Pattaya Mail - FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6 - SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 (Vol. XXVII No. 34) by Pattaya Mail Media Group

Established in 1993

VOL.XXVII No. 34

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6 - SEPTEMBER 19, 2019

30 BAHT

Governor checks polluted pond at Na Jomtien beach

Plastic and sewage claim nine more endangered turtles

Navy vets remove a young hawksbill sea turtle found on the beach at Soi Na Jomtien 14 where someone had placed pineapples around the carcass. (Inset) Autopsies done of the turtles find recently ingested plastic garbage.

Patcharapol Panrak Plastic and sewage claimed nine more endangered sea turtles that confused trash for food. Veterinarians from Sattahipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Sea Turtle Conservation Center were called to Soi Na Jomtien 14 on August 24 where pineapples had been placed around the carcass of a young hawksbill sea turtle. Continued on page 2

Following complaints by local residents and tourists, Chonburi Governor Pakarathorn Thienchai led a team of officials on August 26 to inspect a sewer-polluted pool of water that had formed on a Najomtien beach.

Patcharapol Panrak Following complaints by local residents and tourists, Chonburi Governor Pakarathorn Thienchai led a

team of officials on August 26 to inspect a sewer-polluted pool of water that had formed on a Najomtien beach. The governor and his team cooperated with volunteers

to help solve the initial pollution issue by dispatching 1000 EM (effective microorganism) balls into the accumulated water on Saikao Beach, with the aim of eliminating any

dangerous pathogens contained therein. The water upon first inspection was black in color and muddy with a very bad smell. Continued on page 2

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RTP prepares for new Land Traffic Act The new Land Traffic Act (No. 12) B.E. 2562, which cancels certain provisions and adds new provisions, will take effect on September 20, 2019. Police General Chakthip Chaichinda, RTP Commissioner General, has instructed traffic police to perform their duties correctly and not to cause confusion among road users. One important matter is the issuance of tickets. The officer will not in future collect the driver’s license of the traffic violator. If the motorist is not located, the officers won’t be required to attach the ticket to the vehicle. The ticket will be sent along with evidence by registered mail with a return payment requested, to the address of the vehicle owner, who must pay the fine within the time limit specified on the ticket. Motorists must carry a driver’s license. It can be either a traditional one or a digital one. Motorists must present their driver’s license

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Governor checks polluted pond at Na Jomtien beach From page 1 The officials were informed by local municipal workers that usually the sewage was discharged out to sea, but due to recent strong waves and winds for the past 2

One important matter is the issuance of tickets. The officer will not in future collect the driver’s license of the traffic violator.

to a traffic police officer when requested. An electronic driving license must only be opened via an application of the Department of Land Transport. It can’t be copied from a screen and can’t be replaced with a photo. As for a concern that if a driver’s license is not confiscated, the traffic law violator may not pay the fine according to the ticket, the RTP has devised a measure in accordance with the new Land Traffic Act, linking the ticket issuance by police in each area with the database of the Department of Land

Transport (DLT). If motorists have refused to pay a fine, when they pay their annual vehicle tax, the DLT will only issue a temporary tax payment receipt which can be used for just 30 days. The violator will only receive a full legitimate tax payment receipt when the fine is paid. Should the temporary tax payment receipt expire before the fine is paid, the motorist will be guilty of not presenting evidence of the annual tax payment, which makes him or her liable to a fine not exceeding 2,000 baht. (NNT)

weeks, sand had formed a dam wall to block the water and had led to the detritus and waste water accumulating in an increasingly unpleasant puddle. The governor said he wanted measures to be put

in place to solve this problem permanently and to prevent untreated waste water from nearby houses and business establishments flowing directly into the ocean, potentially damaging the local ecosystem.

Plastic and sewage claim nine more endangered turtles From page 1 Vet Kirin Sorapipatcharoen confirmed the death and predicted the animal had died 7 days earlier. Kirin measured the 31cm long and 27cm wide turtle and estimated it was about 2 years old. An autopsy determined that the turtle died from eating garbage, including scraps of plastic bags, plastic rope, HDPE rope, and rigid plastic, which turtles confuse for jellyfish. Also on August 24, Surasak Hongthong, captain of a tourist fishing boat found the carcass of a large sea

turtle floating near Koh Geung, Sattahip Bay. He took it to Khao Major pier, Samaesarn, Sattahip. Vet Kirin Sorapipatcharoen was called in and confirmed it was a rare hawksbill turtle one meter long, weighing 40 kilos. He predicted it had been dead about a week. On Aug. 31, still another turtle was found washed up on the beach. Kirin measured and weighed it, saying it was female, about 15 years old, one meter long, 60 cm wide, and weighing 50 kg. The Royal Thai Navy’s Sea Turtles Conservation Center

commander, Rear Admiral Wara Tankham, said the turtle found floating off the beach in Soi Najomtien 34, M.3 Najomtien, Sattahip on the morning of August 31, was another tragic death during what he is calling a critical situation, bringing the week’s total to nine. He also revealed the center is caring for “many sick sea turtles” that have been brought in for nursing care at the Sea Turtle Hospital. He lamented the state of Thailand’s sea and feared if it isn’t cleaned up, sea turtles might soon become extinct.

with the Foreign Worker Employment Agency which is housed in the International Law Office adjoining the immigration bureau in Jomtien. In the past, the lack of an organized system led to workers working illegally and being subject to deportation. Jessataporn Sriboo, managing director of the Pattaya agency, said, “Many of the local migrants are seeking work in Pattaya’s construction

industry. Our agency is effectively a one-stop shop which ensures proper recruitment and registration whilst working in conjunction with the immigration police.” There are around 10,000 manual workers in the Pattaya area with two year permits which can be extended. Their 90 day reporting and the issuing of re-entry permits is also handled by the newly empowered agency.

Tropical storm Podul causes floods in North, Northeast One Stop Shop Labour Permits When tropical storm Podul made landfall in northern and northeastern Thailand, many houses, roads, and farms were hit by flash floods and forest runoffs. Government units were deployed to assist people in flooded areas. The tropical storm and continuous heavy rain caused the water levels in Phon Thong district of Roi Et province and Kuchinarai and Khao Wong districts of Kalasin province to rise significantly. As a result, a water barrier in Selaphum district, Roi Et province, was breached, causing floods in many residential and agricultural areas. More than 10,000 rai of rice farms have been inundated. The province of Phetchabun has also been affected by the influence of the tropical storm. Heavy rain and forest runoffs have affected many communities, houses and farm areas. Rescue teams have distributed survival kits and basic necessities to flood-hit villagers. Landslides triggered by heavy rain were reported in many areas of the northern province of Nan. In Na Noi district, landslides caused damage to 14 houses, four of which were heavily damaged. A road in Santha subdistrict was impassable, and a group of villagers had to use basic tools to remove the debris. With 12 hours of accumulated rainfall, the water level exceeded 100 millimeters. Water from various sources overflowed to flood numerous houses and farmland. Officials from the Royal Irrigation Department visited people living near reservoirs,

Barry Kenyon

When tropical storm Podul made landfall in northern and northeastern Thailand, many houses, roads, and farms were hit by flash floods and forest runoffs.

notifying them to be prepared for potential floods and move their belongings to higher ground. Officials worked around the clock to prepare water pumps and other equipment to cope with the water situation. A team of royal irrigation officials in Chiang Mai province closely monitored the water level of the Mae Chaem River, after the storm caused forest runoffs to flood many areas of Mae Chaem district. Doi Suthep–Pui National Park in Chiang Mai announced that the Mae Sa and Tat Mok waterfalls are temporarily closed to visitors for safety reasons. Monthathan, Huay Kaew and Mork Fa waterfalls remain open to visitors, but they are prohibited from engaging in activities near the waterfalls as a precautionary measure. (NNT)

The Thai government has announced a brand new streamlined system for manual workers from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos seeking employment in Thailand. They now need to register with a police-approved agency to obtain their Thai visa and official labour permit. In the Pattaya area, the migrants must now register

Digital Ministry to introduce official LINE account tackling fake news The Minister of Digital Economy and Society, Puttipong Punnakanta, has held talks with the CEO of LINE Thailand, Phichet Rerkpreecha, on the creation of a LINE Official Account for the Ministry of a Digital Economy and Society as a proactive measure to address the circulation of fake news. Users can report any suspicious news item to this

account, which will have a chatbox providing an interactive experience and initial communication with users. The administrative team overseeing the account will have access to a database to make verifications and identify fake news. The Ministry of a Digital Economy and Society’s LINE Official Account is expected to be ready for use in two months. (NNT)

Minister of Digital Economy and Society, Puttipong Punnakanta.

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Minister proposes extending opening hours of entertainment venues Warapun Jaikusol Sports and Tourism Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan has floated an idea to allow entertainment establishments to legally open for business until 4am. The minister said that by doing so it would have a positive impact on the economy which is experiencing one of the worst slumps in many years. He had proposed his idea at the last cabinet meeting citing that there would be a jump of 25% on spending resulting in better income for the entertainment business operators. He also stated that the extension would be allowed only in certain areas in Bangkok and other provinces in Thailand. He pointed out that permission would be given to operators in Silom Road and other areas, Patong Beach and other areas in Phuket, Ao Nang in Krabi, Pattaya and Koh Samui.

Sports and Tourism Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan has floated an idea to allow entertainment establishments to legally stay open for business until 4am.

The minister stressed that these were only proposals and have not yet been approved. His ministry will get more details and conduct a feasibility study before submitting the results to the cabinet. Meanwhile in Pattaya, Damrongkiat Pinitkarn, Secretary of the Entertainment & Tourism Association of Pattaya City and executive of Hollywood Pub Pattaya, said on August 23 that this

was very good news for nightlife business operators in Pattaya. “We are thrilled at the news and hope that it goes through. Longer business hours will mean more business and better income for us and the city. Night-life business have been suffering for far too long.” Damrongkiat admitted that there would be some opposition to this law because of the risks of people drinking

and driving and other concerns over safety and security of the partygoers. He recommended that all entertainment business must abide strictly to their social responsibilities by strictly forbidding entry to youth under 20 years of age. Alcohol level tests could be conducted on customers before allowing them to drive home. If the alcohol level is higher than that is permitted by law, public transport must be summoned to drive the client home. If available at certain establishments, a transport service would take customers home safely. Entertainment businesses could also provide a drop-off and pickup points in the vicinity for public transport that will charge reasonable fares. He said that in Pattaya, Walking Street will be considered as the first area to get the permits, whilst others areas will also be considered.

Afternoon ride turns ugly for German cyclist Sawangboriboon Thammasathan Pattaya Foundation gave Sherding first aid before sending him to Banglamung Hospital. The ultimate fate of the elephant was yet to be determined.

Boonlua Chatree A German cyclist’s afternoon ride through nature turned ugly when a frightened elephant charged him and gored his leg. Local residents found Hans Dieter Sherding, 69, lying next to his damaged bicycle in a Soi Nongmaikan 19 ditch in Banglamung around 2pm August 24. Eyewitness Boonsom Thongrod, an employee of the Pattaya Elephant Village, told police he often saw Sherding riding his bike past the village in the morning without incident, but on this particular afternoon, Sherding was confronted by 38-yearold elephant Ply Kumkoon. The elephant, normally quiet, was known to be scared of people. Boonsom said he and others

After attacking Sherding, Ply Kumkoon became agitated and remained on the loose until shot with a tranquillizer gun.

told Sherding to back away, but said Sherding didn’t move and stood still to observe the massive animal. Ply Kumkoon’s mahout, “Bird”, 40, said that the elephant had only been working in Pattaya for a month. He said he took it to a local stream to bathe that morning, but it escaped.

After attacking Sherding, Ply Kumkoon became agitated and remained on the loose until Padej Siridamrong, a veterinarian from Nernplabwan Pet Hospital, was called in while officers shot the pachyderm with a tranquillizer gun 30 minutes later. Rescue workers from the

Mouth of Nong Plalai clean and fresh after 18-wheeler spill Boonlua Chatree

An 18-wheel truck tipped over Aug. 30, spilling its load of mouthwash chemicals on Highway 36 entering Nong Plalai.

An 18-wheel truck tipped over Aug. 30, spilling its load of mouthwash chemicals on Highway 36 entering Nong Plalai. Chalard Panngan, 36, driver of the rig, said he had to swerve to avoid a 6-wheeled vehicle trying to cut across the road. No injuries were reported and traffic remained running relatively smoothly despite the rubberneckers slowing down to witness the spill. The chemicals in the spill are used to mix with mouthwash and are not harmful, nor do they cause irritation.

This all depends on whether they are within the designated entertainment zones, whether they are close to temples and schools, and whether the areas are frequented by nightlife goers both Thai and foreign. A brainstorming session

would be held at a later date, where TAT Pattaya office and entertainment business operators would discuss the matter further. Results and recommendations of the gathering will be submitted to the Minister of Sports and Tourism for further action.

