C NTACT THE MAGAZINE OF THE BRITISH WOMEN’S GROUP BANGKOK
June 2021
BRITISH WOMEN’S GROUP The aim of the Group is to enable its members to meet socially, to welcome its new members and associate members to Bangkok and to establish a programme of social, welfare and cultural activities.
Contents
Directory Page 2
Chairman’s message Page 3
Diary Page 4
Welfare News Pages 6-9
Chiang Mai Trip Part 4 Pages 12-14
Book Club Page 18
Editor contact@bwgbangkok.org Advertising advertising@bwgbangkok.org Please note that the deadline for advertisements is the 5th of the month prior to issue. Please contact advertising@bwgbangkok for more information. PLEASE NOTE : Contact is published as a service to our members to keep them informed of news and events within BWG. The accuracy of other information cannot be guaranteed and is not an endorsement by the group. This also applies to advertisements that are included in Contact in order to cover some of the production costs. Every effort is made to produce Contact in good time to reach members before the first scheduled meeting, but the editor cannot be held responsible for unavoidable delays caused by circumstance beyond their control. It is the members’ own responsibility to know when meetings are scheduled and to contact someone to check if any changes have been made. Members are also asked to bear in mind when booking actives that most venues are not deemed suitable for children over six months of age and to make appropriate child minding arrangements.
Chairman’s Message Hi ladies, I am writing this message from a very miserable UK, with one of the wettest May’s on record. I had to make a sudden decision to return, as we have issues with one of our neighbours (the other side are delightful). Apparently last year, it was the hottest May on record but this year I can report that I have had the heating on every day and have even had to light fires! It was lovely being able to wish 3 members a very happy birthday this month, Sister Joan, Sister Louise and Carolyn Tarrant. Many happy returns of the day, and to all our members celebrating this month. I am continually following all the updates from Bangkok, and it would appear not a lot has changed. With this in mind, we can obviously, and sadly, not make any plans as yet for events in June. Rest assured, as soon as we can, the committee will swing into action and get things organised for you. Wishing you all well and please stay safe. Take care Sue Welcome to the June issue of Contact magazine wherever you are in the world. As Sue has said, there is not much going on in Bangkok at the moment and so this is a rather slimed down edition of the magazine again. However, we do have some lovely welfare news from the Mercy Centre and part four of the Chiang Mai road trip from Jackie Reynolds.
Happy reading!
Contact April 2021
June Diary SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
1 Bridge Golf
2 Mahjong Art Group
3
4
5
6
7 Mahjong
8 Bridge Golf
9 Mah-jong Art Group
10
11
12
13
14 Mah-jong
15 Bridge Golf
16 Mah-jong Art Group
17
18
19
20
21 Mah-jong
22 Bridge Golf
23 Mah-jong Art Group
24
25
26
27
28 Mah-jong
29 Bridge Golf
30 Mah-jong Art Group
Weekly/Monthly Activities You are invited to join these groups, but final approval is at the discretion of individual group leaders
Monday Mah-jong - (beginners welcome) (10am - 1pm) Tuesday Bridge - Audrie Sill Golf - (morning) Sheona Jackson Bookworms - 1st Tuesday (10am) Jane Upperton Scottish Dancing - 1st Tuesday (7:30pm) Karen Burr Wednesday Mah-jong - (beginners welcome) (10am - 1pm) Art Group - Bistro 33 Sukhumvit Soi 33 (10am -12:30pm) Karin Worthington
nspiring ndividuals At KIS International School all students can shine. The midsize, caring community allows KIS students to be confident and to be appreciated as an individual, with unique dreams and strengths. The school is a full IB school, offering the International Baccalaureate Programmes for all age groups (IB Primary Years Programme, IB Middle Years Programme and IB Diploma), ensuring an academically rigorous curriculum that not only prepares students to be successful at university, but also teaches important life skills. KIS, it’s all about Knowledge, Inspiration and Spirit. Check out the students’ videos to learn more about their passion www.kis.ac.th
Tel: +66 (0) 2274 3444 Email: admissions@kis.ac.th
“With the power of imagination, characters can actually fly off the page” Jun, Grade 11.
