Pattaya Mail - FRIDAY MARCH 6 - MARCH 19, 2020 (Vol. XXVIII No. 5) by Pattaya Mail Media Group

Established in 1993

VOL.XXVIII No. 5

FRIDAY MARCH 6 - MARCH 19, 2020

30 BAHT

U.S. Navy storms Walking Street, rescues Pattaya tourism

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‘For sale’ signs pop up as happy hour ends in Pattaya

VOL. XXVIII No. 5

U.S. Navy storms Walking Street, rescues Pattaya tourism Jetsada Homklin

With the city’s main sources of tourists dried up, “for sale” signs are becoming as common as happy hour placards in Pattaya.

Jetsada Homklin With the city’s main sources of tourists dried up, “for sale” signs are becoming as common as happy hour placards in Pattaya. An unscientific survey of Pattaya’s busy downtown streets found an apparent increase in closed businesses and for sale sales, in some cases due to the

disappearance of Chinese tourists due to the Covid19 outbreak. Shops open just a week ago in places like the Soho Town Market and Mae Wilai Market are closed today. While there are still Indian, Russian and European tourists in town, many businesses put all their eggs in a Chinese basket and were forced to close down when

Beijing banned overseas tours to control the spread of the deadly virus. Of course, one man’s misfortune is another’s opportunity. Properly speculator Sei Kom said he buys properties when the market is depressed and holds then until things improve. It’s all cyclical, he said. All he needs are investors willing to take the leap with him.

Ad-hoc U-turn imperils Highway 36 drivers in Pattaya Warapun Jaikusol An ad-hoc U-turn on Highway 36 has motorists worrying about the risk for accidents. Unlike the rest of the highway that recently was resurfaced and expanded from four to six lanes, the section in Nong Plalai looks like the work of amateurs or was forgotten by road workers. The surface is made of crushed gravel and there are no signs or lights. The Highways Department has not properly marked the U-turn nor explained why it is not properly surfaced and lit like elsewhere. But there is one thing drivers

The U-Turn on Highway 36 in Nong Plalai opened for use with no signs or lights.

do know: Almost totally hidden after dark, the U-turn

eventually will be the site of a horrendous accident.

Just when it looked like high season would be a washout, Pattaya’s ship came in. Thousands of U.S. Navy sailors in Thailand for the Cobra Gold joint military exercise washed up on Pattaya’s thirsty shores, splashing cash around a city where tourism dried up after the Chinese tours left. Trevor Moss, the U.S. embassy’s assistant attaché for force protection, welcomed sailors from three navy ships and a merchant vessel to Pattaya from Feb. 22-27. They’ll be back after Cobra Gold wraps March 6-10. Harkening back to when U.S. ships docked within sight of Pattaya Beach, sailors this year came ashore in small boats near the Hard Rock Hotel, rather than in buses from Sattahip and Laem Chabang.

Local businesses hang out welcomes signs, warmly welcoming the Americans.

The extended shore leave was a welcome relief for bar and restaurant owners who have seen scores of empty stools and tables since the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus. Despite their numbers, the fear of the coronavirus kept more sailors in their hotels than normal, so, at least at first, the beer bars along

Pattaya Beach weren’t as busy as many hoped. Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh encouraged the city’s businesses to warmly welcome the Americans and be a good host. Navy shipmen and women also fanned out across Pattaya and beyond, performing community service and learning the local culture.

Pattaya uses Chinese tourist lull to bury Koh Larn trash stockpile Jetsada Homklin If there’s anything positive about the plunge in Chinese tourism to Koh Larn it is because the break has given Pattaya a chance to resolve the island’s chronic garbage problem. For years, Koh Larn has suffered from a backlog of up to 90,000 tons of garbage stacked up and spilling out of the boundaries of what was supposedly a waste waystation. Up to 12 tons a day have to be towed away by barge to the mainland, but the barges broke down years ago and were never replaced, despite a 95-million-baht allocation by the Pattaya City Council in January 2018. At the height of the Chinese tourist wave, Koh Larn was receiving more than 10,000 visitors a day, far more than its crumbling infrastructure can accommodate. Those numbers have fallen to 2,000 or less a day, giving Pattaya a chance to catch up on the trash problem.

Deputy Mayor Manote Nongyai and Pattaya officials inspect the garbage situation on Koh Larn - if there’s anything positive about the plunge in Chinese tourism to the tourist island, it could be because the break has given Pattaya a chance to resolve the island’s chronic garbage problem.

Residents have made clear they don’t want the trash buried, but that’s exactly what Pattaya is doing. The 10-rai dump was expanded to 12 rai in 2017 and now has been expanded again. On Feb. 29 Deputy Mayor Manote Nongyai said more HDPE sheets were laid so that the waste doesn’t seep into the ground and most

of the current 50,000-ton backlog has been buried. Pattaya is still holding out hope that the Interior Ministry will approve its request to build two incinerators, each capable of handling 25 tons of garbage. Manote said the request will be decided this year, but the same thing was said every year since 2016.

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Delayed Kasetsin 9 roadworks to finish ‘soon’ Jetsada Homklin Pattaya officials declined to estimate when a two-year road project on Pratamnak Hill would be completed. Pattaya Deputy Mayor Pattana Boonsawad and city public works officials checked the progress of the 93-millionbaht project on Soi Kasetsin 9, which was supposed to have been completed Jan. 13. Contractor Prosper Joint Venture has been working on the underground plumbing and resurfacing for more than 600 days but still cannot specify a date when it will be done. When asked, Pattana only said “soon”.

The deputy mayor and his aides also looked at Beung Nong Pong near Jomtien Second Road

where the city is considering upgrading the public space to make it an exercise zone.

Slow pipes leave Pattaya water trucks awash in business Jetsada Homklin With water pressure running low in many areas, water suppliers are awash in business in Pattaya. Earlier facing the threat of the worst water shortage Pattaya has seen in five years, the Provincial Waterworks Authority last year cut water pressure in some areas by as much as 20 percent. That means water runs more slowly and sometimes even stops, most recently last week. In South Pattaya and along Thepprasit Road water trucks have been doing good business, selling water for 10-13 baht a liter. One driver said he normally does three or four deliveries a day but is now doing as many as 10.

With water pressure running low in many areas, water suppliers are awash in business in Pattaya.

His biggest customers, he said, are condominiums, apartments and private homes. Water levels in the nearby Chaknok and Mabprachan reservoirs have dropped significantly, with underwater plant life now peeking above the surface in some places.

PWA Pattaya Manager Suthat Nutchpan said people should not normally experience water outages. If they occur it’s because of a line break somewhere. He also reassured residents that there is enough water through at least June, but still encouraged people to conserve.

Naklua roadwork project far from done at deadline Jetsada Homklin Contractors laying new drainpipes across Naklua are running out of time and affected businesses are running out of patience. Pattaya Deputy Mayor Banlue Kullavanijaya checked the progress of work on Soi Post Office where two lanes are closed and heavy machinery and barricades are clogging traffic, making access to businesses difficult. The 101-million-baht project begun in July is supposed to finish this month, but with less than a week to go, it’s certain to run over the contract limit. Banlue told workers their work is inconveniencing many and urged them to pick up the pace. The roadwork calls for the laying of two pairs of pipes to carry storm runoff and sewage, with runoff ending in the sea and wastewater at Pattaya’s sewage-treatment plant.

Naklua Canal trash traps aim to lessen flooding Jetsada Homklin

Pattaya Deputy Mayor Pattana Boonsawad and city public works officials check the progress of the 93million-baht road project on Soi Kasetsin 9.

Pattaya Deputy Mayor Banlue Kullavanijaya checked the progress of work on Soi Post Office where two lanes are closed and heavy machinery and barricades are clogging traffic. It certainly doesn’t look like they finished on time at the end of February.

Work was divided into eight phases and contractors haven’t yet completed Phase 6, which covers the stretch between the Numchai Home Electronics intersection and Sawang Fa Road, passing through Soi Post Office.

The seventh phase runs from Sawang Fa to Soi Huatung and the final phase from Huatung to Sukhumvit and Phongam Road, the Lan Po intersection and through to the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation.

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Pattaya has completed installation of garbage traps on the Naklua Canal which officials hope will solve longrunning flooding problems. Deputy Mayor Manote Nongyai inspected the catch screens installed at the mouth of the canal that will capture trash that has blocked the canal and led to flooding during rainy season. Manote equated the new screens to pruning trees before a storm, a preventative step that will yield results later. However, he added, it doesn’t solve the root problem of people illegally dumping garbage into the waterway. That needs to stop, the deputy mayor said. Pattaya has completed installation of garbage traps on the Naklua Canal which officials hope will solve long-running flooding problems. No mention was made of how or how often the traps will be emptied.

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VOL. XXVIII No. 5

Pattaya marital spat ends American dies in single-car in blood splatter wreck in Najomtien Patcharapol Panrak An American man died when his pickup truck slammed into a tree in Najomtien. Ronald Silvestro (sic), 74, was found unconscious in the cab of his Mitsubishi Triton following the single-vehicle accident on Sukhumvit Road at the Ban Amphur intersection Feb. 19. He later died at Wat Yansangwararam Hospital. Witnesses said they saw Silvestro’s truck coming down Sukhumvit and that it

Combatants sit on opposite sides of the room after receiving medical treatment. No mention was made of what, if any, legal actions await the loving couple.

Boonlua Chatree A marital spat turned bloody when a British expat tried to settle things with a knife. Charles Christopher Ratcliffe, 78, and wife Wasana Kandee, 67, both had slash wounds when police and paramedics arrived at the Lek Apartments

on Second Road after 1:30 a.m. Feb. 24. Neighbors called the cops when they heard the couple’s argument turn violent. Ratcliffe suffered cuts to his face and head and his wife to both hands. Blood spattered the empty beer bottles and cans scattered around the room.

Before being sent to the hospital Wasana told police she and her husband were arguing when he came at her with a knife. She suffered defensive wounds on her hands while trying to wrestle the blade from the Briton, then cut his face and head once she got control of the knife.

Aussie bodybuilder busted for working illegally Teerarak Suthathiwong A two-time Australian bodybuilding champ was arrested in Pattaya for possession of performance-enhancing hormones and working illegally in Thailand. With the help of foreign undercover police informant, Rohan Jeffrey Reid, 47, was taken into custody Feb. 28 at a well-known South Pattaya gym where he was teaching a fitness course to a foreign couple without a work permit. Narcotics Control Office Region 2 officers subsequently searched his room at the Sunshine Vista Hotel on Soi 3 where they recovered a small amount of human growth hormone. Police said they found no evidence he was selling the hormones and no illegal drugs were found.

Ronald Silvestro died as a result of his pickup truck slamming into a tree in Najomtien.

inexplicably lost control before slamming into a plumeria tree on the traffic island.

Police speculated the American fell asleep or had a seizure behind the wheel.

Bar owner’s thugs attack Brit boyfriend of business rival Boonlua Chatree Pattaya’s cut-throat competition for dwindling numbers of tourists boiled over when a beer bar owner allegedly attacked the British boyfriend of the bar next door. Adam Daniel Shields, 39, was set upon by three Thai men late Feb. 26 as he and girlfriend Yupawadee Tieangtam, 32, were going home from the Made in Thailand beer bar complex. He was treated at Pattaya Memorial Hospital for cuts to the head and face. Yupawadee told police she bought her bar from one of the suspects, but her joint has been busier, which she attributed to her British boyfriend bringing many of his foreign friends there. With most beer bars resembling ghost towns, the long-running tension between the neighboring watering holes boiled over, or that’s at least what the victim’s girlfriend was saying.

Adam Daniel Shields allegedly was set upon by three Thai men late Feb. 26 as he and girlfriend Yupawadee Tieangtam were going home from the Made in Thailand beer bar complex.

Noting that alcohol was involved, police are not convinced and are continuing to investigate the cause of the assault.

Trafficked Uzbek prostitutes rescued from Pattaya condo Boonlua Chatree

Rohan Jeffrey Reid has been arrested for working without a permit.

However, he was charged with working illegally for running a business called “Muscle Camp” that brought foreigners to Thailand to learn bodybuilding. Police said he’d been running the tour business for several years. Police also alleged the

two-time International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness “Mr. Australia” was a member of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang in Australia, although there is no mention of him in the Australian press in connection with the bikers nor any illegal activity.