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Two injured in late night motorcycle accident

Chicken vendor stabbed in head for questioning employee

Patcharapol Panrak

Two people sustained multiple injuries when the motorcycle they were riding veered off the road and struck a concrete kilometer marker in Sattahip. Driver Chanote Ladee, 19, from Bangkok was left unconscious and pillion rider Rungsiya Bantao, 40, from Amnartcharoen received lacerations and deep bruises during the impact which was so heavy it knocked the concrete barrier off its mooring. The motorcycle was a write off. Police surmised Driver Chanote fell asleep at km marker 174 while riding along the dark Sukhumvit Road, Sattahip-Taotan route at 2.30 a.m. Aug 29. Sawang Rochana Thammasathan Sattahip

Pol. Capt. Sinsamuth Boon Tatsana, Sub-inspector of Sattahip Police Station Police rushed to the 700-rai flea market in Sattahip Aug 25, after receiving a report that a man had been stabbed. At the scene of the crime they found rescue workers tending to a bloodied Yannawuth Prasomwangsub, 28, a fried chicken vendor with a severe head wound. On questioning, the hapless vendor told police he and his wife are fried chicken vendors from Klang District in Rayong and they drive to Sattahip to sell their chicken at the flea market. With them on this trip was a 16-year old employee Nat who had come to work for them just a week ago. While they were setting up shop, Yannawuth asked the trouble-making employee as

Two people sustained multiple injuries when the motorcycle they were riding veered off the road and struck a concrete kilometer marker in Sattahip.

Foundation rescue workers took the injured for treatment to Queen Sirikit Hospital.

Elderly man struck and killed by passing train Boonlua Chatree An elderly man in his late 80s or early 90s was killed by a passing train Aug. 30, when he didn’t get out of the way while crossing the tracks. A splintered crutch was found at the gruesome scene alongside the Nong Pungpuya

Railway, Moo 7 Banglamung. Local resident Jumnien Ruktham, 56, identified the man as Ta Huan. He said he didn’t know what the man was doing at the tracks, but mentioned Ta Huan’s ex-wife had been grazed by a train at the same spot, but she only

received minor injuries. Jumnien said Ta Huan was “absent minded”. The train engineer, identified only as Supachai, told police he blew the horn to warn the old man, but Ta Huan didn’t get off the tracks. At that point, it wasn’t possible for the train to stop.

Speeding driver injured in massive crash in Plutaluang Patcharapol Panrak

A Plutaluang man in a hurry to get around road construction received multiple injuries when he ran his car headlong into a concrete barrier while trying to pass a slower car.

A Plutaluang man in a hurry to get through traffic lights received multiple injuries when he ran his car headlong into a concrete barrier while trying to pass a slower car. Kriengsak Taworntrakarn, 40, had to be extricated from his totaled Toyota Crown by rescue workers Aug 30, after firefighters arrived to extinguish a fire caused by the car’s LPG system. A witness said the car was being driven at high speed from Port Authority Road heading to the KM 10 traffic light junction. The driver attempted to overtake a car in front of him, but either lost control of the car or didn’t see the concrete barrier. Kriengsak was taken to the ER at Queen Sirikit Naval Medical Hospital.

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The rescue team treats Yannawuth for the deep gash in his head.

to the whereabouts of their cooking utensils. Young Nat took offence at being queried, feeling insulted that he was thought to be a thief. The angry young Nat grabbed a huge knife which is used for cutting open durian fruits

and chopped it right into the middle of Yannawuth’s head before running away. Police issued a warrant for Nat’s arrest and charged him for using a dangerous weapon with intent to cause physical harm.

Motorcycle mechanic charged with raping teen girl Boonlua Chatree A 24-year-old motorcycle mechanic has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. When confronted by police Aug. 30, Mr. No (Alias) allegedly confessed to police that when the girl brought her motorcycle in for repair at a garage in Soi Khao Noi, Nongprue, he tricked her into waiting in a room with a fan. He followed her in, pushed her on the bed and raped her. The unnamed victim told police Mr. No let her go after he was finished because she told him she was pregnant. Police brought her for care

24-year-old motorcycle mechanic Mr. No (Alias) has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

to the Children, Women, Family Protection and Anti Human Trafficking Center, a division of Provincial Police

Region 2. During his arrest, “No’s” drug test turned up positive, adding to his list of charges.

High-rise condo claims another victim Boonlua Chatree Police and rescue workers were called to the View Talay Pattaya Beach Condominium August 22 after receiving a report that a man had either fallen or jumped to his death from the 15th floor of the building. The dead person was a

German national 40-50 years old. His name had not yet been released. Pol. Maj. Saijai Kumjunla, the officer in charge of the case, said witnesses will be interviewed to determine whether the death of the German was a suicide or a homicide case.

Police sent his body to Banglamung Hospital for initial storage and will be sent on to the Forensics Department in Bangkok for an autopsy. Witnesses say that this condo is haunted because there have been many cases of tenants falling off the building to their deaths.

PATTAYA MAIL PUBLISHING CO., LTD. 62/284-286 Moo 12, Thepprasit Road, Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi 20150. Administration, Advertising and Editorial Offices: Tel: 038 411 240-1, 038 413 240-1 • Fax: 038 411 833 E-mail: ptymail@pattayamail.com • Website: http://www.pattayamail.com Managing Director Pratheep S. Malhotra e-mail: pratheep@pattayamail.com Executive Editor Daniel M. Dorothy e-mail: dan@pattayamail.com Deputy Managing Director Kamolthep Malhotra e-mail: prince@pattayamail.com Director-Business Development Suwanthep Malhotra e-mail: tony@pattayamail.com Editor Nopniwat Krailerg e-mail: editor@pattayamail.com Sports Editor Martin Bilsborrow e-mail: martin@pattayamail.com Executive Editor-Pattaya Blatt Elfi Seitz e-mail: elfi@pattayablatt.com Director of Communications Supa Kukarja e-mail: sue@pattayamail.com Senior Special Correspondent Peter Cummins e-mail: npetercummins@hotmail.com Advertising Department Nutsara Duangsri e-mail: nutsara@pattayamail.com News Department: Boonlua Chatree, Urasin Khantaraphan, Patcharapol Panrak, Theerarak Suthathiwong, Jetsada Homklin © Copyright Pattaya Mail Publishing Co., Ltd. (e-mail: newsdesk@pattayamail.com)

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Thai Court upholds death for 2 Burmese in British murders Tassanee Vejpongsa Bangkok (AP) — Thailand’s Supreme Court last week upheld the conviction of two Myanmar migrants sentenced to death for the murder of two British backpackers on a resort island in 2014. Wai Phyo and Zaw Lin have denied killing David Miller and raping and killing Hannah Witheridge. Their battered bodies were found on the morning of Sept. 15, 2014, on a beach on the island of Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand. Lawyers for the two convicted men had claimed the evidence in the case was mishandled and that they made confessions under duress that they later retracted, raising questions about police competence and the judicial system in Thailand. The court dismissed allegations of physical mistreatment and mishandling of forensic evidence, saying the forensic work was handled by respectable institutions and it found no proof of torture. Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, and Miller, 24, from Jersey, had come to Thailand

separately and met at the hotel where both were staying. The two Myanmar men, both 22 at the time, were employed as service workers on the island, which is famous for its diving locations. The Thai lawyer for the defendants contended they were provided with inadequate translators when talking to police, in addition to being physically abused into making confessions. A well-known Thai forensics expert also testified at the trial that the DNA evidence that was a major element of the prosecution’s case did not link the defendants to the scene. The expert also alleged that police had failed to properly control the crime scene and mishandled the DNA evidence. The court rejected the defense arguments and in December 2015 convicted both defendants of murder and sentenced them to death. Human Rights Watch at the time called the verdict “profoundly disturbing,” citing the defendants’ accusations of police torture that were never investigated and

Myanmar nationals Wai Phyo, second left, and Zaw Lin, second right, are escorted by police officers at Supreme Court in Bangkok, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

questionable DNA evidence. The killings and skepticism that Wai Phyo, also known as Win Zaw Htun, and Zaw Lin were the actual perpetrators cast a shadow on Koh Tao’s reputation. A series of deaths there of other foreign tourists — played up by British tabloids — continue to contribute to unease about the case. The two defendants, dressed in light brown prison attire, were brought from a maximum

security prison to the Nonthaburi provincial court, just north of Bangkok. Two judges took turns in reading the Supreme Court’s ruling. An interpreter made available via video link translated the summary of the decision into Burmese, the language of the defendants. It took three hours to read the 69page ruling. Both defendants were also found guilty of rape, along with illegally entering and residing in Thailand, and

Record-setting Hurricane Dorian pounds Bahamas Ramón Espinosa McLean’s Town Cay, Bahamas (AP) — In a slow, relentless advance, a catastrophic Hurricane Dorian kept pounding at the northern Bahamas early Monday, as one of the strongest Atlantic storms ever recorded left wrecked homes, shredded roofs, tumbled cars and toppled power poles in its wake. The storm’s top sustained winds decreased slightly to 165 mph (265 kph) as its westward movement slowed, crawling along Grand Bahama Island early Monday at 1 mph (1.6 kph) in what forecasters said would be a daylong assault. Earlier, Dorian churned over Abaco Island with battering winds and surf during Sunday. There was little information from the affected islands, though officials expected many residents to be left homeless. Most people went to shelters as the storm approached, with tourist hotels shutting down and residents boarding up their homes. “It’s devastating,” Joy Jibrilu, director general of the Bahamas’ Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, said Sunday afternoon. “There has been huge damage to property and infrastructure. Luckily, no loss of life reported.”

Strong winds move palm trees at the first moment of the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas, Sunday Sept. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

On Sunday, Dorian’s maximum sustained winds reached 185 mph (297 kph), with gusts up to 220 mph (354 kph), tying the record for the most powerful Atlantic hurricane to ever make landfall. That equaled the Labor Day hurricane of 1935, before storms were named. The only recorded storm that was more powerful was Hurricane Allen in 1980, with 190 mph (305 kph) winds, though it did not make landfall at that strength. Dorian first came ashore Sunday at Elbow Cay in Abaco Island at 12:40 p.m., then made a second landfall near Marsh Harbour at 2 p.m. “Catastrophic conditions” were reported in Abaco, with a storm surge of 18 to 23 feet (5.5-7 meters).

Video that Jibrilu and government spokesman Kevin Harris said was sent by Abaco residents showed homes missing parts of roofs, electric lines on the ground and smashed and overturned cars. One showed floodwaters rushing through the streets of an unidentified town at nearly the height of a car roof. In some parts of Abaco, “you cannot tell the difference as to the beginning of the street versus where the ocean begins,” Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said. According to the Nassau Guardian, he called it “probably the most sad and worst day of my life to address the Bahamian people.” Bahamas radio station ZNS

Bahamas reported that a mother and child on Grand Bahama had called to say they were sheltering in a closet and seeking help from police. Silbert Mills, owner of the Bahamas Christian Network, said trees and power lines were torn down in Abaco. “The winds are howling like we’ve never, ever experienced before,” said Mills, who was riding out the hurricane with his family in the concrete home he built 41 years ago on central Abaco. Jack Pittard, a 76-year-old American who has visited the Bahamas for 40 years, also decided to stay put on Abaco for Dorian, which he said was his first hurricane. A short video from Pittard about 2:30 p.m. Sunday showed the wind shaking his home and ripping off the siding. The Bahamas archipelago is no stranger to hurricanes. Homes are required to have metal reinforcements for roof beams to withstand winds into the upper limits of a Category 4 hurricane, and compliance is generally tight for those who can afford it. Risks are higher in poorer neighborhoods, with wooden homes in low-lying areas. At press time, Dorian was expected to continue onward, causing catastrophic carnage in the southeast United States.

Wai Phyo was also convicted of stealing Miller’s phone and sunglasses. After the decision was read, there was no visible reaction from the two, who looked on solemnly. Defense lawyer Nadthasiri Bergman said after the court session that the two still maintain their innocence. “They were very sad and both of them said, through the translator, ‘I did not do this. I did not commit this crime,’” said Bergman, who added that having exhausted their appeals through the judicial system, they will appeal to Thailand’s king for a royal pardon, which has a chance of reducing the punishment from a death sentence to life imprisonment. The death penalty is rarely carried out in Thailand, but in June last year, Thailand staged its first execution in nine years. The Supreme Court’s ruling summed up the case against the defendants, asserting that not only did one of the DNA samples taken from the victim match the suspects, but also that “Confessions made by the suspects while they were considered witnesses, together with other

evidence from the crime scene and circumstantial evidence, as well as one of the suspects’ own admission of stealing the victim’s mobile phone — all lead to the conclusion that the suspects are the perpetrators.” It dismissed the allegations that the two Myanmar men were physically abused to force confessions from them, saying that an injury on one of them occurred only after their confessions and the cause was not clear. Andy Hall, a migrant workers’ activist who served as an adviser to the defendants’ legal team, said the Supreme Court ruling was “not a decision consistent with accepted criminal burden of proof requirements needed to be satisfied to impose such a conviction.” “DNA and forensics evidence relied upon to convict Zaw Law and Wai Phyo and sentence them to death in the Koh Tao murder case was in my opinion fundamentally flawed and should always have been considered unreliable when considered against international standards on DNA and forensics usage in criminal trials,” Hall said in an email.

