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Volume 10 issue 11 Septemberr 2013
Volume 5 Issue 1 September 2013
The 15Th Shell Eating, Bird Watching & Squid Catching Festival T
Cha-Am 13th – 22nd September 2013
he Cha-Am Municipality, in cooperation with the Tourism catching with visitors being Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Singha Corporation, is encouraged to join ‘the catch’ in hosting the 15th Shell Eating, Bird Watching and Squid a hands on way. Catching in Cha-Am from 13th to 22nd September 2013. Usually this Festival is held on the Initiated in 1999 by the Mayor of Cha-Am Mr. Nukul second Saturday of September Pornsomboonsiri, this annual festival aims to promote tourism and lasts for nine days. However in Cha-Am during the low season. The Festival highlights squid the TAT is organising a tourism campaign to promote traveling to Five Regions in Thailand between 13th and 15th September 2013. The Festival will coincide with this TAT promotion this year.
The Shell Eating, Bird Watching and Squid Catching Festival attracts as many as 36,000 visitors every year who are attracted to one of the most famous beachfront cities in Thailand. Over the years the organisers have maintained a high standard to ensure that all activities are very colourful and interesting.
visitors will see a lot of local and migrating birds near swamps and in the foothills. This Festival is one of the big events on the Cha-Am tourism calendar aiming to attract visitors during the low season.
Our spies tell us that most visitors don’t really eat shells; only shell This year’s highlight include: fish! Fresh seafood for sale on the beach Concerts with famous Thai singer every night Squid catching in the evening and grilling squid on the beach. Free guided bird watching in the morning and late afternoon at Thung Takad Phlee and the Khao Nang Panturat National Park. Speed boat racing Fishing Competitions The Festival is organised during the rainy season because this is this is the high season for catching squid. Many birds are migrating from other parts of the world at this time of the year and
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sanee–Wasan is a Thai rock band fronted by brothers Asanee “Pom” and Wasan “Toe” Chotikul. Among the band’s hits is a 1989 song that puts into verse the lengthy ceremonial name for Bangkok, “Krung Thep Mahanakhon”
(“กรุงเทพมหานคร”).
The elder brother, Asanee, is known for his guitar solos and his wild, “rock star” persona. His way of singing ballads is often described as broken-heart jiggo (jiggo is a Thai slang for a bad boy, a parody from Gigolo in English and Italian). The bespectacled Wasan is known for his sensitive songs and softer, gentler style. Their songs often include a hook chorus sung by female backing vocalists. In concerts they frequently throw autographed guitar picks
into the crowd as souvenirs. They are glued on to their guitar or microphone stand ready to be handed out. We hope you can be there to catch one! When: 28th September 2013 Where: Rama 6 the army camp stadium Tickets: 200 THB. At the Cha-Am Mayor’s office
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The 3Rd Cha-Am Fishing Competition
Volume 10 issue 11 Septemberr 2013
Mother’s Day Cakes to The Children of Bangket School
Children from Bangket School, ChaAm, visited Hotel de la Paix to collect delicious Mother’s Day cakes perfectly baked by the hotel’s chefs.
Every child at Bangket was presented with a cake to give to their mother as a special treat for Mother’s Day. Hotel de la Paix was eager to help the local children at Bangket show just how much they appreciate and love their mums.
“Star of the Month”
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he 3rd Cha-Am Fishing Competition will take place from 13th to 14th September 2013 as a part of the Shell Eating, Bird Watching and Squid Catching Festival.
Congratulations to Khun Ton for his award as Hotel de La Paix’s “Star of the Month”. A dedicated member of the Finance team, Khun Ton provides a friendly service to all departments for purchasing all the things they need for the hotel, staff and guests.
This event was first held to coincide with the 1st Poo Chak Crab Tasting Festival in Cha-Am in 2011 and the second during the Shell Eating, Bird Watching and Squid Catching Festival last year. Both enjoyed great success with participation by tourists and local people alike. The Competition has 6 categories according to the fish species: bass, grouper, ray, sheatfish, croaker and others. The winner and the first runner up will receive cash and a trophy while the second runner up will take home an award. This year, the Rules of the Competition are as follows: 1. Each participant is allowed to catch as many fish as they can with only 1 assistant; 2. Each participant is allowed to use any fishing gear and bait; 3. If the weight of the fish is equal, the first participant who weighs it is entitled to win; 4. Fish can be weighed from 13th September at 7 p.m. to 14 September at 7 a.m.; 5. Judges will keep all fish after weighing; 6. All participants have to assemble at the Competition starting point at 5 p.m. to attend the opening ceremony at 6 p.m. 7. The Judges’ decision is considered final.
