seller at Chaimongkol Market in South Pattaya, said that due to the floods, about 20% of the produce arriving at the market is bruised or spoiled.

Thanee predicted sales would be brisk during the September 28 – October 8 Vegetarian Festival, but that the increase would be temporary.

Nongprue opens CCTV Control Center Two public holidays coincide Oct. 13 & 14 Rama IX Day & End of Buddhist Lent

Jetsada Homklin Nongprue Municipality has installed 75 CCTVs in 32 spots so far this year, and plans are afoot to install 60 more in 29 different areas using a 10 million baht budget.

The official opening for the CCTV Control Center in the Nongprue Municipality Building was held Sept. 11, presided over by Banglamung District Chief Amnart Charoensri and Mayor Mai Chaiyanit.

Officials deemed the cameras necessary because the area is rapidly growing as a bedroom community for city workers, and as such, many apartments and housing

Officials inspect the new CCTV Control Center in the Nongprue Municipality Building.

estates are popping up. Since Nongprue’s police department is not large enough at the moment, the cameras are

needed to help deter and solve crime, monitor traffic and instill confidence in the area’s new and existing residents.

October 13, 2019, marks the third anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s death.

The government has designated Oct. 13 as a national holiday, and since this year the date falls on a Sunday, a bank holiday will be observed on Monday, Oct. 14. All banks and government offices are closed for the day. However, some bank branches in shopping malls may be open to cater to foreign exchange, and most exchange booths throughout the city will be open.

Last year, the bars and entertainment venues were closed and the selling of alcohol was prohibited in observance.

The government invites all to wear yellow and make merit in the morning.

People may offer to take part in public services such as road or beach cleaning,

picking up garbage, distributing food, and doing other good deeds.

Sunday, Oct. 13 also signals the end of Buddhist Lent. Also known as Auk Pansaa, the event is celebrated on the full moon night of the eleventh lunar month of the year. The event also marks the “official” end of the rainy season, even though the weather might not necessarily cooperate.

The following day is Thod Kathin, which involves the annual presenting of clean new robes to monks.

A great number of lay people will be gathering at their local temples to pay their respects, make merit, perform the Tak Bat Dhevo ceremony and place steamed rice wrapped in coconut palm leafs, called “kao tom hang”, into monks’ alms bowls. Other religious ceremonies will also take place at local temples.

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Pattaya streets submerged after flash rainstorm Boonlua Chatree Many areas of Pattaya were swamped after heavy rain hit the city Sept. 26. The latest floods came despite huge expense and years of conMany areas of Pattaya were swamped after heavy rain hit the city Sept. 26 and caused a huge tailback of traffic on the city’s major thoroughfare.

struction to install new drainage systems and certain parts of the city clearly remain at high risk during the monsoon season.

Pattaya 3rd Road is one such area and last week’s deluge saw water levels quickly rise up to 60cm in depth and cause a huge tailback of traffic on the city’s major thoroughfare.

Other parts of the town were similarly affected by

Pattaya celebrates Vegetarian Festival this week Through October 8 The annual Pattaya Vegetarian Festival began this past week at the Sein Sua Vegetarian Temple in Naklua.

Hosted by the Sawangboriboon Thammasathan Foundation, the festival continues until Oct. 8.

The 10-day event began with a ceremony to invite Chinese gods to the party on kickoff day. The parade started at 12:29 p.m. and wound its way through Naklua and Pattaya, then all the way to Naklua where marchers participated in a ceremony to invite the Kew Aung Hook Jow (9 Gods of the Vegetarian Festival) and Bodhisattva to the Sawangboriboon Vegetarian Temple in Naklua.

Throughout the week, more Emperor Gods’ ceremonies were held while the Keng Ju

Team chanted and performed incense walk in the evenings. Booths and exhibits are open for the public.

During the week, participants are encouraged to eat only vegetables and vegetable products and eschew all meat, dairy and seafood, as well as refrain from killing any animals.

Today, Friday 4 October, a ceremony to pay respect is being performed in the morning. In the evening at 7.19 p.m., chanting ceremonies will be conducted for exorcism and prolonging life, followed by a procession of large incense.

On Saturday 5 October a parade starts at 3.19 p.m., leaving from the Vegetarian Temple to perform a basket floating ceremony.

Sunday 6 October a ceremony to pay respect to stray souls (Pai Hor Hei Tee) begins at 12.29 (noon) at the front of the Vegetarian Temple. Chinese monks will chant and burn clothes and make paper offerings to dedicate to the deceased and to stray souls. At 8.39 p.m., committees will perform a ceremony to burn apparel sets to dedicate to the Jade Emperor and gods (8 sets for each).

On Monday 7 October, a ceremony to pay respect will be performed in the morning, followed at 12.19 (noon) by the Tay Kra Jad ceremony (giving charity) and at 2.29 p.m., by committees burning more apparel sets to dedicate to Kew Aung Hook Jow, Bodhisattva, and all gods.

Later, at 8.39 p.m. the Sei Tee Ti Ju Hook ceremony bids farewell and says thank you to gods and Kew Aung Hook Jow. After, there will be auctions for lanterns, bamboo trees, and joss stick pots, “Gods”, and auspicious objects.

The festival ends with a parade on Tuesday 8 October, which starts at 6.19 a.m. from the Vegetarian Temple to the beach in front of the Bodhi tree where a farewell ceremony for the Kew Aung Hook Jow (9 Gods of the Vegetarian Festival) and Bodhisattva will be conducted. The parade returns to the Vegetarian Temple and all faithful attendants drink holy water for prosperity.

The vegetarian festival officially ends after 12 noon.

floodwater run-off rushing down from higher areas.

Sois Khao Noi and Khao Talo saw torrents of water flowing down to inundate the railway road while sections of Sukhumvit Road and Pattaya Beach Road were also submerged.

City engineers rushed water pumps to the most badly

affected areas and as the tide receded the floodwater eventually drained into the ocean, leaving businesses and citizens with a lot of cleaning up to do.

Members of the public who experience persistent flooding at their property can contact city hall for assistance and advice.

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VOL. XXVII No. 36

More arrests made over alleged mistreatment of Thai models Busaba Sivasomboon Bangkok (AP) — Concern over the sexual abuse of models hired to attend private parties in Thailand increased last Thursday with new accusations of wrongdoing following the widely reported death of a partygoer.

Arrest warrants were issued for six men and women on charges of criminal association and molestation after a model filed a complaint that she was forced to drink until she passed out at a Sept. 16 party and woke up in a bedroom without any clothes on.

Five suspects surrendered but one was still at large, a police officer in Bangkok’s Bang Bua Thong district said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release information.

The woman who filed the complaint, identified by the nickname “Dear,” said she

In this Sept. 18, 2019, photo, Ratchadech Wongtabut talks to reporters at the Bukkhalo Police Station in Bangkok. (AP Photo)

had attended the same party from which another hired model, Thitima Noraphanpiphat, was carried unconscious to the apartment of male model Ratchadech Wongtabut, who later left her body in his building’s lobby, where she was found dead, police said.

Ratchadech was arrested

Wednesday on charges of illegal detention leading to death, abduction with intent of committing an indecent act and molestation, which he denies.

Police said Wednesday that an autopsy found that Thitima — also known as Lunlabelle — had died from

Nongprue police bust two motorcycle repair shops Jetsada Homklin Nongprue police busted two unnamed motorcycle repair shops operating without proper licenses in front of Wat Suttawas near the Pattanakarn Road Junction.

The operation was carried out on the afternoon of Sept.

23, acting on a tip from annoyed neighbors that local shops were illegally modifying motorbikes to be louder and faster for racing.

Two out of the three shops

checked were found to be illegal.

Police also seized 3 motorcycles to check their registration to make sure they weren’t stolen.

Owners face possible 5,000 baht fines and a jail sentence of not over 6 months.

Speeding driver loses control in rain storm Boonlua Chatree Boonchop Pungphan, 55, receive multiple injuries when he lost control of his pickup while speeding during a heavy rain storm.

Eyewitness Thanapol Polpan told police Boonchop was driving in the far right lane at a high speed when he lost control on the wet roads and crashed into a large high voltage electric post and the fence in front of the Rubber Land Department Store on Sukhumvit Road in Central Pattaya.

The accident occurred around 1.30am on Sept. 23.

extreme alcohol intoxication.

Her parents have challenged the finding, and appealed Thursday to the Justice Ministry for further investigation.

The case has been the focus of massive attention by Thai media and much commentary on social media. The furor has been fueled by publication of the suspect’s online posts boasting of past sexual conquests and broadcast of surveillance video showing him carrying the apparently unconscious victim.

Thai media reported that Dear had been interrogated

by police investigating the death of Thitima and afterward lodged a complaint with them against the owners of the party house and some guests.

Women such as Thitima, 25, are called “pretties,” a term for models normally hired for events such as auto shows to pose seductively with products they are promoting.

Working as party entertainers in private homes is a new development in Thai society but appears to draw significant numbers of willing

young women and men, said Varaporn Chamsanit, program manager for the group Women’s Wellbeing and Gender Justice.

“This is a profession with a high risk of being victimized by sexual predators or just regular persons who want to have some fun when they get drunk,” she said.

The publicity over Thitima’s case has opened up an opportunity for people working in the sector to ask for protection through government regulations, Varaporn said.

Canadian killed in motorcycle collision Boonlua Chatree Canadian national Michael Anthony Pinheiro, 51, was killed Sept. 27 when the Honda Click scooter he was riding collided with a Honda CBR 650 motorcycle being driven by 25-year-old Samart Butboran.

Police rushed out to the scene of the fatal accident on Central Pattaya Road after being notified by the Sawangboriboon Foundation emergency response team. Pinheiro was found lying unconscious next to his wrecked motorcycle and was given CPR by paramedics before being rushed to Pattaya City Hospital. Sadly he later succumbed to his injuries.

An eye-witness, Krittanat Pararuk, 56, said he saw Pinheiro attempting to turn

Rescue workers tend to the carnage on Pattaya Center Road.

across Central Road to go into the Foodland car park when another larger bike, being ridden by Butboran, smashed into the side of him and the impact sent both riders flying. Pararuk suggested that Butboran may have been driving at an excessive speed.

Police said they were waiting to question the survivor who was also seriously injured in the collision and in the meantime would check CCTV to try to ascertain possible causes. Medics have also been asked to test blood samples from both parties for any evidence of alcohol.

Reckless driver injured in crash Boonlua Chatree

Boonchop Pungphan, 55, receive multiple injuries when he lost control of his pickup while speeding during a heavy rain storm.

The Mazda BT 20 pick-up truck was totaled. Moreover, glass scraps and spare parts

littered the road.

Boonchop was sent to hospital for medical care.

A woman was injured when she lost control of her car and rammed a parked car, the accident resulting in her car landing on its roof.

Panida Lainai, 37, received minor injuries at 8 pm Sept.

22, after wrecking her white Mazda in Soi Pratamnak 5, South Pattaya.

Witnesses said Panida entered the soi at speed, lost control, and clipped the rear of a parked Toyota Camry.

The impact flipped her car upside down, coming to rest on its roof.

Panida Lainai received minor injuries when she lost control of her car and rammed a parked car, the accident resulting in her car landing on its roof.

Sawangboriboon Thammasathan Pattaya Foundation rescue workers

provided first aid and took her to hospital for further treatment.

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Revered abbot Luang Po passes away at 90 Patcharapol Panrak

Beloved Abbot of Najomtien Temple, Pra Pipitchonladhamma, or Luang Po Lai Aponno, peacefully died of natural causes at 13.50 o’clock Sept. 19, at the age of 90 years and 9 months

Beloved Abbot of Najomtien Temple, Pra Pipitchonladhamma, or Luang Po Lai Aponno, peacefully died of natural causes at 13.50 o’clock Sept. 19, at the age of 90 years and 9 months. He had over 70 years in the monkhood.

Water pouring will be on Saturday Sept 21, at 15.00 o’clock. The schedule for the funeral will be notified at a later time.

Luang Po was born on Dec 8, 1931. He was ordained in

1949 by Chao Khun Sri. He became a disciple of Pra Athikarn Luang, who was one of the prize disciples of Luang Pho Ei of Wat Sattahip.

Luang Po was a grand-disciple of Luang Pho Ei, learning Buddhism magic and was the only inheritor of this magic in Sattahip.

Before his illness, he was advisor to Najomtien Subdistrict Monk Dean and Abbot of Wat Najomtien.

Luang Pho Lai was revered by many people practicing the Buddhist faith.

Four and a half decades of support

Unfortunately this little boy died not long after this photo was taken in the 1990’s, but in his final days he was cared for.

Derek Franklin In 1974 Father Ray Brennan had already been working for several years with the underprivileged in Pattaya, but it was in ’74 that his work was registered and made official.

A short while earlier he had accepted into his care an unwanted newborn baby.

From there he went on to open residential facilities for children who had been neglected, orphanage and abandoned. He also welcomed

runaways, children who were escaping poverty and who found themselves living on the streets of Pattaya and having to sell their young bodies to get money for food.

He also opened educational facilities for deaf toddlers, blind and visually impaired children and a vocational training facility for young adults living with a disability.

Today the Father Ray Foundation continues the work of Father Ray Brennan,

Father Ray with a group of former street kids.

and cares for and educates 850 underprivileged children and students with disabilities.

The records at the Foundation only go back to 1992 and they show that more than 7,200 children and students in need have arrived seeking help. For the eighteen years before records were kept there could have been many hundreds, even thousands, more who arrived.

More information can be found at www.fr-ray.org or email info@fr-ray.org

ACS caregivers trained in rehabilitation management Jetsada Homklin Caregivers tasked with attending to heart attack victims received training in the latest rehabilitation management techniques Sept. 25, at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.

The workshop, titled “ACS Trust Train Team”, was presented by Dr. Manoon Samrantin M.D., cardiologist and director of the BHP Heart Center, and Hospital Director Dr. Seeharach Lohachitranontm M.D. The training consisted of lectures by prominent doctors and nurses, followed by afternoon group sessions teaching “EKG Quiz & Time log” by Dr. Prinya Chomsang M.D., and the “Role of Medication & Rehabilitation

Caregivers tasked with taking care of heart attack victims received training in the latest rehabilitation management techniques at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.

Management in ACS” by Dr. Wilairat Manowan M.D. An activity session further broke the attendants into smaller groups to learn about 1. Care giving to patients, 2.

Nutrition – eating correctly

and properly, 3. Working out correctly and properly with heart disease patients, 4.

How to read an electrocardiogram result, 5. Physical therapy, and 6. Correctly using medicine with patients.

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VOL. XXVII No. 36

Can a new space race connect the world to the internet?

Tali Arbel New York (AP) — It’s a 21st century space race: Amazon, SpaceX and others are competing to get into orbit and provide internet to the Earth’s most remote places.

And like the last century’s battle for space supremacy that was triggered by the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik 1, this one involves satellites.

Thousands of them.

More than a dozen companies have asked U.S. regulators for permission to operate constellations of satellites that provide internet service.

Not all are aimed at connecting consumers, but some have grand and global ambitions.

“The goal here is broadband everywhere,” Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said at a conference in June.

With half the world’s population — more than 3 billion people — not using the internet, it’s a huge potential market. And there’s the obvious benefit on the ground: Not having internet access makes it difficult or impossible to apply for many jobs, for kids to do homework, for people in remote areas to get medical care, and to participate in the global economy.

But this new wave of spaced-based internet faces hurdles. It is expensive to launch, technologically complex and could prove too costly for the very people it hopes to reach.

And then there’s space junk.

More on that in a moment.

Satellite internet already exists, dominated by a handful of companies like HughesNet and Viasat that have huge, expensive satellites sitting 22,000 miles (35,000 kilometers) from Earth and covering big territories on the ground. But the service is expensive and limited, comes with data caps and lags, and doesn’t have many users.

The new satellites are smaller, cheaper, and closer to Earth, so theoretically signals travel faster and applications like online gaming that need instant responses would work better. And they have some heavyweight backers.

In addition to Amazon and SpaceX — the company of eccentric billionaire and Tesla founder Elon Musk — the race has also been joined

by OneWeb, which is backed by investors including Virgin founder Richard Branson, U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm and Japanese tech conglomerate SoftBank.

But the industry is still in its infancy, and at least three years away from widespread commercial service, said Kerri Cahoy, professor of aeronautics and astronautics at MIT, and even further from making any money.