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ASEAN-US Maritime Exercise HHNFT hosts another child Begins in Thailand protection card game From CTF 73 Public Affairs Sattahip, Thailand (NNS) - The U.S. Navy and maritime forces from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) began the first ASEAN-U.S. Maritime Exercise (AUMX) with opening ceremonies at Sattahip Naval Base, Thailand Sept. 2. Co-led by the U.S. and Royal Thai navies, AUMX will consist of pre-sail activities in Thailand, Singapore and Brunei, followed by a sea phase in international waters in Southeast Asia, including the Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea. The exercise will conclude in Singapore. In all, AUMX includes eight warships and four aircraft from seven countries, and more than a thousand personnel representing all ten ASEAN member states and the United States. “Our forces sail together during exercises throughout the year and have done so for decades,” said ViceAdm. Phil Sawyer, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. “AUMX provides a new multilateral venue to work together on shared maritime security priorities in the region.” AUMX promotes shared commitments to maritime partnerships, security and stability in Southeast Asia. Participating nations include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, United States and Vietnam. Rear Adm. Joey Tynch, commander of Task Force 73, who oversees the U.S. Navy’s security cooperation in Southeast Asia, noted that AUMX continues the trend of increased multilateral cooperation among navies in the Indo-Pacific. “The U.S. Navy along with our partners and allies have long known the value of working together,” said Tynch. “AUMX builds greater maritime security on the strength of ASEAN, the strength of our navy-to-navy bonds, and the strength our shared belief in a free and open Indo-Pacific.” Throughout the exercise, ASEAN member states and U.S. forces will operate together under a combined task force structure, executing a variety of realistic scenarios designed to reinforce interoperability in areas such as visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS), maritime domain awareness, division tactics and maritime asset tracking. The task force headquarters will be located on board the Royal Thai Navy vessel HTMS Krabi (OPV 551), and include representatives from each ASEAN member state and the

U.S. Navy file photo of USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108). (Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ryan M. Breeden)

United States. An ashore support element in Singapore will also host representatives from each ASEAN member state. Commercial vessels have been contracted by the United States to serve as the simulated target vessels for the VBSS portion of the exercise, which will focus on countering maritime threats. Teams from multiple countries will work together to board and seize the ships under a variety of realistic scenarios. “AUMX provides an opportunity to work together at sea during realistic training scenarios,” said Capt. Matt Jerbi, commodore of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7 and deputy commander of the AUMX Task Force. “Training in areas such as maritime domain awareness, where we share information and integrate operations, helps each of us to operate together more effectively.” U.S. assets include the littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8), the guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108), three MH-60 helicopters, a P-8 Poseidon aircraft and staff assigned to DESRON 7 and CTF 73. AUMX was first proposed at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) in 2017 and confirmed during the 12th ADMM in October 2018. While this is the first exercise of its kind with ASEAN, the U.S. Navy has conducted engagements, exercises and port visits in Southeast Asia for decades. In 2019, the 25th Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) bilateral exercise series commenced, along with the 18th Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) multilateral exercise. The U.S. Navy also participates routinely in ADMM-Plus maritime security exercises, to promote peace and stability throughout the region.

Sixty Grade 8 students from Pattaya City School #5 took part in activities to raise awareness about keeping them from falling prey to molesters and other criminals.

Jetsada Homklin The Human Help Network Thailand hosted a child protection card game and activities to raise awareness about keeping kids from falling prey to molesters and other criminals. HHNFT Director Ratchada

Chomjinda opened the August 28 event at Pattaya City School #5 with Pirun Noyimjai, director of the Drop-In Center. Volunteers and social workers also took part in teaching 60 Grade 8 students. Kids were taught to play board and card games that help children stand their

ground, avoid risks and protect themselves when needed. The cards also advised how the kids should behave when not with their parents or entirely alone, the right decisions to make, and what to avoid while they are waiting for their parents to pick them up from school.

Hotel, tourism staff on show at hospitality expo Jetsada Homklin The Dusit Thani Pattaya resort recently hosted the THA Pattaya Hospitality Show 2019, an annual event which aims to showcase the talents of those involved in the hospitality sector on the Eastern Seaboard. The expo, organized by the Thai Hotels Association Eastern Region and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, was held for 3 days from August 20-22 and saw hotel representatives and hospitality students from colleges across the region take part in a variety of tourism and hotel themed

Sanpetch Supabawornsatien (left) chairman of the organizing committee and Dr Pakamon Wongsri (right) President of Thai Hotels Association Eastern Chapter present prizes to the winners.

challenges. Daytime activities were held at the Dusit Thani Pattaya resort while the night sessions took place at the nearby Terminal 21 shopping mall. Hotel and hospitality staff representatives were put through their paces in a variety of disciplines, including cookery art, flower arranging, a bartender contest, accommodation service contest, spa massage competition, fruit carving and more. Pattaya Deputy Mayor

Ronakit Ekasingh was present at the closing ceremony and remarked that one of Pattaya’s many charms is the high standard of the service providers working in the tourism and hospitality industry. He said they acted as a shop window for the city and a mouthpiece to inform tourists of the many attractions in the area. All category award winners and runners-up at this year’s event received 10,000, 8,000 and 5,000 baht in prize money respectively.

A visitor relaxes with a traditional Thai massage.

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Equine Assisted Therapy Children and mums celebrate looking for volunteers Mother’s Day at Hand to Hand

Able the Disabled Foundation at Horseshoe Point Pattaya, which offers a programme to parents with special needs children, both severe or very mild, is looking for volunteers.

Able the Disabled Foundation at Horseshoe Point Pattaya, which offers a programme to parents with special needs children, both severe or very mild, is looking for volunteers. If your child is struggling at school with learning, or lacks confidence, riding therapy can help to improve many aspects of hidden problems. Many children’s problems are overlooked but a riding therapist will pick up on the smallest of issues and use a horse to assist. We offer school s to come in groups or individually and at low cost. Trained ponies are used with grooms who lead. The therapist will design a programme to suit the individual’s needs.

Education through Horses In Equine Assisted Therapy learning to ride is only one of the aims. All activities with, or on a horse, are of benefit to the individual. The horse moving naturally in walk simulates a movement as close to the human walk

as is possible. This movement is used as a treatment base. Each rider is taught on the basis of their own individual needs and goals within a group lesson aided by volunteers. The movement and the warmth of the horse encourages relaxation, stimulates the function of the internal organs and helps with the circulatory and digestive tracts. The rider develops balance and learns to position themselves to accommodate the pony’s movements. In time coordination and communication maybe developed and improved. It can offer the opportunity for a physically challenged person to experience mobility on an equal level to their able bodied peers. The riders may benefit from the necessary discipline, learn trust and interact socially with their helpers and their peers thus developing an increase in confidence and self-esteem. For more information email sandrackl @gmail.com for tel 0868483684.

Children and mums at the Hand to Hand Foundation celebrated Mother’s Day together with lots of love and fun.

Monday the 12th August was Mother’s Day and the children and mums at the Hand to Hand Foundation celebrated the day together with lots of love and fun. The celebration began with prayer followed by the national anthem and then a great performance by the children. The mums thoroughly enjoyed the presentation which was in both English and

Thai, and the mums were also encouraged to join in with some of the songs too. The highlight of the day was when the children presented their mums with gifts and cards that they had made. The children bowed before their mum as a sign of respect and honor, and in turn the mums prayed a blessing over them. With an abundance of

hugs, kisses and tears of joy there was so much love. A big thanks to everyone who gave so generously to our last month’s appeal by donating toiletries as each mum received a bag full of things to make her smell, look and feel special. Finally it was time to enjoy a feast of cakes, apples and snacks. Thanks to Fraser’s and Hemmingway’s for a scrumptious lunch!

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Sharks to saiga, nations up support for endangered wildlife Jamey Keaten Geneva (AP) — From towering giraffes to bottom-feeding sharks and many species in between, endangered species got new protections under an agreement finalized last month by most of the world’s countries at a conference on saving plants and animals from the ravages of international trade. The 11-day World Wildlife Conference on updating a convention known as CITES, which aims to ensure that trade doesn’t threaten the survival of endangered fauna and flora, adopted an array of measures and decisions about elephants, otters, star tortoises, saiga antelope, and rosewood — a cherished material for guitar makers — among many others. The conference occurs every three years and took on added importance this year

following a U.N. report on biodiversity in May warning that extinction looms for over 1 million species of plants and animals. There are growing concerns that policymakers aren’t acting quickly enough to stop it. Attendees agreed on protections for 18 more shark species that, while stopping short of a full ban, requires any trade in them to be sustainable. Nations did ban trade of two types of otters, which are coveted as pets in places like Japan, and the popular Indian star tortoise — one of the most heavily trafficked illegally of all the tortoises for pet trade. Rod Hay, chairman of a committee that handles new listing proposals, said that “we had a large number of reptile proposals and quite a significant number of reptiles

Thomas Jemmi, CITES Cop18 Chair, Ivonne Higuero, CITES Secretary-General (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), Rod Hay, Chair Committe I, Craig Hoover, Chair Committe II, from left, speak during a press conference for the closing session of the World Wildlife Conference - CITES CoP18, in Geneva, Switzerland, Wednesday, August 28. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

and amphibians that were added to the list of CITES.” “That’s a reflection of pressure, particularly in pet trade,

Baby elephants rub their trunks against a tree at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya Wednesday, Aug. 28. Countries that are part of an international agreement on trade in endangered species agreed to limit the sale of wild elephants, delighting conservationists but dismaying some of the African countries involved. (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)

on strange and interesting reptiles,” he said, alluding to efforts by non-governmental organizations, animal-rights groups and conservationists. Controversy erupted over interpretation about science — the supposed guidepost for decision-makers — amid emotional and political pleas put forward by some NGOs and animal rights activists as well as cash-strapped African governments. Frustrations emerged among countries like Zimbabwe, which denounced international mandates about its 84,000-strong

African elephant population without enough help from abroad in managing it, and Japan, which argued that mako sharks are only facing declining populations in the North Sea and not near the seafaring Pacific archipelago. “There are a lot of controversies — particularly around the elephant,” said Susan Lieberman of the Wildlife Conservation Society. “The populations are in better shape and are wellmanaged in southern Africa. Those countries would like

to trade ivory. But CITES parties have decided that countries should close their ivory markets and efforts here to open the ivory trade were rejected.” The fallout was continuing from a measure, spearheaded by the European Union, passed Tuesday to restrict exports of wildcaught African elephants beyond their home countries or natural habitats — with a few exceptions. “We would have liked a near-total ban on the export of wild baby elephants, but the proposal that was put through, with the eventual backing of the EU is much better than the status quo,” said Kirsty Smith, administrator at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi. “It is much better than nothing and we are very excited. It is a fantastic win.” Israel withdrew a proposal to list the woolly mammoth in CITES conventions after countries like Russia and Canada, which have many remains of the long-extinct animals, aired reservations about the unprecedented idea. Israel had argued that elephant tusk, which faces trade restrictions, can be too easily confused with mammoth tusk, which can be traded legally. The issue remains unresolved.

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A bag full of mistakes

I have seen five year old children wanting to take a “selfie”. Here they are, barely out of nappies and taking shots of themselves. By the time they are teenagers, they are applying makeup using the smartphone. By the time they are dying, who will be the first to shoot themselves in their coffin with their last breath? Unfortunately, the advent of the smartphone has not done much for the art of photography. Having a phone that can take and store pictures has not developed any latent artistic abilities in the holder of said electronic equipment as far as I can see.

Even the briefest perusal of the social media will show that the presumed artistic talent goes as far as taking a “selfie” (how I dislike that word) and then follow that up with a picture of what he or she ate. Personally I couldn’t care less what you ate, unless it was some culinary tour de force. As far as how to take a better “selfie” is concerned, about all I can give you is to try and keep your arm out of the picture. The arm holding the camera being closer to the camera is exaggerated in size, so a “selfie” stick is much better. And if you are not happy with the result, don’t take the same one again and again. The additional shots will look as bad as the first one. Move your body, move from where you were standing, and try and get better lighting. Turn the flash off, if you can, is a very good idea as you will get shadow

Dear Hillary, I am a successful businessman, an Australian who has worked hard, accumulated a high level of wealth that provides me with a very comfortable lifestyle long before I would be eligible for a pension. Despite my financial successes, I have failed miserably in finding true love. One might even call me a failure in that regard. I’m not a good loser, so I have commenced a world wide trek to track down that elusive female butterfly. One who will be able to fill that void in my life, love me, marry me and produce our children. Here’s where I am in the quest for my future mate. Australian women are not suitable. I have always believed that any relationship is a 50/50 proposition, but Aussie women don’t understand fractions. I flew to America. I met an attractive girl there and took her to Disneyland to enjoy the rides, but she took me for a ride instead. In Canada I met a beautiful librarian, but she spent most of her time reading my bank books. In Paris I met a very tender person, but she was frankly only interested in legal tender. I am now here in Pattaya, still searching for my butterfly. I have met a cute local girl named Noi who works at a beer bar. She doesn’t seem interested in taking my money for

to add more interest. So even though I very rarely see good photographs in the social media, it is possible to get better images. Just try next time, rather than banging off 27 shots all the same, and all boring as well. If you must show the world just what you had for your last supper I will give you some pointers to make it look as if this was a great plateful and not some collection of ingredients thrown onto a plate and tinged with green. Let’s deal with the green potatoes first. Fluorescent lighting is the culprit. To the naked eye the lighting in the kitchen seems fine, but to the electronic receptors, the white balance is not correct, and hence the green. To correct this is very easy and infinitely better pictures. Use natural light to photograph food. Take the dishes outside, around 4.30 p.m. is best, and with the light

coming across the food, take the shot. The colors will be natural and there will be some light and shadow to give depth to the photograph. If you are going to add a bottle of wine to the shot, or make the wine a feature, you have just picked one of the most difficult items to successfully capture. To be able to photograph wine is one

herself and only insists that I give her two thousand baht every morning for her taxi ride home. It seems that both of her parents are always ill as she needs additional money to send to them and her brother who is always falling off his motorcycle (which I bought him). Please tell me about the local girls. Could Noi be my elusive butterfly? She wants me to take her away from it all but could she take it all away from me? Could the fact that her parents are always ill have any detrimental genetic effect on any children we may have? Awaiting your advice, as the lawyers write. Mick Dear Mick, Aren’t you a little dear! Or should I say a little expensive? Is Noi your elusive butterfly? Of course! Be aware, however, perhaps elusive but not exclusive. Don’t worry about Noi’s health – she will only get sick later in life when the daughter you have between you meets a rich Australian who has worked hard and accumulated a high level of wealth and is looking for an elusive butterfly. In the meantime, I suggest she takes a cheaper taxi home, that Rolls-Royce is a little over the top. Give her 40 baht for a motorcycle taxi and see how she goes! Or should I say “disappears”. As they say here, you never lose your girl, you only lose your turn! Have you considered having yourself cloned? Us girls all over the world need more of you! (Other than Australian, American and Canadian.) (I stumbled across this letter to me from many years ago. I wonder where Mick is now. And does he have any money left? If you’re still out there, then drop me a line, Mick. I have just the girl for you – me!)

reason why food photographers can command such high fees. Have you ever tried photographing champagne to put in your FB photos? Have you then noticed that there’s never enough bubbles to make it look sparkling. Fortunately, the champagne (or Prosecco or Methode Champenoise) can be coaxed into producing

as many bubbles as you might want. All you have to do is drop some sugar into the glass. Only a few crystals are enough to give the almost flat glass of champers that “just opened” fizz look to it. While still on wines, if you try and shoot a bottle of red wine, it will come out thick dark maroon or even black. Amateurs who have tried photographing red wines will be nodding their heads in agreement. So what does the pro shooter do? Well he has a couple of courses of action. First is to dilute the red wine by about 50 percent and secondly place a silver foil reflector on the back of the bottle. You can light it from the front and the silver foil reflects the light back into the wine. So what happens to the half bottle of red that was removed to dilute the wine? The photographer has it with dinner.