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MOTHER’S DAY ON THE BEACH AT CHA-AM – What’s Missing?
he beach at Cha-Am is often very busy, especially on weekends and even more so on long weekends. On the long weekend of 10th to 12th August, the Mother’s Day long weekend brought out the beachgoers in droves.
This 5 kilometre long stretch of beach is well loved by Thai people who travel from Bangkok and many other places around Thailand to escape their day to day pressures and enjoy what the The application fee is 150 THB. Interested competitors can ask for further information at: Sap Jao Lai seaside has to offer. Shop tel. 032 472 236, Khon Tok Pla Shop tel. 085 429 5823 or staff at the venue on the date of the The first thing you will see a dense forest of beach Competition from 12 Noon to 5 p.m. umbrellas stretching the length of the beach. This means a complete canopy of shade 20 metres parade along the beach offering rides for all ages. wide with deck chairs and tables for everyone. Photography is a high priority for all especially There is a foreigner or two but Thai families young couples and teenagers who are eager to pose (you know the two finger salute) whenever a dominate this strip of beach. camera is pointed in their direction. One of the big advantages the Cha-Am beach has is public access for all. No domination of the Many people at the beach clearly have no intention he Management Team and beach front by private development, it’s open for of making it to the water; the beach umbrella Staff of the Hotel de la Paix ‘terrace is close enough for them. Not dressed everyone. recently welcomed students in a way that is too informal but content to enjoy from Petchburi Vocational College to So what is available at the beach? the company of their friends and families without a special learning experience at Cha getting wet. Even those who approach the water Food, Food, Food! Hawkers are ready to Am’s chic designer retreat. provide a huge variety of Thai food directly to your or take a plunge are often still wearing their ‘street clothes’. Even kids swim in their shirts, shorts or Sixty students visited the hotel to table. gain valuable insight into the hotel Drinks, Drinks, Drinks! Just wave your hand long trousers. and hospitality industry. During and drinks will arrive; anything you want! The busy Cha-Am beach scene may not be for the day the students received Kid’s Stuff. Kids can find inflatables of all everyone especially those of foreign origin. Of informative presentations from shapes and colours. A variety of toys is on show course there are many alternative beach options managers and staff and were such as polystyrene aeroplanes, plastic spades & available nearby which are less populated or escorted on an orientation of the buckets for sand castles and hand held windmills. commercial. hotel and all its facilities. A sumptuous lunch was also provided, before a fun hotel & hospitality quiz Something to take home. Souvenirs can be rounded off the day. bought whether the item is the typical Cha-Am However the main Cha-Am beach is still the most culturally Thai you can find and a recommended Nigel Tovey, General Manager, commented that this was many of the students’ first glimpse into the real shell decorations, artwork of all shapes and sizes experience. You may be subject to the occasional or colourful garments. workings of a luxury 5 Star hotel. “Hopefully this will provide the motivation for many of the students to curious stare, especially from kids who are not aim for a highly rewarding career in one of the best profession there is,” he added. Local universities Water rides. Whether this is on a banana inhibited in showing their surprise at seeing a boat or an inflated inner tube, there’s plenty of and vocational colleges play a vital part of the growth of the hotel industry and tourism in Thailand and falang amongst the beachgoers. However if you opportunity for fun on the water. Hotel De la Paix is proud to actively support the development local students. Horse riding. A constant stream of ponies find a friendly face (they are everywhere!) and are invited to join the table you will be saturated in real contemporary Thailand culture (and Thai whiskey) and never be bored.