Police rescued four Uzbek women trafficked into prostitution. A team of Provincial Police Region 2, immigration, tourist and Chonburi and Pattaya police raided the Unixx South Pattaya Condominium on Thappraya Road Feb. 26. The Uzbekistan consulate-general tipped off police that a number of women were being held at the condo after being tricked into coming to Pattaya and then forced to work in prostitution. The four women informed officers they were told they were coming to Pattaya for high-paying jobs, but when they arrived they weren’t paid the promised amount and they couldn’t leave. They said there were more Uzbek women

Police rescue four Uzbek women trafficked into prostitution.

in a similar situation still in Pattaya. The sex traffickers were not at the condo and police are trying to locate them.

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 Kamolthep Malhotra e-mail: prince@pattayamail.com Director Strategic MarCom Editor Nopniwat Krailerg e-mail: editor@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 (e-mail: newsdesk@pattayamail.com) © Copyright Pattaya Mail Publishing Co., Ltd.

VOL. XXVIII No. 5

Navy prepares for major war games Patcharapol Panrak The navy’s commander in chief inspected troops before the biggest war games of the year. Adm. Luechai Ruddit and top naval officers reviewed troops from the First Naval Area Command, Naval Special Warfare Command, Royal Thai Fleet, Royal Thai Marine Corps and Air and Coastal Defend Command Feb. 26 in Sattahip. The multi-force exercise from March 11-27 at the Marine Corps based on Toey Ngam Beach will integrate all segments of the navy to improve capabilities, enhance proficiency and ensure equipment is ready.

RTN tests the big guns on the first day of the biggest war games of the year.

The around-the-clock exercises will cover field and marine exercises, humanitarian assistance, disaster mitigation and response to a typhoon

in the Gulf of Thailand. Forces will coordinate fleets, fire missiles and torpedoes and practice anti-submarine tactics.

Cloud seeders said they made it rain in Chonburi this year

Chonburi Deputy Gov. Thammasak Rattanathanya (center, blue shirt) and officials from the local Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives office visited the rainmakers’ Sattahip base Feb. 21 to get a progress report from Director Verapol Sudchada.

Boonlua Chatree Blink and you might have missed it, but the Royal Rainmaking Center claims it successfully made it rain in the East twice this year. Chonburi Deputy Gov. Thammasak Rattanathanya and officials from the local Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives office visited the rainmakers’ Sattahip base Feb. 21 to get a progress report from Director Verapol Sudchada. Verapol said the center has

been using three Cessna airplanes to seed clouds, with operations launched Jan. 931 and Feb. 3-9. In the first operation, pilots made 40 flights totaling 59.5 hours and the mission was 81 percent successful in creating rain in Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Chachoengsao and Bangkok. No figures on when the rain occurred or how much fell were given. This month, 13 flights were made totaling more than 18 hours with the center claiming

100 percent success in creating rain in the five provinces. Verapol said water ended up in the Dok Klai, Bangpra, Klong Yai, Nong Plalai and Prasae reservoirs. The cloud seeders have been hampered by a lack of clouds, which Verapol said was a byproduct of windy weather. Thammasak said Chonburi isn’t afflicted by serious drought, but locally grown sugarcane, tapioca and pineapple could be impacted if it doesn’t rain substantially soon.

MFA: Press Statement regarding the Dissolution of the Future Forward Party Bangkok (MFA) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a press statement regarding the Dissolution of the Future Forward Party after foreign countries released statements questioning the transparency of the move. The FFP had been gaining increasing amounts of grassroots support and had become the strongest opposition to the ruling government. 1. Thailand noted the interest of some countries in a legal offense case which led to the dissolution of the Future Forward Party by the ruling of Constitutional

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Court on 21 February 2020. 2. Such ruling was carried out within the country’s constitutional process, in accordance with the constitutional law and the Organic Law on Political Parties B.E. 2560 (2017), without prejudice to the nature of offense and its perpetrators. It should also

be noted in this context that the constitution did pass the referendum and served as the guiding legal principle for all political parties that participated in the previous general election. 3. While remaining committed to strengthening democratic values and political pluralism, we trust all friends of Thailand would, in full respect of our sovereignty, render usual support to the exercise of the country’s supreme law of the land just as we do in reciprocity with all members of international community.

Cobra Gold 2020 amphibious landing exercise - Hat Yao beach, Sattahip The Thai and United States armed forces are using Chonburi province in an amphibious landing exercise as part of the 39th Cobra Gold 2020 joint military exercise. On Hat Yao Beach in Sattahip district, the Thai and U.S. armed forces conducted an amphibious landing exercise. The USS Green Bay amphibious landing ship and USS America amphibious assault ship, along with HTMS Ang Thong personnel landing ship took part. The ships jointly conducted a mock amphibious landing on a hostile beach with jet fighters launching pre-landing bomb attacks and marines firing at enemy units and helicopters rescuing wounded troops. A mine sweeping and disposal exercise was conducted with F-35B Green Knights jet fighters from the USS America amphibious assault ship launching ground attacks, and Thai Air Force F-16 jet fighters providing air support. LCAC and LCU wheeled armed personnel carriers, helicopters and other aircraft have participated in the mock beachfront operation.

U.S. Navy Sailors aboard Landing Craft, Air Cushion 21 complete a ship-to-shore transfer of two Joint Light Tactical Vehicles and two Light Armored Vehicle 25â€™s during an amphibious assault rehearsal at Hat Yao Beach, Sattahip, Feb. 27, 2020. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Nicolas Cholula)

A U.S. F-35B Lightning II assigned to Marines Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121, of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, flies overhead during an amphibious assault rehearsal at Hat Yao Beach, Sattahip, Feb. 27, 2020 during Exercise Cobra Gold. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Nicolas Cholula)

The 39th Cobra Gold 2020 joint military exercise from February 24 to March 6 includes

a humanitarian aid aspect, disaster relief and counter-terrorism exercises. (NNT)

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While Pattaya officials pray for rain, Nongprue’s mayor makes earthly plans for more water

VOL. XXVIII No. 5

Boy safe after Pong house burns Boonlua Chatree A 6-year-old boy was found safe after a farmer’s shack burned to the ground in Pong. Firefighters put out the flames that consumed a tinroofed wooden shed next to a tapioca field in Moo 1 village Feb. 19, but not before it and two motorbikes were completely destroyed. Owner Temsiri Tonsri, 31, was panicked after running back from feeding the cows to find her house in flames, as she’d left her boy alone watching TV. Firefighters located the boy outside the house unharmed after the fire. Authorities assumed an electrical short started the fire. A mother’s nightmare while out working the fields, seeing her home on fire and thinking her 6-year-old son was inside.

Banglamung Deputy District Chief Paradee Pluksopa leads a religious ceremony with Nongprue residents and subdistrict workers at Mabprachan Reservoir to pray for rain.

Warapun Jaikusol Pattaya-area officials are literally praying for rain but making earthly plans in case it doesn’t. Banglamung Deputy District Chief Paradee Pluksopa recently led a religious ceremony with Nongprue residents and subdistrict workers at the Mabprachan Reservoir, where the water level is at a 20-year low. The officials, even joined by Provincial Waterworks Authority Pattaya Manager Sutat Nutchpan, prayed for rain.

Fortunately, Nongprue Mayor Mai Chaiyanit said Feb. 27, that the government is doing more than appealing to a higher power to deal with the current water shortage. While Sutat has said repeatedly that the Pattaya area has enough water to last through June even if it doesn’t rain, Mai isn’t taking the praying PWA boss at his word, and is reaching out to private landowners to use their water economically. The subdistrict is home to two large, privately owned lakes with more than 300,000

cu. meters of water each. In case of a water crisis, the subdistrict has made deals to truck their raw water to residents. The agreement even calls for the landowner to contribute to the trucking operation. Nongprue’s Public Health and Environment Department has already tested the water in both lakes and found it meets raw water quality standards. The water has been sold previously by private water brokers and no complaints have been received about its safety, Mai said.

Nongprue offers free pet sterilizations, shots

Speeding Pattaya drivers moan at intersection’s short notice to slow down

People are complaining that the warning lights at Wat Thamsamakee cross road on Railway Road is too close to the junction.

Jetsada Homklin

Warapun Jaikusol Nongprue offered sterilizations and vaccinations for pets at no charge. The Chonburi Provincial Livestock Office joined Nongprue Deputy Mayor Suwat Ratchathawattanakul at the municipal office Feb. 20 for the first of the veterinary events aimed at solving problems with stray animals and rabies. Ten vets served up vaccinations and sterilized dogs and cats for free. More free events will be held throughout the year.

Motorists are complaining that warning lights at railway road crossing at Thamsamakee Temple are too close to the intersection,

which leads to accidents. City hall officials surveyed the site behind Pattaya School No. 6 Feb. 19 where commuters say they have to slam on the brakes after seeing the warning lights

without enough time to stop before reaching the junction. Officials acknowledged that the lights were supposed to have been installed further back and will fix the problem.

COVID-19 making face masks in high demand nationwide Nongprue Deputy Mayor Suwat Rachathawattanakul lends a hand during the district’s free sterilizations and vaccinations for pets.

Baywatch City hosts cleaning day in Naklua Jetsada Homklin Deputy Mayor Banlue Kullavanijaya on Feb. 26 led staff from the Pattaya Public Health and Environment Office out to undertake a ‘big cleaning day’ in Naklua. City workers picked up garbage, swept away sand, and washed the street from Long Bridge at the Naklua’s Old Market through to Lan Pho Market. Their efforts resulted in a cleaner environment and a safer road.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation has resulted in heightened awareness of personal health and led to a shortage of protective masks in the market. One pharmacy in Khon Kaen province has reported that it receives so many requests for masks from customers, it has been unable to supply them for over a month now. Only N95 masks designed to filter particulate matter of 2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM2.5) remain. Some customers say they went to four different pharmacies looking for appropriate masks. Another pharmacist pointed out that wariness of COVID19 has resulted in the high demand for medical masks, which has even deterred factories from promising

The coronavirus has led to a shortage of protective masks in the market.

orders and shipments. One pharmacy has switched to carbon masks, which are chosen as an alternative by some customers, when fabric masks are not available. Public health volunteers from 26 districts of Ubon Ratchathani province were given training on how to effectively use fabric face masks, and have been tasked

with passing on the information to local communities. The training included how to sew a fabric mask for personal use and how to wash them for reuse. Volunteers also gained knowledge on other preventative measures against respiratory illness and were told to remember the need to “Eat Hot, Use Serving Spoons and Wash Hands.” (NNT)

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Thailand declares COVID-19 a dangerous contagious disease: what it means to tourists Bangkok, 25 February 2020 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to provide clarification regarding the latest move by the National Communicable Disease Committee (NCDC) to declare the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) a dangerous contagious disease. The declaration is a proactive measure aimed at safeguarding public health, thus further reaffirming Thailand’s strong capacities and its very strict system of monitoring and containment of the disease. This does not mean that Thailand has entered the third phase of the outbreak. The NCDC has made such decision to allow health authorities to effectively prevent and control the disease. In the event of an urgent necessity, it has the authority to close various locations and order patients or suspected patients to temporarily cease working.

What does this mean to tourists? All tourism and travel activities are continuing as per usual with stringent health surveillance systems and stepped up hygiene measures in place.

What measures are in place for tourists? The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) is continuing to implement strict surveillance at all points of entry including ground, sea and air. The Ministry is constantly following the situation and is adjusting the criteria for surveillance regularly to ensure maximum effectiveness in disease control. All tourism-related businesses, both in the Thai public and private sectors across the Kingdom, have

TCEB tries to bring MICE events to small Pattaya neighborhood

Kalin Sarasin, Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand, Taveepong Wichaidith, Director of Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Public Organization), City tourism advisor Rattanachai Sutidechanai, Banglamung Culture Council Chairman Surat Mekavarakul, and honorable guests join the opening ceremony of the “Meeting in Thailand to promote Thai Economy” project.

Jetsada Homklin

stepped up hygiene measures and are working together to combat the crisis.

TAT’s recommendations for tourists All incoming visitors are advised to “travel safely” by practicing daily hygiene habits: frequently wash hands with water and soap or alcohol gel; avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth; strictly comply with the recommendations of “eat cooked food, use serving spoons and wash hands,” and wear hygienic masks when in a crowded area. While travelling, avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms, avoid visiting crowded places, and wear a surgical mask if you have respiratory symptoms. TAT would like to emphasize that the Thai tourism

industry will do everything possible to strictly implement preventive measures and heighten active surveillance for all tourists in Thailand to protect all from being exposed to the virus. This is consistent with the policy of the Thai tourism industry to provide and maintain quality services. Tourists can keep up to date with the COVID-19 situation in Thailand at the TAT Newsroom (www.tatnews.org) and the Department of Disease Control (DDC) (https:/ /ddc.moph.go.th/viralp neumonia/eng/index.php). If any tourists become sick while travelling, seek medical care early, or contact the Department of Disease Control Hotline 1422. For information and assistance relating to Thailand’s tourism, contact the TAT Contact Centre 1672 or the Tourist Police 1155.