Dear Hillary, Hello I have been reading your column for at least 20 years, so both of us are “experienced”. Whether I was here in Pattaya or in the U.S., when I was a young buck in the military, I had to learn the hard way. While you are most knowledgeable, it’s onesided. It’s always from the Thai female psyche point of view. While you always offer a gentle solution to their problems, I feel some just have a hard heads. I know it’s immaterial whether or not they take the advice you offer, it’s up to them. But when it comes to the particularly stupid, I’d like to be of assistance if there is some way I could help in these hard core cases please contact me. I’m still new at this being retired, and have yet to find a way to occupy my time, sure that will change in the future. Because from what I read in your column it’s always the newbie or nearly newbies who get themselves in emotional/ financial trouble. Us old timers are pretty well set, if we don’t know by now there is no helping us, nor are we seeking help. But not to invade on your turf - if I could be of any assistance please contact me. Chas Dear Chas, You are such a nice man, offering to help an old lady in her time of need, but I have to tell you that it is not an easy job, my Petal. I often end up weeping real tears by the end of the day, reading about all the things that can happen to young chaps with more hormones than they need. There is also a logistics problem. My office is so small there wouldn’t be enough room for two of us, so while I thank you, let’s just keep our relationship on paper, the kind the bank deposits will show, but if I need the US Army and a SWAT team, I’ll let you know.

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What’s happening in the world of cryptocurrency? At the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) meeting on Sunday, August 18, Daniel Schwartz returned to speak on the latest events in the world of cryptocurrency, especially how the upcoming Facebook Crypto could change your life. Dan previously spoke to the PCEC in December 2017 at the height of the Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency market fervor. He says a lot has happened in the last 20 months, having seen the Cryptocurrency markets at record highs then crashing down and now being back on the rebound in the past couple of months. Dan is an author, investor, business owner, speaker and well known in the Cryptocurrency and Bitcoin Over the Counter (OTC) markets. He is the CEO of 3T Network PTE Ltd. and Co-Owner BIZpaye (Thailand) Co. Ltd. He began his presentation by briefly explaining why he does what he does with emphasis on its fun, not about money, but rather about what money can do. Then he gave some background information about Bitcoin, one of the first cryptocurrencies, and blockchain, the method used for trading such currencies. He pointed out that there is a need for cryptocurrencies as the world still runs on cash, with 85% of global transactions using cash which can be hard to move around, and

easy to steal; noting that US retail businesses lose about $40 billion annually due to the theft of cash. He presented several graphs showing the number of blockchain wallet users worldwide 2016 - 2019 (increasing each year), distribution of Bitcoins, and investment in cryptocurrency by venture capitalists. Then he asked the question, what is Facebook Libra and why should I care? He then explained what Facebook intends to do with its Libra cryptocurrency through its Calibra Wallet. It is proposed as a way to pay people or companies globally without a fee. Eventually, it may also serve as a form of payment for contracts, loans and insurance. The combo of Libra through Calibra allows Facebook to provide loans, credit, money transfer, and e-commerce with the simplicity that it currently allows for person to person communications. Further, this ultimately could become one of the most functional open banking platforms outside of China. He then showed a slide stating the Mission of Libra, which is a simple global currency and financial infrastructure that empowers billions of people. Further, to revamp money, revolutionize the global economy, and provide for better lives. Followed by Facebook’s vision

Daniel Schwartz speaks about the latest events in the world of cryptocurrency.

that Libra, a cryptocurrency built on blockchain technology, can be used to spend and secure their money allowing a more comprehensive global financial system. Further, that Facebook considers Libra is needed because of all the people not served by a bank or similar financial institution (unbanked) in the world, which is 31% of the global population. Dan said the set up for Libra is through the Libra Association, whose founding members represent various financial areas for payments, technology and marketplaces, telecommunications, blockchains, venture capital, as well as some nonprofit and multilateral organizations, and academic institutions. These include MasterCard, Visa, PayPal, and, of course, Facebook/Calibra. Why is Facebook leading this? Dan noted that it is a

huge opportunity for them with their Calibra Wallet and would be considered a powerhouse with their 2.4 billion users integrated into everything. So, what is the future of Libra? Dan suggested you think of the power of having 2.4 billion users of a distributed application (Facebook). They have so much data on the 2 billion people; not just name, but ID, address, phone number, their family, friends, real- time & historic location, what they like, and more. He mentioned that they probably know you more than you know yourself. And, with Libra, now your wallet too. However, Dan mentioned that Libra still has a few issues to deal with. He cited Simon Gleeson, a partner at Clifford Chance (one of the world’s pre-eminent law firms ) who said, “Anything that deals in money, invests

that money, issues tokens in exchange for that money and promises the holders of those tokens security of value based on that investment, is currently either an investment firm or a bank.” Thus, Facebook could be facing additional regulatory issues besides recent scrutiny due to its ways of utilizing data and that verdict is still not in yet. Under such circumstances, Facebook is getting into something which is not entirely regulated and controversial in most countries. Further, Libra coin is backed by the Libra Association’s reserve and is not pegged to the US dollar with a 1:1 ratio; hence, you cannot consider it to be a stable coin because the reserve value is not clear. Libra is using blockchain technology and has launched a currency which is similar to credit card reward points which can be used for various purposes. Looking at the fundamentals of Bitcoin, it cannot be considered Libra as a decentralized and borderless cryptocurrency, rather it would function like PayPal or a large multinational bank which would start its operations with over a 2 billion user base at the first day. In conclusion, Dan gave some predictions on the future of Cryptocurrency. He expects the development focus will move from tech to

user experience. Blockchain will evolve from experimental projects to tangible products, proof of stake experiments will deliver network scalability, a top 10 social network will integrate blockchain, a sovereign nation will launch a digital currency, gaming will be the biggest driver of consumer blockchain adoption, and regulation will move blockchain from the fringes to the mainstream. He then gave some final thoughts. The First Rule of Cryptocurrency is to invest using speculative money; that is, assume it is gone and be prepared to lose it. Have the proper mindset. Keep abreast of amazing developments in technical and regulatory. Use dollar cost average. Take profits and get in the game. After Dan’s presentation, Suthida (Apple) Oonbangluang, a committee member for the Blooming Club, announced they were organizing an upcoming free meeting on “Seeking True Happiness and Love through Meditation” and invited everyone to attend. This was followed by the Open Forum where audience members can ask questions or make comments about expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya. For more information about the PCEC, visit their website at www.pcec.club.

A Murder Mystery at the PCEC On Sunday, August 25th, the Pattaya City Expats at their Sunday meeting were treated to a performance of “The Allotment Plot”—A Murder Mystery by Emma Northcott from the Pattaya Players; ably directed by Wendy Khan, assisted by John Khan for sound, and Ray Lightbown for prompts. The performance began with the stage set up as the Baldock Allotment Growers Clubhouse/Potting shed. Bob (Chris Harman) is relying upon Alex (Charles Elwin), a local councillor, to allow planning permission for a makeor-break building project. Alex is desperate to steal the Gold Medal from Bob in the “root vegetable” category, having already started to attempt an affair with Bob’s wife Debs (Tian Wang). Alice (Aranya [Aom] Konchan) who is on work experience from horticultural college, observes quietly. Rachel (Michelle O’Dea), Alex’s wife, is in charge of judging, along with Inspector Paul Hart (Arthur McNeill), who also shares a dark secret with Alex. Act 1, Scene1 takes place

three days before the prizewinning show. Bob is trying to get Alex to help swing permission for a project to make him rich. But Alex claims that he is only one person and it has to be agreed by all on the Council. But Alex fancies Bob’s wife and if he can obstruct Bob, he believes it will increase his chances with Debs. After Bob exits, Inspector Paul enters and Alex suggests that he can help the Inspector’s promotion if he can win this year’s Gold Medal. Inspector Paul is dubious, but Alex brings up the dodgy past of his corruption. For scene 2, now Saturday morning, Bob and Alice are talking about their entries and their different changes in life. Bob is certain he will take the Gold Medal again. Alice is displaying several herbs and plants, mostly harmless, and others that are lethal if eaten unknowingly. Alice exits and Alex comes in to be again questioned once more by Bob about the planning permission. Things get heated and Alex finally admits that he has not been pushing Bob’s planning

MC Bob Smith presents Pattaya Players’ Wendy Kahn, who directed the performance of “The Allotment Plot,” with the PCEC’s Certificate of Appreciation while the Players look on.

permission with the Council. Scene 3 has Rachel and Alex in the Clubhouse with Rachel exiting to make some tea. Inspector Paul enters and things get heated. Alex points out that he gave Paul a twenty thousand pound discount for a flat Alex is developing in return for his removing a body in the past from his site and dumping it on Bob’s site. In Scene 4, Alice enters where Debs is in tears and tries to comfort her. Debs tells Alice about the body found 10 years ago on their site and the problems it caused. In pouring out her heart, she lets slip about her relationship with Alex and

that she is expecting a baby. Unbeknown to both, Rachel has entered the Clubhouse overhearing about these shenanigans; she explodes, saying she could kill both of them. Debs leaves in tears and Alice reveals to Rachel that she believes she is Alex’s daughter. In Scene 5: Alex enters the Clubhouse alone as his phone rings and he suggests he can meet the caller the next day at the show then exits. Final Scene 6 brings the day of the Show and takes place in the Clubhouse. There, various encounters among the players furthering the plot as they find out

about the various relationships including Debs finding Alice’s medicine and involves herself in the tea mixture. Bob finds about Deb’s pregnancy. Alex and Debs talk about the baby and letting Bob have the land. Bob finds Debs crying and she reveals her pregnancy. Rachel gets suspicious. Alice tells Inspector Paul about Alex and Debs and the pregnancy. There are arguments between players and Bob threatens Alex with a knife. The scene ends with Inspector Paul criticizing Alex’s behaviour toward Rachel, Debs and Bob and mentions the builder being outside that wants to buy the allotment land with Alex exiting to meet the builder; he is then found dead on the site where the judging is to take place. Before the second Act began and the killer revealed, PCEC audience members who had bought Pattaya Player raffle tickets discuss among themselves the various clues and then place their raffle tickets in one of a group of boxes at the edge of the stage for the character they

have identified as the killer. Act 2 followed with Bob telling Debs on the phone about Alex being found on the site in the arms of the builder and that the builder being arrested. Inspector Paul lets it be known that Rachel knew that he had set up the meet between Alex and the builder. It is then revealed that Alex had died as a result of combining his heart medication with that Alice had laced in the water. However, Inspector Paul had covered up the toxicology report to make sure Alice was not implicated and had the builder put away for manslaughter because for many years he had been trying to convict him of something. Bob got his land and planning permission and Paul got his promotion to Chief Inspector. PCEC Member Paul Back was announced as the raffle winner. This was followed by the Open Forum where audience members can ask questions or make comments about expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya. For more information about the PCEC, visit their website at www.pcec.club.

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Family Day tradition continues for 11th year at Thai Garden Resort cooking, making rooms, or serving guests at the Thai Garden Resort. The family members must have the opportunity to see and experience where the parents work and in what environment they make their living. We

regard ourselves as one big family since our team members are the ones who contribute to the success of the hotel and to the satisfaction of our clients.” Since fun and games also makes one hungry, a

sumptuous buffet was prepared with all the goodies children like the most. This family day highlights the creative teamwork and it shows that, without this kind of spirit, no company would be able to operate successfully.

General Manager Rene Pisters (center) hosts Thai Garden Resort’s 11th annual family day for employees.

The Thai Garden Resort hosted its 11th annual family day for all the employees, giving them a chance to use the hotel’s facilities just like the hotel guests. Moms, dads and kids enjoyed a fantastic day at the

63-meter long swimming pool on Saturday August 17. Everyone took turns jumping, swimming and having a great time in the swimming pool. General Manager Rene Pisters personally took care of these 300 “guests” and

Destination

managed to make them smile and laugh the entire day. As per Mr. Pisters, “I find it essential that the family members of our team are aware where their husband or wife, father or mother spends their days of working, be it

Employees and their families take turns jumping, swimming and having a great time in the swimming pool.