“I would be surprised if something were profitable in 10 years,” she said. There are also competing efforts at extending connectivity, including Google with its Loon balloons, which are solar-powered cell towers made of plastic sheets that

In this May 23, 2019, file photo, a Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket, with a payload of 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, seen from Cocoa Beach, Fla. It’s a 21st century space race: Amazon, SpaceX and others competing to get into orbit and provide internet to the earth’s most remote places. (Malcolm Denemark/Florida Today via AP, File)

float on the winds, and others working on solar-powered drones.

The satellite companies need to build dishes and antennas that are more complicated and costlier than those for traditional satellites that don’t move. SpaceX, for example, has filed for permission with U.S. regulators to build 1 million “earth stations” that would help connect customers to the internet.

There’s no way to have a viable mass service unless the cost of this type of equipment drops, said Caleb Williams, economic analyst at aerospace engineering c o m p a n y S p a c e Wo r k s Enterprises.

Launches have already been pushed back: OneWeb

had once said it would be operating in Alaska this year.

But service is now expected to start in late 2020.

The logistics of becoming an internet service provider also aren’t easy. The new crop of space-internet companies are more likely to set up arrangements with existing telecom companies than try to sell internet service directly, Williams said, because it’s easier than setting up a sales and marketing operation of their own.

Those same telecom companies don’t want to build in remote areas because it’s too expensive. A Federal Communications Commission official in 2017 estimated that extending fiber to the roughly 20 million U.S.

homes and businesses that lacked broadband would cost $80 billion. And in developing countries, where the underlying infrastructure is worse, internet is primarily available through a cellphone.

The new satellite companies may have an infrastructure alternative that’s cheaper for companies to build than wires on the ground. A telecom company needs to pay to build out to a handful of customers in a large area, with huge percustomer costs. With satellite, costs can be shared out over a bigger pool of potential customers all over the world. A SpaceX executive in 2018 predicted that it would cost $10 billion to deploy a

constellation of mini-satellites. Bezos predicted that Amazon’s satellite-internet arm will cost “multiple billions of dollars” to build.

Making sure that people have access to internet is just one step to getting them online, however. People also need to be able to afford internet, and those in rural areas are more likely to be poor.

It’s not clear what the pricing will be but high costs swamped satellite phone service two decades ago. It could do so again with internet.

“If you would have to pay 20% or more of your income to go on the internet, in a situation where you make a few dollars per day, you don’t, because it’s too expensive,” said Martin Schaaper, an analyst at the United Nations’ information and communications technology agency.

Then there are concerns about the growth of space junk, or “orbital debris,” which could crash into each other and even potentially set off a chain reaction of collisions that make orbit “no longer usable,” according to NASA. SpaceX, for one, says it’s trying to avoid adding to the junk layer by moving satellites to avoid crashes and designing them to burn up in atmosphere when they’re used up. The space companies have laid out their plans to avoid debris with U.S. regulators, but critics say more needs to be done, like setting up an air traffic control system for space.

New independent watchdog to keep extremists off internet Edith M. Lederer United Nations (AP) — The leaders of New Zealand and France are backing a watchdog organization aimed at keeping internet platforms from being used by extremists — and preparing speedy responses to future attacks.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday the Global Forum to Counter Terrorism, which

was established in 2017 by Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube after terrorist attacks with internet links, is being turned into an independent organization.

The new organization is limited to companies operating internet platforms and services and will be led by an executive director selected by its governing industry-linked Operating Board, Ardern said. An

Independent Advisory Committee with a majority of members from civil society and a minority from government and inter-governmental organizations will guide the Operating Board.

Ardern said establishing an independent organization marked “a real sea change to respond to the serious and difficult issue” of extremists who have recruited supporters and streamed attacks online.

The killings of 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15 were broadcast live on Facebook, drawing outrage and fueling debate on how to better regulate social media.

Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, the forum’s current chair who joined Ardern at Monday’s news conference said, “We’ve shared more than 200,000 digital fingerprints with our partners, because when terrorists try to use one platform, they try to use all platforms.

“And when one of us finds them, we can take them down

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (right) and Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg (left) at the United Nations General Assembly held a news conference outlining progress on the Christchurch Call commitments. (AP Photo)

off multiple platforms,” she said.

At a gathering in Paris in May, Ardern, French President Emmanuel Macron and others signed the “Christchurch Call,” committing to act against terrorist and extremist content online.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose country is among almost 20 nations backing the “Christchurch Call,” said at a U.N. meeting before the news conference that the internet must not become “a place to watch

mass murder unfold.”

He said scientists are working on technology to stop violent attacks from being b r o a d c a s t l i v e on the internet. The British government says it’ll fund data-science experts to work on an algorithm to improve the detection of violent and harmful videos.

Ardern said more countries, organizations and online companies have signed on since May, including Google and Amazon.

The U.S. hasn’t joined,

citing privacy concerns, and tech firms are struggling with the sheer volume of content.

Ardern said the independent forum’s goals include improving the capacity of technology companies to prevent and respond to abuse of their platforms by terrorists and violent extremists, and to fund research on their online operations.

“We’re trying to create a civil defense-style mechanism,” Ardern said. “The same way we respond to natural emergencies like fires and floods, we need to be prepared and ready to respond to a crisis like the one we experienced.”

Sandberg said the fastestgrowing internet message platforms are encrypted but people using them often use other platforms that are not, allowing them to be removed from both.

“We can’t stop because we’re going to have to stay one step ahead, learn from our mistakes, and continue to do all we can over the long-term,” Sandberg said.

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Detecting the Silent Killer Do you know why the nurse takes your blood pressure (BP) every time you come for a consultation? Simple reason – because high blood pressure (Hypertension) can lead to many severe illnesses, not just heart problems. So how do you keep your blood pressure under control?

As part of the routine in most good hospitals and clinics is the measurement of your blood pressure. You should get this done at least twice a year. Rising or elevated readings do mean you should get medical advice.

I get my own BP checked regularly and the other day I was in the clinics and got the nurse to take my BP. It was 158/87. Too high. However, about 30 minutes later I had my BP checked again. This time 147/76. Much better, but still marginally up. How could this be? To complicate the matters even more, I had my BP checked this week. Result 120/65. Now, were all the machines wrong? Or were the nurses recording the pressure incorrectly? Simple answer - Just as one swallow doesn’t make a summer, one elevated reading does not necessarily mean hypertension.

So why is BP important? Because if you don’t you don’t have any BP you are definitely dead! However, if your BP is too high, it can mean you could be claiming early on your life insurance policy – or your relatives will, on your behalf.

High BP is otherwise known as the “silent killer” as there are very few symptoms of the increase in blood pressure,

until a vessel bursts somewhere, generally catastrophically!

The good thing is you are dead within minutes, so you won’t linger.

Why is it important? Blood is needed to keep all the organs of the body supplied with oxygen. This is done by the red blood cells which carry the oxygen, with the pump to drive the system being the heart. The tubes from the heart heading outbound are the arteries, and those returning the blood to the heart are the veins.

This heart-arteries-veins-heart system is a “closed” circuit. In other words, no leaks, otherwise you would be continually losing the life-preserving blood, but to make it go around, there has to be a pumping pressure.

The heart squeezes the blood inside itself and pumps it out into the arteries. This squeezing pressure is called the Systolic, and is the upper number quoted when we measure your blood pressure. For example systolic 120 over 70.

After the squeeze, the heart relaxes to allow the blood to fill the chamber, ready for the next squeeze. The pressure does not return to zero, because there has to be some pressure to refill the chamber. This resting or ambient pressure is the lower number quoted and is called the Diastolic. BP is then typically quoted as 120/70, being 120 (systolic) over 70 (diastolic). The actual pressure number is measured in a millimeters of mercury scale.

So what is the correct BP? The following table shows the

categories of BP measurements.

Optimal: less than 120/80 Normal: less than 130/80 High-normal: 130–139/85–89 High blood pressure (true hypertension): Stage 1: 140–159/90–99 Stage 2: 160–179/100–109 Stage 3: 180 or higher/110 or higher The problem with running at high pressure is that the heart is having to work harder, and therefore may be subject to premature heart failure. The arteries are also subjected to higher pressures than they were designed to cope with and can burst, making the risk of stroke so much higher. Other organs don’t like working at the high pressures either, and kidneys in particular, can go into failure mode.

No, if you really have hypertension, get it treated – but remember to have repeated measurements done, and don’t let a doctor classify you as being “hypertensive” on one BP reading, until repeated measurements confirm the high level to show that your BP is too high.

There is a good reason for this as well as the straight out medical one. If your BP is (consistently) too high, your friendly insurance man will decline insuring you because you are “hypertensive”. Don’t let them do that on one reading outside their “limits”.

As with adults, no easy way to address weight with children What to avoid

Candice Choi New York (AP) — Red, yellow, green. It’s a system for conveying the healthfulness of foods, and at the center of a debate about how to approach weight loss for children.

This month, the company formerly known as Weight Watchers provoked a backlash when it introduced a food tracking app for children as young as 8. The app uses a well-known traffic-light system to classify foods, giving children a weekly limit of 42 “reds,” which include steak, peanut butter and chips.

Obesity is a growing public health issue that nobody is sure how to fix, and around one in five children in the U.S. is considered obese, up from one in seven in 2000. Childhood obesity often leads to adult obesity, and to higher risk for conditions including heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

Getting kids to eat well and exercise is crucial, but figuring out how to do that effectively is extremely difficult — and sensitive. For some, the app was a reminder of bad childhood experiences around weight and shame, in public and at home.

“I don’t think we appreciate the bias and stigma that families struggling with weight face,” said Dr. Stephanie Walsh, medical director of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. That can make it even more stressful for parents worried about their children’s health, she said.

There is no easy answer for achieving a healthy weight, regardless of age. But when it comes to addressing the topic with children, pediatricians and dietitians say there are best practices to consider.

When Tomlinson was 11 or 12, he was taken to a doctor who gave him diet pills. Few health professionals would do that today, and there’s broad agreement on other mistakes to avoid.

Using the word “diet,” for example, could imply there’s something wrong with the child, and that the changes are short-term.

Trying to scare children by warning them about potential medical problems isn’t helpful either. And if parents are making broader lifestyle changes, they shouldn’t feel

Kids eat lunch at an elementary school in Paducah, Ky. It is far easier to avoid gaining weight than to lose it, so getting kids to eat well and exercise is crucial. But how to do that effectively is extremely difficult — and sensitive.

(Ellen O’Nan/The Paducah Sun via AP)

Talking it out Parents may feel a conversation is not necessary, particularly with younger children, and that they can alter behavior by making lifestyle changes. But experts say a talk can be constructive, especially if the changes are going to be noticeable.

The key is to approach the subject with kindness and caring, and avoid blaming any of the child’s behaviors.

Children should also understand that any changes would be intended to make them feel better, and not about how they look.

As uncomfortable as addressing the issue may seem, failure to do so may make a child feel worse if they’re being teased at school or feeling bad about themselves.

“In some ways, just to get it out there may be sort of a

relief,” said Tommy Tomlinson, an author who recounted his lifelong struggle with weight in “The Elephant in the Room.”

Making changes Any adjustments to meals and activities should involve the entire family, so children don’t feel singled out. This is tied to the belief that the most powerful way to help a child change their behavior is by setting an example.

Framing changes in a positive light is also key, Walsh said, whether that’s suggesting new recipes to try together or asking about activities they might be interested in.

“Keep things upbeat,” she said.

Then there is the matter of giving guidance on foods.

Parents might not like the idea of directing children to

a dieting company’s app, especially since it gives older children the option to “upgrade” to a coaching service that costs $69 a month.

The company that now calls itself WW says the app is based on Stanford Children’s Health’s Weight Control Program, but views vary on the traffic-light system.

Dr. Sarah Hampl, a pediatrician specializing in weight management at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, said it can be an easy way to understand a complicated topic. Experts say the system can help adults eat better as well.

But Kaitlin Reid, a registered dietitian at UCLA, said it’s a way of classifying foods as good and bad, which should be avoided.

Seeing any foods as bad might result in feeling guilty whenever eating them.

the need to intervene or scold every time a child reaches for a sweet.

“Guilt and blame are not good motivators for change,” said Stephen Pont, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Dell Medical School.

By the same token, experts say parents should avoid making negative comments about their own bodies.

Regardless of whether parents see noticeable changes right away, Pont said, there are long-term benefits of instilling healthier habits in children.

8

FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019

PATTAYA MAIL

Crossword No 1362 Unwelcome Restriction The much-touted elite card visa allows farang to live in Thailand for 5-20 years on payment of between 500,000 and two million baht. It also carries perks such as fast track immigration and hotel and spa discounts. But, surprisingly, holders can obtain only a two year extension driving licence rather than the five years available to those with a one year visa or extension of stay. This is because the elite card visa has to be renewed every three months either by visiting an immigration office or leaving the country.

The Eyes Have It While on driving licences, we hear that the Land Transportation Department has toughened up its policy on eyesight when you apply for a permit, or need to renew it. Apart from a brief exam for colour blindness, there has long been a vision-depth test where you have to determine when two moving sticks are parallel by moving them around on a hand-held device. The margin of error is a mere five percent and a lot more applicants are failing these days. Or so we are told.

Early Bird Necessary Still at the extremely busy and overcrowded Land Transportation Department near Pattaya, the office opens at 8.30 am. If you are seeking a driving licence, the advice is to get there around 7 am to ensure you are within the quota for foreigners on that particular day. You will find an official seated just outside the locked office giving out queue ticket numbers. If you don’t believe that, then try arriving mid-morning and see what reception you will get. Come back tomorrow Mister.

The New Riviera About 10 years ago, Pattaya was designated in marketing brochures by the tourism ministry as Thailand’s Riviera.

The general idea was that our fair city could compete with the real Riviera on the Mediterranean coastline as a holiday and leisure resorts. But the same ministry has now earmarked the term Riviera for an area near the Malaysian border. There will be, eventually, a new highway connecting the Chao Phraya River with the Kolok River providing a scenic route to a tourist haven. Can’t compete eh?

Unfounded Rumour Sorry to disappoint avid viewers but it is simply untrue that the prime minister will be resuming his half-hourly fireside chats on TV which were an integral part of the communications strategy of the military government for five years following the coup of 2014. To his credit, prime minister and ex-army chief Prayut always insisted that his speech in Thai carried an English translation underneath. It was a rare example in government of an international approach. After all, English is the language of ASEAN.

Retirement versus Marriage Some farang are switching from the extension of stay based on retirement to that based on marriage to a Thai citizen.

The reason is that the income or cash qualification for the latter is half the 800,000 baht for the former. But don’t forget that they are two quite separate visa types. At the risk of slight exaggeration, the retirement option requires a few papers whereas the marriage options needs an armful, including signed statements by two neighbours that you really are living together.

Down 1 Pact (6) 2 Idealist, visionary (7) 3 Unclothed (5) 5 Single eyeglass (7) 6 Liquid measure (5) 7 Handwriting (6) 9 Solo speech (9) 13 Popular cheese (7) 14 Slanting (7) 15 Material (6) 16 Combat (6) 18 Offspring (5) 20 Royal (5)

Last week’s answers Across: 1 Laos, 3 Balanced, 9 Another, 10 Gains, 11 Harpo, 12 Crying, 14 Regret, 16 Indigo, 19 Burrow, 21 Audit, 24 Rebel, 25 Kremlin, 26 Pheasant, 27 Wide.

Down: 1 Leathery, 2 Odour, 4 Africa, 5 Angry, 6 Chianti, 7 Dose, 8 Throne, 13 Continue, 15 Grumble, 17 Nearer, 18 Awaken, 20 Rules, 22 Delhi, 23 Trip.

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. 264

Certified Brits

Concerning men and women: “A man can sleep around, but if a woman makes nineteen or twenty mistakes, she’s a tramp,” (Joan Rivers). “Behind every successful man is a surprised woman,” (Maryon Pearson). “A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do, whereas a woman must do what he can’t,” (Rhona Hansome). “The most important thing in a marriage is that one partner is good at carrying out orders,” (Linda Festa).

Massic Travel

1 Passionate (6) 4 Saunters (6) 8 Make sure (5) 9 Cathedral, large church (7) 10 Islamic fast (7) 11 Inexpensive (5) 12 Remember (9) 17 Similar (5) 19 Large ape (7) 21 Remainder (7) 22 Corn for grinding (5) 23 Drinker’s toast (6) 24 Pestilence (6)

In answer to a query, the British embassy has confirmed that Thai widows cannot now claim any state benefits from UK unless they have a British national insurance number. Just to confirm: no state pension nor widow’s allowance nor any help with funeral expenses without that key number which proves the lady in question lived and worked in UK at some time.

