19 May 2014
His Majesty takes boat trip at Kaeng Krachan
Last month- His Majesty the King took a boat trip in the lake of Kaeng Krachan Dam in Phetchaburi Province, where he observed the development of water management in the area.
being made to restore natural environment and wildlife on the islet, which was once a mountain but later flooded partly by the construction of the dam. About 30 islets in the lake have been created in the manner.
The Kaeng Krachan Dam Project was opened in 1966 by His Majesty the King. It is the country’s first earth dam built across the Phetchaburi River, with a crest length of 760 metres, a height of 58 metres and a crest width of 8 metres. The dam has created a lake covering an area of 45 square kilometres which has a capacity to store 710 million cubic metres of water. As a multi-purpose dam, it benefits cultivation in more than 300,000 rai of land, reduces flood hazards, provides water for consumption during droughts and produces electricity worth 200 billion baht a year.
Kaeng Krachan Dam is surrounded by the Kaeng Krachan National Park which was established following His Majesty the King’s concerns for forest encroachments in watersheds of the Phetchaburi River. In 1979 His Majesty the King visited the dam and asked officials concerned to limit logging concessions in the area. Later, the Kaeng Krachan National Park was declared, covering nearly 2,500 square kilometres and has today become a popular recreation area. It consists mainly of rainforests, lakes, caves, waterfalls, as well as abundant kinds of flora and fauna.
During the trip, the royal ferry circled around an islet called “Ko Nai Luang”, or King’s island, which His Majesty visited in 1973. Repair work is being conducted at the royal pavilion on the islet. Efforts are also
His Majesty spent about two hours at the Kaeng Krachan Dam before returning to Klai Kangwon Palace in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province in the afternoon.
LEARNING ABOUT ‘BEST PRACTICE’ IN HIGH SCHOOL Cha-Am KhunYing Nueang Buri School opened its doors to lower school students and staff from some 30 local schools as well as welcoming the School Community Committee to showcase the future of secondary school education in Cha-Am.
‘KhunYing’ is an honorary title bestowed on a married woman by the King of Thailand in recognition of outstanding humanitarian, social work or community services; perhaps something akin to bestowing the title ‘Lady’ in a Western country. In this case the school recognises the primary benefactor of the school whose involvement in the school’s establishment goes back almost 50 years. Cha-Am Today joined a variety of invited guests to look at what’s on offer in local high school education. This was an exhibition of school activities with students providing musical entertainment (traditional dancing, a brass band and its own rock band) and a variety of
arts, crafts and examples of student work in subjects such as history, mathematics, foreign languages and woodwork. The aim was to give confidence to primary students soon progressing to the secondary level. The highlight of the exhibition was the demonstration of a 650,000 THB hi-tech interactive digital teaching aid. In a designated ‘smart classroom’ we were shown a sneak preview of a blackboard sized slim screen which allows teachers to use the touch screen for interactive teaching as well as video programs and online lessons. This was part of the current ‘Labschools Project’. Mr. Somchai Kruek Kruen, the School Principal, was host to the guests and joined in a presentation of awards to teachers. Cha-Am Khun Ying Nueang Buri School is ChaAm’s secondary school under the Petchaburi Ministry of Education.
HOWZAT? CRICKET IN THAILAND The 19th Hua Hin Sixes Cricket Tournament Writing about cricket for the uninitiated requires explanations about many expressions that are a part of the game. Our first example, ‘Howzat’, is really a shortened version of ‘How was that?’, a shout imploring the umpire to declare a batsman dismissed.
The ‘initiated’ are likely to have come from one of the traditional cricketing nations; namely England, Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, South Africa and the grouping of Caribbean islands known as the West Indies. More recent arrivals on the cricket scene include Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Thailand is an associate member of the International Cricket Council (the 2nd level) since 2005. Thailand’s elite was certainly influenced by the British, and cricket infiltrated Thailand via the kids of elite Thai families who studied in England and were subjected to the game.
As an aside, Thailand is one of the few countries in the world where spectators can watch a game of cricket while munching on a dish of fried crickets! So What Are The Basics? Cricket is an outdoor bat and ball sport played between two teams. There are many books written about the laws of the game and a variety of situations that sometimes arise but basically……………………. It’s played on a large circular or oval shaped grassed field which varies in size with a diameter of around 150 metres. Most of the action takes place in the centre of this ground, on a rectangular strip with short grass or an artificial surface called the pitch. The pitch is 20 metres long. At each end of the pitch three upright wooden stakes, called the stumps, are hammered into the ground. Two wooden crosspieces, known
as the bails, sit in grooves atop the stumps.