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VOL. XXVII No. 34

Fabulous birds A few nights ago, having nothing much better to do, I started to make a list of classical music inspired by birds. Yes I know, sad but true. Incidentally, if this week’s title has brought unwholesome thoughts into your mind about the denizens of Walking Street, what follows might come as a disappointment because the connections are merely ornithological. Sorry about that, but life can often be full of disappointments. Anyway, back to the birds. Most classical music doesn’t describe anything at all but some composers, especially those of the late nineteenth century often turned to nonmusical ideas, particularly those from nature. As early as the eighteenth century the French composer LouisClaude Daquin wrote a tinkling harpsichord piece called The Cuckoo, though you have to listen carefully to hear the quaint cuckoo

Stravinsky drawn by Picasso in 1920.

imitations. Bird themes appear in Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute and Rossini’s opera The Thieving Magpie. Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous ballet Swan Lake has swans by the truck-load. Then of course, there’s Stravinsky’s wonderful music for The Firebird. This splendid work was one of the first pieces of classical music I discovered as a young teenager and it still brings a thrill every time I hear it.

Igor Stravinsky was a virtually unknown composer when the famously ruthless taskmaster and impresario Sergei Diaghilev hired him to compose for the dance company, the Ballets Russes. Stravinsky’s first project was music for a ballet based on Russian folk tales about a legendary and magical glowing bird - The Firebird. With choreography by Michel Fokine, the ballet was first performed in June 1910 and turned out to be a huge success with both the audience and the critics.

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971): Suite: The Firebird. Toronto Symphony Orchestra cond. Peter Oundjian (Duration: 21:59; Video: 1080p HD) The original ballet score runs for about fifty minutes but in subsequent years Stravinsky completed three concert suites in 1911, 1919 and 1945. They differ in the number of movements, their order and the orchestration. The 1919 version is the most popular of the three and the most frequently

performed. It was written for the Swiss conductor Ernest Ansermet. At one time, The Firebird was considered a notoriously difficult work to play and in some ways, it still is. The first dozen or so bars for example, are written for the low strings in the daunting key of C flat, which is enough to drive many string players into a state of apoplexy. The work was well ahead of its time and shows the composer’s command of the most complex rhythms and wonderful sparkling orchestration using some techniques which were completely new. It not only brought Stravinsky instant fame, but it also marked the beginning of a fruitful collaboration between Diaghilev and Stravinsky which resulted two further ballets Petrushka (1911) and The Rite of Spring (1913), two of the most influential works of the early twentieth century. The suite is full of magic moments but one of my favourite comes at 18:20 when, over shimmering strings, a solo horn announces the noble melody

that dominates the heroic final section, written (unusually at the time) with seven beats to the bar. The charismatic Leopold Stokowski recorded The Firebird Suite eight times, more than any other conductor. His last Firebird recording was with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1967. He was aged eighty-five.

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958): The Lark Ascending. Charlie Siem (vln), City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong cond. Jean Thorel (Duration: 14:06; Video: 720p) The soaring lark of Vaughan Williams couldn’t be more different to Stravinsky’s extravagant, tempestuous Firebird. The Lark Ascending was written for violin and piano in 1914 and was orchestrated by the composer six years later. The first orchestral performance was given in 1921, under the conductor Adrian Boult and today the work is nearly always heard in this version. It’s a musical reflection on a poem by the English poet George

Meredith, about the song of a skylark. The title has a poetic ring to it, which perhaps wouldn’t have been quite the same if George Meredith had instead written about the Great Tit or the Little Brown Bustard. Several years ago, BBC radio listeners in the UK voted this work Britain’s alltime favourite and for several years it stayed at the top of the Classic FM Hall of Fame. Not surprising really, because this is lyrical evocative music in which the violin mimics the “silver chain of sound” that Meredith describes. There’s a wonderful and compelling sense of place too, which can only be England. Incidentally, when Vaughan Williams was making sketches for the piece, he visited Margate for a short holiday, coincidentally on the same day that Britain entered the Great War. A small boy observed the composer making notes and, assuming he was writing some kind of secret code, informed a police officer who promptly arrested the composer on the grounds of suspicious behaviour.

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.

Digital dating proves complicated in ‘Love at First Like’ Lincee Ray Dating in the digital age can be tricky business, especially when you project an image on social media that is in no way a truthful depiction of your relationship status. In “Love at First Like,” Eliza Roth accidentally leads her Instagram followers to believe that she is engaged and quickly learns that maintaining a picture perfect life is extremely complicated. Sophie and her sister Eliza co-own a jewelry shop in Brooklyn, New York. While Eliza pours all of her time into the artistic design of their pieces, Sophie manages the marketing and social media side of the business. After discovering her ex-boyfriend is newly engaged, Eliza comforts herself by trying on one of the shop’s most extravagant rings on a very important finger. She snaps a photo, saves it to her Instagram account, and wallows the rest of the night in self-pity. The next morning, Eliza is shocked to learn that the photo is posted to her Instagram feed. The feeling of horror slowly morphs into intrigue. It seems that her

100,000 followers have grown by several thousand more overnight. Eliza makes the executive decision to continue the ruse, especially when the shop begins to welcome more patrons than ever before, thanks to the “engagement” post. Sales are through the roof. She couldn’t ask for better publicity. When the offers of wedding sponsorships and donated gifts start filling her inbox, Eliza can’t help but to fall completely into the charade. She even posts a wedding date. The only way to move forward is to find a future husband. Blake seems like the ideal candidate. But there’s a problem: He has no idea Eliza is secretly pushing him toward a posh rooftop wedding. What’s worse is that in the midst of the chaos, Eliza actually falls for someone she likes. Soon the lies begin to catch up with her and Eliza realizes that one post may cost her everything. “Love at First Like” is fun romance with a digital twist. Hannah Orenstein proves that even though we present our lives through screens, it’s important to live life unfiltered in the real world. (AP)

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‘Angel Has Fallen’ and so has the franchise Lindsey Bahr Los Angeles (AP) - There is a certain mindless pleasure in the “Fallen” movies. Watching Gerard Butler muscle his way through increasingly preposterous obstacles as a Secret Service agent can be amusing and oddly transfixing at the same time. It’s mass entertainment that makes a courtesy stop in theaters before ascending to its true calling: Endless cable reruns. But whatever this franchise got away with in “Olympus Has Fallen” and then, miraculously, in the totally unnecessary and very unintentionally silly sequel “London Has Fallen,” it’s clear that the well has run dry on this idea and character. Butler and the filmmakers sleepwalk their way

through “Angel Has Fallen,” the third, and hopefully last, visit with agent Mike Banning. This time, the powers that be have decided to make Banning a fugitive. He’s on the run after being falsely accused of orchestrating an assassination attempt on U.S. President Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) that kills 18 Secret Service Agents and leaves the commander in chief in a coma. There is a dizzying amount of plot thrown at “Angel Has Fallen.” Banning has a toddler daughter with wife Leah (Piper Perabo, subbing in for Radha Mitchell in the thankless “worried wife” role) and he’s considering scaling back from dangerous field work for the sake of his family and his own health after too many concussions on the job. The Oval Office is having issues with someone leaking false information to the press, not to mention the looming threat of Russia who we’re told meddled in a recent

This image shows Gerard Butler (left) and Morgan Freeman in a scene from the film “Angel Has Fallen”. (Jack English/Lionsgate via AP)

election in the “Fallen” world. And then there’s the private contractors, like Banning’s old military friend Wade Jennings (Danny Huston), who are longing for the good old days of lucrative wars and government contracts. Oh and Nick Nolte, playing Banning’s estranged father Clay, is living off the grid in the woods and having some regrets about leaving his wife and young child some years ago.

These threads are all thrown together in this kitchen sink of a movie that is unforgivably dull for having so much going on at all times — and I haven’t even had the opportunity or reason to mention that this film also has Tim Blake Nelson playing the vice president and Jada Pinkett Smith as the FBI agent who is leading the hunt for Banning. It’s too much and too little at the same time and neither absurd nor exciting

enough to maintain an audience’s interest for two hours. Nolte is the only real saving grace as the wild-eyed and paranoid Vietnam veteran living in his little bunker in the West Virginia woods. He’s the only one having fun with this material, but even so gets unceremoniously demoted for the final set-piece (although he does pop up again in a bizarre and kind of funny post-credits scene that has more spirit in two minutes than the entirety of “Angel Has Fallen”). Everyone else is either too serious or too bored or some joy-killing combination of the two. Directing this time is Ric Roman Waugh, a stuntman and actor turned director whose most high-profile outing in that capacity was the 2013 Dwayne Johnson vehicle “Snitch.” He also shares script credit with Matt Cook (“Patriots Day”) and veteran Robert Mark

Kamen (“Taps,” ‘’The Karate Kid”). But this movie has none of the personality that you would expect from those filmmakers. The action itself feels oddly low budget and claustrophobic. Quick shots of a semi truck’s headlights and a gloved finger pulling a trigger are ineffectively used to create suspense too many times. And for all its hot topics, “Angel Has Fallen” doesn’t have much to say about military veterans, Russian interference or the lifetime effects of brain trauma. It just plops those buzz word concepts into the movie and moves on to the next shootout. It might still be passable for cable, but this series has sadly fallen into unwatchable territory. “Angel Has Fallen,” a Lionsgate release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for “violence and language throughout.” Running time: 120 minutes. One star out of four.

India’s ‘patriotism pop’ songs urge Hindus to claim Kashmir Sheikh Saaliq New Delhi (AP) — The music videos began appearing on social media within hours of the announcement by India’s Hindu nationalist-led government that it was stripping statehood from the disputed region of Kashmir that had been in place for decades. The songs delivered a message to India’s 250 million YouTube users about moving to the Muslim-majority region, buying land there and marrying Kashmiri women. It’s the latest example of a growing genre in India known as “patriotism pop” — songs flooding social media about nationalism and the country’s burgeoning right-wing ideology. Earlier songs were limited to the rise of Hindus in India, defeating regional rival Pakistan and hoisting the Indian flag in every household. Now, they include settling in Kashmir — a rugged and beautiful Himalayan region claimed by both Pakistan and India, although both countries control only a portion of it. On Aug. 5, Prime Minister Narendra Modi revoked

Kashmir’s decades-old special status that was guaranteed under Article 370 of India’s Constitution and sent thousands of troops to the region. The move has touched off anger in the Indian-controlled region, which has been under a security lockdown that has seen thousands detained to prevent protests there. One of Modi’s revisions allows anyone to buy land in the territory, which some Kashmiris fear could mean an influx of Hindus who would change the region’s culture and demographics. Critics have likened it to Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories. The patriotic songs are mostly shared on platforms like Facebook, Twitter and the fast-growing app TikTok, which in June had about 120 million active users in India. Despite their low production values, poorly matched lipsynching and repetitive techno beat, many of these soundtracks have gotten millions of hits on YouTube. The songs are a hit among youthful followers in northern and eastern parts of India, and their creators don’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.

A screenshot shows a patriotic music video on YouTube that appeared after India’s Hindu-led nationalist government revoked the statehood of Kashmir on Aug. 5. (YouTube via AP)

Nitesh Singh Nirmal identifies himself as a producer, songwriter and composer for his Rang Music studios in the eastern state of Bihar. A Modi admirer, Nirmal claims to be the first to produce a soundtrack on the revocation of Kashmir’s statehood, completing it in three hours. The song, “Dhara 370,” or “Article 370,” starts with visuals of an Indian flag

fluttering atop New Delhi’s famous Red Fort, followed by old footage of Modi from a previous Independence Day ceremony. The singer thanks Modi and his government for keeping his promise to remove Article 370 from the constitution. The video then cuts to the map of Kashmir, along with words that roughly translate to how Pakistan has lost to India.

The song has gotten more than 1.6 million hits on YouTube since it was posted there by Nirmal, who has no musical background. He said he only found his calling when Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party resoundingly won the 2014 election. That’s when Nirmal thought he could write songs about nationalism. “I am doing service for the nation. People dance to these songs,” he says. The rising appeal for songs that promote nationalism and talk about reclaiming Kashmir have paved the way for lesser-known artists to join in. Salman Siddiqui, who is in his 20s and studies science in the state of Uttar Pradesh, wanted to showcase his musical writing prowess and contacted Nirmal. They collaborated on a song about a man who is seeking a Kashmiri bride and wants

to be the first to have a wedding procession that travels from India to the region. Nirmal and Siddiqui insist the songs are not sexist. “It’s the desire of a young man’s heart to marry a Kashmiri woman,” Siddiqui says. The idea was boosted Aug. 6 by lawmaker Vikram Saini, who told members of his Bharatiya Janata Party “eager to get married” to go to Kashmir, adding that his party has “no problem with it.” Critics say the idea of marrying Kashmiri women to “reclaim” the region is rooted in a patriarchy that objectifies and dehumanizes Kashmiris. Political anthropologist Ather Zia calls this a “fetishization in the Indian imagination.” Such songs are a “culmination of a toxic misogynistic nationalist thinking that draws validation from humiliating Kashmiri women,” Zia said.