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Petchaburi Students Visit Hotel De La Paix Cha-Am
Swiss Sheep Farm Cha-Am ALPACA ANTICS
a way which may at a future time he Swiss Sheep Farm now result in baby alpacas! has three new star attractions. Around the middle of July Alpacas warn the herd about they proudly took possession of intruders by making sharp, noisy three rather exotic alpacas. There inhalations that sound like a highare two females, named Snow pitched bray. These three were and Furby and one male going by not making any of these sounds, the name of Porsche. Strangely perhaps a little nervous but friendly enough these three were imported enough and allowing themselves to from Holland with a price tag of over 500,000 THB be patted. Khun An commented that the biggest each. issue for him was trying to give them a bath or The Alpaca ‘family’ is housed in purpose built shower. Perhaps a little like trying to bathe a cat accommodation indoors. This is an air-conditioned and a day long process. ‘suite’ (25 degrees) deliberately separate from the An alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated other farm animals with precautions in place to species of South American camelid. It resembles ensure that their health is maintained and that a small llama in appearance. Alpacas are kept in there is no contamination from unfamiliar pests or herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes disease. of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and To enter the ‘suite’ plastic overshoes are required and visitors are restricted in numbers. However we are glad to report that the alpacas appear to have settled into their new environment without noticeable stress under the watchful eye of their guardian Khun An. On the day we visited Porsche and Furby were so relaxed they were behaving in
In answer to the question posed in our heading – what’s missing? The only answer we can come up with is:
BIKINIS !!!
Footnote: The Cha-Am beach is cleared of deckchairs and umbrellas every Tuesday late in the afternoon for the beach to be cleaned on Wednesdays (except during holidays); good job! include blankets, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, fed or given a drink from a bottle. a wide variety of textiles and ponchos in South Go for a horse ride or on a horse drawn wagon. America, and sweaters, socks, coats and bedding Feed the ducks and swans. in other parts of the world. The fiber comes in Practice your archery skills with targets in more than 52 natural colors. range. The Swiss Sheep Farm has many other Try to stay on the mechanical ‘bucking bull’. attractions and set just below the hillside it’s a very Children’s mini train ride and roundabout. picturesque venue for an enjoyable family day out. Coffee shop and snacks For many young couples there is also a romantic ‘Side show’ games
appeal, perhaps a good venue for that first date? northern Chile at an altitude of 3,500 m (11,500 ft) Our host Khun Arnold took us for a stroll around to 5,000 m (16,000 ft) above sea level, throughout the grounds where visitors were making the most the year. Alpacas are considerably smaller than of the many photo opportunities. llamas, and unlike llamas, they were not bred to What Can You Experience? be beasts of burden, but were bred specifically for Feed the sheep; they maybe common in their fiber. Alpaca fiber is used for making knitted many countries but not in Thailand. At last count and woven items, similar to wool. These items there are 74 sheep at the farm eager to be hand
Entry Monday – Friday 10.00AM to 7.00PM, Weekend 9.00am to 7.00PM Adults 50 THB, Children 30 THB Where: Swiss Sheep Farm is located on the left hand side as you approach Cha Am on the highway. Opposite Santonorini park. Five KMS heading from Cha-Am towards Bangkok on the right hand side.
Volume 10 issue 11 Septemberr 2013
CHA – AM BUSINESSMEN’S ASSOCIATION How To Get To Know Other Business Operators
years and currently there are more than 300 small and medium businesses represented. Biannual general meetings as well as monthly Committee Meetings are held to ensure an open line of communication. Membership by business operators of foreign abstraction is something the Association is eager to encourage.
VISITING THE VENEZIA Grand Opening October 2013
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Of course being an Association Member may be an added advantage to give business customers more confidence in their choice of service supplier.
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In the past the association has been an instigator of local Festivals and Events, usually with a strategy of ‘getting the ball rolling’ then taking a back seat as the festival or Event’s own management team takes the lead role. In the future business seminars with experts in relevant field speaking to Members are planned.
he primary purpose of the Cha-Am Businessmen’s Association is help local businesses develop a cooperative relationship and to support each other. The main message offered by the President Khun Tawatchai Oitong (‘nofilm’) is that the Association is eager to The President’s tenure is for a period of two years welcome new Members and promote the future with the next election due at the end of 2013. The current President has a varied and diverse for local businesses in Cha-Am. range of business skills which have held him in The key objectives of the Association are: good stead in that role. Apart from operating a Friendship between business operators ‘boutique’ Coffee Shop, he can proudly display his Face to face meetings between individuals to gallery and portfolio of professional photography overcome any difficulties. and he distributes air conditioning equipment. To exchange information between businesses Truly an eclectic guy! so that problems can be resolved and solutions If you have a small or medium business in the shared. Cha-Am area, why not get on board. There is A joint approach to differing levels of no doubt you will learn how to do business in government. Cha-Am in a more cooperative and mutually The Association has been around for some 17 beneficial way.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT MARKET CHA-AM Complete With Husband Minding Centre!