Tour operators and guides educated on COVID-19 preventive measures The Songkhla Provincial Public Health Office has organized a seminar to educate local tour operators, guides and public transportation service providers about preventive measures to take against COVID-19. Medical officials from Hat Yai Hospital and the local public health office informed the participants about the new coronavirus, guidelines on protecting themselves and their clients and the establishment of safe zones. The office underlined the importance of disinfecting vehicles used for public transport, maintaining hygiene among vehicle operators and providing hand sanitizers or rubbing alcohol to passengers. Additionally, health officials urged the attendees to inform authorities, via the hotline 1584, about clients or

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Tour operators, guides and public transportation service providers are being taught preventive measures to take against COVID-19.

passengers exhibiting flulike symptoms, in order to give the authority enough

time to perform physical examinations and isolate potential carriers quickly. (NNT)

A small Pattaya neighborhood heard how it could attract business meetings with such things as coconut coffee. City tourism advisor Rattanachai Sutidechanai opened the Feb. 26 meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions workshop cosponsored by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau and Networks of MICE Industry at Fah Sai Aiko Park in the Takhiantia Community. TCEB President Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya told the gathering that the government is trying to boost domestic tourism by having companies reward their employees with meetings and field trips to other provinces to generate

tourism revenue, create jobs and develop skills. While the Takhiantia neighborhood at first would have little to offer MICE site buyers, the community can develop facilities and features that are unique to the area.

As part of that, workshop participants visited various business meeting facilities and enjoyed beverages at Coco Coffee, a new community-run business that offers coffee flavored with locally grown coconuts.

City tourism advisor Rattanachai Sutidechanai and Banglamung Culture Council Chairman Surat Mekavarakul try Coco Coffee, a new communityrun business that offers coffee flavored with locally grown coconuts.

Thailand officially enters “summer” Upper regions warned of thunderstorms Mar 3-5 Bangkok (NNT) - The Meteorological Department has issued a warning of summer storms in the north as Thailand has now officially entered “summer,” although the summer solstice is still months away. Meteorological Department Director General Somsak Khaosuwan confirmed on Sunday that Thailand entered the hot season on February 29, with the temperature rising almost everywhere in Thailand and continuously hot weather during the day. It is expected that the season this year will end in mid-May 2020. The Meteorological Department has also issued a warning regarding summer storms in northern Thailand. There will be thunderstorms, strong winds, hail and lightning in some areas. The northeastern and eastern regions will be most affected, while the lower northern, central and eastern regions including Bangkok and its vicinity will also begin to be affected.

Meteorological Department Director General Somsak Khaosuwan confirmed on Sunday that Thailand entered the hot season on February 29.

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PCEC members participate in many activities in February

VOL. XXVIII No. 5

A day of fun at the Thai Garden Resort

Wearing the traditional white garb provided by Wat Dhammakaya to cover their street clothes, the PCEC group pose with Monks from the Wat in front of a sphere representing the Buddhist Aura.

Although the Pattaya City Expats Club itself does not sponsor outside activities, it encourages and facilitates its members in doing so by forming special interest groups where likeminded individuals can participate together to foster their interest(s) or join together to share the costs of trips to various events. The month of February 2020 was a very active month for such events. Beginning with a trip to Wat Dhammakaya in Bangkok for Makha Bucha Day ceremonies; followed by the annual trek to Pattaya’s Pink Polo event; and at the invitation from the Homerly Senior Living Facility, a visit to tour their facilities; and ending with the monthly Club Dinner at a fine Pattaya Restaurant. A trip on February 8 to Wat Dhammakaya in Bangkok to

observe and participate on Makha Bucha Day ceremonies was arranged by the Burning Rose Meditation Group. This Special Interest Group holds periodic meditation classes after the regular Sunday meeting of the PCEC. The classes are given by monks from Wat Dhammakaya. The group arranged for those interested to visit Wat Dhammakaya to celebrate Makha Bucha Day, a major Buddhist holiday which commemorates a time when 1,250 Buddhists spontaneously came together to pay their respect to the Buddha. Club Member Richard Smith, as he does each year, arranged for van transportation to the Thai Polo and Equestrian Club on February 22 to attend the annual Queen’s Cup Pink Polo event. A total of 21 individuals took

Dr. Wanapa, PhD, leads the PCEC group on a tour of the Homerly Senior Living grounds as Dr. Jiriwan, MD, looks on.

advantage of the transportation to and from the polo grounds for a splendid day of watching international Polo players, enjoying great food, and observing all the finery for the ladies competing for prizes for the most colorful and original costume or hat of the day. In conjunction with her presentation to the PCEC at their Sunday, January 12, meeting, Dr. Wanapa, PhD, Senior Director at Homerly Senior Living, offered to arrange for those interested a visit to their facility. The PCEC coordinated with Dr. Wanapa in making the arrangements resulting in 27 Expats visiting the facility immediately after the PCEC’s Sunday, February 23, meeting. Transportation was provided to and from the facility. They also provided some medical information by Dr. Jiriwan, MD, a heart specialist at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, and free medical tests, followed by a nice afternoon meal. Rounding out the month, the monthly Club Dinner arranged by PCEC members Michel de Goumois and Darrel Vaught was held at the Wine Cellar Restaurant in Jomtien’s Poseidon Hotel on the evening of February 26th. Always an enjoyable opportunity for Expats to enjoy an excellent meal and conversation with usually from 12 to 20 in attendance. With these and other activities arranged by members, there is much more on offer than just the Sunday Club meetings. For information about the PCEC and their activities visit www.pcec.club.

The grateful youngsters were given presents to take home.

The Thai Garden Resort invited 40 orphans from the Tungklom Talman School for a day of fun, swimming and splashing in the 63 meters long Lagoon Pool, a delicious lunch and of course presents to take home. During the past Festive Season, the hotel collected donations from their guests and reserved part of the tickets sales from the Christmas and New Year’s Eve party to provide the orphans with items they really needed. All children were asked to make a list of their wishes, and the hotel was able to provide most of the items from their wish list.

They all went home happily with the new books, shoes, socks and toys they asked for. The Thai Garden Resort is a Travelife Gold Award holder and as part of this program, the hotel has made a strong

commitment to ensure that Social Responsibility is well looked after. It is always a great day to have the children here and watch them have a fun filled day at the Thai Garden Resort!

The Thai Garden Resort invited 40 orphans from the Tungklom Talman School for a day of fun, swimming and splashing in the 63 meters long Lagoon Pool.

Cobra Gold 2020 community service

Surprisingly the visitors scored as many points as the locals.

Derek Franklin Personnel from the United States ships America and Blue Ridge, in Thailand as part of the 2020 Cobra Gold military exercises, took time out from their busy schedule to visit the Father Ray Foundation, as they do each year. The visits are a time when they get to leave their ship and relax, meet the locals, see

the culture of Thailand and at the Foundation it is always a time to play sport, serious sport, Thailand v U.S.A. While the visitors had all played football, or soccer as they like to call it, the calming game of petanque was new to most of them. It looked easy, the special needs children made it look simple, but then one of the players is national champion.

The sitting volleyball players.

Meanwhile, the soccer players from the U.S. were confident in winning against a group of small Thai kids with special needs. They did not know that two of the players are in the national Thai side and have played at the Special Olympics. On the way to the Technological College for People with Disabilities, several visitors boasted at how good they were at basketball, but they soon stopped when they saw the local students sitting in a wheelchair, racing across the court, dribbling and bouncing the ball and then scoring. But to give them credit, the Americans played very well and even managed to score several points. SittingvolleyballisaParalympic sport and in a recent international competition most of the Thai team were either former or current students from the college. The Americans did not stand a chance.

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Khopai, city hall roust Falling tree damages trucks ‘annoying’ homeless man at South Pattaya temple

Wirat Joyjinda, president of the Soi Khopai Community, and other neighborhood leaders rousted a homeless man from their neighborhood because he was annoying the neighbors.

Jetsada Homklin

Leaders of a South Pattaya community and city hall rousted a homeless man from their neighborhood because he was annoying the neighbors. Wirat Joyjinda, president of the Soi Khopai Community, other neighborhood leaders and an advisor to Pattaya’s mayor all converged upon Soi Daeng-Dum and Thepprasit Road Feb. 21 where the middle-aged homeless man had been squatting. Neighbors complained he was loud and annoying and dirtied up the street. The locals and city hall representative convinced the man to leave the area and lay his head in someone else’s backyard.

Two pickups were damaged when a dead tree collapsed, pulling down power lines inside a South Pattaya temple. No one was hurt in the Feb. 24 accident in the parking lot of Thamsamakee Temple. Power inside the complex went out for a short period but was restored by the Provincial Electricity Authority. The Pattaya Environment Department hauled away the dead tree. Temple-goers said the tree had looked dead for a long

Takhiantia factory fire causes million-baht damage Boonlua Chatree Fire that swept through a Takhiantia pallet factory caused about a million baht in damage, but injured no one. Eight fire engines from surrounding municipalities responded to the Feb. 20 blaze at Chokeburi Pallet Part. Ltd. It took about 40 minutes for firefighters to control the flames. Spread over five rai, Chokeburi processes pallet parts. The owner, identified only as Thongthip, 51, said she and her grandparents were inside the factory when they saw smoke and quickly tried to remove what property they could.

Fire that swept through a Takhiantia pallet factory caused about a million baht in damage, but injured no one. It took about 40 minutes for firefighters to control the flames.

In an old wooden structure filled with wooden pallets, the fire spread quickly. Thongthip blamed neighbors burning trash and

grass for the fire, saying she believed embers from those fires landed on a stack of pallets, sparking the blaze.

A tree that had been dead for a long time finally came down with a gust of wind. Its branches snagged power lines and toppled a utility pole damaging two vehicles.

time and finally came down with a gust of wind. Its branches snagged power

lines and toppled a utility pole. The pole fell one truck and the tree on another.

Police check Pattaya school for illegal street bikes Boonlua Chatree Banglamung police continued their crackdown on illegal street racers, checking for modified motorbikes at Pattaya Technical College. Thirty regular and traffic police searched the parking lot for revved-up bikes Feb. 26. Police also spoke to students and about the safety and legal hazards of street racing and modifying motorcycles. Evidently they didn’t find any illegally modified bikes, so they left the students with a warning to behave because police are watching them.

Banglamung police look for modified motorbikes at Pattaya Technical College.

Pattaya police search villas where Chinese man killed, stuffed in suitcase

Pattaya women prisoners get pre-release counseling Jetsada Homklin Social workers from the Human Help Network Foundation Thailand offered advice to help female inmates at the Pattaya Remand Prison readjust to life on the outside. HHNFT Drop-In Center Manager Pirun Noyimjai led the team of counselors in the Feb. 21 class that taught social skills and problem solving. One key the women were encouraged to learn was “deep listening”, or taking time to consider decisions before acting and sharing both good and bad experiences with others and

Police search Pattaya rental homes for evidence tied to the murder of a Chinese man whose body was bound, stuffed in a suitcase and dumped in a northern Thailand river. Pirun Noyimjai teachers a social skills and problem solving class at the Pattaya Remand Prison for women.

offering encouragement to others without prejudice. Hopefully, the social workers said, adjusting thinking,

attitude and behavior before being released from prison will lessen the chances the women return to jail.

Boonlua Chatree Police searched three Pattaya rental homes for evidence tied to the murder of a Chinese man whose body was bound, stuffed in a suitcase and dumped in a northern Thailand river. Local immigration and tourist police and investigators from Muang District of Kampaeng Phet Province joined forensics specialists in carrying out the search

warrant on the three South Pattaya villas Feb. 27. Police believe one of the three houses is where Jun Wang, 30, was killed before Valentine’s Day, likely by fellow countrymen. A group of 15 Chinese men arrived in Thailand on Feb. 12 and came to Pattaya. Police said they were not part of a tour group and 14 of them left on Feb. 14. Before that, however, several of the men rented a minivan and

drove to Kampaeng Phet, police said. On Feb. 26, a black suitcase washed up on the shores of the Ping River in Lan Dok Mai Tok Subdistrict. Inside was Jun, his ankles bound, body doubled-over and his arms and legs wrapped in red rope. Police are trying to trace the origins of the Chinese group and Jun’s relationship to the others. So far no motive or suspect in the crime has been disclosed.