However, it is sometimes possible for the surviving Thai widow to apply to receive part of her husband’s occupational pension. Choose a lawyer who knows what is going on.

Thoughts for the Week

sponsored by

Across

Poor Brits

You no longer have to visit the British embassy in Bangkok if you need a certified copy of your passport or UK driving licence. According to the embassy website the whole process can be done by post and takes about a week. Given the long waiting lists for vacant embassy slots, this is a useful option.

Is it free? Of course not, you pay through the nose as usual.

Incidentally, the fees for embassy services are set in London for worldwide and not in Bangkok as is often believed.

VOL. XXVII No. 36

Answers next week.

VOL. XXVII No. 36

PATTAYA MAIL

FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019

9

You too can get great shots Good shots, or even great shots, can appear any time.

If you are not going to miss the chance of a lifetime, the first tip is to make sure you have a camera with you, or, and I struggle to say it – a high quality smartphone! (Go and wash your mouth out with soap, Harry Flashman.)

However, how many times have you thought to yourself, “Damn! Where’s the camera right now!” This is after the shot of a lifetime just happened before your eyes. A shot that could have kept you in champagne for the next three months.

Now great shots can be shots that just somehow

epitomize life in Thailand, for example. It could be a katoey posturing on Beach Road, or even the buffalo with two birds standing on its back.

Always remember that you are living in a land that your countrymen save up for 12 months just to get here for a holiday.

You (we) are lucky and should not let photographic opportunities pass us by.

So this week, let’s look at a few specific examples of “how to” when you are looking to record those “once in a lifetime” images.

Every city, town or village anywhere has its parades.

And there are plenty of them here. Now, have you ever tried to record the parade? It is actually very difficult. The naked eye sees a long procession of musicians, marchers and the like as they pass by, but the camera sees only one slice of the action about 1/60th of a second long!

Dear Hillary, Its Evil here, not much happening on the motorcycle front, just the occasional sounding the horn and giving the two finger salute. Not sure if Thai Motorists or Motorcyclists understand what it all actually means but it gets rid if my anger. I am up to G in the dictionary Hillary and found the word Generic recently. It fits the Thai motorist and motorcyclist perfectly. Why you ask?

Well they cannot turn their heads left or right as you can see when they come out of a side street into a major road. It has to be a generic problem don’t you think Hillary? Also a problem exists with their legs, if the 7/11 is more than twenty meters away the thought of walking, well it would be out of the question. So there we have a problem that the worlds medical profession could look into Hillary and I know you are the lady who would know who to speak too regarding it. Don’t get me wrong Hillary, that book I wrote about my life is thirty per cent of good things that have happened to me in Thailand, all from Thai people.

I could not wish to find any better anywhere and that’s for sure. But Foreigners beware when asking directions. I was visiting the big smoke to renew my Australian passport Hilary, on heading from a BTS station to the Consulate I thought I will ask a Thai council worker (road sweeper) to confirm I was going in the right direction. Oh No I was told, well five kilometers later I did arrive at the Australian Consulate, which was in fact about 300 meters from where I spoke with the council worker. Well sorry for the long winded letter Hillary, please keep us all smiling. Time to look for a Halloween outfit, although if you saw me I know what you would say....Bye for now, Evil...

There is only one secret word for parades, and that’s ‘height’. You have to get a high viewpoint to successfully record the action, and preferably use a long lens. By shooting down the oncoming procession you will get several squads of musicians, marchers etc., all on the one frame. By using the telephoto lens you “compress” the action and get more in the one photographic frame. Honestly, if you can’t get up high don’t take parades. You will be disappointed with all ground level shots.

All tourist towns have their nightlife, and we have the odd nocturnal events and places. Lots of lights, neon signs and flood-lit fountains are the norm for this type of photograph. The secret here is a wide angle lens with an aperture down around f 1.8.

This is the time to set your digital to 800 ASA, or 400 ASA at least. The other

secret is not to use your flash. Now I fully realize that this is photography after dark, but the whole concept is to let the attractions provide the illumination, rather than blasting it with your flash burst. If you try and take neon light using flash you will totally wash out the neon and again get very disappointing results.

One of the more challenging travel situations is the

Dear Evil, You remind me of the Irish road sweeper who when asked which was the road to Dublin, said that if he was going to Dublin, he wouldn’t be leaving from there! Now, my little Petal, you will have to be more careful when reading your dictionary. “Generic”? I don’t think so. A couple of lines further down you will see “genetic” which refers to a condition inherited from the elders in the family, passed on through the genes, which is what you meant. Correct? Please note the distinction between genes and jeans. Both can have a part to play in the reproduction cycle, so be careful, especially when giving two finger salutes. I also have it on good authority that Aussies can speak English, but don’t like to! I thought it was only the French.

Dear Hillary, One of your readers was complaining that every Thai girl was a rip-off. I say do people who squander huge sums at gambling in Las Vegas get angry at the, often female card dealer? These girls are just that, really, really good dealers with free physical therapy thrown in and don’t take near the money.

Don Dear Don, Thank you for taking up the cause of the Thai bar girls (they should make you president with what you’ve spent over the years), but you missed the point that he felt all Thai women were rip-offs, and as you know, not all Thai women work in beer bars.

summer beach holiday. It is very difficult to photograph the beach and not end up with a washed out look in the final photographs. The secret here is a Polarizing filter and the time of day you shoot.

This is where the Polarizer works so well, especially with the glare from the sand. The Polarizer will also give you a blue sky to contrast the yellow sand castles. The time of day is also just as important.

Shoot early morning or late afternoon when the sun’s rays are skimming across the beach and the tracks and ridges in the sand will show up as shadows.

Some of you will be exponents of the wilderness type holiday, trekking and camping and taking in the vast grandeur of breathtaking natural wonders. The secret here is a wide angle lens, look for low viewpoints and set the ASA on 50 or 100, plus a tripod if you can. The idea here is to use the aperture at around f16 or f22 to maximize the depth of field. This in turn and the slow ASA setting, will require longer exposures – hence the tripod. Shooting in this way will give you maximum detail in the shot, maximum content and visual theater. Finally, shoot early morning or late afternoon as well to get the dramatic shadow effects and really give the impact to the Grand Canyon!

Dear Hillary, Do you know that terrible smelling stuff called Pla Ra? My lady brings it back from the Isaan region, and it has a smell like 100 year old sox mixed up with sewage. It is so bad I won’t let her open it in the house. What do they use it for?

James Dear James, You have just discovered one of the delights of the NorthEast. It certainly isn’t the sweetest smelling stuff in the world, but if you grew up with it, I suppose it smells OK. It is used in cooking, and as a spicy dip. I agree with you – terrible smell, my Petal. Best thing to do is to only allow it in the Thai kitchen at the back of the house. (You do have a Thai kitchen, I hope?) It is a North-East specialty that is not found anywhere else in Thailand. (Or probably in the world!)

Dear Hillary, I write to soothe the pride of all those Isaan people who’ve read the letter about phra ra, commonly pronounced “palah”. With respect, it is much more than something they eat in Isaan, much, much more. Yes, it’s on the nose (and there are as many different phra ra brews as there are people making it), but as a flavor enhancer it’s great.

Whether in any of the thousands of little eateries or a private home, in Isaan you eat the national dish, and that’s som tum, and there’s no such thing as real som tum without phra ra. Those pussies down south who eat pawpaw salad (or tum daeng or tum tua) without it are missing a treat!

Adrian Dear Adrian, You need help, Petal. You need help! If you’re already on treatment, I suggest you double the dose.

10 FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019

PATTAYA MAIL

Happy birthday at 97

Thailand becomes first ASEAN nation to grow industrial-scale medical cannabis Thailand’s largest batch of 12,000 cannabis sprouts has been planted at Maejo University in Chiang Mai. It is the first-ever industrial-scale medical cannabis manufacturing facility in the ASEAN region. The produce is expected to be harvested in early 2020 for use in treatment and research.

Anutin Charnvirakul, Minister of Public Health, said a total of 12,000 cannabis sprouts had been planted in the program. It is expected that 2.4 tons of dried cannabis will be delivered to the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) and its network partners by February 2020, in order to produce cannabis-based drugs to be available through licensed

VOL. XXVII No. 36

Barry Kenyon

Anutin Charnvirakul, Minister of Public Health, talks to the media at Maejo University in Chiang Mai.

medical institutions including public and private hospitals as well as clinics.

The minister expressed his confidence that the cooperation will yield hemp oil of medical grade that meets the quality standard. The Department of Medical Services (DMS) will use it in treating

patients along with research.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has used the first batch of hemp oil for research in test tubes, in order to study the effects of inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells. The NCI is currently waiting for the experimental results. (NNT)

BMA cleans Chao Phraya riverside ahead of royal barge procession The royal barge procession will take place on 24 October this year. In addition to the preparation of the royal barges, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has been busy working to improve the landscape along both sides of the Chao Phraya River to accommodate spectators.

Bangkok Governor Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang led 3,105 officials and volunteers from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), royal volunteers, and volunteers in the Altruistic Heart campaign to clean up the riverside landscape and facilities on the Thomburi side of the river last week.

The volunteers helped clean up public squares, roads, the embankment under the Rama VIII Bridge, remove debris and water hyacinths from the Chao Phraya River, and renovate Suan Luang Phraram 8 Park to honor His Majesty the King. (NNT)

Volunteers helped clean up public squares, roads, the embankment under the Rama VIII Bridge, remove debris and water hyacinths from the Chao Phraya River, and renovate Suan Luang Phraram 8 Park to honor His Majesty the King. (NNT)

Long time Pattaya resident Archie Dunlop entertained 30 friends at the August restaurant, Mabprachan Lake, on the occasion of his 97th birthday.

Archie, an ex-army British businessman who retired to Thailand 20 years ago, is currently the oldest holder of an annual retirement extension in Thailand.

Asked what is the secret of a long and successful life, Archie confided, “A little of what you fancy does you good” (Sent by Barry Kenyon) Archie Dunlop.

American, Japanese patients may have hospital treatment without visa for 90 days The Directing Committee of the International Health Center has approved a proposal to include the United States and Japan in the group of countries from which patients may have medical treatment in Thailand for a period of 90 days without needing a visa.

A meeting chaired by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, and attended

by Tourism & Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitparkarn, approved in principle, the inclusion of the United States and Japan in the 90-day medical treatment visa waiver program. The inclusion of the two countries in the scheme makes a total of 13 nations, with the addition of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Cambodia, Laos,

Thailand, which has 68 internationally recognized health service units, the most in ASEAN, plans to turn the country into the world’s Medical Hub in 2020. (NNT)

Myanmar, Vietnam and China.

Anutin confirmed that the government is focused on the promotion of innovation and medical excellence, as well as health-related tourism, to add economic value. Over 3.4 million health-related visits were made to Thailand

last year, generating over 28 billion baht in revenue.

Thailand, which has 68 internationally recognized health service units, the most in ASEAN, plans to turn the country into the world’s Medical Hub in 2020.

(NNT)

Advertorial

Making Pattaya Accessible Nanthini Doowa For many years there was no safe and reliable transportation service for persons with disabilities available in the Pattaya region. Thank you to great ideas, execution and supporters who believed a service like this will benefit so many lives both disabled and the elderly in so many different ways, BB Van Transport is now available for booking.

The service operates every day from 8.00am-5pm. After hours are also available upon request.

Our van is fitted with a ramp to wheel the passengers safely into the rear of the vehicle. We use the Q’Straint 4-point securement system, made in the USA, to anchor the wheelchair within the van to allow for safe passenger transportation. Our drivers are experienced in driving for PWD’s and the elderly.

They are well trained and safety is their first priority.

They will assist the customers in and out of the van with ease.

Local Thais are resourceful and wheelchair users are often seen in Pattaya streets struggling to make their way on streets and sidewalks in perilous danger due to the narrow roads and obstructed sidewalks. Often out of necessity, they will climb on board a modified

sidecar attached to a motor bike - most of the time unrestrained.

Disabled expats who need to get around are inclined to use taxis, but they need to be manhandled into and out of the vehicle each time. So many Thais and expats alike choose to stay confined to their home and surrounds thus experiencing a lower quality of life than they deserve.

The management team have first-hand experience of what it’s like getting around Pattaya City.

Our advantages

BB Van Transport is now available for booking.

Drivers are experienced in driving for PWDs and the elderly, they are well trained, and safety is their first priority.

Our difference starts with the management and runs all the way through the business. The management team includes persons with disability who have firsthand experience of what it’s like

getting around Pattaya City.

They will foster and ensure that our clients are always treated with dignity and transported in a safe manner.

The Father Ray School also offers this service for persons with mobility issues

but it is mainly catered to the students from the school.

Therefore, making BB Van Transport the only van available in Pattaya catering for this particular market.

Although there is no direct competition, we will strive to maintain an affordable service and partner with organizations who are looking to assist those who can least afford the service.

With giving services to the disabled and elderly, BB van also provides delivery, house moving & clearance to keep our project self- sustaining.

The first project we’ve partnered with is Disabled Sailing Thailand (https://www. disabledsailingthailand.org) transporting our disabled sailors for training weekly at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club.

For more information or bookings contact us at 0859611226 OR 092-2908511 Line: @bbvantransport Fb: bbvantransport Insta: @transportbbvan Website: https://www. bbvantransport.com

VOL. XXVII No. 36

FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019 11

PATTAYA MAIL

Tenth lunar month festival Royal Barge Exhibition on display at ICON Siam The Royal Thai Navy has and aligns them in accordance held at Wat Nong Yai put up a special exhibition with the actual arrangement in

The festival included Manohra dance performances to honor the spirits of dead relatives and ancestors.

Jetsada Homklin Southern culture was on show at the annual tenth lunar month festival, held at Wat Nong Yai in Pattaya last month and organized by the Chonburi Southerner Association and the Ministry of Culture.

The traditional festival is influenced by Brahmanism and Buddhist beliefs and is held to express gratitude and obligation through merit making to the spirits of passed away ancestors. It is considered to be a very important

ritual to people from the south of Thailand and is usually held in September or October each year.

The event in Pattaya was attended by Wittaya Kunplome, Chief Executive of Chonburi Provincial Administration Organization, who chaired the opening ceremony. The festival included a retro temple fair selling a wide variety of southern food and goods, Manohra dance performances and a memorial parade to honor the spirits of dead relatives and ancestors.

Destination

on the Kingdom’s Royal Barge Procession prior to the actual event which is scheduled to take place at the end of October.

Commander-in-Chief of The Royal Thai Navy Adm. Luechai Ruddit today presided over the opening of the exhibition “Art on Water” this week at ICONSiam Shopping complex to provide information about the upcoming auspicious ceremony.

The exhibition brings together 52 miniature model boats

the royal procession, along with information about each boat. Furthermore, the exhibition utilizes ‘panorama-hologram’ and Augmented Reality technology and other multimedia to provide information and history of the grand procession.

The organizers hope the public will better understand the tradition, formation and history prior to the actual Royal Barge Procession scheduled for October 24 to celebrate this year’s Royal

The Royal Thai Navy has put up a special exhibition on the Kingdom’s Royal Barge Procession at ICON Siam Shopping Mall.

Coronation of His Majesty King Rama the tenth.

The exhibition is now open to the public every day at

ICON Siam Shopping Mall until October 31. The historic exhibition is free of charge.

(NNT)

DLT to inspect public transport every 90km

The Department of Land Transport will be conducting safety inspections on all forms of public transport to ensure that the drivers and vehicles meet the required safety standard, at checking points every 90 kilometers across the country.

Pheeraphol Thawornsuphacharoen, Director-General of the Department of Land Transport (DLT), has disclosed that the DLT will be conducting safety inspections on all forms of public transport to ensure that the drivers and vehicles meet the required safety standard, at checking points every 90 kilometers across the country.

The DLT is cooperating with the Highways Police Division and

Transport Company Limited in the inspection of public transport around the clock every day. Public transport operators who try to skip the safety checks are punishable under the Land Transport Act B.E. 2522 Section 31 (10) or Section 32 (6).

Inspections will check the vehicles’ condition, and its documentation, as well as signs of alcohol or drug use in the drivers. (NNT)

Read more news at pattayamail.com

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12 FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019

PATTAYA MAIL

VOL. XXVII No. 36

Name that Tune

Alexander Borodin.

If the title sounds familiar, it’s because it was the name of a long-running television game show of yesteryear.

The programme originated in America but the show’s format eventually found its way to dozens of other countries including Britain.