If you go to the Cha-Am Wednesday Night Market you may choose to enter on the left where a lane takes you past a variety of food stalls. About 100 metres on the left side and you will come across one of the features of the Market. This is a very innovative ‘extra’ to the usual market scene, the ‘Falang Husband Minding Centre’. This free service provides for the care, protection and safety of many falang husbands who are not ‘brousers’ while their wives go about their shopping without concerns. Husbands will then be out from under your feet, not complaining (“when are we going home”) and your shopping can procede undisturbed! All the wives need to do is pay for drinks (usually beer!) then collect them and take them home. The Wednesday Night Market is a Cha-Am institution and a must visit see for every visitor. As soon as the sun goes down a usually quiet part of town comes alive with a huge range of stalls with vendors offering everything imaginable. The Market is not really set up as a tourist attraction and the vast majority of the shoppers are local Thai people, many of whom are there every week. However it’s a great Thai experience for travellers and you can see many of the local produce and products in one venue. The Market is HUGE! It would probably take you an hour just to walk down each ‘shopping lane’ even without actually stopping to buy. What Will You Find? Food: from donuts to dumplings, from bugs to biscuits, from chicken to chillies, from cockles to cake, from seafood to sausages and from pasta to popcorn. And of course Thai delicacies too many to mention. For Kids: From stuffed animals to train rides and from bouncy castles to ballons. Kids just wonder around with wide eyes unable to decide on which special treat to take home. For Adults: From electronics to cosmetics, from tools to trophies, from shoes to shoulder bags and as many varieties of t shirts as could could ever
imagine. Clothing of all sorts some new, some second hand, some original and some may have ‘fallen of the back of a truck’. Videos, CDs and all the macines to play them. Animals: Puppies, kittens, fish, rabbits and birds. Even some ‘look alikes’ that you eventually realise are really battery powered. Where is it? The Market entrance is on Narathip Road starting at the roundabout about 500 metres before the Cha-Am Railway Station. From the intersection of Narathip and Petchaksem Road (traffic lights) if you are coming from Hua Hin turn left, go straight on and you can’t miss it. The Market sprawls through a network of lanes alongside the Railway Lines, the Government offices and permanent shops. When Is It Open? Every Wednesday from sunset (about 5.30pm) untill about 10.00pm. Early is better as the choice is better and some stall holders may choose to go home early. Our Tips? Parking may be difficult for vehicles with more than two wheels, better to leave your car either at home or outside the area and take a motor bike taxi? Transport away from the Market is limited to motor bike taxis, so other arrangements may need to be made if you have a family group. Don’t eat before you visit or plan to eat later. There is plenty of choice (with drinks) and you can find seating for a very casual (no flash restaurants), entertaining (watch the passing parade) and delicious (try cooked grasshoppers?) Thai style dining experience. Come prepared with suitable footwear. If there is rain about it may be muddy underfoot so no high heels! Take your time. No need to rush around, it’s likely to be busy so just enjoy mingling with the locals.
ost residents of Hua Hin and Cha-Am will have M driven past The Venezia Development over past months and seen the buildings take shape and
colour. Some may also have called in to check out what is in store as the tenants establish their outlets and business gets under way. Although trade has already commenced with 80% occupation, we will have to wait until October (date to be confirmed) when the Grand Opening will announce to the Region (and to the rest of Thailand) that The Venezia has arrived in style!
the Grand Opening in the near future. But What About the Fashion & Shopping and Cuisine? Perhaps we need to wait until The Venezia is really fully operating but the signs are already there that visitors will soon be able to ‘shop till they drop’ with 361 retailers occupying retail space over an area of 46 Rai (or more than 20,000 square metres.