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CHIANG MAI – CHIANG DAO - LAMPANG – LAMPHUN – CHIANG MAI rd 23 December 2020 – 3rd January 2021 PART 4
LAMPANG
(2 NIGHT STAY
Our accommodation in Lampang “The Riverside Guest House” was excellent. Room #2, which I shared with my friend, was I think the best, with a large balcony facing the river. Our 1st evening we checked out the weekend walking street market located very close. It was quite large and had some very pretty old buildings. Afterwards we headed to a riverside restaurant for dinner which had live music. Lampang is famous for ceramics and especially their pretty horse drawn carriages. The following morning after breakfast as we were leaving the guest house we were fortunate enough to see four carriages picking up guests as we headed out for the day. The first stop in the surrounding Lampang area was at Tampha Thai N.P to check out their cave. It was not as impressive as the Chiang Dao Cave but certainly worth a look. From there we moved on through the very beautiful rural countryside to “The Emerald Lake” which I had been really looking forward to seeing. The photos in my brochure and online were unfortunately pretty misleading. Firstly, it certainly couldn’t be classified as a lake (more like a very small pool) and due to the time of year the falling leaves had covered the whole surface. There was no sight of anything remotely emerald in colour, more a murky brown. So be warned if you decide to check it out "timing is everything". Have to say this turned out to be my only disappointment of the whole 10 day trip so I can’t
complain too much, if at all!!! Our last stop was at a ceramics factory. My friend brought a vase but as I have “Absolutely No More Room!” in my small apartment I restricted myself to buying just one coaster. That evening we went by car to a restaurant called “Butterhead”. This had been recommended by a Thai lady in Bangkok who came from Lampang and it turned out to be a total gem. No way would we have known about it otherwise as it was located in the middle of what looked like a housing complex on the outskirts of Lampang in someone’s back garden!! I had Salmon Fillet with Asparagus and Salad followed by a slice of their homemade Macadamia Cheesecake. Everything was delicious. It turned out that the owner had lived in the USA where she had learned her western cooking skills before moving back home to Thailand. As we were feeling tired, not to mention full we had decided to call it an early night “BUT” on our drive back through Lampang we came across a park covered with fairy lights. It wasn’t far from our guest house so with a new burst of energy we parked the car at the guest house and walked back to check it out. Of course this is Thailand so there were lots of stalls selling food and other items. There was also a stage with entertainment - such a great atmosphere. As they say” Timing is Everything” - the very next day we heard it had been closed down due to the December Covid outbreak.
Lampang Walking Street
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Bookworms - June The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time by Mark Haddon This was a Covid inspired meeting -just three of us turned up and Tina joined us courtesy of a Zoom link set up by computer wiz Lynn Smith. Some absent members kindly sent in their thoughts and scores.
The book centres on a fifteen year old boy, Christopher Boone, who has Aspergers Syndrome which is at the higher end of the Autism Spectrum. Autism is not so uncommon with its incidence doubling in the last ten years. In the USA 1/58 children are diagnosed with Aspergers, in Australia 1/70 and in the UK 1/58. Aspergers is more prevalent in boys than girls. Autism is characterised primarily by social and behavioural challenges including differences in how people perceive their environment and those around them. There is now a World Autism Awareness day.
Mark Haddon is normally a children’s writer and this book is a set book for senior school students but it is also very much a book for adults. Mark Haddon has done a skilful job taking the reader into the thoughts of a teenager with Aspergers, Christopher, who is relating and perceiving events in his life in a way which is very different from the norm.
So what did our Bookclub members say?
‘It was on some time ago in a theatre in London but I missed it’ ‘It gave a very good insight as to how the mind of an autistic person works and how that affects relationships, decision making and behaviour. I didn’t like the detailing of scientific facts, formulae and numbers’ ‘I read it when it first came out. Enlightening. I really enjoyed it.’ ‘Thoroughly enjoyed it. Very intuitive of Aspergers’ ‘Handicapped child, handicapped family. Enjoyed the book written through the eyes of an autistic child’ ‘I enjoyed the book. Difficult for everyone else to understand’ ‘I did not enjoy the book. I did find it interesting. It gave me an insight into how someone with Aspergers Syndrome thinks and survives in the world’
Scores - 7/10 - 2, 8/10-1, 9/10– 4
Next pick: Into thin Air by Jon Krakaur
Next meeting at 28-06 Urbana on 1st June 2021
Celebrating 60 Years A proud tradition of learning excellence
We offer a British-style education for an international community, from Nursery through to Graduation. Find out how our approach to learning and outstanding teaching staff develop global citizens who shape their world through independence, empathy, creativity and critical thinking. Contact us at admissions@patana.ac.th www.patana.ac.th | +66 (0) 2785 2200 | 643 Lasalle Road, Bangkok 10260
Bangkok Patana is a not-for-profit, IB World School, accredited by CIS and NEASC