17 March 2014
CHA – AM International Kite Festival 2014 The Cha-Am International Kite Festival is an annual event which may be rated as the most colourful happening of the year. This year the Festival will be held on 8th & 9th March 2014.
With each year the Festival attracts an evergrowing number of devoted kite fans, participants and spectators from all over Thailand as well as from many other countries. It presents a golden opportunity for visitors to savour the international flavour of kite culture. As well as kite events there will also be a parachute show, a radio controlled airplane show and other competitions. As with any Thai festival there will be plenty of food and handicraft booths everywhere to keep you fully occupied. This annual event is really one not to be missed. Where: North Cha-AM Beach.
Singha-Cha Am BIKINI Beach Run 2014
Runners and marathoners rejoice! The Singha 5 Bikini Beach Run will take place again this year on 17 March 2014.
Following the great success of last year, the event, hosted by the Tourism Business Association of Phetchaburi, Cha-Am Municipality and Singha Corporation, aims to promote tourism in this beachfront City, encourage people to exercise and to create a unique marathon Event. This will never be found elsewhere as all runners will wear only a bikini throughout the competition. The main reason why this event takes place in Cha-Am is because it is one of the most popular holiday getaways in Thailand. Its location is ideal and the City has many accommodation options. The Singha 5th Bikini Beach Run is a sporting event that will upgrade the quality of running in the country. Attendants enjoy
Organisers: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in cooperation with Phetchaburi province), the Thai Sports World under Royal Patronage, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Thailand Kite Fliers Association.
WELCOME TO THE PARTY! Come On @ Cha-Am
running for good health and they can admire beautiful and scenic landscape of Cha-Am when the sun rises.
The competition in previous years saw a lot of Thai and foreign participants, especially those from Kenya, Japan, Australia and Scandinavian countries. They like winning awards as much as traveling. This year, the competition is divided into two categories: 4 and 10 kilometre runs. Starting at 6 a.m. in front of Soi Long Beach Cha-Am, the competition includes running on the beach and on the road along the beach. Applications are now open and more information can be obtained at www.jogandjoy. com. Date: 16-03-2014 Distance: 5 km / 10 km Address: Cha Am Beach, Thailand Email: info@jogandjoy.com Website: www.jogandjoy.com
Cha-Am has a new venue for live music. It’s near the beach (but without neighbours to upset), it can accommodate big performances (but also great for quieter, individual performers) and allows for both open air and under-cover events.
‘Come On @ Cha-Am’ is just a great place to enjoy live music!
Although there has been a live band playing on the smaller stage for some time, on Sunday 23rd February, Hin Lek Fai ( English: Stone, Metal, Fire), performed on the big stage to give a crowd of passionate fans some memorable moments of high energy Thai Rock ‘N’ Roll. Pathompong Sombatpiboon (AKA Pong Hin Lek Fai) has long been one of the faces of Thai heavy metal as the leader of the legendary 90’s rock band Hin Lek Fai. He is now in his 50’s and has been entertaining Thai rock fans for more than 30 years. From a conservative Thai family, Khun Pong commented that “my parents objected to me being a musician but that didn’t bother me”.
party’. This was good-time music, including an invitation for dancers to join him on stage for the final song or two. There are more concerts coming soon. Perhaps next time rock ‘n’ roll fans of foreign extraction will also join the party. I was the only non-Thai to hear Hin Lek Fai in action at this concert. I often think that there is a certain ‘snobbish’ attitude by foreigners to Thai Rock. When the performances are of this standard, you don’t have to recognise the songs or understand the lyrics to really enjoy the music. Where: At the very southern end of Chao Lai Road. By day it just looks like just another small bar/restaurant, but by night it rocks! Check out the next concert date on posters at the venue.
His influences are described as Deep Purple, Queen and Black Sabbath although when I spoke to him after the concert, he also mentioned The Rolling Stones amongst his early favourites. His songs reminded me of a time when a heavy beat, a wailing lead guitar and long hair were in fashion. In the words of one song, the band was there to ‘welcome everyone to the
HUA HIN TODAY, March 2014
18 Cha-am NEWS REGIONAL ASEAN TOURISM PREPARATIONS
The Federation of Regional Tourism Business of Thailand will soon discuss planning requirements for the future ASEAN Community about tourism, said the Chairman Mr. Wasan Kittikul.
The Federation will host around 400 representatives and Board Members from 67 Provinces in Hua Hin between 7th and 9th May. The tentative program includes a dinner reception, opening ceremony and a meeting with a dinner banquet. Guests will be expected to wear a retro-style contemporary Thai dress à la the famous Thai novel, Lady Prissana and Prince Phot. The region will be promoted as a holiday destination for the general public and the Thai elite. On 9th May there will be a study tour to Hua Hin and ChaAm tourist attractions. Mr. Wasan said that the provincial offices of Phetchaburi and Prachuab Khirikhan had agreed officially to use Cha-Am and Hua Hin as sister cities for tourism.