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NASA CubeSats play big role in lunar exploration NASA They might be small, but they’re also mighty. Very small and innovative spacecraft called CubeSats are poised to play a role in NASA’s Artemis program, which will return humans to the Moon by 2024. Advancements in consumer electronics and miniaturized sensors enable small spacecraft to be powerful tools for space exploration. “A number of things have coalesced to create what is termed the SmallSat and CubeSat revolution,” says Christopher Baker, Small Spacecraft Technology program executive within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. “Part of it has been the availability of commercial, off-the-shelf components that have incredible processing power, are very small and function on low electrical power.” CubeSats also offer frequent, flexible, low-cost access to space, while the schedule from conception to launch of these diminutive spacecraft can be fast-paced. They allow you to do things that previously would not have been possible with a large, monolithic spacecraft, Baker observes.

Laser-pulsing probe “In the case of lunar exploration, CubeSats are proving themselves to be increasingly capable platforms to precede human explorers on the Moon and Mars,” Baker points out. One precursor mission is Lunar Flashlight, a very small 6-unit satellite (12 by 24 by 36 centimeters) developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and NASA’s Marshall

Capstone above the moon: Illustration of the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE). Credits: NASA.

Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The measurements, led by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, will locate ice deposits in the Moon’s permanently shadowed craters—called cold traps—and estimate the size and composition of those possible frozen reservoirs. The CubeSat uses an optical receiver aligned with four lasers that sequentially pulse the lunar landscape to look for water ice and other volatiles associated with lunar cold traps. By mapping the lunar South Pole, the same region where NASA plans to land Artemis astronauts, data collected by Lunar Flashlight will help inform and target future missions. Furthermore, knowing the concentration of waterice in cold traps could influence where to set up a lunar base since the water can be mined and processed to churn out Moon-made rocket fuel and drinking water. “There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done to establish a long-term, sustainable human

presence on the Moon. To achieve that vision, we need to use the resources that are available in-situ to the greatest extent practical,” Baker says. “How much ice is within the permanently shadowed regions, what is its composition, and how deep does it go? We’ve started to understand these things with different orbital instruments and now we need to find out more about what’s there.” To achieve this, more knowledge on lunar ice is sought from missions like Lunar Flashlight as well as rover prospecting missions. While Lunar Flashlight will help identify surface ice/ frost in the permanently shadowed regions, other missions will need to determine the depth of any deposits below. Snagging that data could be done by a rover or another satellite equipped with ground penetrating radar.

Pathfinder mission Another pathfinder project representing a rapid lunar flight demonstration is the Cislunar Autonomous

Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment. Tagged as CAPSTONE for short, this low-cost CubeSat is about the size of a small microwave oven. CAPSTONE will demonstrate many firsts, starting with its launch from Earth aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket in early 2021. The company’s Photon platform will give CAPSTONE a boost, putting the CubeSat on its trajectory to cislunar space. CAPSTONE is to be positioned in the same lunar orbit targeted for Gateway—the lunar outpost astronauts will visit before descending to the surface of the Moon in a landing system as part of the Artemis program.

NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, CAPSTONE will demonstrate how to enter into and function in this special orbit as well as test a new navigation capability. “The dynamics of that orbit have been modeled on the ground, but no spacecraft has been placed there. We want to measure what it takes to get into and remain in that orbit,” Baker explains. “It doesn’t take a lot of energy to get into a near rectilinear halo orbit. Therefore, it doesn’t take a lot of energy to get out of that orbit. So how do you stay there? CAPSTONE will advise us on how much fuel is going to be expended by Gateway to maintain that orbit,” he adds.

Space vehicle above the moon: Illustration of Lunar Flashlight. Credits: NASA.

Operating in what’s called a near rectilinear halo orbit, a highly elliptical orbit over the Moon’s poles, CAPSTONE will rotate together with the Moon as it orbits Earth and will pass as close as 1,000 miles and as far as 43,500 miles from the lunar surface.

Orbital dynamics As the inaugural mission to this unique cislunar orbit, which is managed by

An additional CAPSTONE task is use of an onboard communications system capable of determining how far the CubeSat is from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and how fast the distance between the two is changing. This software demonstration of spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation could allow future missions to pinpoint their

place in space without having to rely exclusively on tracking from Earth. “We’re hoping to see a proliferation of these small missions. Not all of them are going to be able to talk at once with our Deep Space Network,” Baker explains. NASA’s Deep Space Network is a powerful system of large radio dishes for commanding, tracking and monitoring the health and safety of spacecraft at many distant planetary locales.

Near-term future Looking to the near-term future of CubeSats, Baker comments that they are at their best when they are being used for targeted objectives. That said, however, CubeSats can also work together in distributed missions, or swarms. You can have multiple CubeSats operating in the same or compatible orbits then later synthesize the data collected by the individual spacecraft. Baker envisions an expanding role for small, economical missions. He sees their utility as a quick reaction tool, so when an unknown comes up, researchers can immediately and responsively target a mission to gather that data. “From a small spacecraft technology perspective, one of the things that I really like doing is finding the mission that someone says can’t be done…then trying to figure out how to do it,” Baker says. “Frankly, given the pace of the small spacecraft community, our academic and industry partners, there may well be an underestimation of what we can accomplish in the next five years.”

ONWR hastens drought fighting operations

On the issue of seawater intrusion into the Chao Phraya River, the ONWR has been supervising the transfer of freshwater from Mae Khlong River Basin into the Chao Phraya River in order to lock out seawater surges.

The drought disaster this year seems to be lasting longer, as the rainy season is expected to arrive late. Given this forecast, the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) has stepped up its plans to mitigate the disaster, while keeping an eye on possible seawater intrusion into the Chao Phraya River. In their latest meeting, the ONWR has acknowledged a forecast from the Meteorological Department expecting the rainy season this year to arrive 1-2 weeks late, in late May, thus requiring enhanced drought mitigation plans to ensure water availability in the community. The ONWR currently has some 3,000 drought fighting projects for the 2019-2020

dry season, including the construction of groundwater wells, surface water sources allocation, waterworks systems restoration, raw water pipe laying, and pumping station construction. The office has urged contractors and related agencies who have already received their budget to push forward the operations, as well as prepare water delivery plans before the rainy season arrives. Delivery plans need to be confirmed for 12 lowland areas along Chao Phraya River, and the Bang Rakam field used for water retention, in order for villagers to prepare themselves accordingly. On the issue of seawater intrusion into the Chao Phraya River, the ONWR has

been supervising the transfer of freshwater from Mae Khlong River Basin into the Chao Phraya River in order to lock out seawater surges. This method has proven successful in helping reduce the water discharge from upcountry into the Chao Phraya Dam. Even so, the situation continues to register higher than standard saline levels during some periods, including 9th-11th March when sea water levels will rise. During these times, water pump capacity will be reduced, and raw water drawn from the Chao Phraya River will be mixed with fresh reserve water, causing the saline level to be well within the standard for acceptable consumption. (NNT)

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Prostate Cancer once more I make no excuses for running another article on Prostate cancer. Fifty percent of people in Thailand are male and 98 percent of them have a prostate which can turn nasty and bite them! (What happened to the 2 percent? They’ve had their prostate removed already.) However, a friend found that he had an elevated Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) and the following examinations showed that the elevation was caused through cancer, not one of the other causes of PSA elevation. Yes, PSA is not a go/no go test. Elevation of PSA is a warning to go looking. However, prostate cancer is common. The statistics show that by age 50, almost 50 percent of American men will have microscopic signs of prostate cancer. By age 75, almost 75 percent of men will have some cancerous changes in their prostate glands. Do the maths. By 100 we’ve all got it! So does this mean that life really ends at around 76? Fortunately no. Most of these cancers stay within the prostate, producing no signs or symptoms, or are so slowgrowing, that they never become a serious threat to health. The good news is you die of something else before the prostate gets you! You die with it, rather than from it. That is an important fact to take in. This we call watchful waiting and serial PSA’s are the way to go, as well as getting friendly with our local urologist.

The real situation is that a much smaller number of men will actually be treated for prostate cancer. About 16 percent of American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lives; 8 percent will develop significant symptoms; but only 3 percent will die of the disease. Put another much more positive way, 97 percent won’t die from their prostate cancer. While some prostate cancers can be ‘aggressive’, breaking out from the prostate gland itself and attacking other tissues, including brain and bone, fortunately this is the minority scenario. The great majority of prostate cancers are slow growing, and it can be decades between the early diagnosis and the cancer growing large enough to produce symptoms. That’s the second important fact to take in. So let’s look at diagnosis and get the “blood test” out of the way first. The blood test is called Prostate Specific Antigen, or PSA for short (we medico’s love acronyms). Up till then we had another test called DRE (digital rectal examination), which, quite frankly, was not all that popular. As medical students, we were taught “If you don’t put your finger in it, you’ll put your foot in it!” Despite this, ‘buyer resistance’ was high, so when news came through about a “blood test”, millions of men began rejoicing and the sale of rubber gloves plummeted. Unfortunately, as I said earlier, PSA is not a go/no-go test. A normal range test doesn’t guarantee you haven’t got it, and an elevated result doesn’t

automatically mean that you are about to claim early on your life insurance (or your dependents, anyway). However, there is good news. Serial PSA examinations can show the rate of cancer growth, and the rate of increase is more significant. Like many other cancers, prostate cancer can only be fully diagnosed and ‘staged’ by biopsy. ‘Staging’ has four main grades. Stage I cannot be felt and is diagnosed through pathological testing. Stage II can be felt, but it is confined to the prostate. Stage III is coming out of the gland and Stage IV has grown into nearby tissues. This is where you need to discuss your options with our doctors. If you are a young man with stage IV, then you have to make up your mind quickly. But if you are 75 with stage I or II, then you have more time, as you will most likely die of other causes before the prostate cancer gets you. For these people, “Watch and Wait” has much going for it, but you must be prepared to get to know your urologist, so pick a young one. To increase your knowledge, Bangkok Hospital Pattaya is running a free information seminar on Men’s Health on Saturday 21st of March from 9am.-12 noon. Be quick to register. Limited seats and for first 50 persons, you will get a free PSA and Testosterone tests. Telephone: 061386-6153 Email: Wallapha.sa@bph.co.th

Health Ministry says Thailand very low risk of COVID-19 epidemic

The Ministry of Public Health announced Thailand has remained at very low risk of a COVID-19 epidemic, given the increased preventive measures in many areas with an additional 111, people making a total of 1,152 people, under close watch. The public are advised to follow only information from government agencies and to not respond to fake news or rumors. Dr Thaweesilp Wisanuyothin, spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Thanarak Phliphat, deputy director general of the Department of Disease Control, and Dr Narong Aphikulwanich, deputy director general of the Department of Medical Services, last week held a press conference on the COVID-19 situation. The ministry said another patient, a 24-yearold Thai male, has fully recovered and returned home from Chonburi Hospital. He is one of 138 Thais who have come back from China.

Ministry of Public Health officials announced Thailand has remained at very low risk of a COVID-19 epidemic, given the increased preventive measures in many areas.

The number of COVID-19 patients has not increased and most have recovered. Of those currently hospitalized, one is on an ECMO heartlung bypass machine and another has tuberculosis and remains in an ICU. Both are being closely watched by doctors. Thailand has taken measures to prevent COVID-19 infection for the last 60 days,

by screening incoming travelers from countries where a COVID-19 outbreak has been reported. From January 3, 2020 no human-to-human transmission was then reported. Members of the public are advised to be assured of the effectiveness of Thailand’s measures. Thailand was among the first countries where incoming airline passengers have been screened

for COVID-19 at airports and was the country which found the first infected person outside China. A national committee on the new virus, chaired by the prime minister, has approved integrated, multilateral cooperation plans for public safety and containment of the COVID-19 spread. The measures to keep the spread of the virus pandemic under control could

Thailand to classify Covid-19 as dangerous communicable disease

Thailand is likely to classify Covid-19 as a dangerous communicable disease which will provide authorities with legal tools to initiate mandatory quarantines.

Thailand is likely to classify Covid-19 as a dangerous communicable disease which will provide authorities with legal tools to initiate mandatory quarantines. In a meeting on Monday, Feb. 24, a panel led by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was considering listing COVID19 as the country’s 14th dangerous communicable disease.