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Rees rules at Wangjuntr Smith stars at Burapha PSC Golf from Siam Country Resort Pattaya Tuesday, August 27, Wangjuntr - Stableford On Tuesday we took the long drive to Wangjuntr Golf Park, where we played the Valley course. Our long trip was rewarded with a beautiful course in perfect condition. We had nice weather and a challenging walk over the course. Despite the good conditions, it is always a challenging layout with some long holes or short par-4’s with difficult dog legs and bunkers. The results were nevertheless very close and the winner was Stan Rees with 30 stableford points. There were 3 29’s scores with Paddy Devereux taking second, Martin Hayes third and Jonathan Pratt fourth. We had 5 nears to the pin today for Jonathan Pratt,

Sunday, August 25, Silky Oak - Stableford 1st Craig Hitchens (13) 37pts 2nd Paul Pavloff (6) 30pts This was the first time we had played this course in a very long time and we found it much improved from the last time we were here. We had our smallest group out for a Sunday this year but we had one very good score which came from Craig Hitchens, who is playing very steady at the moment. He was a clear winner with his thirty seven points while Paul Pavloff came second with a more modest thirty points and Paul also had the only ‘2’ of the day.

Tuesday, August 27, Martin Hayes, Stan Rees, good condition. We had nice Pattaya C.C. - Stableford Stuart Banks (left) and Stan Rees.

Brett Gale and John Feeney.

Thursday, August 29, Eastern Star Stableford Eastern Star was our venue on Thursday and again we found a beautiful course in

weather and a good breeze, so it was not too warm. Stuart Banks was the man today and won with 37 points. Second was Jonathan Pratt with 35 points and third Stan Rees with 33. The near pins were all for Jonathan Pratt.

May shows hot form at Green Valley PSC Golf from The Billabong Golf Bar Wednesday, August 14, Green Valley Stableford The ladies, once again - no surprise there, had some amazing rounds of golf on this day. Thirty-nine points, although a good round in itself, only gave 3rd place to Miss Sasicha (H/cap 20), with three 1-pointers on the back-nine putting an end to her challenge. Two points better off was Miss Lynn (9) who must have been pleased with the final count of 41 points, a 76 gross with 11 pars and 2 birdies. But Miss May (12) won the day with 42 points, a round which included 11 pars and 1 birdie showing how difficult she is to beat at the moment. Jeff North (10) edged a countback over Arch Armstrong (10) for 3rd place in the men’s flight, both on 34 points. Peter Terry (20) fell away after the turn with 3 double bogies showing a return of 15 points but William Peach (20) was well out in front with 38 points. Three 2s today went to

The Tara Court Golf Society

Capt. Bob (left) with Miss May.

Miss Lynn, Miss Nu and Miss Sasicha.

Friday, August 30, Phoenix Gold Scramble Phoenix on Friday for the monthly scramble and a great day out it was for all seven groups who played. We played Mountain and Ocean loops in conditions that were good - not hot just the right temperature and a nice breeze to keep it there. The Captain’s team just couldn’t get the putts to fall

in and in this format you must have a red hot putter if you want to get anywhere. In second place was the team of Miss May, Bob StAubin, Rick Culley and George Way with a score of 59.7, The team of Lloyd Shuttleworth, Bill Marsden, Bob Newell and Simon Philbrook, playing off a 4handicap, came home the winners with a net 57. Seven birdies on the back nine surely helped out. In September we will go to Parachat for a change of venue.

Pattaya Country Club was in the best condition it has been for quite a while. Tee blocks had been renovated and the greens were as fast as Pattavia, with some tricky pin positions. Playing consistent golf at the moment first place went to Craig Hitchens (13) with 39 points. Wayne Antlitz (12) filled the runner-up spot on 37 points.

Thursday, August 29, Burapha – Stableford 1st Alec Smith (25) 40pts 2nd Wayne Antlitz (12) 38pts 3rd Jon Batty (7) 38pts We played the A and B nines at Burapha today and although our group was still small it

Alec Smith.

didn’t keep us from having very good scores. Even playing even much better than your handicap didn’t guarantee you would make the prizes today, as Russell Gilroy found out. He had a very good thirty eight points which on other days could win. However, today Russell was beaten out of the prizes on a countback and John Batty came third and Wayne Antlitz second, both with a similar thirty eight points. By far our best score today came from Alec Smith and he was the winner with an excellent forty points.

Etherington wins low gross at PAGS monthly Seventy-four players, including 8 ladies, made the journey south last month to play in the August New Nordic PAGS tournament at Eastern Star. The course was in good condition, with fairways providing plenty of run and the greens rolling fast and tricky. Although the scores did not reach the level of past months, Keith Etherington (H/cap 6) secured the Low Gross award with his 76 on countback over Tony Pike, to go with the A Flight win and technical wins on #10 and Long Drive on #18. Kim Danboise (10) did well with his 36 points to get 2nd place in A Flight, while Satun Singhing Lek (12) got the bronze after signing for 35 points. The B flight, for handicaps 14-20, saw Mikael Andersson (16) win with 38 and an approach on #11, while the minor placings were tightly contested - Jacky D Tobler (19) having 35 points while Tim Kyte (18) had 34 to go with his approach on #15. The C flight for handicaps 21+ had the best scores of the day, with Barry Elphick (31) leading the way with 42 points, while last month’s standout performer Todd Fox (29) had 41 for 2nd spot. Sugar Ray Handford (21), although well off the leaders’ pace did enough to get 3rd place with his 34 points. The Ladies needed a countback to separate winner and runner-up. Wilaiwan May (28) just edged Butsaya Heiskanen (20) 20/ 19 on the Back-9 after both finished with 39 points.

Keith Etherington.

Honorable mentions go out to Daniel Hegi, Tony Pike, Marty Loring and Jirasuda Robinson, who each collected the maximum 2 technical prizes. Chonnaphat Seekhum shot a gross 78 to go with her 2 technical prizes.

VOL. XXVII No. 34

DATE:

FRI 06

PSC

SAT 07

SUN 08

Eastern Star

Bunker Boys

Pattaya C.C.

TUE 10

WED 11

THU 12

Pattaya C.C. Pattana

Cafe Kronborg

FRI 13 Treasure Hill

Green Valley

TBA

Colin’s Golf

Khao Kheow TBA

Green Valley

Growling Swan Le Katai

MON 09

The next PSC monthly tournament is a 2-ball better-ball event at Eastern Star on Thursday, Sept. 19

Apple’s Irish

Billabong Golf

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2019 17

PATTAYA MAIL

Pattaya C.C. Burapha

Phoenix

Pleasant Valley

Greenwood

Khao Kheow

Green Valley

Burapha

Bangpra

Pleasant Valley

Siam Old Coures

Lewinski’s

Siam Old Coures

The Links

Khao Kheow

Greenwood

Bangpra

Pattana

Greenwood

Pleasant Valley

Treasure Hill

TBA

I Rovers Retox Game On Siam Country Sugar Shack

Pattavia TBA

TBA

Parichat

Green Valley

Harry’s Golf The Golf Club

Greenwood

Treasure Hill

Silky Oak

The Players Lounge Tropical Golf Valley View Hackers DATE:

Pleasant Valley

Plutaluang

Green Valley

FRI 13

Apple’s Irish

Treasure Hill

Bunker Boys

Khao Kheow

Green Valley

SAT 14

SUN 15

TUE 17

WED 18

Green Valley

THU 19

Bangpra

FRI 20 Pattavia

Eastern Star

TBA

Colin’s Golf

Greenwood TBA

Green Valley

Growling Swan Le Katai

Green Valley

Pattana

Cafe Kronborg

Billabong Golf

MON 16

Pattavia

Bangpra Burapha

Phoenix

Pleasant Valley

Greenwood

Pattavia

Green Valley

Burapha

Crystal Bay

Pleasant Valley

Siam Old Coures

Lewinski’s

Siam Old Coures

The Links

Pattana

Laem Chabang

Eastern Star

Treasure Hill

Plutalung

Eastern Star

Bangpakong

TBA

I Rovers Retox Game On Siam Country Sugar Shack

Crystal Bay TBA

TBA

Silky Oak

Green Valley

Harry’s Golf The Golf Club

Pattavia

Eastern Star

Parichat

The Players Lounge Tropical Golf Valley View Hackers

Pattavia Green Valley

Royal Lakeside Green Valley

Green Valley

The Bunker Boys meet at Woody’s Bar on Soi Skaw Beach for golf outings 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, (contact Dave on tel. 038 602 2117). 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 for further information and booking. 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

18 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

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VOL. XXVII No. 34

Barker top dog at Riverside PSC Golf from the Pattaya Links Golf Society Monday, August 26, Bangpakong Stableford 1 Chris Barker (13) 37pts 2nd Stuart Thompson (19) 36pts 3rd Dave Hewson (9) 35pts The society began the final week of August with a trip to Bangpakong Riverside to play a stableford competition. A surprisingly small field had signed up, the result of an attractive opportunity for a group to play Chee Chan, sickness, and the effects of a tense and exciting weekend of sports on TV. The club was delighted to see us however as there appeared to be no other golfers there. So it stayed throughout the round. The course was not in its usual excellent condition as fairways needed some maintenance, leaving them patchy in parts. The greens were excellent however. A strong breeze was also evident throughout. The single flight saw a close contest with Dave Hewson taking third place with 35 points and Stuart st

Thompson finishing second with 36. The top dog was Chris Barker with 37 points, following his appearance as “wig” winner only three days before. The ride from the outhouse to the penthouse can be rapid and exciting. Near pins went to Paul Tedesco (7 and 13) and Dave Hewson (16). Nobody managed to find the green on the fourth which had a challenging 180-yard tee shot into a fierce wind, over water. The consolation best nine awards went to Simon Niven (19 on the front) and Wayne Peppernell (17 on the back). Simon Niven also took the “silly hat” for his role in the non-attendance of two golfers the previous round after encouraging his mates to enjoy the pleasures of Pattaya the evening before a golf day. The “wig” went to Tony Manners after his low round of the day.

Wednesday, August 28, Bangpra - Stableford 1st Nils-Peter Kristensen (19) 36pts 2nd Bill Stewart (20) 35pts 3rd Wayne Peppernell (14) 34pts

Friday, August 30, Pattana - Stableford

Chris Barker (center) with Tony Manners (left) and Simon Niven (right).

4th Simon Niven (12) 34pts Being low season, we were only able to muster twentyone players for this trip. This course has a large variety of interesting and tricky holes and is not regarded as easy, so high stableford scores are not the norm. Today’s top score of 36 points came from Nils-Peter Kristensen who, since his return from Denmark a couple of weeks ago, has been lurking around the placings. This was his day and a deserved Green Jacket. Right behind him was Bill Stewart,

Todd gets the nod PSC Golf from the Growling Swan Golf Society Monday, August 26, Pattavia - Stableford 1st Brad Todd (22) 39pts 2nd Keith Buchanan (12) 38pts 3rd Richard Braimbridge (35) 37pts Near Pins: Brad Todd. Alex Field, Keith Buchanan, Dick Braimbridge. Long First Putts: Mashi Kaneta, Denis Steele. Monday and we were off to play “The Old Pineapple Plantation” otherwise known as Pattavia Golf Club. Fifteen golfers turned out for today’s game and from all reports the course was in good nic (as it always is). Fairways were clean and mowed, bunkers were raked and the greens, well what can I say? When putting at Pattavia you have to be on your game early or your round will be destroyed! Weather was good and made the day a little easier. We played from the white tees, playing one flight with three places up for grabs. Brad Todd came out here firing and knocked off top spot with 39 points. Second home was that man again (it’s hard to keep him out of the money) Keith Buchanan, a solitary shot behind our leader. Third home and filling the last spot on the podium was ‘The Reverend’ Richard Braimbridge yet another shot behind.

(From L to R) Dick Braimbridge, Keith Buchanan and Brad Todd.

Thursday, August 29, Eastern Star Stroke A Flight (0-18) 1st Steve Younger (13) net 68 2nd Alex Field (18) net 68 3rd Glenn Henricksen (13) net 71 B Flight (19+) 1st Gary Williams (29) net 72 2nd Shane Young (24) net 73 3rd Lindsay Slender (26) net 73 Near Pins: John Alexander, Alan Nolan, Keith Buchanan, Steve Younger. Long Putts: Chris Stewart, Steve Younger. Twenty-five golfers decided to have another crack at winning the coveted monthly mug. The day’s venue was Eastern Star, another great course that when priced correctly is worth playing.

We attacked the course from the front tees and the numbers we had allowed us to play two flights with three placings and all novelties in play. Steve Younger added to his collection of monthly mugs, taking his tally to five, after he got the nod on countback over Alex Field, both with great scores of net 68. Glenn Henricksen filled the last spot on the A Flight podium, beating Mashi, Kissy and The Viper on another countback. Gary Williams took out B Flight as his net 72 was enough to give him the win. Second past the post and only 1 shot behind we had two golfers returning with the same score, but as it turned out Shane Young edged Lindsay Slender on a countback.

returning from a nasty stomach problem, finding some good form to score 35 points. Third and fourth places were decided on countback with Wayne Peppernell having the better back nine over Simon Niven, both had 34 points. Near pins went to Takeshi Hakozaki, Tom Herrington and Bill Copeland.