Tunes (or melodies if you prefer) are the oldest elements of music. During the early Middle Ages, most music consisted of a single melody and little else. Melody is invariably the most memorable feature in music and can often be recalled long after other elements of the music, such as the harmonies,

rhythms and textures have been forgotten.

During the second half of the twentieth century, melody temporarily became less relevant in classical music, prompting the irritatingly pompous Sir Thomas Beecham to remark that composers should write “tunes that chauffeurs and errand boys can whistle.” In contrast, Aaron Copland, known for his ability to write wonderfully evocative melodies, commented that a melody isn’t “merely something you can hum” implying that melody is much more than a sequence of notes and sometimes has

more subtle qualities; more profound meanings.

So this week, let’s celebrate melody with two popular works which are full of memorable tunes. They’re both written for string quartet: two violins, a viola and a cello.

And incidentally, the name “string quartet” can apply both to the ensemble itself as well as the music written for it. This type of chamber ensemble emerged sometime during the eighteenth century and has been popular with composers ever since.

Haydn wrote seventy works for string quartet; Mozart wrote twenty-three and the ever-prolific Luigi Boccherini churned out more than ninety. Beethoven’s eighteen quartets are considered to be some of the finest ever written, especially the later ones. Alexander Borodin, the Russian composer, who incidentally was also a medical doctor and a chemist, managed only two string quartets because much of his time was engaged in scientific research. Even so, he was particularly adept at crafting jolly good tunes. So good were they, that many were borrowed (or stolen, to be more accurate) for the 1953 musical Kismet, set in

a fictional Baghdad during the time of The Arabian Nights.

Alexander Borodin (1833-1887): String Quartet No. 2 in D Major (first movement). Kontras Quartet (Duration: 08:08; Video: 720p HD) This quartet was written in 1881 when the composer was on holiday and staying with a friend in Zhitovo, a country town in Southern Russia. The first movement has been described as one of the most perfect examples of Borodin’s lyrical style and it’s full of lovely melodies and magical changes of key.

The four movements are presented on YouTube as separate videos, listed on the right-hand-side of the screen.

Unusually, the second movement is not a slow one, but a quick and lively scherzo in which you’ll hear a melody which later became better known as Baubles, Bangles and Beads.

The slow third movement is remarkably beautiful and you’ll probably recognize the main theme as yet

another hit from the show, And This is My Beloved.

The Kontras Quartet is a brilliant young American string quartet based in Chicago and has established an international reputation.

This is a fine recording in which the four players work to produce a balanced, seamless and perfectly synchronized performance.

Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904): String Quartet No 12 in F, Op 96 (“American”).

Prazak Quartet (Duration: 25:05; Video: 360p) If any string quartet can stake a claim for the most popular work in the chamber music repertoire, it has to be this. I first encountered it as a teenager and thought it was the best quartet I’d ever heard.

This performance has been watched over 518,363 times on YouTube alone, so there’s clearly a ready audience for chamber music.

The work dates from 1893 when the Czech composer was Director of the National Conservatory in New York City. Like Borodin, he was taking a summer holiday when he wrote it. Dvorak

stayed in the small Iowa town of Spillville, which lies among the hills of the Turkey River Valley. It was (and still is) the home of a expatriate community of a few hundred people.

Dvorak sketched the quartet in just three days and completed the entire work less than a fortnight later. He’d recently finished his New World Symphony and the string quartet contains many similar American-sounding themes, often using the sweet-sounding pentatonic scale. For a long time, it was assumed that Dvorak had used genuine folk songs and spirituals and although the composer heard many American folksongs during his stay, the melodies in the quartet are largely the composer’s own.

The Prazak Quartet was established in 1972 and it’s interesting how these Czech musicians approach the work. Unlike some American and British string quartets that tend to go for a smooth and restrained performance of this work, there’s no pussyfooting around here and the musicians give a lively, passionate reading that seems to bring out more of the Bohemian qualities of the music.

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.

Stephen King returns with ‘The Institute’ Rob Merrill The kids are all right again, in Stephen King’s world.

Not since part one of “It” or his short story “The Body,” which became the “Stand by Me” film, has King based a story almost entirely around the lives and fears of young people.

The protagonist of “The Institute” is a hyper-intelligent 12-year-old named Luke Ellis. “Your basic good boy, doing what he was told,” King writes, “the guy who went out of his way to be social so people wouldn’t think he was a weirdo as well as a brainiac.”

Snatched from his Minneapolis bed one night, Luke wakes up in a replica of his room with a few details missing. One of the giveaways? His collectible “Wings for Willkie” 1940 presidential button is missing from inside the cup of his Little League trophy.

Just pages later Luke is face-to-face with the villains of King’s story, a buttoned-up Mrs. Sigsby (we later learn her first name is Julia and she’s the chief administrator of the Institute) “wearing a tailored DVF business suit that did not disguise her beyond-lean build,” and Dr. Hendricks, “with his protruding front teeth and extreme height,” earning him the nickname “Donkey Kong.”

To say any more about what the Institute is or what happens to the gifted children imprisoned there would spoil

the story, but it’s classic King. The best scenes in the first half of the book are when the kids are talking with each other, trying to figure out where they are, why they’re there, and eventually what to do about it. King has always had a great ear for childish conversation: “Have we been kidnapped?” Luke asks his new friends.

“Well, duh,” replies George.

“Because every now and then I walk into a room and the door closes behind me?”

“Well, if they were grabbing people for their good looks, Iris and Sha wouldn’t be here,” says George, as Kalisha chimes in with, “Dinkleballs.”

The second half of the book hinges on the kindness of a couple of adults as Luke begins to figure out what’s happening to him and his friends. King fleshes out the supporting characters nicely and there’s a “Rocky vs. Drago” feel to it as you really begin to root for the kids and their sympathetic grown-ups.

Anyone who avoids King because they don’t like “horror” novels will be safe reading this one.

It’s more mystery than horror, with the evil concentrated on inhumanity. There’s no bloody gore or supernatural forces, just adults treating children horribly.

As the book climaxes and then reaches its resolution, you’ll have to decide for yourself if the good or the bad guys win. (AP)

VOL. XXVII No. 36

PATTAYA MAIL

FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019 13

A space odyssey with Brad Pitt in ‘Ad Astra’ Jake Coyle Los Angeles (AP) - Having stayed rigorously close to his native New York for much of his career, writerdirector James Gray has lately been making up for lost time. His last film, “The Lost City of Z,” journeyed into the Amazon, circa early 20th century. His latest, “Ad Astra,” skitters across the solar system like a stone skipped through space.

Both films aren’t merely changes in setting. They’re inherently about leaving home — the sacrifice entailed, the wonders to be discovered, the cost of obsessions that require pursuit. It’s fitting that they follow Gray’s masterpiece, “The Immigrant,” a profound and melancholic tale of passage. Whether orbiting New York or Neptune, Gray has been on the move for some time.

“Ad Astra,” starring Brad Pitt as an astronaut in the near future, is easily the most expensive production yet for Gray (“We Own the Night,” ‘’Two Lovers”). Its timing is fortuitous. Coming on the heels of Pitt’s radiant performance in “Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood,”

‘’Ad Astra” seems almost like an encore amid all the (deserved) celebration of its lead performer, a singular star in a movie universe with few that can match his luster.

But “Ad Astra,” more intimate than it is majestic, is much more than a rocketfueled vehicle for its star. It’s a ruminative, mythical space adventure propelled by father-son issues of cosmic proportions. Pitt’s Roy McBride is ordered to the far reaches of the solar system to make contact with his previously presumed dead father, a legendary space explorer named H. Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones).

He’s feared to have gone mad, and is suspected of having something to do with power surges playing havoc with Earth’s electronics. In the film’s staggering first moments, McBride is working on a miles-high antenna, like Jack on a beanstalk to the sky, when a surge sweeps over it. Explosions follow and McBride plummets through the stratosphere.

“Ad Astra” is mapped like “Apocalypse Now.” (Gray is so devoted a Coppola fan that he ranks dinners by the director’s oeuvre.) Instead of an ominous, top-secret trek down a Vietnamese river toward Colonel Kurtz, McBride is hopping between planetary stations (a string of colonized bases

This image shows Brad Pitt in a scene from the film “Ad Astra”. (Francois Duhamel/20th Century Fox via AP)

exist on the moon and Mars, with Neptune the next destination) en route to another missing hero-turned-psychopath, with a mission to potentially search and destroy. That this is Roy’s father, whom he hasn’t seen since he was a youngster, adds significantly to the implications of the journey.

Pitt’s astronaut is a solitary figure, taciturn and cool under pressure. Much of the charisma he so effortlessly displayed in “Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood” has gone into hiding, replaced with a more pensive and subtle performance. His space voyage comes in contact with a handful of colorful figures,

all of them underused (Donald Sutherland, Natasha Lyonne, Ruth Negga, a pair of rabid space baboons). But Roy’s chiefly in dialogue with himself and the old video transmissions from his father.

In copious amounts of voice over and frequent confessional-like psychological evaluations, Roy narrates his psychological voyage through the stars. “I will not allow my mind to linger on that which is not important,” he says early in the film, pledging his devotion to the mission. It’s a line that will come to mean something else to Roy as he gets further and further from home (he leaves behind an ex-wife, played by Liv Tyler),

and goes deeper and deeper into his — and his father’s — obsessions. The nature of ambition gets deconstructed.

Grandiosity gets toppled by elemental humanity.

Gray, of course, is only the most recent master-filmmaker to seek existential truths in the remoteness of space. There was Claire Denis’ “High Life” earlier this year and Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” in 2014. The latter bears some similar DNA with “Ad Astra.” But Nolan lingered much more on the life and family left behind by its space traveler (Matthew McConaughey). Gray, a more restrained director, gives us little of Roy’s earthly life, something that dulls the movie’s emotional arc when Roy begins to look backward.

Where I think “Ad Astra” misses the mark is in so closely marrying its subtext with its text. Roy is navigating his relationship to his absent father both literally and figuratively. Daddy issues, alone, can take you only so far, even if it’s to Neptune. Aside from verging on the one-note, that focus constricts the very linear, very self-contained

“Ad Astra,” a taut but inflexible chamber piece in a genre given to symphony.

That minimalism, though, is also part of the considerable appeal of “Ad Astra.”

The placid surface of Pitt’s carefully calibrated performance slowly cracks. And it’s often riveting to watch how Gray remakes fairly familiar science-fiction terrain.

Working with cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema (who also shot “Interstellar”), Gray brings his typically formalist style and firm command to stripped-down scenes that approach the sublime. A dazzling chase sequence with buggy-riding pirates on the moon is depicted nearly soundlessly.

Gray has a gift for shrinking massive set pieces and enlarging private dramas. In “Ad Astra,” he travels 2.7 billion miles through space.

It’s a long way to go for a talk with your dad, but a fair distance for uncovering a ray of hope in a lifeless void.

“Ad Astra,” a 20th Century Fox release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for some violence and bloody images, and for brief strong language.

Running time: 124 minutes.

Three stars out of four.

Pattaya hosts Asian Idol Music Festival 2019

Julie Andrews to receive American Film Institute honor

Actress Julie Andrews is shown in this Sept. 29, 2015 file photo. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Los Angeles (AP) - The American Film Institute is honoring Julie Andrews with its Life Achievement Award.

The organization said that Andrews will receive the award at the Gala Tribute on April 25 next year in Los Angeles.

Andrews’ acting career has spanned several decades, winning an Academy Award in 1965 for her starring role in “Mary Poppins.”

She also starred in “The Sound of Music” and “The Princess Diaries.”

Andrews received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. She also won two Grammys through “Mary Poppins” and “Julie Andrews’ Collection of Poems, Songs and Lullabies.”

The 83-year-old actress will be the 48th recipient of the prestigious honor from the AFI, joining Mel Brooks, Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep and George Clooney.

This year’s honoree was Denzel Washington.

Members of AKB 48 from Japan perform at the Asian Idol Music Festival 2019 in Pattaya.

Fans turned out in droves at Central Festival Pattaya Beach to enjoy the music and atmosphere.

Pattaya music lovers enjoyed a weekend of free live entertainment when the city played host to the Asian Idol Music Festival 2019.

The event, staged Sept.

20-22 at Central Festival Pattaya Beach, was being held in Thailand for the first time and saw pop idols from Japan, Indonesia, Myanmar,

photos with their idols at organized meet & greet sessions, festival attendees were also able to enjoy a wide variety of foodstuffs on offer, including extensive menus from Japanese restaurants.

Ronakit Ekasingh, Pattaya Deputy Mayor, chaired the opening of the festival and

Hong Kong and Thailand strut their stuff and thrill audiences. Among the highlights of the weekend were performances by AKB 48 and Candy Zoo from Japan and Daisy Daisy and Siam Dream from Thailand.

As well as having the opportunity to watch the live stage acts and pose for

commented that international events such as Asian Idol can help promote good relations between neighboring countries and also give a boost to the local economy of the host city, not to mention provide hours of entertainment to those lucky enough to attend.

(PCPR)

14 FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019

PATTAYA MAIL

VOL. XXVII No. 36

Copacabana Beach Jomtien breaks ground with pomp & ceremony

Phra Maharaj Sri Visuthikun, current president of the Provost Brahmin, along with Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh, deputy prime minister of Thailand, Gen. Pracha Promnok, and Copacabana Beach Jomtien directors Kasina Thammasuwan, Rolf Wilhelm Haupt, and Manfred Wu perform the Brahmin foundation stone laying ceremony.

Jetsada Homklin A ground-breaking ceremony was held Sep. 25, 2019, for the Copacabana Beach Jomtien condominium, the latest real estate project earmarked to grace

to the rising Pattaya skyline.

Hosted by company directors Kasina Thammasuwan, Rolf Wilhelm Haupt, and Manfred Wu, along with the project’s management team, the event was highlighted by the laying of the building’s

Copacabana Beach Jomtien directors Kasina Thammasuwan, Rolf Wilhelm Haupt and Manfred Wu donated 1,000 wheelchairs for seniors and the disabled, received by Pattaya Deputy Mayors Ronakit Ekasingh and Banlue Kullavanijaya.

first foundation stone, the Brahmin blessing ritual conducted by Phra Maharaj Sri Visuthikun, current president of the Provost Brahmin, and the mBuddhist ceremony for prosperity with 9 monks from Wat Samakkebanpot.

Guests of honor included former deputy prime minister

of Thailand, Gen. Pracha Promnok, and Pattaya deputy mayors Ronakit Ekasingh and Banlue Kullavanijaya.

As part of the merit making ceremony and as a goodwill gesture, Copacabana company directors donated 1,000 wheelchairs to be distributed by government

Company directors and staff celebrate the auspicious stone laying ceremony.

agencies to assist the elderly and disabled in the local community.

Copacabana Beach Jomtien is being built by Sangfah Construction Co., Ltd. on 15,040 sqm of land at Jomtien beach road between Soi 8 & 9 (next to Jomtien Night market). The 59 floors skyscraper will feature 1,644

individual units with prices starting at 2,700,000 baht and up. The project will include a 2,000sqm beach club, a sand bottom pool, large gym with panoramic windows, common areas, gardens, children’s play area and mini golf. Completion date is set provisionally for end 2022.

Read more news at pattayamail.com

Repairing the Yellow Submarine Derek Franklin

Complete and the children love it.

Perfect crew to repair the submarine.

Two female sailors made some new friends here in Pattaya.

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Ottawa, a Halifax class frigate, recently arrived in Thailand as part of a six month deployment in the Asia-Pacific waters enforcing United Nations sanctions against North Korea.

While in the port of Laem Chabang many members of the crew paid a visit to Pattaya and spent the day at the Father Ray Foundation.

On arrival their first job of the day was to repair and put together a brand new slide at the Father Ray Day Care Center, which just happened to be in the shape of a yellow submarine.

Being in the Navy meant the repair to the submarine did not take too long, and then it was over to the Technological College to meet the students with disabilities.

After helping the students with their English skills it was time to play sport, basketball. Easy they thought, until they realized they would be playing basketball while sitting in a wheelchair.

Not so easy.

After lunch they visited the School for Children with Special Needs where they were greeted by many of the one hundred and seventy children who attend the school.

Games of futsal, petanque and basketball were just a warm up for the main event with the special needs children. Musical chairs, a game mostly played at children’s parties, and a game that the Canadians had not played for many years, but a game

The crew of HMCS Ottawa made a generous donation to the children.

that is played at the school with as much seriousness as Usain Bolt puts into winning

gold at the Olympics.