COVID-19 falls under the criteria to be listed as dangerous disease, health officials said. Although the number of Covid-19 cases remains relatively low, the government has prepared for the worst, approving a plan for handling Level 3 of the outbreak, in which more stringent measures will be implemented to handle uncontrollable infections. (TNA)

be implemented in Phase 3, in case of a nationwide outbreak, though the situation is currently in Phase 2. The Ministry of Public Health and relevant agencies have been strictly screening incoming passengers for COVID-19 at airports, seaports and land border checkpoints with a focus on eight tourist provinces. Dr Thanarak called on the public to cooperate with authorities, understand the situation and not panic or be misled by fake news, which should not be posted or shared. They are encouraged to follow the advice of the Ministry of Public Health to prevent themselves from being infected, no

matter how long it might remain in the environment. Those who might have a fever, cough, sneezes or a runny nose are advised to wear face masks and see the doctor. People are advised to stay away from crowded places, wash hands often, avoid touching their face, nose or mouth with hands that may have touched various objects. People who might be exposed to a risk of infection, such as those working closely with tourists, are advised to wear face masks and to see the doctor promptly if they develop a fever, cough, sneeze or have a runny nose. (NNT)

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Crossword No 1373 Only some oldies Not every expat now obtaining a one year retirement extension at local immigration is being told to return after three months to check whether or not the 800,000 baht is still shown in your bank book. Apparently, the requirement is being used mainly to check up on new retirees or those without much cash surplus at the application stage. Probably not you.

Corona scare A farang tourist found lazing semi-naked on a Jomtien beach in the midday blazing sun was asked why he was being so foolish. He replied that he had read on Facebook that very strong heat killed off the dreaded flu virus which everyone is talking about. He is now recovering slowly in hospital suffering from serious sunburn and dehydration. His insurance refused to cover the treatment bill as he was not suffering from a “holiday illness”.

Driving licence keys If you decide to try and obtain a first driving licence directly at the Banglamung Land Transportation Centre, don’t forget you’ll need a letter from a doctor and proof of address from the immigration bureau amongst the required documentation. Remember too that the Banglamung office will not accept your home-country driving licence unless it is officially endorsed by the appropriate embassy.

British advice Not sure if Brexit is to blame, but the UK embassy is regularly updating the requirements for its usual services. A Brit swearing the oath before marrying a Thai now needs to provide the names and address of two witnesses living in UK – not anywhere else. Separately, a UK national in Thailand wanting a new or replacement passport must now produce proof of his/her Thai address signed or stamped in the last 12 months. So don’t rely on your house registration book. A letter from immigration is OK.

Taking your leave Overheard in a pub. A man was searching the social science shelves in a local library and seemed to be getting nowhere. The friendly assistant asked him if she could help. “Well, I’m looking for a book on suicide but you don’t seem to have any,” he explained. “Yes I know,” she answered, “we used to have many but the so-and-soes never bring them back.”

Buying and selling Just a reminder: foreigners wanting to purchase or get rid of a vehicle in their name must obtain a confirmation of address letter from the immigration bureau which will also need to see the registration document. But the letter does not have a permanent validity and must be presented to the vehicle license authority within 30 days.

Bridge club news No more arrests sorry! Jomtien Bridge Club – the one which used to meet in the large house more or less opposite Mr Mac’s Apartments on Thappraya Road – has moved. It now meets at Friends, a Norwegian-run bar and restaurant located very close to Jomtien Beach Road. Walking towards the beach, it’s the last soi on your right after passing Hemingways. Mon, Wed, Fri, starts 1 pm, but be there by 12.45.

Down 1 Illustrious (8) 2 Pursuit (5) 4 Counting-frame (6) 5 Proclamation of intended marriage (5) 6 Beseech (7) 7 Maintain (4) 8 Scavenging beast (6) 13 Magnificent (8) 15 Atrociously (7) 17 Armour to protect the head (6) 18 Iran, formerly (6) 20 Modify (5) 22 Dissuade (5) 23 Utilised (4)

Last week’s answers Across: 1 Insipid, 5 Put up, 8 Never, 9 Tequila, 10 Redress, 11 Extol, 12 Dearth, 14 Cheese, 18 Plaid, 20 Nonstop, 22 Prudent, 23 Mango, 24 Yield, 25 Panache. Down: 1 Ignored, 2 Saved, 3 Portent, 4 Detest, 5 Pique, 6 Thistle, 7 Pearl, 13 As a rule, 15 Hangman, 16 Explode, 17 Instep, 18 Poppy, 19 Dread, 21 Tonic.

Ten-Minute Sudoku An easy Sudoku puzzle that should not take long to complete. The rules of Sudoku are simple. Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Each row must contain one of each digit. So must each column and each 3x3 box. Answer next week.

Last week’s answers:

No. 275

Khatoey shortage

What was the last thing seen by the brown dog wearing sunglasses on a dark night? The answer is the car which knocked it down. Of course! Not to worry if you got this one wrong. The questions in the Pattaya pub quiz league tend to be easier. Or that’s what we hear these days.

Massic Travel

1 Affluent (4) 3 Dawn (8) 9 North American falls (7) 10 Saltpetre (5) 11 Destroy (5) 12 Northern Ireland (6) 14 Make possible (6) 16 Stop speaking (4,2) 19 Burning (6) 21 Serving spoon (5) 24 Burst (5) 25 Perfumed (7) 26 Reverie (8) 27 Parched (4)

A common question about the elite visa is how long it takes to process. The answer is it depends on your nationality, so any time from two weeks to two months. We leave you to work out which passports take longer than others to complete those detailed immigration checks. There are several forms of the elite visa, but the most popular one is the one-off 500,000 baht payment for a five year visa in chunks of three months at a time. Yes you have to do the 90 days check-in or leave the country to get another chunk.

Quiz question

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Stone cold Down at the watering hole the other night, the subject of wine came up again. One of my companions quoted that tired old cliché that he prefers “red wine at room temperature”. I resisted the temptation to make an issue of it, but a moment’s thought reveals that the statement is nonsense. For a start, it implies that all red wine should be served at the same temperature which is simply not true. More importantly the temperature of a room depends on many variables, especially in this part of the world. As I am typing this, the temperature in my study - with all the windows open is about 33°C (91° F). Only a lunatic would drink wine as warm as that. Wine temperature is critical. And before you protest about this being a subjective matter, remember that we are not talking about personal taste here, but how to taste the wine at its best. Experts agree that every wine has its optimum serving temperature. One of the biggest mistakes people

make is drinking wine too warm, or more usually in these parts, too cold. Even the cheapest plonk taste better at the appropriate temperature. Generally speaking, young or light-bodied wines taste better at lower temperatures whereas full-bodied wines are at their best several degrees higher. The “body” or “boldness” of the wine is the result of several factors including grape variety, climate, vintage, alcohol level and tannins. In case you’re wondering, tannins occur naturally in vines and in oak barrels and have a distinctive taste that makes your tongue feel dry. On the positive side, they add body and character and they’re most noticeable in red wines. Right then, let’s be a bit more specific and start with some popular reds. If a fullbodied red is served too cold the tannins taste rough and unpleasant, the aromas lie hidden and the flavour feels unyielding. On the other hand, nothing ruins a red wine more quickly than serving it

GE® Brand Wine Center.

too warm. Full-bodied reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Malbec are best at 16-17°C (61-63°F). You can include virtually all Bordeaux, Burgundy or Rhône in this category. In cold-climate areas such as Northern Europe, reds of this type are normally served at the prevailing ambient temperature. Medium-bodied reds such as Chianti and

Valpolicella are best a little cooler at 13-15°C (55-59°F) and very light reds such as Bardolino, Lambrusco or Beaujolais taste freshest when they’re distinctly cool at 12°C (54°F). Rosé wines should always be wellchilled around 8°C (46°F). White wines also range from full-bodied to lightbodied but unlike reds, they can also be sweet or dry.

4 Baht 1864 commemorative coin and Tamlung bullet coin Up to the year 2000, the 4 baht 1864 with a diameter of 45 mm was the largest flat coin produced for Thailand. In 2000 A.D. the slightly larger Millennium coins were produced by the Singapore Mint for Thailand. They were the 65 mm Silver 200 Baht and the 55 mm Gold 2,500 Baht coins. The 4 Baht 1864 coin was struck in gold and silver to commemorate the 60th Birthday of King Mongkut, Rama IV. The coins were used for presentation purposes and the King also permitted them to be used for decorations.

On the obverse of the 4 Baht coin there is the Crown with rays flanked with umbrellas with three branches in the background, and bordered by 32 stars, each star representing one Fuang (1/8 Baht). The reverse has the inscription, Krung Siam enclosed within a frame and the Chinese legend Cheng Ming Tung Pao outside the frame. “Cheng Ming” is the name of King Rama IV in Chinese and “Tung Pao” means “lawful money”. There are two types; one with the double-lined frame and dots around the rim,

The 4 Baht 1864 commemorative coin.

The 4 Baht Tamlung, Pod Fuang or bullet coin with Mongkut and Chakra.

and the other with a singlelined frame without dots. The descriptions of the obverse and reverse are from the book “Coinage of the Rattanakosin era 17821982 AD”. The gold 4 Baht coin is very rare and during the last 30 years only a few transactions have taken place. One collector had two pieces in his collection bought during the last 30 years. He later sold both sets, one by private treaty and one in an auction sale. The 4 baht coin turns up in auctions from time to time. The price is varied, based on the quality. The prices I have seen have been from

300,000 Baht to 500,000 Baht. For a 4 Baht coin in perfect condition the price might be considerably higher. Because of the size and weight, a little more than 60 grams, this coin is considered a broad thaler. If one would like a Thai 4 Baht coin in their collection, the alternative would be to buy a 4 Baht Tamlung, Pod Fuang or bullet coin also issued during the reign of King Mongkut, Rama 4. This very nice coin is from 1851 and originally struck for the coronation of Rama IV. The price of this bullet coin is from 50,000 Baht to 150,000 Baht depending on the quality.

Whites invariably taste better when they’re chilled because warm white wine always feels flabby and dull. Full-bodied whites such hot-climate Chardonnay should be slightly chilled at 9-10°C (48-50°F) and lighter whites such as Orvieto, Pinot Grigio or Soave well-chilled at 8°C (47°F). Champagne and Prosecco along with many sweet wines taste best when they are decidedly cold at about 7°C (45°F) which is pretty well straight out of the fridge. Sherry is technically a white wine and it’s still a popular drink in the UK though almost everyone makes the mistake of serving it too warm. In its home country of Spain, it’s always well chilled to bring out the freshness. Don’t worry about serving white wine too cold, because in our tropical climate it’ll warm up all too quickly. You’d be surprised at how rapidly this occurs. As an experiment, I checked the temperature of a Chilean Chardonnay straight out of the fridge. It was 3°C (37°F) and too cold for drinking. Having sloshed the wine into a decanter to aerate it, I then poured a sample. During this process, which took less than a couple of minutes the wine’s temperature shot up to 10°C (50°F) which as luck would have it, is just about right for Chilean Chardonnay. But then the glass of wine was left unattended for five minutes during which time the temperature increased to an amazing 15°C (59°F); far too warm to taste at its best. It was heating up at one degree Celsius - or roughly two degrees Fahrenheit - every

sixty seconds. At a social occasion, the wine could be too warm before you reach the end of the glass, especially there’s the usual chok dee routine to endure before every swig. I should add that during my not-too-scientific experiment in the kitchen, the air-conditioner was off, because being half Scottish I tend to avoid reckless spending. In an air-conditioned room of course, the rise in temperature would be a little slower. You can’t really check the temperature by sticking your finger in the glass, though with practice you can become quite proficient at estimating temperature. If you want to get it consistently right, buy a wine or cooking thermometer. Lazada has a good selection, including some cheap LCD bracelets that conveniently fit around bottles. Although different wines should be served at different temperatures, all wines should be stored at the same constant temperature which is about 13°C (55°F). Unless you can afford an expensive wine storage cooler it’s probably unrealistic in this country to store wine at home. The sensible solution is probably to buy wine when you need it then stick it in the fridge before the bottle is opened. Then let the bottle rest in an icebucket containing water (and some ice if necessary) at roughly the right temperature. You can help white wine by serving it in cold glasses, but not so cold that your guests drop them in shock.

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Pattaya Pride celebrated LGBT community Jetsada Homklin

City tourism advisor Rattanachai Sutidechanai kicks off the festival.