If you have judged the size and extent of the development by the road frontage you should be S-design Co.,Ltd is the Company behind this aware that Venezia is twice as deep as it is wide development expanding its business into real covering the full area until the railway line at the rear estate and investing more than 1.2 billion baht. of the property. The project is a fresh concept of a Venice Lifestyle The area is divided into four main zones: Destination that offers all-in-one services such 1) Food and beverage zone – pub & restaurants, as restaurants, fashion village, banks, mini zoo, trendy restaurants, international food chains, famous and many more within a Venice style building and local restaurants, coffee and bakery shops, etc. surrounds. About 13 million visitors a year are 2) Leading local and international fashion zone anticipated. 3) Services zone - supermarket, banks, IT services, spa, bookstores, etc. What’s In a Name? Venezia is the Italian spelling of Venice, Italy. 4) Arts and decor zone This revered City is famous worldwide as a very The cuisine offered includes sophisticated wine bar important tourist destination and is renowned for restaurants, steakhouses and many other choices the following attributes: of international dining opportunities. Alternatively Architecture - A rich and diverse architectural less formal snacks, not from the usual franchise style, the most famous of which is the Gothic style. fast foods but from locally developed, unique food Music & the Performing Arts - During the 16th outlets. century, Venice became one of the most important Fashion covers a huge selection of famous musical centres of Europe. Interior Design - It can be argued that Venice brands and design lables as well as Thailand’s produced the best and most refined Rococo own developing brands with travellers able to find something quite different from those brands they designs. Fashion & Shopping - Venice is a major fashion already know well from their home country. and shopping centre in Italy, on a par with Turin, It’s really impossible to list the individual retail Vicenza and Naples. experiences that will soon be fully operational. Cuisine - Venetian cuisine is characterised by Some large, some small, some in enclosed lanes, seafood, but also includes garden products from some fronting open promenades. Safe to say a the islands of the lagoon, rice from the mainland, day will never be enough to fully appreciate the game, and polenta. Venice combines local shopping and dining experiences that await locals traditions with influences that are distant. and visitors to the Venezia. Literature - Venice has long been a source of inspiration for authors, poets and playwrights Other Features Soon To Include: A special activities zone of more than 4,000 as well as being at the forefront of the technical square metres with a 23 metre high panoramadeveloping of printing and publishing. view tower. Art & Printing - Venice, especially during the Middle Many special activities including Gondola rides, a Ages, Renaissance and Baroque, was a major Mini-Train service which runs around the Venezia, centre of art and developed a unique style known Mini Zoo, Playground, and a Morning Market. as the Venetian School. In the Middle-Ages and 2,000 parking lots and a shuttle bus service. the Renaissance, Venice, along with Florence and Rome, became one of the most important centres Our Expectations? of art in Europe. Glass - Venice is famous for its ornate glass-work, Very soon The Venezia will be flooded with eager known as Venetian glass. It is world-renowned for visitors; not only shoppers with high fashion and culinary tastes, but those wanting a different being colourful, elaborate, and skilfully made. Festivals - The Carnival of Venice is held annually Mediterranean cultural experience. Cameras will be in the city, starting around two weeks before Ash snapping at a rapid rate and young Thai couples Wednesday and ends on Shrove Tuesday. The are likely to be at the forefront of the wave. carnival is closely associated with Venetian masks. Our first experience at The Venezia was facilitated The Venice Biennale is one of the most important by the Business Development Manager Piyarat events in the arts calendar. The Venice Film Kaewkaw. The high profile and the current demands of the development’s final stages doesn’t Festival is the oldest film festival in the world. allow her much free time for a public relations role Venice has been described it in The New York and she explained that she misses many phone Times as “undoubtedly the most beautiful city built calls just because it is constantly engaged. by man” and by the Times Online as being “one of Giving Hua Hin and Europe’s most romantic cities”. Cha-Am Today her Wow!............. that’s a lot to live up; but now time and insights we can understand the inspiration behind this was very much We outstanding new feature on the Hua Hin and appreciated. expect to be making Cha-Am landscape. many more trips to Visually we can already see some the architectural The Venezia before style and design that has made Venice such too long to explain an iconic European destination. Plans are also more about how it is becoming one of our most on hand to provide some of the art and other significant Regional attractions. cultural experiences within the recreated Piazza San Marco including the famous St Mark’s Footnote: Wondering about that nude male figure Campanile and Basilica. Of course a trip to Venice on the Venezia promenade, about life-size, sitting would always include experiencing gondolas on on a rock with his chin resting on one hand as the waterways (the word gondola is of Venetian though deep in thought? This is usually known as etymology) and riding on horse drawn carriages. The Thinker, a sculpture by Auguste Rodin, often Additionally we can expect some of the elements used as an image to represent philosophy. of the famous Venetian Festivals commencing with
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Events & Promotion
Volume 10 issue 11 Septemberr 2013
Volume 5 issue 1 Septemberr 2013
Events & Promotion
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Volume 5 issue 1 Septemberr 2013