After all the fun, the Canadians made a very special

donation that is much needed in these financial troubling times.

The end to an exhausting afternoon of musical chairs.

Wheelchair basketball, not easy.

VOL. XXVII No. 36

FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019 15

PATTAYA MAIL

A Slice of Pattaya History The beginnings of Pattaya Mail becoming your preferred partner in business Pratheep S. Malhotra To mark the 26th anniversary of Pattaya Mail, founder and MD Pratheep S. Malhotra, better known as Peter, was invited to speak at the Eastern Seaboard Business Dinner at the Intercontinental Hotel in Pattaya. The following is his presentation: I was born in Phitsanulok, lived in Bangkok until my family moved to Pattaya in 1975 where we set up shop in South Pattaya, now known as Walking Street. During the first two decades in Pattaya I saw the community of Thais and expats grow at a rapid pace.

and downright stubbornness of the small but resourceful team, Pattaya Mail would not have made it to Christmas. The most often question asked during the first couple of months was, “Will there be an issue next week?”

There were many who, when they saw the first issue of the Mail said, ‘They won’t last the year out.’ Perhaps, not surprisingly, there were some who still said something similar on our first anniversary - and even, but with less confidence, on our second - but by the third, the doubters were drowning in our torrent of information.

- where else could I be an Editor?” Where else indeed?

Perhaps one could add to this, certainly in Dan’s case: Talent Will Triumph!

Now twenty six years later, Executive Editor Dan Dorothy keeps an almost-avuncular eye over the entire paper every week, while trying to keep the sometimes unruly band of writers, both local and expats under linguistic control. Faces change, but the concepts and the principles remain the same.

The media business has also taught me to persevere and keep trying, again and again. The Pattaya Mail has given me the greatest opportunity to meet people,

Frank Holzer, GM of ANCA Sheet Metal Solutions (Thailand) (centre right) introduces Peter Malhotra (centre left) MD of Pattaya Mail, guest speaker at the Eastern Seaboard Business Dinner.

Peter shows a photo of the first page of the first issue of the Pattaya Mail coming off the printing presses in July1993.

Mail shows that it is also the longest running newspaper covering this region.

There are many facets to life in Pattaya, and the Pattaya Mail touches on them all. The news sections inform the readership just what is going on, both from the municipal point of view, with our editors being invited for information sharing sessions with City Hall, plus the police news reports on some of the more nefarious members of the community; the sporting section covers the local sports; the Mail Market with items for sale, jobs, business opportunities, real estate and more. Automobiles, films,

In the early days, Pattaya was getting an increasingly bad rap in the international press and soon Pattaya became known as the world’s favorite “bad” holiday resort.

In 1991, I realized that Pattaya needed a ‘voice’ to protect ourselves from the negative publicity. We needed a ‘proper English language newspaper to tell our side of the story.

It took 2 years for the application to go through and in 1993 we received our official license to publish the first English language newspaper on the Eastern Seaboard.

Initially Chuck Pringle filled the gap as editor and a young American, Dan Dorothy, stepped in to cover the sports and feature writer’s position. An even younger Austrian, Andy Gombaez, who was on his way to Hollywood to be a cartoonist, stumbled into the artist’s job after talking to the embryonic Pattaya Mail’s driver! That the first issue, dated 23rd July 1993, ever made the streets is a miracle in itself.

Three weeks later, the second issue came out, and then weekly thereafter. Those first few months were anything but successful, and if it weren’t for the determination

TV and book reviews are there too, with reports of what is happening right here in Pattaya.

With an English language newspaper, there are also international reports covering the English-speaking world from films, entertainment and sports. International news is directed straight to the editorial news desk from the prestigious Associated Press, with the Pattaya Mail being an associate of the international news organization.

On Friday, November 23, 2001, Denis D. Gray, Chief

With the introduction of our home page to the Internet in 1996, Pattaya Mail took your voice to the world.

We can also be proud that our aims were achieved.

Campaigns initiated and/or supported by us bore fruit and gradually Pattaya changed and the perception of Pattaya, in the eyes of the world, also changed. But the rapid change brought its own price and, eventually the weekly workload became too much for Chuck.

Under Dan Dorothy’s most able stewardship, the Pattaya Mail grew and gained a large following and readership along the Eastern Seaboard.

Dan feels that the paper has the potential to expand beyond our borders, by attracting good writers admitting, however, that some of the old ‘ad hoc’ methods are still with the paper. “There’s no paper like us in the world. It is unique in the fact that it is all locally written but with international appeal. We are not restricted like the ‘big boys’. We are restricted only by our conscience.”

As Dan says it “the opportunity the staff have been given here is such that it breeds loyalty,” adding with his infectious grin: “After all, I’m a lobster fisherman from Harpswell, Maine

of Bureau, Associated Press, Bangkok, and Pattaya Mail Managing Director Peter Malhotra signed an agreement making Pattaya Mail the first newspaper in Thailand outside of Bangkok to join the AP family.

Thus began yet another new chapter in Pattaya Mail history. From then on, every week in print and every day on our website, we brought the best, most interesting news, features, science, entertainment and sports the world has to offer, which only the Associated Press can deliver.

With many service clubs and charities in Pattaya, the Pattaya Mail covers them

Peter points to the picture of the very first issue of the Pattaya Mail published on 23 July 1993.

and I don’t mean people only in high society. My job has taken me to many places where I experienced the pain of people suffering, anything from hunger to sickness to injustices caused by other human beings. Pattaya Mail has been my vehicle to reach out and give any assistance that we possibly could give.

To continue to show its position as not only the ‘Best in the East’, acknowledged by the media association for 18 consecutive years, the lengthy publishing history of the Pattaya

all, not just with a photo of an event, but with real positive assistance and promotion where needed. The charities know that even after 26 years they still have a true friend and ally in the Pattaya Mail.

After 26 years of publishing, the Pattaya Mail is still a very popular read in the Pattaya and eastern seaboard community. Residents and visitors look forward to getting a copy of the Pattaya Mail every alternate Friday. We distribute thousands of copies to the expat and local communities

Peter tells the story of 26 exciting years of Pattaya Mail to guests at the Eastern Seaboard Business Dinner.

through various channels ‘free of charge’.

Our thinking is, we prefer to see the paper distributed and read widely rather than sitting on the shelves of supermarkets waiting to be bought. The more people read the paper, the more exposure our advertisers get.

Hence we still get hundreds of requests to not only promote but to also cover and publish community and commercial events in our newspaper because the Pattaya Mail is the most effective media to get the word out to the world at large.

We are very much advanced and have taken giant leaps into the world of digital media. Everything that we publish in the paper is reproduced on our websites and linked to our Daily Newsletter and all our Facebook pages.

The Pattaya Mail has and will continue to take a leadership stance in this town by informing the business community of the benefits of mainstream newspaper advertising and how to increase traffic and maximize returns.

In a business sense, Pattaya Mail is not just selling advertising space, but we are selling solutions to increased traffic and revenue streams in all forms of media. After all we are your preferred partner in business.

16 FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019

PATTAYA MAIL

VOL. XXVII No. 36

Oh my aching back Aching backs were the topic of discussion at the September 15 meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club.

The guest speaker was Dr. Vit Kotheenranurak, an Orthopedic Surgeon from Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.

His presentation was a clear and informative talk about lower back pain and its treatment through exercise, physical therapy, medication, and surgery dependent upon its cause. He provided many photos and diagrams to fully explain the types of lower pain back, what can cause it, and the methods available to treat it including the latest surgical techniques, if needed.

Doctor Vit explained that about 80 percent of the population will experience lower back pain one or more times in their life time. So, this condition will impact most people as some point.

The severity, location, and duration can offer clues as to the cause, but often will need diagnostic tools such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Lower back pain can often be treated using exercise, physical

therapy and/or medication.

But, if these treatment methods are ineffective, and you have pain or numbness in the legs, or it is limiting your ability to walk or do other activities, then surgery may be indicated. Two types of conditions often are the cause of lower back pain; a herniated disk or lumbar spinal stenosis.

A herniated disk (also called a bulging, protruding, or ruptured disk) is when one of the disks between individual bones in the vertebrae may push all the way through the disk’s outer ring or cause the ring to bulge; this puts pressure on the spinal cord and nearby nerve roots. When asked what causes disk herniation generally, Dr Vit replied that there were multiple factors that bear on the cause such as work environment, aging, genetics, lifestyle, etc. To help prevent a herniated disk, you need to have proper posture and do exercises to strengthen trunk muscles to help support the spine.

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal

Dr. Vit Kotheenranurak from Bangkok Hospital Pattaya’s Orthopedic Center explains to his PCEC audience why back pain does matter and what you can do about it with proper diagnosis and treatment.

canal, compressing the nerves traveling through the lower back into the legs and is more often associated with a degenerative condition that affects people who are typically age 60 and older.

He emphasized that you should maintain good posture as it reduces the pressure on your spine and disks. He mentioned using a proper sitting position as

well as some other everyday things that we do that have an impact on preventing. He said you need to have the correct posture for your body. When you sit you need to have full support for your back. Also, you should not sit for a long time, take breaks to stretch with every 30 minutes being the best and then go back to sitting.

In addition, Dr. Vit showed

the proper posture for picking up items, walking and surprisingly how to sleep with your legs elevated to minimize pressure on the lower back.

Often, physical therapy and/or prescribed exercises may help to stabilize the spine, build endurance, and increase flexibility. Such therapy may help the patient to resume normal activities.

Dr. Vit explained that if it is suspected that the back pain is caused by a nerve which could also be causing leg pain as well, then a full detailed image of the nerve root may be needed. MRIs are a very helpful diagnostic tool in such cases, as X-rays and CT scans do not show if a nerve is the cause of the pain.

If surgery is considered, Dr. Vit said Endoscopic Surgery can often be used. He described the procedures and the benefits of this type of surgery. The Endoscope Surgery procedure was shown in detail including before and after photos of patients which gave a strong visual impact as well as providing a clear understanding of lower back

pain and the surgical procedure to mitigate the condition.

He pointed out that the Endoscope Surgery procedure, which is a minimally invasive process, is becoming a standard procedure because it requires a very small wound, you only need to stay in the hospital one day, so it is not considered a big surgery anymore.

Further, it causes minimal damage to the surrounding tissue, reducing recovery time, pain and risk to the patient.

After the presentation, the MC brought everyone up to date on upcoming Club and other Pattaya events of interest. The meeting ended with the usual Open Forum where audience members can ask questions or make comments about expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya.

Member Ren Lexander interviewed Dr. Vit Kotheenranurak after his presentation to the PCEC. To view the video, visit: https://www. youtube.com/watch? v=fTsJgjm0nHE&t=47s For more information about the PCEC, visit their website at www.pcec.club.

Murphy’s Law and Thai Law Kelvin Bamfield spoke to the Pattaya City Expat Club on Sunday, September 22, on the topic of “Murphy’s Law and Thai Law”, noting that Murphy’s Law states, “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, and at the worst possible time.”

Kelvin correlated Murphy’s Law with Thai Law and some of the cases he has seen in their company. He used some of these case histories, without giving identifying information, to illustrate some of the situations that were complicated

by Thai Law, international laws and people trying to get around all laws. In these cases, Murphy’s Law kicked in raising numerous complications. Also, to add a little humor, Kelvin called member Ren Lexander to the stage to be the “witness” as he, as the “lawyer”, asked some very silly questions that lawyers have actually asked in court.

Kelvin is originally from Australia, has lived in Thailand over 18 years and, after 8 years of retirement, he decided to reapply his knowledge and experience and became Chief Executive Officer for Thai 888 Law Co., Ltd., (www.thai888.com) working with the owner Jeab Supaporn. Although the company offers many legal services, much of it covers living wills and last

wills & testaments. For many wills, they act as the executor handling the estates through probate. The company has also expanded to include Abroad Funerals Pattaya with staff in Bangkok to deal with embassies and government offices. They can assist with all funeral arrangements including the increasingly popular Burial at Sea. A typical Thai Law complication is the requirement to file TM.30 which is based on a law that goes back on the books for 40 years and is still on the books. Laws written at that time dealt with a much smaller foreign population. Most foreigners are surprised to discover they are referred to as Aliens and often are surprised when “things don’t happen like that in my country”! He also mentioned that Thailand has some laws that date back centuries and never been updated for more modern times. Also, not surprisingly, laws are written in Thai and legal documents presented in court, if not in Thai, must be translated.

Thus, translations are required in both directions.

One of the case histories involved a French national who died without a will (intestate). He described some of the complications encountered for this case, which illustrates the importance of

MC Judith Edmonds presents Kelvin Bamfield with the PCEC’s Certificate of Appreciation for his interesting and sometimes humorous presentation on “Murphy’s Law and Thai Law”.

having a will. The situation, not unusual, gets complicated when there are relationships or family members here and in the home country. It is even more complicated when there are assets here and in one or more countries. Beneficiaries, executors and co-executors may need to travel between countries. In one situation an elderly brother and sister were named executors but did not want the responsibility of foreign travel. They arranged to resign and named Kelvin’s company as executor. Although he pointed out it is generally best to have a separate will for each country where assets exist, if not, it can complicate the probate process even more. In some countries, foreigners are not allowed to be the executor or the executor cannot be a

beneficiary as there are can be conflicts of interest.

Kelvin illustrated another situation where the deceased had invested funds in a foreign company, but it turned out it involved assets going through offshore companies and bank. Thus, this case became very involved and required numerous copies of the will, death certificate, etc. that to be legal must be authenticated with stamps on each. Further, documents generally needed to be translated and verified.

Kelvin’s last case history was a situation where he was handling probate for a will that replaced an older will. However, some family members used the former will to obtain court documents in an attempt to gain access to the decedent’s accounts. Thus, requiring

he obtain court documents and using those to quickly inform the banks to freeze the accounts so they could not be drained.

To avoid complications, Kelvin described steps everyone should take to make dealing with death or emergency as simple as possible. Don’t invite Murphy’s Law! He suggested everyone have a book or box with critical information; complete name, passport details, bank accounts, ATM pin number, lawyer’s name and contact, location of will and other important documents, passwords for online accounts, etc.

In this day of digital information, it is important to be able to access accounts. Providing for financial arrangements to cover medical or funeral costs is important. If the executor knows money is available, he can arrange for expenses to be covered until the will is probated. At a difficult time in people’s lives, things can be complicated if not done properly.

Following Kelvin’s talk, Peter James McMurray spoke briefly about “Smart Parent = Smart Kids”. As an international educator for many years, he has seen where the death of the wageearning parent has disrupted the continued education of their children. He mentioned the importance of education

and protecting a child’s education. Although many have a traditional life insurance policy, there is no assurance the beneficiary will use the proceeds to continue the children’s education, especially in more expensive private international schools.

Thus, he wanted to mention that, unlike traditional policies, there is a life insurance currently available in Thailand that will only pay out to a school or institution for the education of the child or children that are attending. It is designed to ensure they are able to complete their education on the death of a parent. This is at a time a child needs stability and friends and is portable to another international school. Further information is available from www.smartparents.info.

Following the talks, members were brought up to date on upcoming events and Club activities. This was followed by the Open Forum where questions can be asked or comments made about Expat living in Thailand, especially in Pattaya.

Member Ren Lexander interviewed Kelvin Bamfield after his presentation. To view the video visit: https:/ / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=QyWDEPUHyxA For information on PCEC activities, visit their website at www.pcec.club.

VOL. XXVII No. 36

FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019 17

PATTAYA MAIL

E-mail: socialscene@pattayamail.com

Centara holds General Manager’s conference 2019

Thirayuth Chirathivat (centre), Chief Executive Officer - Centara Hotels & Resorts, and Thirakiati Chirathivat (2nd right), Vice President Procurement, together with the general managers and management of Centara Hotels & Resorts attended the 2019 General Manager’s conference at Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya recently. The conference featured three action filled days focused on ‘Accelerating for success’ and the company’s goals. The content at the conference prepared the general managers and management with the best tools and plans for them and their teams to continue to successfully achieve their hotels & the company’s goals.

Dusit Thani hosts lunch for blind children

Cape House Hotel staff receives royal recognition

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn bestowed a token of honour to Auttachai Chompoo, an employee of Cape House Hotel, Bangkok. The hotel employee saved a tourist’s life by performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The presentation ceremony was held at Royal Golden Jubilee Building, The Heart Foundation of Thailand under the Royal Patronage.