Six attractions will be featured; beautiful white sandy beaches, national parks, unique local tradition and culture, initiatives of His Majesty the King, archeological sites and Buddhist temples. Additionally local products, traditional Thai massage, processed food and floating markets will be on show. The Chairman of the Cha-Am/Hua Hin Tourism Business Association Dr. Rungrot Sileungsawas said that the Singkhon border checkpoint was now available for buying and selling of agricultural products and handicrafts. It can now become a tourist destination, especially for groups of visitors. Burmese officials have described the town of Marid, 200 kilometres from the checkpoint as a welcome destination for a one-day trip. Dr. Rungrot said that Members of the Association will undertake a study tour to Marid to explore and design a safe and value-for-money itinerary for tourists. This is intended to upgrade and promote tourism in Prachuab Khirikhan.
THE ‘JAWS OF LIFE’ PHASE THREE – CHA-AM GOLF CLUB TO THE RESCUE
DASTA TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN HUAN & CHA-AM
The Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration or DASTA is currently working to promote Cha-Am and Hua Hin as the eighth special areas for sustainable tourism in Thailand.
Sala, Nong Khanan, Sam Phraya, Thab Tai, Hin Lek Fire and Wang Phong. Additionally ecotourism and responsible travel in Laem Phak Bia and Pak Nam Pran for home-stays with locals is part of the project.
According to Col. Dr. Narik-atiphak Sangsanit, the Director of DASTA, a Memorandum of Understanding has been jointly signed for this project.
“Following a survey of local communities and stakeholders, over 90% of them supported the project.” said Col. Dr. Narik-atiphak,
The goal is to transform Cha-Am, Hua Hin and Pak Nam Pran to be high-end beachfront towns for tourists and as vacation areas for families. The promotion of agriculture based tourism is also planned for areas in Nong
Phase One: In the December 2013 edition of Hua Hin & Cha-Am Today we reported on the Cha-Am Highway Police Rescue. At the time a priority identified by the coordinator of the Cha-Am Region, Mr Somyot or Khun Gie, was for the acquisition of the ‘Jaws of Life’. These are specialised hydraulic rescue tools primarily used to assist extricate crash victims trapped in motor vehicles, as well as other rescues from small spaces. The tools include cutters, spreaders, door busters and rams. Phase Two: In the January Edition we reported the good news that a complete set of these tools was then in the hands of the Cha-Am Police Rescue. Funding for this purchase was obtained from three individual sponsors. One of the sponsors was a ChaAm building company which wished to remain anonymous, one was a personal donation from Khun Prai (the Petchaburi Provincial Administrative Officer) and the third generous sponsor was Khun Gie himself. Although the ‘jaws of life’ where then in working order, Khun Gie was eager to replace the hydraulic hoses which were at the end of their working life. Phase Three: In this edition of Cha-Am & Hua Hin Today we can report on the final phase of this project. A ‘just in time’ sponsor has provided the necessary funding for the repairs necessary
HUA HIN TODAY, March 2014
to make the equipment reliable and fully functional. By ‘just in time’, we mean that replacement of the hoses for the equipment had become a matter of urgency as equipment failure, which could have had dire consequences in a rescue operation, had already occurred.
The project includes the Pattaya-Hua Hin East-West ferry, the high-speed train from Bangkok to Hua Hin, the development of the Singkhon checkpoint and strategic plans to protect coastal erosion.
THE CAMEL REPUBLIC It’s Underway
On 13th February, Members of the Management Committee of the Cha-Am Golf Club travelled with Rescue staff to a Tha Yang workshop to watch as the equipment was restored to ‘good as new’. The Club had agreed to provide sponsorship from its Charity Fund and handed over a payment of 19,000 THB to the repair shop for the work and materials. Club President, Paul Graff, said that the sponsorship had been agreed to by Club Members at the January Annual General Meeting. He believes that this sponsorship is a real example of the community working together to provide a very practical asset to benefit and even save the lives of anyone in an emergency situation. Who knows; perhaps one day a Club Member or another golfer may be involved in a vehicle crash travelling to or from a golf course and be thankful for the services that the Highway Rescue Police volunteers provide? Our thanks to Members of the Cha-Am Golf Club for this generous donation!
As we previously reported the Camel Republic, a new entertainment venue just North of Cha-Am will be open for business before too long. This will feature camels and other exotic forms of entertainment not usually available in Thailand. Here is an early picture as the buildings take shape. The Moroccan style architecture is clearly visible and a sign of things to come!