Pattaya celebrated its LGBT community with the colorful Pattaya Pride parade. City tourism advisor Rattanachai Sutidechanai kicked off the Feb. 15 festival with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organizations including Bangkok Rainbow and the LGBT Business Network of Thailand. The event is held yearly to celebrate and promote LGBT rights and acceptance into society. The parade began at 4 p.m. at Royal Garden Plaza and marched along Second Road to Central Festival Pattaya Beach.

VOL. XXVIII No. 5

Mark Twain in Jomtien by Colin Kaye A few weeks ago, I read Mark Twain’s splendid travel book again, The Innocents Abroad which was published in 1869. It was based on his letters to newspapers about what he called his “Great Pleasure Excursion” on board the chartered steamship Quaker City. Sponsored by a local paper, Mark Twain travelled with a group of assorted American tourists and visited Europe, Egypt and the Holy Land. The Innocents Abroad is a satirical and humorous account of the tour and the book repays a second reading because it’s a remarkable literary feat, full of the dry and often acerbic wit for which the author was renowned. It was Twain’s best-selling book during his lifetime and became one of the best-selling travel books ever. Mark Twain was yet to write his two great novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn both somewhat controversial classics of American literature. And so it was with some interest that I went to Ben’s Theater in Jomtien to see an incarnation of Mark Twain played by the distinguished British actor, writer and director Daniel Foley. In the show An Evening with Mark Twain the audience was told of his childhood, his years on the Mississippi River, his travels abroad and his friendships, successes and failures. Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born in 1835 in the now uninhabited village of Florida, Missouri. He was brought up in Hannibal, Missouri - a port town on the Mississippi River which later provided the setting for both the Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn novels. Daniel Foley (in the guise of Mark Twain) told of his apprenticeship to a printer and how he sometimes contributed articles to the Hannibal Journal, a paper owned by his elder brother. He told of his later work as a young pilot on the Mississippi riverboats; a prestigious job at the time, akin to that of an airline pilot today. Incidentally, the pseudonym Mark Twain comes directly from riverboat jargon. “Twain” is the archaic word for “two” as in the expression “never the twain shall meet.” As the riverboat chugged along, the pilot would regularly ask one of the leadsmen to sound the water depth. The shouted phrase to the pilot “Mark twain!” meant that the riverboat had two fathoms (or twelve feet) clearance and it was therefore safe to proceed. Sam Clemens later moved west and Daniel told of the unsuccessful attempts at mining in the town of Virginia City, Nevada. It was around this

Daniel Foley.

time that Clemens published a short story about a jumping frog. It brought him national attention and success. It was also the first time he used the name Mark Twain. In later life, Twain was in demand as a featured speaker and Daniel Foley gave a fine impression of the great writer. Daniel has a commanding presence on stage and confident speech and posture which reflected his vast experience of acting and theatre production. He trained for the stage at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama where he won The Percival Steeds Prize and Royal Lyceum Awards. In 1992 he studied the Indonesian traditional form of puppet shadow-play known wayang kulit with the great Pak Suleman and later trained in Japanese traditional dance with Yoh Izumo. With Performance Exchange, Daniel has appeared in more than a hundred stage productions in thirty-seven countries. He’s appeared at The European Arts Festival Berlin, The London International Festival of Theatre, The Shakespeare Festival Cologne, The Seoul Shakespeare Festival, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival and many more. He has directed more than fifty productions, ranging from the classics to stage works by modern writers and in 1982 and 1983 he won awards for Best Director. In the second half of the programme Daniel read excerpts from some of the many letters that Mark Twain received from his international readership. It was a full house at Ben’s Theater and the audience clearly appreciated the entertaining evening which has also been presented in Manila, Vientiane, Phnom Penh and Bangkok. Now here’s a curious thing. Mark Twain was born shortly after the appearance of Halley’s Comet which as you may know, shows up every seventy-five years or so. Mark Twain often quipped that he would “go out with it as well”. The comet returned in April 1910 and on the 20th of that month was at its closest to Earth. The following day, as the comet headed off back into space, Mark Twain died. Now I don’t know about you, but I think that’s a little bit spooky.

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Coronavirus – the Known and the Unknown The subject of the outbreak of the Coronavirus in China which is also beginning to appear in other countries, especially Thailand, has been a main subject of news media; not only in Thailand, but around the world. At the Sunday, February 16 meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club, three distinguished speakers gave an excellent factual presentation about the Coronavirus – what it is, what is known about it, and what is still unknown. The speakers were Professor Andy Barraclough, an emeritus professor of Public Health and Director of Training at the Empower School of Health, Dr. Hisham Imad, MD, from Mahidol-Osaka Center for Infectious Diseases and the Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University in Bangkok, and Dr. Wasin Matsee, MD, from the Thai Travel Clinic at the Mahidol University’s Hospital for Tropical Diseases. Andy was the first to speak, laying the groundwork for the more technical information to be provided by the two doctors that followed. Using some humorous and not so humorous slides on the meeting room’s 3 big screens, Andy provided some comic relief as well as important information on this important subject.

He began by giving his usual disclaimers noting the information came from reliable sources, but was not medical advice and should never substitute for professional medical advice. He emphasized that the Coronavirus, designated as COVID-19, is “new” and therefore there is much still unknown about it, but cautioned that much in the media about it is “Fake News” and not reliable. He said that the best sources of factual information are from the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the Thai Ministry of Public Health’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) - all of which have specific webpages devoted to information about the Coronavirus. The Coronavirus is Zoonotic (originating in animals), and is like viruses that cause the common cold and started the SARs and MERs outbreaks in the recent past, but it is certainly new and different from those viruses and possibly more contagious. Andy was followed by Dr. Hashim and Dr. Wasin who described what is known about this new type of coronavirus (yes, there are others, but 2019-nCoV, is a new virus). They covered the known symptoms and measures one can take to reduce risk of infection.

MC Ann Ensell presents the PCEC’s Certificates of Appreciation for the presenters from Bangkok, Dr. Hisham and Dr. Wasin. Professor Andy Barraclough, from Pattaya, has been the recipient of several Certificates for his previous presentations to the PCEC.

They noted that the common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. If you have symptoms, it is important to seek medical attention because in more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. It is believed that the incubation period from infection to development of symptoms is from 2 to 14 days. Current understanding about how the virus that causes coronavirus COVID19 spreads is largely based on what is known about similar coronaviruses. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet)

via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. People are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic (the sickest). Some spread might be possible before people show symptoms; there have been reports of this with this new coronavirus, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. How easily a virus spreads from person-to-person

can vary. Some viruses are highly contagious (like measles), while other viruses are less so. The virus that causes COVID-19 seems to be spreading easily and sustainably in Hubei province and other parts of China. It is an emerging disease and there is more to learn about its transmissibility, severity, and other features and what will happen in other countries including Thailand. However, there are certain things one can do to reduce the risk of infection or spreading the disease. These include: 1) Avoid contact with sick people; 2) Avoid visiting markets and places where live or dead animals are handled; 3) Follow general rules governing hygiene and food hygiene; and 4) Wash your hands with soap and water OR use an alcohol-based disinfectant solution before eating, after using the toilet, and after any contact with animals. Although face masks help prevent further spread of infection from those who are sick to others around them, they do not seem to be as effective as a prevention method for those who are not infected. For handwashing, use the following guidelines: 1) Hand washing and disinfection is the key to preventing infection; 2) Frequently

wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; 3) If soap and water are not available, you can also use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol; and 4) The virus enters your body via your eyes, nose and mouth, so avoid touching them with unwashed hands. An important point in their message about COVID-19, is that if you think you may have it (exhibiting flu like symptoms), you should get tested. In Thailand you can call the DDC hotline at 1422 to arrange for testing. The DDC also has published several “recommendations” for various situations. You can read these by visiting: https://ddc.moph.go.th/ viralpneumonia/eng/ introduction.php. After the presentation, the MC brought everyone up to date on the upcoming club events and others of interest. This was followed by the Open Forum where questions are asked and answered about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya. For more information about the PCEC, visit their website at: www.pcec.club. Visit the PCEC’s YouTube channel to view the video of the presentation at: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=wfuvSzgBklE&t =1260s.

Tongue Thai’d… a How to Learn the Thai Language Lesson at PCEC Graham Rawlings presented a cleverly entitled ‘Tongue Thai’d’ – A talk about the “ups” and “downs” of his learning the Thai language’ to the Pattaya City Expats Club on Sunday, February 23. This was quite an informative and entertaining talk on his journey from zero knowledge upwards. His presentation included what worked for him and what didn’t. He included evidence-based advice on how to learn Thai, relevant to almost any Expat, and his motivation to do it, plus some do’s and don’ts and clues as to why Thai people speak English the way they do. He included a few useful phrases that he has picked up. Graham lives in England. He loves reading and he gives reading assistance to 5-7 year old children. He considers himself to be an amateur linguist. He notes he learned French and German at school, and like most people, quickly forgot both. Later, he studied French “intensif” (intensely) in Cannes. He has visited several countries in Western Europe in the distant past, became a frequent visitor to Germany, and somehow developed an “ear” for foreign languages and accents. He is now a tourist, and has become particularly interested

in Southeast Asia and the Thai language. He qualified to teach English to foreigners more than 20 years ago. Studied Engineering at college and Business Management at University; working for more than 30 years in the Automotive Engineering sector. Beginning his presentation, he posed the questions, “Why bother to learn Thai since everyone speaks English already” and “Why we shouldn’t learn Thai.” He noted that the answer to the latter question is often the lament that it is difficult as it is a tonal language. Graham’s opinion was that learning Thai or any language has to derive from an inner strong motivation to do so or it will not succeed. The next question he asked, so you are motivated…where do you start? Internet search or the Rosetta method were often mentioned to him, but Graham said it was not the right path for him. He eventually settled on the Pimsleur sets of Compact Disks (CDs) which felt that for him with a lot of work, were more successful. Walking down his road of discovery, he said that what he purposely did not learn were days, months, colors, numbers and the

Graham Rawlings, who bills himself as an amateur linguist, shares his experience in learning to speak the Thai language.

written language. He found in the Thai language, it was much more beneficial to learn instead, how to say yesterday, today, tomorrow, next, and last. Graham said although CDs were a start, for him to rise to another level of conversational Thai he needed feedback from a Thai

speaking person as they could answer questions and make corrections that could not be made with CDs. To move to this level Graham said he partnered with someone at the University of London SOAS and this became an important upward movement in his learning Thai. He mentioned that his personal breakthrough came when he ventured out to converse with someone in the real world which he did after two years of studying. This was daring because even if you are well versed in what you are going to say, you can’t predict what the response will be or how fast it will come at you. If you find a patient converser then your level of confidence will rise dramatically. Graham listed the most common mistakes in learning Thai. In order these were 1) Not listening enough, 2) Lacking curiosity, 3) Rigid thinking, 4) Using a single method, and 5) most likely the most significant, fear (mostly of making mistakes). Progress in language proficiency, he explained, includes 5 stages. The first stage is the silent period where you just listen. This will last perhaps 6 months.

Second level is the use of short phrases in public. This phase too will last about 6 months. Moving on to level 3 which is the implantation of short questions and answers, may last from 1 to 3 years. The next level is intermediate reflecting some level of fluency with more complicated structures and expressing thoughts and opinions. The last, of course, would be ‘mature’ where your language skills approach the level of a native speaker. In conclusion, he noted that as far as difficulty, learning Thai is at a level 4 difficulty task in a system of levels 1-5 measured for English speakers. The major players in his Thai language development were the language CDs, the language exchange with a real person with feedback and overcoming the fear of making mistakes to just go out and talk. After the presentation, the MC brought everyone up to date on the upcoming club events and others of interest. This was followed by the Open Forum where questions are asked and answered about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya. For more information about the PCEC, visit their website at: www.pcec.club.

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VOL. XXVIII No. 5

1,200 compete in Pattaya-wide sports day

The Pink Team won the cheerleader competition and overall championship trophy at the Pattaya Communities Sports Competition 2020.

Playing a little kick the can.

Jetsada Homklin About 1,200 Pattaya residents faced off in four sports to promote exercise and unity at the Village Health Volunteers Sports Day. Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome opened the Feb. 22 tournament at the Eastern National Indoor Sports Stadium with The Folk Sports Competition isn’t as easy as it looks.

HHNFT manager honored for social work Jetsada Homklin

Privy Council member Palakorn Suwannarat (left) presented Pirun Noyimjai (center) with the Pakorn Prize Feb. 14 at the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security’s annual Pakorn Day commemoration. HHNFT Director Radchada Chomjinda (right) joins the celebration.