A Flight (0-14) 1st Mathias Hermann (11) 39pts 2nd Simon Niven (12) 37pts 3rd Andrew Purdie (9) 36pts B Flight (16+) 1st Colin Service (18) 40pts 2nd Ron Matthews (16) 37pts 3rd Darren Beavers (16) 35pts This week, a year ago, saw the sad passing of Phil McClure, a long time member of PLGS and it was decided to dedicate this event to his memory. Phil was a larger-thanlife Aussie “Vet” who loved his golf, more for the friendship than the rewards it brought him and the day at Pattana was a fitting tribute to the man. Thirty-one golfers were divided into two flights, cut at 14 and under and the prize fund was boosted by a number of special technicals, kindly sponsored by Phil’s long time friend Gary Bolger. Scores were close in both

flights and the top flight saw Andrew Purdie take third place with 36 solid points. In second place was Simon Niven, his 37 points drawing his current visit to a close. The winner was Matthias Hermann with 39 points. In the second flight Darren Beavers finished third on 35 points, a couple behind Ron Matthews on 37. The flight winner, taking the Green Jacket and the Phil McClure Memorial Trophy, was Colin Service, with an excellent forty points. Flights were used for the technicals as well with the division one near pins going to Steve Potter (C2), Kevin Rogers (C7) Bill Copeland (B3) Chris Barker (B7). Second flight near pins went to Alan Walker (C2), Darren Beavers (C7 and B3).No winner (B7). Long drives on B9 went to Darren Beavers (B flight) and a monster from Andrew Purdie took the A Flight.

Tutton off to a flyer at Burapha The Jomtien Golf Society Monday, August 26, Khao Kheow Stableford We were allocated the A and B nines today and playing off the yellow tees we had two divisions out with the equal cut at 12-17 and 19+. “Pick, clean and place” was implemented from the first tee and that was a good move as there were some soggy patches throughout. It was a tough test out there today with 35 points the best score of the day, with Neil Gamble posting that to win division 1. Willy Van Heetvelde was second on 32 and Nik Evans took third with 29 points. Some lower scores in division 2 with Frank Grainger taking the top podium position with 29 points, Alarn Bissell was second on 27 and John Doyle finished third with 26. Neil Gamble scooped three nearest the pins in division 1 while Ray Daws and Willy Van Heetvelde were the only two winners in division 2. Ray Daws birdied A5 and Willy Van Heetvelde B3 to record the only 2’s of the day and split the pot in division 2.

(From left) Ray Daws, Frank Grainger and Nik Evans.

Wednesday, August 28, Burapha - Stableford An equal cut today of 414.5 and 15.2 plus and we were playing the A and B nines at Burapha off the white tees. Playing off H/cap 17, Shane Tutton scored 23 points on the front nine and 16 on the back to win division 2 with 39 points. Frank Grainger recorded his best score for a long time to take second with 38 points and Paul Young finished third on 35. Neil Gamble topped division 1 with 35 points, Martin Grimoldby was second on 35 and Bob Poole came in third with 33.

Near pins went to (Div 1) Martin Grimoldby (2), Bob Poole and Pete Skinner, and (Div 2) Ray Daws, John Doyle and Frank Grainger. Martin Grimoldby and Frank Grainger posted the only birdie 2’s of the day.

Friday, August 30, Eastern Star Stableford There was a strong breeze throughout the round today and some very back of the green pin placements. 37 points was the best score in both divisions with Colin Aspinall posting that to win division 1, with Marty Rock second on 33 and Brian Green third with 31. In division 2, Frank Kelly also returned with 37 points to take the honours while Shane Tutton placed second on 35 and Ron Lavette third with 34. Paul Young was the only near pin winner in division1 and in division 2 John Doyle (2) and Frank Kelly claimed the awards. There were no 2’s in either division.

VOL. XXVII No. 34

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2019 19

PATTAYA MAIL

Short pockets and long arms

Is this for real? A McLaren F1 LM Specification is up for auction in the US with an expected bid of about $34m. Yes, 34 big ones. The McLaren F1 is one of the rarest cars on the planet. And several features are supposed to make this 1990s hypercar more precious than any other. McLaren built just 64 road-going examples of the F1, only two of which were upgraded to Le Mans specification. Now one of those is up for auction at Monterey, California with the astronomical price tag. It is claimed that the stratospheric price tag isn’t just due to its rarity. Every F1 has an engine bay lined with pure gold. In total 16 grams were used for each vehicle. The car up for auction has also had its V12 engine upgraded to produce 507 kW, up from 467 kW in standard form. This power output puts it in rare air, even among modern supercars. Among the few to eclipse the 500 kW mark are the Ferrari 812 Superfast, Lamborghini Aventador S and McLaren 720S. The car’s aero upgrade increased the downforce to cope with the extra grunt. There were also a number of turn-of-the-century modern conveniences added including upgraded airconditioning and a radio with a CD player.

McLaren F1.

(You’re kidding me. $34 million and you get a CD player!) The car also has an odd seating layout with one centrally located driver’s seat and then two passenger seats set back from the driver’s chair. With about 21,000km on the odometer, the McLaren is in great condition. But $ 34 million? Even if the McLaren fetches the anticipated $34m, it won’t come close to the most expensive car ever sold at auction. That honor goes to a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO that sold for $US 48.4 million at the same Monterey car auction last year. And topping them all, a 1963 GTO sold privately in June last year for US$70 million making it the most expensive car purchase to date.

dash-mounted radar, rotating license plates and smoke

screen dispenser. Lots of toys – if you have the money.

Breathtaking news that the young Thai/English driver Alexander Albon is to take over Pierre Gasly’s seat at Red Bull for the rest of the season. Unlike so many in F1 these days, Albon has been consistent and in the points. Verstappen has won two of the last four races and Red Bull are genuinely in a fight with Ferrari for second place. They trail Ferrari by just 44 points. Gasly’s best finish this season was fourth at Silverstone. Crucially, he has not been able to play a part in a team role supporting Verstappen, their lead driver. Albon, who was third in last year’s F2 championship, has 16 points. He produced outstanding performances to go from last to tenth at the Chinese Grand Prix and

Alexander Albon.

took sixth from 17th on the grid in treacherous wet conditions at the Hockenheimring. This was the first time he had driven an F1 car in the wet. Red Bull might have promoted Daniil Kvyat to the seat but the Russian already raced for them in 2015-16 before he was similarly demoted to make room for Verstappen. The team knows what he can do so are now assessing Albon

before making a decision on who will join Verstappen next year. “Red Bull are in the unique position of having four talented Formula 1 drivers under contract who can be rotated between Aston Martin Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso,” said a statement. “The team will use the next nine races to evaluate Alex’s performance in order to make an informed decision as to who will drive alongside Max in 2020.” There is also the situation of money being brought to the team. It was reported last week that PTT were to sponsor Albon. Did the PTT money influence Albon’s elevation to the top team? We will never know, but we can guess.

Zero to 100 clicks in 2.5 seconds – and it’s a motorcycle

“after you.” “No, no, after you” basis. It takes supreme ability by the manager to keep the two cars from hitting each other. I watched a very interesting documentary on this subject, starting from pre-WW1 to

around 10 years ago and looks at famous team tactics between equals. Prost and Senna shows a different side of the Brazilian. The YouTube URL is https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=TWaPfSBuQOw

A two-wheeled nutter? Have you heard of Francois Gissy? No? Well, he has done 333 km/h on a rocket propelled push bike. The bike, designed by Gissy’s friend, Arnold Neracher, reached its top speed of 333 km/h in just 4.8 seconds and 250 meters. “In the moment, it is scary, but as soon as you stop, you also realize how amazing that was,” Gissy said of the experience in an interview with the technology website Gizmag. But he said the wind is extremely powerful when travelling above 300 km/h. “I’m lucky my head is still bolted on the body!” Gissy sits just above the rocket, which has three thrusters and is fastened to the frame. This was not his first time, Gissy’s previous speed record on a similar bike in 2013 was 263 km/h. Exotic Thermo Engineering’s other inventions include a rocket-powered go-kart, a rocket car, and a jetpack called a “rocket belt.” (The latter must get the sphincter well and truly puckered!) According to Guinness World Records, the fastest speed ever for a bicycle that wasn’t

Aston Martin DB5 ex James Bond.

Local lad makes good

The trouble with team mates Over the years in F1 there have always been teams with two top drivers. It is almost impossible to take two highly competitive individuals, give them two identical cars, and expect that the two of them will work on an

The $34 mill McLaren isn’t the only piece of precious metal going up for auction at Monterey. One of the four Aston Martin DB5s built for the James Bond films Goldfinger and Thunderball is up for auction with a price guide of US$4million-$6 million. It comes with original Q specifications, including machine guns, tyre slashers, bulletproof rear screen,

Francois Gissy.

rocket powered was 268.831 km/h by Fred Rompelberg of the Netherlands, riding behind a wind-shield fitted Porsche in 1995 and assisted by the slipstream of the car. The current unassisted bicycle speed record is 133.8 km/h — a record that a team in Toronto is trying to break. Unfortunately, last year Gissy attempted to break his own record on a steam driven tricycle, crashed and was killed. A two wheeled dead nutter.

According to Kawasaki, they have just unveiled a motorcycle that is so fast even daredevils are wondering if it is too powerful. With a design inspired by Formula One motor racing cars and a supercharged engine that uses aerospace technology, the Kawasaki Ninja H2 covers from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 2.5 seconds. It can accelerate as quick as an F1 racing machine — if riders can hang on to it — because the supercharged engine has almost as much power as a Volkswagen Golf GTI hot hatch, but the Kawasaki Ninja H2 weighs barely onefifth as much as the car. The supercharger technology is so sophisticated it has been banned from international motorcycle racing since 1946, but has returned to a modern, road-going motorcycle in the search for more power from smaller engines. The Ninja H2 is expected to comfortably overtake the previous titleholders of the world’s fastest bike including the Kawasaki Ninja ZX14-R from 2012, the Ducati Diavel

Kawasaki Ninja H2.

from 2011, the Yamaha VMAX from 2010, and the Suzuki GSXR-1000 from 2006. The official slogan “built beyond belief” may also go down in history as the most honest in advertising; even Kawasaki admits the Ninja H2 is “not for everyone, nor is it designed to be”. When it comes to performance the Ninja H2 is so powerful Kawasaki has fitted a range of electronics that limit power to enable it to be ridden safely in wet weather or in slippery conditions, as well as a “launch control” mode to get the perfect start. The brakes are bigger than those fitted to a mid-size V8 sedan. Contrary to expectations, the motorcycle insurance industry in Australia is not up in arms over the supercharged superbike. “There are already motorcycles on the road that can accelerate at racing car levels and many that can do more than 300 km/h,” said Swann Insurance research manager Robert McDonald.

“Generally most motorcycle owners only use these speed capabilities on organized track days. There are also many cars on the road currently that can do more than 300 km/h.” The insurer said it was important to note the Kawasaki Ninja H2 had the latest available safety equipment, including intelligent anti-lock brakes, as standard. “We don’t anticipate higher than normal claims rates with this motorcycle compared to other highpowered sports bikes on the road,” said McDonald. (McDonald has obviously not seen the way they ride motorcycles round here, but the purchase price will be beyond almost everyone in Thailand.) Kawasaki Ninja H2 Engine: Supercharged 998 cc in-line four-cylinder Power: 154.5 kW at 11,000 rpm (210 horsepower) Torque: 140 Nm at 10,000 rpm Transmission: Six-speed Weight: 238 kg (ready to ride) Brakes: 330 mm discs (front), 250 mm (rear) 0 to 100 km/h: Less than 2.5 seconds (estimated) Top speed: 299 km/h (electronically limited, but racetrack H2R version can reach 340 km/h).

Read Pattaya Mail Online Updated Daily www.pattayamail.com | Facebook/pattayamail Email: ptymail@pattayamail.com

20 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

PATTAYA MAIL

VOL. XXVII No. 34

Parichat: A perfect host for PSC monthly

The third placed team of John Pierrel, Dick Warberg, Henry Wong and Brian Gabe. (From left) Simon, Richard, Bob and Gareth with Tim (PSC VP).

Michael & Gerald, two of the second placed team.

Parichat International Golf Links may not be every golfer’s cup of tea as it is a tricky test of golf for the individual and has one or two quirky holes, but it is an excellent venue for a 4-person Texas scramble (Ambrose for the Aussies)! A very satisfactory turnout attended the latest Pattaya Sport Club monthly tournament on August 15, given the low number of visitors at this time of year. No doubt many have been affected by the

Watts named golfer of the month Monday, August 26, Pattana B & C – Stableford 1st Daryl Vernon (23) 36pts 2nd Robby Watts (7) 33pts 3rd Stuart Brown (8) 33pts A howling gale force wind made the course almost unplayable today, certainly anyone who didn’t play straight suffered the penalty. Daryl Vernon continues to play solid golf and took first place by a three-shot margin, a reduction in handicap can’t be too far away. Robby Watts sank a long putt on the last hole to edge out Stuart Brown on countback for second, each with thirtythree points. Newcomer Taro Yukimori was on three near pins but only kept one, with Stuart Brown taking two.