One team bats and tries to score as the other team bowls and fields; trying to restrict the number of runs and dismiss the batters. Two batsmen play at any one time each taking a position at opposite ends of the pitch. During play a bowler delivers the ball from one end to the other with an overarm motion and a straightened arm, it cannot be thrown! The aim is either to hit the stumps or have the batsmen mishit the ball so that it is caught by a fielder. The bowler delivers 6 balls in one over before being replaced by another bowler. The batsmen scores by scampering from one end of the pitch to the other, after hitting the ball. Each time that dash is completed one run results; however a ball reaching the boundary scores 4 and a ball crossing the boundary on the full scores 6 runs. Page...22
HUA HIN TODAY, May 2014
20 NEWS 1,000 BAHT DIGITAL TV COUPONS COMING BY JULY Broadcast regulators have agreed to send THB 1,000 coupons for digital TV set-top boxes to 22 million households nationwide in about two months. Col. Nathi Sukolrat, chairman of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission said the coupons would help ease the pain for families to buy the televisions necessary to watch digital transmissions, which started this month. The coupons’ final value will still be reviewed by an NBTC committee and could be calculated based on the revenue collected from the first digital TV auction, which brought in THB12 billion. The coupons will be handed out to 22 million households around the end of June to July this year for them to buy the boxes with active antenna. The digital TV signal boxes will have a warranty period of three years with after-sales service, NNT reported.
RUBBER MONSTER THE ‘SOI DOG FOUNDATION’ back from the dead, A Model for Stray Dog now with two little babies Sterilisation in our Region?
The Soi Dog Foundation (www.soidog.org) has completed a campaign to sterilise stray dogs in Phuket to create a healthy, sustainable canine population on the island. In cooperation with the Province’s local authorities, the Soi Dog Foundation has sterilised and vaccinated more than 15,000 dogs and 2,000-plus cats on the island of Phuket during the two years of its mobile clinic program, preventing them from reproducing and protecting them from rabies. The mobile clinic, which started in June 2012, is a part of the foundation’s effort to humanely reduce the stray dog and cat population and keep Phuket free from rabies. The clinic is set up at different locations, often on the grounds of Buddhist temples, schools, and government buildings, and sometimes under a tent. The program is not only for the sake of the dogs - it also benefits local communities by reducing dog bites and other problems caused by strays.
It’s been several weeks since Udonthani mourned the loss of its pride, the Giant Rubber Duck. Maybe the duck grew angry at being trapped in a lagoon and subjected to an endless future of selfies. Whatever the cause, it took advantage of a storm’s strong winds to soar from the lake and darken the sky with unspeakable terror. They say it took many strong men that day to bring him down.
Soi Dog Foundation co-founder and vice president John Dalley said, “Our current three-year program in Phuket implemented in close cooperation with the local governments has had a large impact on the stray animal population. The situation on Phuket has already vastly improved from when we first started.”
The second phrase is expected to be complete in 2015, after which only low level of maintenance sterilisations will be needed and the population will continue to decline. Soi Dog will then shift its attention to widespread sterilisation programs in Bangkok and other areas of Thailand to address larger dog problems. With the issue of stray dogs firmly on the agenda in both Hua Hin and Cha-Am, the obvious question is; can a Soi Dogs Foundation ‘model’ be implemented in our Region?
SONGKRAN 2014 What Was That All About?
The Udon Thani Governor was quoted as saying in response to the tragedy “Poor little duck, thanks for making Udon Thani happy, we’ll always miss you.” Though mortally wounded, the duck is now back, fully repaired to mend the hearts of young and old alike, with sparks of colour covering her terrible wounds.
S is for O is for N is for
And how do we know she’s a “she?” Well apparently the duck was busy during her recuperation - she’s brought two babies along to bring joy to Udonthanites throughout the Songkran festival. Udonthani Governor, Itthipol “Tung” Treewattanasuwan shared a photo of the three ducks, saying everyone is welcome to get close and touch the duck family all they want. As before, the three ducks are displayed in the Nongprajak Silapakom Park.
HUA HIN TODAY, May 2014
The second phase of the program will re-visit every area of Phuket to catch those dogs which have not yet been spayed or neutered, the foundation said.
Silly Season If you are reading this then you’ve survived Thailand’s silly season – well done!
Once a year
No Alcohol
G is for
Some want more but for most, love it loathe it, once a year is enough!
We heard that Songkran in Hua Hin was to be alcohol free this year; poot len? (joking)!
Good Times It was a time to relax, enjoy the company of family and friends and to have a great time.
K is for
Khrop Khrua Khrop Khrua (‘family’ in Thai) is really the traditional focus of Songkran, something we should all remember.
R is for A is for
Respect
April N is for New Year
Respect for elders and Buddhist beliefs is a big part of the history of Songkran.
Songkran in April is Thailand’s most dangerous time of the year. Sadly this year’s road toll was the highest on record, with only platitudes, not solutions on offer. The Thai New Year is really what it was all about. Sabai Bee Mai!
So welcome to the Thai New Year; we hope it’s a good one for you!