Hilton Pattaya builds stone dams to protect the ecosystem

To mark Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, The Queen Mother’s birthday, Neoh Kean, GM of the Dusit Thani Pattaya, together with EAM Larry Choi and their management team and staff visited the Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind in Soi Naklua 16 to host a special lunch for children under the school’s care. The children were delighted with the special meal prepared by the hotel’s chefs which also included chocolates and ice cream.

Royal Cliff Hotels Group conducts Workplace Fire Safety Training

In helping to protect and preserve water resources, the forest and the environment, Rudolf Troestler, GM of Hilton Pattaya led his management team and volunteers to build a stone dam at Khao Chi-On Non-Hunting Area in Chonburi. At Wat Yanasangwararam Woramahawihan they planted trees including the Yellow Star trees, considered the symbolic tree of His Majesty King Rama X. The stone dam slows the water flow to prevent bank erosion, stores water for the dry season, improves soil quality and the ecosystem and the lives of animals in the area.

Happy Birthday Khun Toy

Royal Cliff Hotels Group considers guest safety as an utmost priority and conducts annual workplace fire safety training. This year over 100 employees from various departments joined the comprehensive Workplace Fire Safety Training and Emergency Response exercises. The 2-day program conducted with the cooperation of the Pattaya Office of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation aimed to instruct staff of the importance of being well prepared for fire emergencies. The training included knowledge of evacuation procedures and fire safety regulations as well as the proper execution of fire safety measures during emergencies. A qualified nurse instructed participants on basic first aid procedures including other life-saving techniques.

Dr. Margaret Deter celebrates 76th birthday with family and friends Pattaya philanthropist Dr. Margret Deter, Past President of the Rotary E-Club Dolphin Pattaya International celebrated her birthday at a small party at her home recently. Together with her husband Dr. Otmar, they welcomed a small circle of friends and Rotarians to their home for an evening of reflection and cheer. The Deters are known for their staunch support of the Prostheses Foundation of H.R.H. the Princess Mother and have received awards for their service from HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

Family and friends conveyed their heartfelt wishes to Radchada Chomjinda, Director of the Human Help Network Foundation (Thailand) (HHNFT) on the occasion of her 65th birthday recently. Amongst the hundreds of well-wishers were Fr. Veera Phangrak, Director of the Pattaya Orphanage, Samphan Akarapongpanich, Vice Chairman of HHNFT, Siromet Akarapongpanich, Asst. Director of HHNFT, and Elfi Seitz, Pattaya Blatt Executive Editor. Pattaya Mail Media Group wishes Khun Toy excellent health and unbounded happiness.

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Satit students represent Thailand in Hong Kong International Mathematical Olympiad 2019 Nuanlaong Choochai 6 students from Satit Udomseuksa School represented Thailand in the Hong Kong International Mathematical Olympiad 2019 held last 30th August – 1st September in Hong Kong.

Over 19 countries participated in the competition, including the Philippines, Malaysia, India, Australia, and Indonesia, who made it to the HKIMO 2019 Final.

Thailand participants brought home a total of 179 awards. All 6 Satit Udomseuksa School students were able to bring Congratulations to Satit students representing home medals, generating Thailand in the Hong Kong International pride and honor for the Mathematical Olympiad 2019. school and the country.

Congratulations as well to the teachers and coaches of these students: Mr. Patrick Jayson Velasco, Ms. Christy Laserna, Ms. Mae Amor Flores and Mr. Matthew Merca.

Mast. Thanaphat Lanthong Silver Medal for Kindergarten Level Mast. Lian Von Atiu Engbino Silver Medal for Kindergarten Level Miss. Janista Guiseng Silver Medal for Kindergarten Level Mast. Dhanuphum Saepoh Silver Medal for Primary 2 Level Miss. Buniki Mahasab Silver Medal for Primary 3 Level Mast. Stephan Meyer Bronze Medal for Primary 5 Level

Local students mark International Coastal Cleanup Day Richard Longstaffe Over a hundred students, teachers, and parents from Garden International School, Ban Chang, descended on local beaches in honour of International Coastal Cleanup Day. In all, over fifty bin liners of rubbish were cleared from a 2km stretch of beach covering Nam Rin and Phayoon beaches in Ban Chang. The cleanup was the first of four such events planned this year by the school, which has recently adopted the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

“Thanks to generous donations from parents, we were also able to leave a

VOL. XXVII No. 36

Top performing students receive Outstanding Pearson Learner Awards 2019 Victoria Swan Regents International School Pattaya is proud to be the 2nd highest represented school in Thailand with 4 students receiving awards at the Outstanding Pearson Learner Awards 2019.

Huge congratulations to the four winners; Clestine Nicole, Lok Ka, Luis and Sung Eun on their Outstanding Learner Awards (by Pearson exam board).

Students received their awards at the prestigious award ceremony that took place at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok on 18 September 2019. Students were accompanied by their parents, Mr Spear (IGCSE Coordinator) and Ms Watson (Head of Maths) to the awards.

Clestine Nicole was awarded the Highest Mark in Thailand in International GCSE English Literature. As nonnative speaker of English, this is a particularly incredible result.

Lok Ka received the award for the Highest Mark in Thailand in International GCSE Chinese. Lok Ka was the youngest recipient of an award in Thailand. In just Year 9 when she entered, this is an amazing achievement.

Luis received the award for the Highest Mark in Thailand

in International GCSE Spanish. Luis is a native French speaker and had only studied Spanish for two years.

Luis was awarded the highest grade in Thailand which was a fantastic achievement.

Sung Eun received 6 Highest Mark in the World for International GCSE Mathematics and the Highest Mark in Thailand in International GCSE English Language. As a non-native English speaker, these are also incredible results.

Regents International School Pattaya is also proud of one of our ex-teaching staff Mr Iain Lyford who had the highest mark in the world in International GCSE Mathematics.

These fantastic results are a combination of the hard work of students, the ‘Be Ambitious Be Regents’ approach, and the support of excellent teachers. On behalf

of the school community, Regents would like to take this opportunity to congratulate these students on their absolutely fantastic results and thank their teachers for always inspiring and challenging students to achieve more than what they may have thought possible.

The IGCSE is one of the most academically challenging qualifications currently on offer to 14-16 year old students worldwide. The qualifications cover a broad range of subjects including languages, humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and computer science, and are well respected by international universities. The IGCSE provides students with an excellent foundation to be able to embark on the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) with confidence.

Chonburi celebrates National Youth Day

GIS students cleaning Phayoon Beach, Ban Chang.

lasting legacy of three rubbish recycling bins at the site of the cleanup,” said Lucy Howett, the organiser.

Learn more about beach cleanups here: https:// gardenrayong.com/coastalcleanup-day/

Satit Udomseuksa School donates to flood northern flood victims On 24th September 2019, Ms. Titipun Pettrakul, General Manager of Satit Udomseuksa School made a cash and general goods donation on behalf of the staff, teachers, parents and students, to the flood victims.

She was joined by Mr. Tide Ekaphan Baranluekrit at the R u a m K a nyanyu Foundation - Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Center, Ubon Ratchathani area 13.

Trophies and certificates were handed out during the National Youth Day celebrations to honor those who had made outstanding contributions over the past year in various fields helping youths and children.

Jetsada Homklin Chonburi Deputy Governor Thawatchai Rodngam attended and chaired the province’s National Youth Day celebrations at the Banglamung Learning and Training Center on Sept .17.

The event’s stated objective was to promote youth issues and encourage young volunteers to involve themselves in activities and projects to help develop their communities.

An awards ceremony was held to honor those who had made outstanding contributions over the past year.

Trophies and certificates were handed out to youths and children in various fields totaling 72 awards.

Human Help Network Foundation Thailand was also one of the honorees and presented with a certificate for its work benefitting

children throughout the kingdom. Pirun Noyimjai, Drop-In manager of the ASEAN Learning Center accepted the award on behalf of the HHNFT organization from Rewat Phonlookin, Deputy Chief Executive of Chonburi PAO. The HHNFT outreach team also set up a booth to publicize the foundation’s work concerning child protection issues.

VOL. XXVII No. 36

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FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019 19

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20 FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019

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VOL. XXVII No. 36

Sun shines on Blackman PSC Golf from the Pattaya Links Golf Society George Mueller who had a day we know he is capable of, but not regularly enough, came in second with 36 points. Then Phil Davies won a countback over Andrew Purdie for third place, both with good scores of 35 points.

Near pins went to Andrew Purdie (A flight), Kevin LaBar (A flight), Bill Stewart (B flight), and once again one green failed to attract a ball.

Keith Melbourne returned from the UK with a nice

Monday, Sept. 23, Bangpakong – Stableford 1st Andrew Blackman (9) 40pts 2nd Stuart Brown (28) 38pts 3rd Barry Oats (30) 38pts 4th Petur Petursson (6) 37pts It was drizzling rain in Pattaya as the bus and cars set off, but hopes were high for a dryer day than of late.

Well the sun certainly shone on Andrew Blackman as he recorded a convincing win, racking up 40 points in his final outing this trip.

Second place became a tussle between two high handicappers as Stu Brown and Barry Oats both had 38 points. Stu had the better back nine. Petur Petursson rounded out the placings with an excellent 37 points off his handicap of six to record the lowest gross of the day.

Near pins went to Andrew Blackman (A flight), Takeshi Hakozaki (A flight), Stu Brown (B flight), Consolation ‘best nines’ by non-winners came from Stuart

Andrew Blackman (center) with Tommy Marshall (left) and Carl Lovatt.

Thompson (front, 16pts) and Rowan Lucas (back, 20pts).

Friday, Sept. 27, Pattavia – Stableford 1st Takeshi Hakozaki (14) 38pts 2nd George Mueller (15) 36pts 3rd Phil Davies (13) 35pts 4th Andrew Purdie (10) 35pts

In contrast to our previous game, it was back to our, currently, usual numbers as twenty three golfers headed for Pattavia.

Weather was fine and stayed that way for all but the final group which had some drizzle approaching the last hole. Once again the course was in immaculate condition and the greens are

still sensibly paced, but we need to be aware of lots of tricky contours The scores were on the low side of usual here, but golf journeyman Takeshi Hakozaki found enough of the course to his liking to have 38 points on his card at the end. Takeshi is a consistent golfer and this was not his first Green Jacket.

bottle of drink with a Black Label, which he put up for a prize. Thank You Keith, from Rowan Lucas who won the long putt contest and the bottle.

Consolation ‘best nines’ were posted by Petur Petursson (front, 19pts) and Steve Jones (back, 20pts).

Rowan Lucas, a visitor from Australia, had a mixed day. Winning the long putt wasn’t his only claim to fame as he also had the worst score for the day and was presented with the “wig”.

Tough conditions at PAGS monthly

Sa storms home at Green Valley PSC Golf from the Billabong Bar

Top scorer Todd Fox collects his prize.

Auke Engekles and Sandy Chapo.

Miss Sa with Sandy Chapo.

Wednesday, Sept. 25, Green Valley - Medal It was monthly medal time at Green Valley today, and how the rain has improved the course so much. The greens were a little slower than usual but that was the only thing you could possibly have a go at. A very large thank you goes to Brian

Chapman, the CEO of Haven Consultants, for his generous sponsorship every month for this tournament both from the men and ladies who religiously play it with fierce competition.

In the ladies division, Miss Tan came 3rd with 74 net, 2nd went to Miss Porn with a level 72 net but the lady of

the day was Miss Sa who shot a gross 82 off her 18 handicap and a score of 64 net to take the trophy. There were a few ‘2’s, coming from Miss Ta and two from Miss Sa. In the men’s division the scores were not so good but they rarely ever are at this course. Tales were heard of one golfer having a 9 on the par four 17th and he would have got in the prizes even with a triple on that hole!

Another who actually did get

in the prizes had a 10 on a par four so it wasn’t all smiles out there for everyone.

Coming in 3rd place today was the stand in captain Kevin Wild who even though had the 10 came in with a net 79. Tony Oakes took second spot with a fine 71 and the winner, who just recently said he was thinking of giving the game up for a while as he was playing that bad, scored a net 68 to take the trophy – well done Auke Engekles.

Clear skies with a light breeze greeted the September New Nordic PAGS tournament participants at Treasure Hill. The day’s field of 84 players, which included 9 ladies, was testament to the popularity and value this course represents. Disappointingly the course was not in its normal pristine state, with recently sanded greens, and with some recent rain the course was still damp, offering up the dreaded mud ball on occasions.

Testament to the conditions and difficulty of the course, nobody scored 40 points or above, with the ladies struggling to come to grips on the day. The day’s best of 32 points being recorded by winner Wiyada Stafford (H/cap 25) and runner up Prasong O’Connor, beaten on a countback.

C flight (22+) provided the day’s best scores, with winner Todd Fox (32) edging Paul Dobbs (36) on a countback 19/18 after both recorded fine 39 point totals. Those 2

players were 5 points clear of 3rd place-getter John Duffy (25) who managed 34 points.

Paul Durkan (8) got the chocolates in the A Flight for handicaps 0–14, to go with his Long Drive on #18. The minor placings required a countback, with Tommy Marshall (8) edging Jari Laakonen, after both signed for 35 points. Both Tommy and Jari also got amongst the technical prizes, Tommy on #s 1 and 8, with Jari on #13.

The B Flight (15–21) was another hotly contested division for the minor placings.

Stefan Hoge (19) was the clear winner with 35 points, while Kerod Rothman (18) got the best of Per Lovgren (21) 16/14, after both finished with 33 points.

Richard Fearby (0) won the Low Gross with a solid, if unspectacular 77, to go with his Long Drive on #18.

A few honorable mentions go to JP Saarenpaa and Brad Jordison who each picked up the maximum 2 technical prizes.

VOL. XXVII No. 36

DATE:

FRI 04

PSC

SAT 05

SUN 06

Treasure Hill

Bunker Boys

Khao Kheow

Plutaluang

WED 09

THU 10

FRI 11 Eastern Star

Green Valley

TBA Greenwood

Eastern Star The Emerald

Burapha

Phoenix

Pleasant Valley

Greenwood

Lewinski’s

Siam Old Coures

The Links

Pleasant Valley

Pattana

Pattavia TBA

Green Valley

Growling Swan Le Katai

TUE 08 Pattaya C.C.

Cafe Kronborg

Billabong Golf

MON 07

For news of the next PSC monthly golf tournament vist website: https://pattayasports.org

Apple’s Irish

Colin’s Golf

FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019 21

PATTAYA MAIL

Treasure Hill Burapha

Green Valley Pattavia

Bangpra

Burapha Khao Kheow

Pleasant Valley

Siam Old Coures

Siam Old Coures

Silky Oak

Burapha

Pattana

The Emerald

Green Valley

Pleasant Valley

I Rovers Retox Game On Siam Country Sugar Shack

Pattavia Treasure Hill

Greenwood

Parichat

Green Valley

Eastern Star Eastern Star

Pattavia

Harry’s Golf The Golf Club

Pattana

Khao Kheow

Silky Oak

The Players Lounge Tropical Golf

Khao Kheow

Valley View Hackers

Green Valley

DATE:

FRI 11

Apple’s Irish

Eastern Star

Bunker Boys

Pattavia

Pattana Green Valley

SAT 12

SUN 13

MON 14

Pattavia Green Valley

TUE 15

WED 16

Green Valley

THU 17

Pattana Pattana

Pattavia Bangpra

Treasure Hill

Cafe Kronborg Colin’s Golf

Pattavia Treasure Hill

Growling Swan Billabong Golf

FRI 18

Green Valley

Bangpra Khao Kheow

Crystal Bay Pleasant Valley

Phoenix

Phoenix

Pleasant Valley

Crystal Bay

Lewinski’s

Siam Old Coures

Green Valley

Siam Old Coures

Siam Old Coures

The Links

Pattana

Green wood

Eastern Star

Khao Kheow

Pleasant Valley

Pattavia

Eastern Star

Treasure Hill

Le Katai

Green Valley Pattavia

Eastern Star

Burapha Plutaluang

Pleasant Valley

I Rovers Retox Game On Siam Country Sugar Shack

Khao Kheow Pattavia

Silky Oak

Silky Oak

Green Valley

The Emerald Khao Kheow

Plutaluang

Harry’s Golf The Golf Club

Pattana

Eastern Star

Bangpakong

Greenwood

Treasure Hill

The Players Lounge Tropical Golf Valley View Hackers

Pattavia Green Valley

Green Valley

Green Valley

Green Valley

The Bunker Boys meet at Woody’s Bar on Soi Skaw Beach for golf every Monday, Wednesday and Friday (www.bunkersociety.com) or call 094368 3580, 081 788 2338 or 087 693 7803.