Wednesday, August 28, Green Valley – Stableford 1st Michael Brett (15) 36pts 2nd Jimmy Carr (15) 36pts 3rd Robby Watts (7) 35pts Following the recent Singha Championship the Green Valley course was expected to be in great order and so it was. However, the greens had not been cut since and were slower than expected, Robby Watts had twentytwo on the front nine but inexplicably fell away totally on the back to end in third place with thirty-five points.

depressed foreign exchange rates which are also changing the playing habits of many farangs who live here. The 31 players were welcomed at the clubhouse by Tim and Nigel for a first tee time of 9.10am and apart from a slight scare when a six-ball was lined up outside just before our scheduled start, everything at check-in went smoothly enough, helped after a few words from Jack persuaded the starter to move them to the tenth tee. The weather was ideal, sunny with some clouds but with a good breeze that kept the temperature very comfortable and paved the way for some very pleasant golfing conditions. There were no delays and generally a good pace of play was seen throughout, most groups finishing in a little over four hours. Jack met up with his old Outback partner Bob at The Billabong on the Darkside for the presentation, courtesy of owner Sandy; where it was

great to see so many of the players come back to enjoy a couple of beers, a few stories with good friends and some good food. The prize giving went ahead shortly after 3.30pm, with Nigel doing the usual opening speech, thankyous and introductions before handing over to Jack, the PSC Golf Chairman for a few words about future events, which included reminders about the Soi Dao trip in October (7th – 9th), with the first closing date for your secured reservation being 7th September. Nigel then announced the results with Vice President Tim Knight presenting the prizes, and Jack taking the photos. The winning team, comprising of Gareth, Bob, Simon & Richard were probably the red hot favourites but after seeing them all miss the fairway on the first hole, there was some doubt but with a couple of eagles and a birdie on the last, they

just squeezed home by 0.2 of a shot, with 55.5. In second place came the quartet of Gerald Sweetnam, Michael Anderson, Khalifa Nasser & Don Sinclair with a score of 55.7 while in third came the team comprising John Pierrel, Dick Warberg, Henry Wong and Brian Gabe on 57.2. Parichat has undergone some surprising changes since it was opened in 2014 and the work done to date under the relatively new management has shown a distinct improvement to the course and facilities. Priced sensibly with a PSC member card at 1400 baht inclusive of everything Mon to Fri except holidays, it’s well worth another look and gets even better on a Mon & Weds Sport Day for everyone at just 1250 baht. About to be released is their newest promotion, play 5 times get your next game free, anytime of the week or weekends for just 600 baht (caddie & tax) including cart!

Motorsport in mourning after F2 driver Anthoine Hubert dies Jerome Pugmire Jimmy Carr (right) with golfer of the month Robby Watts.

Jimmy Carr and Michael Brett fought out first place with the latter taking it on countback. Despite a complete off day by his standards full of hooks and off drives, Les Cobban managed to bag two near pins with the other going to Steve Durey.

Friday, August 30, Khao Kheow A & B – Medal 1st Gerry Cooney (19) net 72 2nd Robby Watts (7) net 74 3rd Stuart Brown (8) net 75 The last game of August was played under grey dull skies in windy conditions on the A & B nines at Khao Kheow. The format for today game was medal and in the testing conditions scoring was so difficult

that at least three cards were marked “no return”. The winner was Gerry Cooney who is continuing to play well with a net seventy-two. One of his superb drives brought back memories of former glories. Robby Watts took second place whilst not playing to his best was still good enough to score a net seventy-four. Stuart Brown brought up the rear with seventy-five. Takeshi Hakozaki, Robby Watts, Chris Dopp, and Geoff Cox all got near pins. For the second month in a row, we didn’t have to look too far to find golfer of the month with Robby Watts going back to back again by a big margin, will somebody stop him bringing up three in a row?

Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium (AP) —Formula Two driver Anthoine Hubert died at the Spa-Francorchamps track last weekend following a heavy crash at the F2 Belgian Grand Prix. The 22-year old Frenchman lost his life at the highspeed circuit after an estimated 160 mph (257 kph) collision with U.S. driver Juan-Manuel Correa’s car, as they accelerated uphill and then out of the notorious Eau Rouge corner on Lap 2. Hubert appeared to lose control of his car on the exit of the corner before slamming into the far-side barrier. His car flew off the tire wall and slid across the circuit before he was hit by Correa’s car. Correa is now recovering in hospital after reportedly breaking his legs. Both Hubert’s and Correa’s

This May 24, 2019 file photo shows BWT Arden’s Anthoine Hubert. French driver Hubert died in a Formula Two accident at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday Aug. 31, 2019. (David Davies/PA via AP)

cars were severed in two following the crash, with Correa’s car flipped upside down. Medics rushed to reach them on the famed 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) tree-lined track located in the Ardennes forest of Belgium. Motorsport’s governing body FIA said Hubert “succumbed to his injuries, and passed away at 18:35” local time at the on-site medical center.

Hubert raced for the British-owned Arden team run by Garry Horner, the father of Red Bull boss Christian Horner. “(It) is a reminder of just how cruel motorsport, the sport we love, can be,” Christian Horner said. “In his rookie season, Anthoine was demonstrating to be a star of the future having already won races in Monaco and France this year.”

VOL. XXVII No. 34

PATTAYA MAIL

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22 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

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VOL. XXVII No. 34

Una Notte in Piemonte – or One Night in Piedmont Dr Iain Corness Before the members and guests of the deVine wine club were seated, there was plenty of discussion about the wines that were to be sampled that evening in the Royal Grill Room and Wine Cellar. Was it Piemonte or Piedmont? Followers of the Italian language went for the former, whilst the Anglophiles went for the latter. The answer was simply both were correct, with the Royal Cliff backing both horses in the race, using the Italian spelling for the name of the event, while the English was used for the names of the wines. And what names? The Italians using their own style of nomenclature with the reception wine a Sensi, Pure Gold Prosecco 18K, Veneto, Italy 2018. This was a perfect

lead-in, not too sweet nor too dry and I could have happily stayed with it all night. We adjourned to the Grill Room to be regaled with a Casina Chicco, Roero Arneis DOCG Anterisio, Piedmont, Italy 2018, taken with the first course from Chef Peter being an orange and lime infused seabass roulade, fresh herbs, Mesclun leaves and caper citrus vinaigrette. What a start to the evening, with the roulade blending well with the Roero Arneis. The second course was a “Bollito Misto” a classic Italian stew with pork, beef,

chicken and Italian sausage. More flavorsome than the roulade, this was teamed with a more robust Terralba, Derthona Timorasso, Piedmont Italy 2015. The members were split on this wine, some preferring the milder Roero Arneis, with the

others enjoying the more body in the Derthona Timorasso. A slight break in the proceedings was heralded by a wonderful Limoncello sorbet. We took up our places for the wine of the night for most members, the Josetta

Veal scalopina with soft polenta, peperonata and Marsala sauce.

(Photo right) The first course from Chef Peter: an orange and lime infused seabass roulade, fresh herbs, Mesclun leaves and caper citrus vinaigrette.

Mrs. Panga Vathanakul, MD of the Royal Cliff Hotels Group (right), GM Prem Calais (2nd left), and Thibault Sellier, Resident Manager of the Royal Wing Suites and Spa (left) along with Royal Cliff’s Executive Chef Peter Held (centre) present a token of appreciation to guest speaker Sunthorn Lapmul, Director of Marketing of Wine Dee Dee. Co, Ltd.

Saffirio, Barolo DOCG, Monforte d’Alba, Piedmont Italy 2014. Barolo DOCG is a wine to be savored and was taken with a Veal scalopina with soft polenta, peperonata and Marsala sauce. A strong course for a strong wine. The following wine was another robust red, the Casina Cicco, Langhe DOC Nebbiolo Piedmont, Italy 2017 mated to a Tiramisu with a Mascarpone mousse, however, the Barolo was still the winner. To finish there was a selection of Italian cheeses taken with the Sensi, 18K Moscato Rose Sparkling, Italy NV. This was a great wine and a great selection of cheese varieties.

It had been a well-attended wine dinner, allowing the members to experience some very famous wines in the Borolo and the Langhe Nebbiolo. More information on the deVine wine club can be found at Prem@ royal.cliff.com The moderator was Sunthorn Lapmul, a very

well-traveled sommelier and now Director of Marketing of the Wine Dee Dee Group who believes that wine is something that connects people, and once wine is enjoyed, people will also start enjoying the moments. I sat next to Sunthorn for the dinner and enjoyed his company and the moments.

VOL. XXVII No. 34

PATTAYA MAIL

PSC donates bedlinen and pajamas to children at Sotpattana School for the Deaf Jetsada Homklin Pattaya Sports Club President Pratheep ‘Peter’ Malhotra together with Noi Emmerson, Charity & Social Chair and GM Ingkarat Chaimongkon visited the Sotpattana School for the Deaf August 29 to make a presentation of various necessary items in support of the school. On arrival they were welcomed by Rev. Fr. Michael Weera Phangrak, Executive Director of the Pattaya Orphanage who invited the guests to watch a special performance by the deaf children entitled ‘Telling stories with signs’. Teacher Chotiwan Suksamran was especially proud of the six story tellers who presented fables in sign language using hand and facial gestures in front of all the students and teachers as well as their special guests from the Pattaya Sports Club. They took turns to tell stories of, The farmer and the viper, The tortoise and the hare, The crow and the pitcher, The snake and the crab, The Raven and the serpent, as well as The Lion and the ants. Each story had a meaning and exuded a powerful moral message. Chotiwan said, “While the students’ sign language skills have continued to improve and their confidence boosted, the participants had a lot of fun and learned many lessons from them.” After a most impressive and emotional performance Fr. Weera led his guests on a tour of the school showing them the educational and recreational facilities. The PSC has for many

The PSC committee together with Fr Weera, teachers and children express their love for each other.

Lovely children say thank you to their benefactors.

years set a budget to help and support the Pattaya Orphanage with their needs and on this day the team came to make an official presentation of the stainless steel railings installed along 3 flights of stairs which were urgently needed to ensure the children’s safety as they climbed up and down the stairs. The visitors also visited the dormitory to look at the 30 brand new bedding sets including 60 sets of pajamas (2 per child) donated by the PSC.

Sotpattana School for the Deaf is a private charity school affiliated to the Office of the Private Education Commission, Ministry of Education of Thailand, providing free-of-charge instructions based on the national standard pre-elementary education curriculum. The School was officially set up on 6 October 1982 by Rev. Fr. Raymond Allyn Brennan, an American Redemptorist priest. Situated in the same compound as the Pattaya Orphanage, the school has a two-storey building with

classrooms for day students in kindergarten levels 1 and 2. In 2001, the School expanded its services to cover children in kindergarten level 3. The School opens on weekdays from 8:30 hrs. to 15:30 hrs. Male and female children aged 3-9 years old are accepted. They can be either day students or boarders. Supporting funds for the overall administration come from the Pattaya Orphanage, government subsidy to disabled students, including contributions from the children’s parents and charity organisations in the community.

The children are thrilled with their new stainlesssteel stairway railing.

The kids have a great time telling stories with signs under the guidance of Teacher Chotiwan Suksamran.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2019 23

24 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

PATTAYA MAIL

VOL. XXVII No. 34

Thailand strikes gold at world longboat championships

Teams compete in the 14th IDBF World Dragon Boat Race Championships at Mabprachan Reservoir in Pattaya.

Jetsada Homklin Thailand’s rowers put in a dominant display to put the nation at the top of the medals table in the recently completed

14th IDBF World Dragon Boat Race Championships. The colorful 5-day event took place at Mabprachan Reservoir in Pattaya from August 21-25 and featured

A Thai rower is congratulated by his American counterpart at the conclusion of a race.

Parichat: A perfect host for PSC monthly

The latest Pattaya Sport Club (PSC) monthly golf tournament took place on August 15 at Parichat International Golf Links. Turn to page 20 for a full report.

over 3,500 male and female athletes from 30 countries, making it the largest dragon boat contest in the world. Race categories included

The Thai team stands atop the podium after winning another gold medal.

Standard and Small Boat, Open, Mixed, Senior and Junior levels, and all distances from 500 meters up to 2,000 meters. The host nation won a

grand total of 95 medals over the course of the 5 days, including 59 gold, 26 silver, and 10 bronze, enabling Thailand to claim the overall top honors for the first time

in the history of the event. Local organizers hope the successful showing of the home rowers will help lift the profile of longboat racing in the kingdom and beyond.

Pattaya cricketers fly the flag at Koh Chang beach tourney Nine members of the Pattaya Cricket Club (PCC) made the trip to Koh Chang to compete in the 5th International Beach Cricket Tournament from 23rd-26th August 2019. Simon Philbrook (captain) and Dave Samways were experienced beach cricketers, whilst Clive Rogerson, Bernard Lamprecht, Trevor Moolman, Ian Liddell (Reds), Gavin Perfect, Wesley Masterton and John Harvey were beach cricket virgins. 12 teams from Koh Chang, Phuket, Pattaya, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Lamphun and Malaysia competed in two divisions where each team played 5 games. After the preliminary games each team from Division A played their correspondingly positioned team from Division B for one of the six trophies – a toothpick, a chopstick, a spoon, a tea cup, a plate and the winner’s cup. PCC gained second place in their division having won 4 of their 5 games, only being beaten by the Black Parrots from Bangkok. PCC’s second place play-off was against The Lamphun Kids. The threat from the wellschooled and highly skilled youngsters was not lost on PCC, who, bowling first, managed to keep the lid on their usual prolific scoring to 45 off the first 5 overs. ‘Reds’

The Pattaya Cricket Club team members pose for a group photo in Koh Chang.

managed a wicket maiden, the only one of the tournament, but a final catastrophic over where 20 extras were conceded left a challenging 65 against a quick and accurate bowling attack. PCC’s batting started slowly, but by the 3rd over was on track for a tight finish. Tight bowling from Lamphun Kids continued to hamper Pattaya’s premier batsmen and that combined with a dubious runout, led to a defeat by 17 runs. So, PCC finished 4th - a creditable effort from a team of superior years.

The final was conducted between the Black Parrots and the British Club A from Bangkok. It was a low scoring

match where many wickets were taken in a nail-biting finish, with the Black Parrots being victorious.

Pattaya Cricket Club take on Lamphun Kids in the playoffs.

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