The manager of two Human Help Network Foundation Thailand centers was awarded the country’s top prize for social workers at a ceremony in Bangkok. Privy Council member Palakorn Suwannarat presented Pirun Noyimjai with the Pakorn Prize Feb. 14 at the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security’s annual Pakorn Day commemoration. Pirun, who runs HHNFT’s ASEAN Education and DropIn centers, was one of 13 people to receive the award, which is split into categories for professional, volunteer and affiliated social workers. Pakorn Day is sponsored by the Pakorn Angsusing Foundation which recognizes outstanding social workers annually. Drop-In Center/ASEAN Education Center staff and colleagues congratulate to Pirun.

Privy Council member Palakorn Suwannarat (back row, center) and gusts of honor congratulate 13 people (front row) who received the award.

city officials, village chiefs from Pattaya’s 42 communities and village health volunteers. The objective was to promote both physical and mental health and to build unity and good relationships between communities. The amateur athletes were broken down into six teams and competed in petanque, volleyball, futsal and “folk sports”. The winner was the “Pink Team” comprised of residents from the Wat Chonglom, Charoensuk Pattana, Koh Larn, Soi Post Office, Khao Talo, Paniadchang and Rungreung communities.

The Blue Team finished 3rd.

The Purple Team cheerleaders dressed in beautiful Indian style.

The orange and blue teams finished second and third,

respectively. Winners received trophies and cash.

Baan Jing Jai needs help to build a multi-purpose dome

Tom and Dagny Fossengen present a donation of 70,000 baht to Piangta Chumnoi as a start to the multi-dome project.

Baan Jing Jai home for children has put forth a plan to build a multi-purpose covered dome for children to use for semi outdoor activities like sports, general meetings, concerts, training and other activities. Having heard about the project, Tom Fossengen asked his family and friends not to buy him any presents for his 70th birthday, but instead to donate funds towards the dome project. To get things started, Tom and his wife Dagny presented a cheque of 70,000 baht to Piangta Chumnoi, director and loving mother of the children in their Baan Jing Jai home. Tom and Dagny have been supporting

education for underprivileged children in our community since 2004 and ask people of all nationalities to help make this dream come true. The total cost of building

the dome is 4.5 Million baht. The name and account number for donations is: Baan Jong Jai Building Fund, Krungsri Bank, Account no. 628 -1 - 04300 - 9.

The design concept of the all-purpose dome.

VOL. XXVIII No. 5

Boat for Sale Bo/5-9/BOAT 13.20 M long with bedroom and flybridge, excellent condition, draft 3.10 m. Powered by YAMAHA 2,200.000.- Tel: 095 66 98 968 Bo/5-9/BOAT 10.50 m. long with bedroom wind 2.20 Yamaha 200 pk. 790,000.- Tel: 095 66 98 968

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FRIDAY MARCH 6, 2020 23

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Vehicles for Sale/Rent Vc/5/Jay’s Rent A Car: Toyota’s & Honda’s. All top of the range, for your safety all serviced by Toyota/Honda, all have A.B.S./airbags + 1st class rental Insurance. Rent the best. Please ring for details: (Thai) 084-865-5102 or (Eng) 085-283-4915 Vsc/5-9/MERCEDESBENZ SLK ’93 Perfect condition, look same as brand new, only 27,000 km 1.450.00.THB Tel: 095 66 98968

24 FRIDAY MARCH 6, 2020

PATTAYA MAIL

VOL. XXVIII No. 5

Motor Show time again

Harsher punishment planned for drunk drivers Not only are you tip-toeing along our streets, preparing for the next police check, the Land Transport Department plans to discuss harsher punishment on drunk drivers following a directive from a deputy prime minister. Chirute Visalachitra, director-general of the department, said he would discuss the issue with the police, judicial authorities and the civil sector. Chirute responded to Deputy Prime Minister/Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul who posted on his Facebook account that he wanted the department to revoke driving licenses of drunk and reckless drivers. According to the directorgeneral, the licenses of public transport drivers will be revoked after they repeated their driving offences. For the wrongdoing of private vehicle drivers, a concerned court will decide on punishment depending on the nature of their offences. Chirute also said that his department was merging the land transport law with the vehicle law. The new law would certainly include harsher punishment on drunk

March 25 to April 5 are the public days for the Bangkok International Motor Show this year. I am unsure of the numbers or makes, but as it is the number 1 show in Thailand, I am sure it will once more be very well attended. Of course, will there be any Chevrolet models, after Chevrolet sold out to the Chinese Great Wall and making 1,500 workers redundant? By the way, this pulling out was not something decided upon at the last minute as Chevrolet (General Motors) also pulled out

from Australia at the same time, where they had been trading as General Motors Holden (GMH). Again, this was no shock as GMH had stopped manufacturing Holdens in 2017, and were filling the dealerships with re-badged Daewoo’s called “Holdens”. The average Chevrolet owner in Thailand is, of course, less than impressed, with 50,000 THB off the top of their car’s value and now with an orphan in their garage. Government sources say that the Rayong plant will

Bangkok International Motor Show.

manufacture EV’s with the long range plan being to make Thailand the center of EV production in this area. Will Great Wall’s EVs re-employ the 1,500 redundant workers?

Cremation ceremonies for the Toyota Prius

DUI.

and reckless drivers but the punishment changes through the new legislation would take time. (TNA) This could not really be called Draconian, as in some Scandinavian countries you can lose your car. In Sweden, the amount of your fine depends on how much money you have in the bank, which can be a good or terrible thing. The DUI laws in Sweden are among the toughest in the world. The variable fine seems like a fair deal for individuals with a small balance in their bank accounts. However, people with high balances can get outrageously high fines. For example, one DUI convict had to pay a penalty of $21,000. South Africa also has strict

DUI laws and rightfully so. The country sees over 45 percent of all unnatural deaths result from drinking and driving. While offenders face penalties similar to those of the United States (such as license suspension and monetary punishments), they also risk spending up to six years in jail. In Costa Rica, El Salvador and France, your car can get confiscated if you get a DUI. The police in these countries have the right to seize the cars of drunk drivers. Authorities may even sell impounded vehicles rather than returning them to the owners. Of course, none of the countries mentioned above require you to have a “Blue Book”! And report in every 90 days.

300 km/h on a Sunday afternoon On the motorway, many of you will have driven at 160 km/h (the old 100 mph, the magic ton, before we went metric). Some of you with a better motor car will have driven at 200 km/h. If you are very brave (or perhaps foolhardy), your BMW or Mercedes may even let you experience 250 km/h, but at that speed you will be hanging on for grim death, and praying there is no slow traffic in front. Let me now tell you what it is like at 300 km/h in a Lola T430 Formula 5000 racing car. The engine started easily and a dab on the accelerator produces a very deep growl from the engine behind your head. You know you have 550 bhp behind you. The Hewland gearbox on a car like this has no synchromesh, and the ‘dog’ gears select with a clunk and have a rattle at idle - this is not dangerous but it is disconcerting at first. The clutches on these race cars are not the soft pressure progressive clutches of a manual road car, and do tend to be in or out, so getting away from rest is a little tricky, but once trundling down the track you can begin to take stock of your surroundings and tentatively start driving this heavy beast with a little more throttle and some precision. At low speeds, the engine with the full race camshafts, is very “lumpy” but soon you begin to use more loud pedal and drive the car deeper into the corners. By making the front tyres bite as you turn in under brakes, you could then feed in the power to control the rears and avoid too much oversteer. With all the horsepower at your disposal, cornering is done by the right

In an interesting press release from Toyota a few years back, the company outlined the cremation for the new Prius. Long before the first new Prius reached the showroom, Toyota had plans in place to ensure that when the car reaches the end of its useful life it can be disposed of in an environmentally responsible fashion. When its driving duties are done, more than 85 percent of new Priuses can be recycled and more than 95 percent of its materials can be recovered in a process that only accounts for a tiny proportion (approximately two percent) of its full lifecycle CO2 emissions. Special attention has been paid to the efficient recycling of new Priuses high voltage nickel-metalhydride battery with a new process that allows 95 percent of the battery components to be recovered for reuse with near-zero emissions. At the vehicle’s end-of-life, the battery is removed at an authorized Prius service centre. Toyota has appointed authorized waste management companies in each country where the car is sold, which are responsible for transporting the batteries to one of three European Final Treatment Companies (FTCs): SNAP, Accurec and Umicore. The recovery process begins with the removal of the battery’s outer casing, which itself can be re-used in steel making processes. All the wires and electronic parts are sent to a specialist recovery company, while the power cells themselves

Not the way to recycle a Prius.

are recycled using an induction-based vacuum thermal system. This is an evolution of the traditional waste heat treatment process, but it consumes less energy, is almost emissions-free and is highly secure. The cells are put into a sealed container from which all air is removed, significantly reducing internal pressure. The container is then heated to 800° C. When the temperature reaches 400° C all organic materials break down into a mixture of oil and water, which is sent on to a licensed water treatment company for processing. The power cells are then exposed to hydrogen, which helps break the oxides down into metals. What is left after the process is a highly concentrated nickel alloy which can be reused as a raw material in the production of new batteries. All the other metallic elements recovered can be used in the manufacture of stainless or other specialist steels. Of course, that came from Europe. Toyota hasn’t seen our recyclers here in action. Within 24 hours of being dumped, there would be nothing left. Guaranteed!

The ‘green’ disease

300 kph Lola T 430.

pedal, and corrections are done by the steering wheel! You could leave the braking so late, you begin to think you will never slow down in time – but you can. In fact, sometimes I had to lift off the brake and use some throttle into the corner as I was braking far too early. The next factor is which comes to light is comfort. Race cars are built for speed, not comfort and it may require some sponge rubber to protect you from the effect of the g-forces. This is why F1 drivers wear knee pads to buffer their body from the effects of high speeds. The next mental adjustment you have to make is for the acceleration of race cars like this. Zero to 100 km/h comes up in less than three seconds. You are no sooner out of one corner than to find the next one rushing up and it’s back on the brakes, turn in, throttle out, and then the next! By the time you are half way through one corner, you are preparing yourself mentally for the next. 300 km/h on the straight is the easiest part of the entire exercise, believe me!

We are all going mad (other than me). One corporation to join the ‘green’ movement was Bridgestone, which proudly announced that the grooves in the F1 race tyres would be green. Were they pulling my leg? And yours? I suppose it was biodegradable paint. The official stance was provided by Bridgestone, saying, “We hope that the launch of the ‘Make Cars Green’ tyre will draw public attention to the many environmental initiatives in and around Formula One,” explained Bridgestone’s then CEO Shoshi Arakawa. “Environmental preservation is at the center of our work at the Bridgestone Group and we hope that this collaboration with the FIA will help to spread this ethos worldwide.” “New rule changes, alongside the support for awareness-raising initiatives such as the ‘Make Cars Green’ campaign, will change the face of motor sport and place it at the very heart of environmental developments in the automotive sector,”

Fancy some green tyres?

explained Max Mosley, then President of the FIA, Formula One racing’s governing body. He’s pulling our legs too. The world has entered this ‘guilt’ phase. As Chicken Little said, “The sky is falling” (through the hole in the ozone layer), but “I’m not to blame! It’s the other polluters! I’m green.” So we have the ludicrous situation of

Honda claiming that its F1 cars were promoting green technology and now Bridgestone with its green tyres. Total fatuous nonsense. When you sit down and think about it rationally, just how much does F1 affect the polar ice caps? The words ‘bugger’ and ‘all’ seem to leap into the forefront of my mind. Particularly when you contrast the two days of running every fortnight against the 24 hours of baht buses all day and every day in Thailand. Give us a break! Give us good clean racing with plenty of passing, and forget the green rubbish. Leave that for governments (and Honda and Bridgestone).

VOL. XXVIII No. 5

FRIDAY MARCH 6, 2020 25

PATTAYA MAIL

Miss Nu wins Haven Consultants Monthly Medal Pattaya Sports Club Golf from Billabong

Steve Younger takes care of business A three way tie sees the countback system brought in Pattaya Sports Club Growling Swan Golf, played out of “Bogey’s Bar & Grill”

Monday, 24th of Feb Parichat G.C. Stableford

Brian Chapman presents the trophy to Miss Nu who carded a 77 gross off her 15 handicap to take the Haven Trophy with a net 62.