Transportation leaves from Cafe Kronborg on Soi Diana Inn at 8:15 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, 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), play Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Transport is available, call Marcus on 089 503 9179. 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. Retox Golf – Tel. (Paul) 0923744276, Email retoxgolf@gmail.com. Sugar Shack bar plays golf on Monday/Wednesdays and Friday . Call Jon 084 8633323 or Paul 081 8653205.

22 FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019

PATTAYA MAIL

VOL. XXVII No. 36

Dows claims first win PSC Golf from the Bunker Boys Monday, Sept. 23, Pattana B & C – Stableford 1st Robby Watts (8) 39pts 2nd Michael Bret (14) 33pts 3rd Jimmy Carr (15) 32pts Torrential overnight and early morning rain meant the Pattana course was very soggy so from the outset we choose to use the ‘pick, clean, and place rule’.

Under the conditions, Robby Watts produced a

remarkable round to shoot thirty-nine points and take first place, after nine holes Robby was one under the card. A case of what might have been for secondplaced Michael Brett who only managed to nail one of six birdie chances to finish in second place with thirtythree. Jimmy Carr brought up the rear with thirty-two.

Jimmy and Michael Brett got a near pin each with Robby taking two.

Wednesday, Sept. 25, Green Valley – Stableford

Friday, Sept. 27, Royal Lakeside – Stableford

1st Michael Brett (14) 39pts 2nd Les Cobban (7) 36pts 3rd Niall Glover (20) 35pts The Green Valley course was in remarkably good condition given recent weather so everything was in place for a good day’s golf.

With the use of a borrowed Scotty Cameron putter, Michael Brett managed to

1st Craig Dows (7) 37pts 2nd Robby Watts (7) 30pts 3rd Geoff Parker (17) 30pts A common feature of Royal Lakeside is the wind, which today was strong and for some peculiar reason seemed to be in our faces much more than in our backs.

Despite a horror day on the greens Craig Dows broke through for his first win with the Bunker Boys with a score of thirty-seven, one can only imagine what he will score when he gets the putter working, and how good the rest of his game was to compile that score. Second place went to Robby Watts with thirty points edging out Geoff Parker on countback. Only two near pins were taken, one each to Robby Watts and Michael Brett.

The 24th T.Q. MASTERS Golf Tournament

PHOENIX GOLD

Friday 18th October 2019 The TQ MASTERS is organized by THE TAHITIAN QUEEN ROCK ‘N’ ROLL BAR FORMAT SINGLES STABLEFORD in Groups of Four from 1st & 10th Tee, starting 09:04 a.m.

DIVISIONS: Three Men’s Divisions, plus Ladies Division if 5 or more ladies play HANDICAPS: Maximum: Men – 28; Ladies - 36. TEES: Men – White; Ladies – Red

ENTRIES: Entry Forms with Entry Fee should be given to The Manager at TQ Beach Road or John Emmerson and Steve Ellison at The Golf Club on Soi LK Metro by 11:00 p.m., Tuesday, 15th of October. Payment should be made with Entry.

Sign-up as a Group of up to 4 Players: Individual entries will be assigned to a Four-Ball. ENTRY FEE Baht 2300 per player includes: Green Fee and Caddy Fee (carts available book separately) TQ Masters Golf Shirt FREE Bloody Caesars at Registration and FREE beer and water (as supply allows) on the course.

Bjarne’s Roast Leg of Ox Barbeque at TQ from 6.00 pm Extended Happy Hour 5 – 8:00 pm, and great music.

REGISTRATION is at PHOENIX GOLD on Friday, 18 October, from 08.00 -10.00 am RULES & HANDICAPS R&A and USGA Rules will apply, as well as PHOENIX GOLD’s Local Rules.

Handicaps will be accepted from PSC, IPGC, Bangkok Golf Groups affiliated with the USGA or R&A, or any official USGA or R&A Handicap. All golfers who do not have a current handicap with the PSC or IPGC will be required to show proof of current handicap at Registration.

PRIZES: TQ Masters Champion Green Jacket for Best Men’s Score.

TQ Masters Ladies Champion Pink Jacket for Best Ladies Score (with at least 5 entrants) Trophy for 1St Places Divisions I, II, III & Ladies.

Vouchers for 2nd, 3rd, Near Pins and Long Drives (3 Men’s Divs.)

NOTE: 1. Book Golf Carts on the Entry below.

2. Tee Times posted TQ & golf venues on Wed., p.m., 16th Oct. 3. Any questions please contact John Emmerson 089-095-8631.

Received Baht…...........………From……………............................……for…................... places in the 24th TQ Masters. Date..........................…Oct. Signed …....................… < cut here ---------------- ENTRY -24th TQ Masters ------------------ cut here> Preferred Starting Time:

EARLY or LATE (please circle)

Contact Name (OR # ):

1. _____________________ H’cap PSC /IPGC_____

Other_____________ .........................................

2. _____________________ H’cap PSC /IPGC_____

Other_____________ Phone: __________

3. _____________________ H’cap PSC /IPGC_____

Other_____________ .........................................

Other_____________

4. _____________________ H’cap PSC /IPGC_____

Craig Dows.

find some form on the greens and take first place with thirty-nine points. A steady round from the always late Les Cobban saw him take second with thirty-six and Niall Glover rounded out the winner’s circle with thirtyfive. Robby Watts battled manfully for about fourteen holes until he succumbed to illness and had to retire.

Low handicapper Craig Dows who plays off four in his native Melbourne, but so far has struggled to get to grips with Thai conditions showed glimpses of what is possible with two near pins today. Returning from an injury Kob Glover took a very good near pin also, with the remaining pin unclaimed.

Nat claims monthly mug PSC Golf from the Growling Swan Golf Society Thursday, Sept. 26, Pattaya C.C. - Medal 1st Nat Rukkid (15) net 74 2nd Bill Steinmann (11) net 75 3rd Denis Steele (18) net 75 Near Pins: Patrick Poussier, Bill Steinmann (x2), Steve Younger.

Long Putts: Bill Steinmann, Keith Buchanan.

Twelve golfers signed up to play for the October Monthly Mug at Pattaya Country Club on this day. It had been a long time since we had visited this course but the sports day package of Bt.1500 for green fee, cart and caddy proved too hard to resist. The course was in very good condition with a lot of areas that had been cleaned up since our last visit.

A dozen golfers allowed us to play only the one division with three podium places and all novelties up for grabs. Nat Rukkid performed

Nat Rukkid (right) with Wan Mukmal.

best on the day and took the mug with a score of net 74. Nat was one shot ahead of a trio of players on net 75 and here a countback saw Bill Steinmann in second, Denis Steele third and Steve Younger just missing out

Davies in winning mood PSC Golf from Siam Country Resort Pattaya Tuesday, Sept. 24, Greenwood – Stableford On Tuesday we went to Greenwood where we played the B & C course, which was in very good condition with nice fairways and true greens despite the heavy rain the night before.

Paul Davies showed last week already that he is in a good form and today he played consistent and came home with 36 stableford points for the win. Second was John Feeney with 33 points, beating Stan Rees on countback.

The near pins went to Paul Davies and Paddy Devereux.

Thursday, Sept. 26, The Emerald Stableford We only had 5 players for

Paul Davies (right) with John Feeney.

our trip to the Emerald on Thursday. The condition of the course was not very good - the grass on the fairways was too long and the rough almost unplayable. To be fair, the greens were good and fast though.

Paddy Devereux was the strongest today and won with 30 points while John Feeney was again second with 28.

Only 2 nears to the pin today, both going to Paddy Devereux.

VOL. XXVII No. 36

FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019 23

PATTAYA MAIL

Holy anniversary! Pattaya celebrates 80 years of Batman

Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh (2nd left) joined organizers and officials clad in Batman shirts to set the runners on their way.

The Joker and Harley Quinn pose and smile for the camera.

The night sky lit up around the world Saturday, Sept. 21 with the famous bat signal to mark a special anniversary for caped crusader Batman.

DC Comics was carrying off a celebration of Batman Day to mark the 80th anniversary of the appearance of fictional crime-fighter Bruce Wayne and his masked identity.

Fan gatherings happened all over the world, starting at Fed Square in Melbourne, Australia. The iconic illuminated bat signal also appeared at 13 other cities, including Tokyo, Berlin, Rome, Paris, London, Montreal, Sao Paulo and Johannesburg and New York.

Not to be outdone, Pattaya also got into the act and celebrated the occasion with a fan experience party and the ‘80-years Batman Charity Night Run’. Starting at 10pm, participants dressed as Batman, his famed adversaries and other DC superheroes set out from the Terminal 21 shopping mall in north Pattaya on a choice of

Aussie goalball coach visits Pattaya school

Participants set out on the 80-years Batman Charity Night Run, Saturday, Sept. 21.

either 3km or 6km courses along Beach Road.

Runners were given three packs to choose from at registration featuring costumes of Batman, The Joker and Harley Quinn. The event

was well attended, with both tourists and locals entering into the spirit of the occasion. The races were split into age and gender categories and cash prizes were presented to the top three

finishers in each.

Organizers said that proceeds after the deduction of expenses will be used to assist charitable causes in the area. (Source AP & PCPR)

Grimoldby & Preshaw star at Laen Chabang The Jomtien Golf Society

Bruce Gardner, Martin Grimoldby and Frank Grainger.

Monday, Sept. 23, Khao Kheow goal at the other end. Serv- visited again to host training Stableford

Aussie goalball coach Greg Scott, second right, poses with his players and Thai students from the Pattaya School for the Blind.

Derek Franklin Goalball is a game played predominantly by blind and visually impaired athletes, and over many years the Pattaya School for the Blind has produced a host of players who have gone on to play at an international level.

It is a game played with three players on each team, and the idea is to propel a large rubber ball from one end of a sports court into a

ers and defenders are all blindfolded and inside the ball is a small bell so the athletes can hear when the ball is coming towards them.

In the list of world rankings the Thai male team is 27th and the female team are 21st and training takes place most evenings at the school. A regular visitor to the school, Greg Scott, is the coach of the Queensland state team in Australia and he recently

sessions for the students, accompanied by two Australian national team players.

By coincidence two athletes from the Pattaya school have recently returned from Down Under after competing in an international Goalball competition, and they had played, and lost, against the two visiting athletes, so it was a reunion of old friends.

Once the sessions was over one Aussie athlete revealed a gift he wanted to present to the school, a didgeridoo, the traditional Australian instrument and something the students had never heard before.

The noise reverberated around the buildings, bringing silence to the school as more than one hundred students stopped to listen to the new sound.

Only four groups out today with the cut at 3-17 and 19+ and we were playing the A and C nines off the yellow tees.

Bruce Gardner, playing off H/cap 19, posted 36 points for the best score of the day to win division 2. Tom Preshaw was second on 34 points and with a meagre 29 Frank Kelly placed third.

Marc Brunner topped division 1, beating Chris Slota on a 19/16 back-nine countback after two scores of 34 came in and Paul Young finished third one point behind.

Near pins went to (Div 1) Marc Brunner, Reijo Heiskanen, Chris Slota and Paul Young, (Div 2) Alan Bissell and Tom Preshaw (x2).

Marc Brunner and Bruce Gardner both birdied A5 to record the only ‘2’s of the day.

Wednesday, Sept. 25, Laem Chabang Stableford We had 5 four-balls playing the C and A loops off the white tees at Laem Chabang today, and some remarkable scores came in.

Tom Preshaw, playing off 19, won division 2 with 43 points, a full ten points clear of Gary Dalton in second place. Bruce Gardner beat Chris Slota on a 19/18 backnine countback for third place after two 32-pointers came in.

Martin Grimoldby topped division 1 standings with 40 points and a 1-over par gross score. There were three 31-pointers fighting for the minor podium spots and an 18/17/16 back-nine countback put Bob Poole in second, Kevin Blake third and Marc Brunner fourth.

Near pins were claimed by (Div 1) Wayne Antlitz, Kevin

Blake, Dave Boran and Martin Grimoldby, and (Div 2) Tom Preshaw (2).

Friday, Sept. 27, Eastern Star Stableford With a weather prediction today of torrential rain we are not sure about starting the game but in the end four groups set out with the cut at 7-17.

Glen Loydall won division 2 with 36 points ahead of Glyn Evans in second on 33and Frank Kelly third with 30.

Colin Aspinall came first in division 1 with 34 points, Pete Sumner was second one point behind and Tom Preshaw took third with 31.

In the near pins today, Pete Sumner hits a seven-iron on the 172-yard 17th and finished four inches left of the hole. Tom Preshaw, Bruce Gardner John Sykes and obviously Pete Sumner all recorded birdie ‘2’s.

24 FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019

PATTAYA MAIL

VOL. XXVII No. 36

How to lose money on a classic car

The Latest: BMW gives glimpse of future offerings Frankfurt, Germany (AP) — At the Frankfurt auto show, BMW’s marketing chief says giving customers a broad choice among internal combustion, hybrid and battery-powered cars is the right approach to a changing market.

Pieter Nota says the Munichbased luxury automaker delivers “power of choice” to consumers by offering “the drive train that they want and need.” The company will add a battery-only version of its X3 SUV next year to round out conventional and hybrid versions of the vehicle. BMW is even showing off a concept car powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

BMW is relying on the mix of vehicles to comply with tighter C02 emissions requirements in Europe while competitor Volkswagen is making a big push into battery-only cars with its ID.3 coming to market next year despite currently low uptake by consumers of batterypowered cars.

Vision EQS.

wells and a long, sweeping illuminated line running along the vehicle, is “a hint” of what the production car might eventually look like.

The company says the four-seater car has two electric motors that accelerate it to 100 kph (62 mph) in 4.5 seconds and an exceptional battery range of 700 kilometers (435 miles.) Kallenius declined to specify how the company achieved range beyond what other electrics currently offer.

Ford Motor Co. says that more than half of its European sales will be electricpowered by 2022 as it unveils a premium model of its Puma crossover that uses recovered braking energy to boost acceleration.

BMW X3.

Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz is showing off a long, sleek battery-powered concept vehicle that could join the luxury carmaker’s model lineup alongside its S-Class flagship sedans.

The Vision EQS is the latest version of the company’s EQ series of battery vehicles, which are a key theme at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

CEO Ola Kallenius said, “What we showed today is the first large-platform sedan, fully electric on a dedicated platform, so we think we can capture even more customers through having a wider offer.”

The concept, with a black LED display instead of a grille, slightly bulging wheel

Ford showed off the Puma Titanium X on Tuesday at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The vehicle is a so-called mild hybrid, meaning it can store energy from braking and coasting in a 48-volt lithium-ion battery and send that power to the wheels to assist the gasoline engine when needed.

Ford, which got a late start in developing electric vehicles, last year sold 974,856 passenger vehicles overall in Europe.

It says it will have a battery-only SUV based on the Mustang in 2020. In the meantime it is offering plugin hybrids that combine battery power with internal combustion engines to lower emissions and increase mileage. Like all automakers,

Ford is facing stricter European Union limits on average emissions of carbon dioxide starting in 2021 and must find a lower emission vehicle mix to avoid fines.

Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess says his company’s massive scale will enable it to make profits on large numbers of affordable electric cars it aims to sell in the next several years.

Electric competitor Tesla has not yet turned a profit while analysts say fellow German automaker BMW has lost money on its i3 electric.

Diess told The Associated Press on Tuesday, “Our approach is different. We come with high volumes, we come with a dedicated platform that is only for electric cars, and we generate a lot of scale because we are investing at the same time in China, in Europe, and in the US.” Volkswagen is showing off the ID.3 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, a battery-powered compact with a base price under 30,000 euros ($33,000).

Volkswagen aims to have 40 percent of its sales as electrics by 2030 even though such cars are currently less than 2 percent of the market in Europe.

The headwinds buffeting the auto industry are making themselves felt at the Frankfurt Motor Show, with companies confronting a slowdown in sales due to global trade uncertainty and pressure from governments to lower emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases.

Signs of the times at this year’s show include a slew of new, market-ready electric cars led by Volkswagen’s ID.3 compact that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

There will also be protests from cyclists, environmentalists and industry critics who want a more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly transportation policy, and efforts by the auto executives to engage those critics in discussion.

The following article is true. Not fake news.

Now is not the time to buy a Blower Bentley.

They (used to be) worth millions, but are now worth about half of that. All this is being done by the Bentley Factory itself.

Intrigued? Around 1929 Bentley had five supercharged four and a half liter Bentley race cars. Ettore Bugatti called them “the fastest lorries in the world.” And they were fast, winning the Le Mans 24 hour race five times.

Those cars are now worth millions.

However, there has been a move to re-create classic vehicles, complete with running on of VIN numbers for “authenticity”. Bentley has fallen into that trap and has announced it is building a dozen 1929 four and a half blowers which will take two years.

So here you are. You can buy a “real” one for say 10 million dollars or buy a new “real” one for whatever the market will stand. And you can be sure it will be less than 10 million.

In 1929 the legendary Blower Bentley crossed the line 10 minutes ahead of the competition in the Le Mans race, beginning a period of success that created the Bentley Boy legend for both car and driver.

Bentley won in 1924 and every year from 1927 to 1930 with one of the most eclectic, dashing group of drivers ever seen, revered

Blower Bentley.

to this day as the epitome of 1920s excess and sophistication.

The recreation requires the one 1929 car which had been held by Bentley to be stripped down completely and 12 replica parts made from the original part. Following that, they will then assemble the 12 “new” cars, giving each one a new follow on VIN (vehicle information number) to justify the whole exercise.

Since the 1929 Blower Bentley was built 90 years ago, there will be no old workers waiting in the old folks homes to build these new ones.

Jaguar is doing this exercise with D Type Jags. Looks the same, and as the Thai T-Shirt says, “Same Same But Different.”

The end of the world is nigh?

Beijing (AP) — Chinese auto sales sank 7.7 percent in August from a year earlier extending a painful slump in the industry’s biggest global market, an industry group reported Wednesday.

Sales of sedans, SUVs and minivans declined to 1.6 million, according to the Chinese Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

Total vehicle sales, including trucks and buses, shrank 6.9 percent to 1.9 million.

Chinese consumer demand has been hurt by unease about an economic slowdown

and a trade war with Washington.

The industry has recorded monthly sales declines since June 2018, squeezing automakers that are spending heavily to meet government targets to develop electric cars.

Sales of electric and hybrid vehicles fell 15.8 percent from a year ago to 85,000.

The market segment has struggled as the government phases out subsidies that helped to make China the biggest market for electrics.

Beijing is using sales quotas to shift the financial burden

of promoting electrics to automakers. That raises the cost to buyers.

Sales by Chinese brands fell 10.2 percent in August from a year earlier to 614,000.

They lost 1.1 percentage points of market share to 37.2 percent.

Auto sales for the eight months through August were off 12.3 percent from a year earlier at 13.3 million.

Minivan sales declined 22.9 percent through August. SUV sales were off 10 percent and sedans down 12.6 percent.

Singapore street circuit brings on another bore-fest For some reason known only to itself, the FIA has decided that the motor racing spectator wants high speed processions. And it certainly is providing that with street circuits where there is precious little chance of overtaking. The average punter is supposedly enthralled by “strategy” producing a “passing” opportunity in the pits rather than on the track. The fact that a pit stop now can be carried out under three seconds is of mild interest only, not edge of the seat stuff such as when Daniel Ricciardo goes round the outside of another car on a high speed sweeper.

The Singapore GP was just another bore-fest with the driver being unimportant and just a part of the “strategy”. Even the drivers admit to the boring nature of the racing on the streets.

Max Verstappen admitting, “I wouldn’t say that today

was that exciting from a racing perspective but Singapore has a lot of plus points being a street circuit, really tough on the body and just being a cool track to drive on.” Of course, the FIA tried to buoy up this circuit by holding the race at night, but it was illuminated with lighting that could show us the far side of the moon, removing the novelty of night racing.

Verstappen’s team mate, Alex Albon said, “Most of that race was just managing my tyres so it was physically easier than I expected. It was only in the last 20 laps when I was really pushing it that I could feel the strain. So, I would call it a battle of management as I started P6 and finished P6. At times it felt more like a procession than a race for me.”

Pole sitter and race leader initially, was Charles Leclerc,

who looked as if he was doing it easily. However, the Ferrari pit wall changed all that with strategy that removed Leclerc’s skill advantage.

Charles Leclerc says he wants Ferrari to explain why their strategy resulted in his team mate Sebastian Vettel taking victory from him in Singapore. Vettel was the first of the two Ferrari drivers to pit which gave him the advantage of being first to run on fresher tyres. That meant when Leclerc pitted he came out behind his team mate.

Teams ordinarily give their leading driver the preference on strategy. Leclerc says he wants to know why this wasn’t the case in Singapore. “I still need some explanations just to understand fully why this decision was taken,” he said.

The final results were Driver Team 1 Vettel Ferrari 2 Leclerc Ferrari 3 Verstappen Red Bull 4 Hamilton Mercedes 5 Bottas Mercedes 6 Albon Red Bull 7 Norris McLaren 8 Gasly Toro Rosso 9 Hulkenberg Renault 10 Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo

Laps 61 61 61 61 61 61 61 61 61 61

Gap 1h 58:33.667 + 0:02.641 + 0:03.821 + 0:04.608 + 0:06.119 + 0:11.663 + 0:14.769 + 0:15.547 + 0:16.718 + 0:17.855

VOL. XXVII No. 36

PATTAYA MAIL

FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019 25

Norwegian Seamen’s Church in Pattaya consecrated

Pastor Ragnvald Seierstad welcomes his congregation and guests to the Per Christian Østeby, Deaconal worker newly built Norwegian Seamen’s at Sjømannskirken, speaks to the Church in Pattaya. congregation.

emergency situations and in the handling of crisis.

“On a day like this I would also like to specifically thank pastor Ragnvald Seierstad and his wife Liv for almost six years of faithful service here in Pattaya. What a legacy you leave behind! Not only have you been the heart and soul of this place, you have also been in charge of this magnificent new building. You can return to Norway and retirement with great pride.

“During my time as ambassador in Thailand I have always felt your support and willingness to assist us in any possible way. Thank you Ragnvald and thank you Liv as well as other staff at the Church.”

Vutikorn Kamolchote, the well-known civil engineer and staunch supporter of the Norwegian church, summed up what everyone was thinking, “The church is beautifully designed. The worship hall and function rooms have been well planned and the workmanship is excellent.

“Throughout the period of construction, I felt that we were blessed with a team that worked together with understanding and harmony

“Through concerts, social nights, celebrations of Christmas and the 17th of May, field trips, church services and ‘lørdagsgrøt’, the Seamen’s Church is creating a warm, open and generous community where everyone is welcomed. I feel it very much on a day like this.

“While I live and work with my colleagues at the Norwegian Embassy in Bangkok, we are very grateful for the close cooperation we have enjoyed with the Church throughout the years. Both the Embassy and the Church are in the business of assisting Norwegians in need of services – in good times and in bad times. The Embassy, however, cannot do everything for everyone, which is why we appreciate so much how the church complements our services in an admirable way. The church does an incredibly

showing the highest levels of professionalism.

“As a construction professional, I’d like to congratulate the church building committee, designers, contractors and all workers for a job very well done.

Most importantly I thank God, without whose purpose and unceasing blessings, this beautiful new church would never have been possible.”

Pattaya Mail reporters HE Kjersti Rødsmoen Ambassador of Norway to Thailand presided over the grand consecration of the Norwegian Seamen’s Church Pattaya on September 5, 2019.

Amongst the many guests attending the ceremonies were, Jørn-Henning Theis, leader of the Norwegian Seamen’s church in Norway, Ørnulf Steen, the Secretary General of Norwegian Seamen’s Churches, benefactors in Thailand and overseas and leading Scandinavian and local dignitaries and residents.

Pastor Ragnvald Seierstad welcomed the guests by saying, “As the pastor of the church I am very happy on this day to stand here and wish you all welcome to the newly built Seamen’s Church in Pattaya, Thailand.

“All of you have a relationship to this church in some way, some of you have worked here before, some of you are helping us with voluntary tasks, some of you are guests at the church on a regular basis, some every now and then.

But here are also those who actually built the church, the construction company, the architects, the interior architect, the building committee, advisers and verifiers and not to forget our leaders at our head office where both the leader of the upper board and the general secretary said yes to our plans and then also opened their bank accounts and made it possible to build this beautiful building.

HE Kjersti Rødsmoen, the ambassador of Norway, cuts the ribbon to inaugurate the Norwegian Seamen’s Church in Pattaya.

give the people who come to this church a better life in one way or another; then we have done a good Christian deed. A home away from home, that is what we want to be. As our heavenly father opens his kingdom for us, we wish to reflect this love by opening the church for everyone that is knocking on our door. Thank you, all of you for making this day possible.”

In her speech, HE Kjersti Rødsmoen said, “The Norwegian Seamen’s Church is a safe haven for all Norwegians in Thailand, and especially for all of you here in the Pattaya area. We know the church as a meeting place where people with all kinds of background and each with their own life stories can find pleasant company, a listening ear and freshly baked waffles.

Hansi Konrad Nyvoll, Jan Olav Aamlid and Pastor Ragnvald Seierstad, three original members of the building committee. Jan Olav is a major benefactor of the church having also jointly donated funds to buy the organ.

“Now we have got a great building and now it is up to us to make it a home away from home for our users.

“This church operates in two ways; we have services and funerals, weddings and baptisms as in every church where we will preach the love of God to all humans, whoever we are, no matter how our lives have turned out.

God’s love is for everyone.

“The other way we operate is to make this house a home away from home. It is 10,000 kilometres back to Norway. Some people can get lonely here, afraid, sick or getting in trouble. We are here to give a helping hand when it is possible. If we can

“Norwegians love Thailand. That is why we have a large group of Norwegian expats here and that is why Thailand is the second most popular destination for Norwegians (after Spain).

“The Seamen’s Church has a mandate to deliver church services to all Norwegians in Thailand, but of course it is the people living in the Pattaya area who are the lucky ones to take advantage of the Church on a regular basis. The Seamen’s Church has become a vital part of the large Norwegian community here in Pattaya, but also a place where a lot of travellers have found friendly social settings.

Pastors Ragnvald Seierstad and Ørnulf Steen perform the consecration ceremonies. (Photo courtesy of ScandAsia)

Jørn-Henning Theis, chairman of the board of the Seamen’s Church Norway Vutikorn Kamolchote congratulates all addresses the gathering. those concerned for a job very well done.

important job in assisting Norwegians – when requested.

“They visit Norwegians in hospitals and in prisons, they can provide grief counselling to individuals and groups that have been through tragic accidents and they assist in the follow-up, care and support of individuals, families and colleagues.

The Embassy is regularly in

contact with families that tell us about the genuine care and comforting counselling they have received in difficult times. The experience that the Seamen’s Church has gathered over many years is of such value to the Norwegian Foreign Service that we have a formal agreement specifying all the areas where the Church can assist and compliment us, especially in

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Centara Grand Mirage goes to Italy Some overseas members of my family stayed at the Centara Grand Mirage this year and said it was indeed very “grand” and at any time he expected Indiana Jones to pop up behind a lost ark. So when the charming PR lady Khun Deta invited the Dining Out team to come for an Italian Wine Dinner, there was only one answer: “Yes!” The Italian concept was evident on the wines that were chosen for the evening with two from Sicily and three from Tuscany. Presenting the wines were two genuine Italians, Alberto Moretti Cruseri, is the owner of Tenuta Sette Ponti wineries in Italy (Tuscany and Sicily), and Sergio Armenio (Sam), the sales consultant for the

Eastern and Southern regions of Thailand for GFour Fine Wines & Spirits.

Trying to keep the handwaving to acceptable levels was Ramneek Lamba, the EAM for Food and Beverage.

The wine dinner was held in the Acqua restaurant, just off the main lobby, a very

tuna with avocado, tomato tartar and Robiola cheese.

This wine was universally popular, with tasting notes a rich, lofty nose with quality fruit dominating. On the palate, balanced fruit and acidity, with solid peach notes. A long layered, lingering finish.

Marinated tuna with avocado and tomato tartar, Robiola cheese, micro leaves and balsamic.

Sergio Armenio (Sam).

spacious and sophisticated outlet.

After the reception bubbles, we adjourned to the main area and were plied with a Fuedo Maccari Grillo 2016 from Sicily. An excellent and smooth white, paired with marinated

had too much tannin for my palate. The wines were also kept in ice buckets, a trifle cold, though as Sam Aemwnio pointed out that by letting the wines settle, the temperature does rise.

However, as I always point out, wine appreciation is very personal.

2014 was simply excellent, bold and lingering on the palate. This Super Tuscan from Italy’s west coast, was one of the best Super Tuscans to come from Bolgheri. It is one of the country’s oldest wine regions, but was not recognized for its terroir—or “flavor of the earth”—until producers here began creating Super Tuscans with the addition of a small quantity of other grape varietals. A sunny, dry and windswept region, the soil there is perfectly suited for growing grapes of Bordeaux origin, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, which are used to make Super Tuscan wines.

The finale was a sweet dessert with an acidic grappa and not popular, but the dessert was great for chocaholics.

What is an excellent idea came from Sam Armenio, and that is holding private wine

Alberto Moretti Cruseri.

tastings. These would not be ‘grand’ affairs but more of a meeting of like minds discussing some excellent wines. Sam mobile+66 (0)63 227 1881.

Acqua restaurant, Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort, 277 Moo 5, Naklua Banglamung, (take Soi 18 from the Pattaya-Naklua Road to the bottom, turn right and the Centara Grand is on you left), tel 66 3830 1234, secure parking in the resort’s grounds.

Roasted rack of lamb in a herb’s bread crust, creamy carrots, thyme and Taggiasca olives.

The next course was prawns with ham and sage with a white bean puree, roasted garlic and cocoa.

This course and its wine had more of a mixed reception.

Prawns still sporting their heads, need a trip to the guillotine before being cooked.

The wine with the prawns was the Fuedo Maccari nero d’avola 2016 again from Sicily. This wine had a dark red ruby color, was pleasant on the nose but

The third course was a delightful Ravioli with whisked cod fish on a potato Parmesan cream and black truffles. The wine was a Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo 2015, pleasant without being memorable.

The main course was a roasted rack of lamb in a herb bread crust with vegetables.

This was a great concept as lamb can adapt itself to any wine. However, the Tenuta Sette Ponti Orma Bolgheri

Diners enjoying the Italian wine dinner.

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FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2019 27

E-mail: comhaps@pattayamail.com

Events The next meeting of Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) will be held on Sunday, October 6 &13. The PCEC program varies, but usually involves a guest speaker on a topic of interest to Expats. 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 Eastern Seaboard Businessmen’s Dinner is a monthly event taking place 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.

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 August 10.

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.

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 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

Braised Five Spice Coconut Prawns The use of desiccated coconut is very popular in Malaysia, and this recipe has its origins there. For authenticity substitute Garam Masala instead of the Five Spice. A flavorsome way to present prawns.

Ingredients Large prawns Lemon juice Desiccated coconut Onions, chopped Garlic, chopped Coconut milk (canned) Chilli paste Turmeric powder Five Spice Spring onion, chopped

Serves 4-6 750 gm 3 tbspns 50 gm 2 2 cloves 250 ml 1 tspn 1 tspn 1 tspn 4

Cooking Method Clean the prawns, remove head and tail and vein down the back. Dry and then flood with lemon juice and stand for 15 minutes. Place desiccated coconut in a bowl with 5 tablespoons of boiling water and leave for 15 minutes.

After standing for 15 minutes, place the coconut, onion, garlic, coconut milk, turmeric, Five Spice, and chilli paste in the food processor, and puree the mixture, adding water to keep the mixture quite thin in consistency.

Now boil the mixture and put half of it in a baking dish, adding the prawns and then pouring the rest of the mixture over the prawns.

Cover the baking dish and bake in the oven at 220 degrees Celsius for 8-10 minutes. Serve immediately on steamed rice and then sprinkle the spring onion over them as garnish.

Fax: 038-427596

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 080 563 0232. 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 N o r w egian Seaman’s Church, Thappraya Road Soi 7: contact Hans 085 135 7755 or Rune (Rayong) 089 754 9515. 9.00 a.m. meetings every day at Satree Pattana Centre on Soi Skaw Beach off Second Road. Call 080 563 0232.

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, nonjudgmental 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.

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@rotary-phoenixpattaya.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 Royal Cliff Grand Hotel on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month. Meetings begin at 19.00 hrs. President Stephen Devereux Email: < stevecarlow@gmail.com> 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 <banc hangvfw12146membership@ gmail.com> or visit website: www.banchangvfwpost 12146.org.

The Royal British Legion Thailand meets on the last weekend of every month at various locations around the city. Please join and like the Face Book page and you will see the all the social events listed. You do not have 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 an email to - chonburi.secretary@ rbl.community.

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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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