Wednesday, Feb. 26 Green Valley Haven Consultants Monthly Medal The Haven Consultants Monthly Medal was played Wednesday, Feb. 26, at Green Valley. This event is proudly sponsored by Brian Chapman, CEO, and has been for the last 5 years and will be continued in 2020 also. A very large thank you Brian from all the golfers that have played and will continue to support this monthly tournament. It is a hotly contested event. The course is starting to dry out big time and I think relief from the bare spots is

Brian Chapman awards Peter Thomas, winner of the Men’s Division.

not far away. It is a shame, but with no rain in sight there is not much the Green Valley staff can do. The ladies always seem to take this course apart and Wednesday was no different. Miss Sa took 3rd place with a fine 68 nett, Miss Porn just piped her on the post with 67 nett, but the star of the day was Miss Nu with a gross 77 off her 15 handicap to take the Haven Trophy with a net 62. There were no twos from the ladies today. In the men’s competition there was a count back between Sel Wegner and his good mate Colin Goon, both scoring a credible 74

nett with Colin taking 3rd place and relegating Sel to 4th. Another count back ensued for the first and second spots between Arch Armstrong and Peter Thomas with Peter just getting the edge on Arch to take 1st place and push Arch into 2nd. There was only one two coming from Peter Thomas. On Wednesday the 11th of March the Pattaya Sports Club will be holding their Charity Classic at Green Valley. Those who want to play will need to book their time at the PSC office. An alternative venue for the Billabong will be Parachat Golf Course.

Bob Edwards and Paul Davies on fire at Crystal Bay PSC Golf from SIAM Country Resort Pattaya Tuesday 18th February Crystal Bay A & C Stableford On Tuesday 18th February 2020 we went with 3 groups to Crystal Bay, where we played the A & C loop. The course was in good condition and had some dry spots but a good roll. The greens on the C-loop were slow and the A-loop a little bit faster. Only the bunkers were in bad condition. The weather was very nice today sunny with a cool breeze. The whole group played well. Three of our group stayed in the forties. It was an exciting finish between Bob Edwards and Paul Davies. Bob was the lucky one and beat Paul on the count back with 41 Stableford points. Paddy Devereux also played well and finished third with 40 Stableford points. The near pins were won by Paddy Devereux and Paul Davies.

Paddy, Bob & Paul.

Thursday the 20th February Treasure Hill Stableford On Thursday the 20th February Treasure Hill was our venue. It was again a nice and sunny day with a strong cool breeze. The course was in very good condition with a good roll on the fairways and hardly no dry brown spots. We had an interesting battle between 3 players,

Paul Davies, Tim Knight and George Gamble. Even though the course was difficult, they produced good results. Paul Davies confirmed his good form this week and won with 38 Stableford points. Second was Tim Knight with 37 Stableford points, beating George Gamble on the count back. The near pins were won by Willem Lasonder, George Gamble and Ty Anderson.

Ten golfers Monday headed out to Parichat GC. Since being revamped, this is a course that is gaining popularity and one that our golfers are asking to play. The test will be when Shane Young, Bernie McCart and Peter Grey return to play. These 3 have the record for most balls lost on a course. Time will tell Dobbsy. Again the weather was on the warm side with a little breeze taking some of the heat out of the day. The course was in good nic and not showing the signs of the lack of water (why would they when there is enough water on course to fill the Gulf. I know, I found it all last time). This course played very well. We took to the course from the front tees (surprisingly being a Monday) and with ten golfers we were to play one flight with three placings. As far as the novelties go we were playing only two of the near pins, holes 6 & 11 along with both the long putts, holes 9 & 18. Well we had to go to the countback to sort out the day’s winner. Steve Younger

(L to R) Monday’s winner Steve Younger with Mashi Kaneta.

came up trumps winning the countback with 37 points achieved from his handicap of 14. Second was Keith Buchanan with Mashi Kaneta taking third. Winners from Parichat GC 1st Steve Younger (14) 37 pts. 2nd Keith Buchanan (15) 37 pts. 3rd Mashi Kaneta (15) 37 pts. Near pins: #6 Greg Tomson & #11 Mashi Kaneta. Long first putt: #9 Blake Pound & #18 Steve Younger.

Peter, Nok, Todd and Sandy win Monthly Scramble PSC Billabong Golf Friday, February 28 Phoenix Gold Monthly Scramble Phoenix Gold was the venue for the Billabong monthly scramble. It was a bit earlier start Friday as we had 14 teams competing, so the early birds got away at 7.45 under threatening skies. We played Ocean and Mountain loops which were in great condition with the greens holding for good shots, but were still quite quick. There were a few visitors today with Travis and Aaron friends of Bob StAubin’s from Canada; also Roz and Danny Garver from the UK, and last but not least Chester from Oregon in the USA. It was a good day out apart from the last three holes when the back three groups got caught in an absolute downpour. When we had finished the front nine there was a quite large group waiting to tee off behind us. There was no way they could have finished because the rain was torrential and it didn’t stop for an hour or two at least. Even getting to the car park was a wetting experience. The scoring was quite good and brilliant from a few groups who scored in the 50s on the Mountain. That course takes no prisoners normally but Friday it didn’t show its teeth for some of

Friday’s winners Peter, Nok, Todd and Sandy,

the groups scored very well on it. Coming in third place today was the team of Brad O’Keefe, Lloyd Shuttleworth, George Way and Andrew Woodall with a net score of 58.7. Taking second spot was the Team Canada with a little help from the Netherlands, Travis,

Aaron, Bob StAubin and Auke Engelkes with a score of 56.4. Then came the winners, Todd Givens, his lovely wife Nok, Peter Huf and Sandy Chapo with a smidgen less than the Canadian team scoring a fine 56 nett and they promptly rang the bell.

26 FRIDAY MARCH 6, 2020

PATTAYA MAIL

VOL. XXVIII No. 5

Robby Watts earns Golfer of the Month, Daryl Vernon wins Ironman PSC Bunker Boys Golf Monday, February 24th Treasure Hill 1stTony Robbins (19) 35 points 2nd Peter Kelly (13) 33 points 3rd Tony Berry (14) 33 points 4th Roland Davison (15) 33 points 5th Geoff Williams (25) 32 points Near pins Alan Harris, Roland Davison, Arthur Todd, & Peter Kelly. A good field of twenty-two rolled up for a difficult round at Treasure Hill. As we arrived the car park looked full so we expected a slow round, but this turned out not to be the case as our lead group was finished in three and a half hours. The course was surprisingly good given no rain for some time; however, good maintenance meant the course was ok, staff were hand watering in some areas. The greens were very slippery with downslope putts proving very challenging so scoring was average. Also, a couple of pin placements were wicked. Tony Robbins in a rich vein of form recently took first place with thirty-five points, we need a few courses with long water carries to mess with his mind and knock him off his perch. Three finished on thirty-three and were

separated by countback in the following order, Peter Kelly, Tony Berry, and Roland Davison, with Geoff Williams rounding out the scoring in fifth place a stroke back. Near pins went to Peter Kelly, Alan Harris, Roland Davison, and Arthur Todd. Shot of the day went to Daryl Vernon who wrapped one of his irons around a tree trying to play from a difficult position amongst the trees, consequently snapping the shaft, a cheaper option would have been to play a penalty drop. A perennial issue again raised its head today, that of mandatory three hundred baht tip to caddies. Many people would prefer not to have a caddie but accept that this will never happen. What is more difficult to accept is the mandatory three-hundred baht tip which is not seen as a good idea as it provides no incentive for poor caddies to raise their game since they will be compensated the same as a good caddie who does deserve a good tip. In light of the poor quality of many courses due to lack of rain, high season pricing and poor exchange rates many see this as an unacceptable situation, given that the caddies get most of the fee charged by

Golfer of the Month Robby Watts.

Ironman winner Daryl Vernon.

the clubs and end up earning well above minimum wage. making golf expensive compared to other places.

if a little slow. We had the course to ourselves so a speedy round was completed in about three and a half hours. Despite the condition of the course, scoring, for the most part, was good, none better than Ken Elmore with a superb forty points. Ken has played some of the best golf we have seen from him, unfortunately, this was his last game of this visit. Second place went to Michael Brett with thirty-seven points despite a serious stumble on the back nine, with three one pointers in a row. Keith Norman and Dave Ashman were third and fourth respectively with thirty-six points. Near pins to Tony Robbins, Tony Berry, Daryl Vernon, and Keith Norman. Back at the bar Dave Ashman rang the bell to celebrate the arrival of his third grandson, congratulations Dave. Dominoes. People were paired randomly with the winner of the best of three rounds progressing, while the losers bowed out. Some

Wednesday, February 26th Ironman Competition, Golf, Dominoes, & Killer Pool King Naga 1st Ken Elmore (17) 40 points 2nd Michael Brett (16) 37 points 3rd Keith Norman (14) 36 points 4th Dave Ashman (22) 36 points Near pins Keith Norman, Tony Berry, Daryl Vernon, Tony Robbins. The first leg of the Ironman, golf, was played at the King Naga course which was in just about as bad a condition as anyone can remember, brown, bone dry, and with very little grass on the fairways, so a temporary rule of pick and place was implemented for the bare areas of fairway. The greens were ok

had not played dominoes previously so Daryl explained the rules prior to the commencement of play. Whether by good luck or good management the winner was Dave Ashman despite not having played before, perhaps a bit of both. Killer Pool. The final leg of the Ironman was killer pool, a game that went for some time before we found the eventual winner, none-other than the boss himself Paul Wood. People accumulated points in each of the competitions depending on their placings in each of the games with the eventual winner, someone who didn’t come first in any of the sports, Daryl Vernon having accumulated the most points declared the inaugural winner by a single point from Dave Ashman and Keith Norman who were tied in second place. This was a fun event and something that should be repeated next year. A sad week for the Bunker Boys as we bade farewell to several of our seasonal visitors, Roger Tuohy, Keith Hemmings, Tom McMurray, & Ken Elmore, we look forward to seeing all of them back in the ranks again soon.

Friday, February 28th Pleasant Valley 1st Alan Harris (9) 37 points 2nd Neil Jones (22) 36 points 3rd Michael Brett (16) 32 points Near pins Daryl Vernon, Nick Fazakerly, & Neil Jones X 2.

The last game of the month was played at Pleasant Valley where we had a smaller than usual field due to the large number of people leaving following a long seasonal break from the rigors of northern hemisphere weather. The course was in excellent condition, perhaps the best of any on our playing roster. We even, dare I say, enjoyed a heavy shower of rain which was needed desperately on some of the other courses we play. So we had a fifteen-minute delay mid-round. With the competitive green fees and quality of the course, we should arrange to play this course twice a month until some of the other bone dry courses recover if we get seasonal rain. A mixed bag of scores with only two golfers achieving a decent score. Top of the list was Alan Harris with thirty-seven points in first place followed a stroke back by the departing Neil Jones on thirty-six. Third went to Michael Brett on thirty-two after another poor day with the putter. Newcomer Nick Fazakerly got a near pin with Neil Jones taking two and Daryl Vernon the remaining pin. The golfer of the month became a bit of an anticlimax with the man from the sunburnt country Robby Watts winning by a significant margin despite only playing for three of the four weeks. Tony Robbins and Ken Elmore put up a good fight but both fell short in the end. No doubt we will celebrate the win when Robby returns in a few months.

Moxey towels them up again PSC Pattaya Links Golf Society Wed. Feb. 26 Eastern Star Stableford We arrived at the green fees office ready for a day out at Eastern Star. A misunderstanding, or misinformation over green fee vouchers caused a quiet stir when some were charged more than others. A phone call to get the correct information quickly sorted things out and all headed to the locker room. The course was busy once again and the starter asked us to start earlier than our assigned time. The first group was quickly at the tenth tee and, after quick round-up of the second and third groups, all eleven groups got away smoothly and about twenty minutes early.

One experienced player was concerned about the crossover of nines, as the course was so busy. As I walked towards Wan, the super-efficient lady starter here, she answered my question before I asked. She set out her plan and it worked perfectly, all groups went through with no hold ups. Two days ago, Steve Moxey scored 45 points to win the Green Jacket after he beat Charles Miller on countback. Today there was no countback as he swept all before him with another big score, this time 42 points, to clearly win the A flight. Peter Lacey had a very credible score of 37 points to take second place and then, much to Phil’s amaze-

A flight winner Steve Moxey with Paul Sales (R) and Keith Griffith (L).

ment, and a chuckle, he and Russell Exley had a countback for third and fourth, both with 31 points. Russell had the better back nine. We hadn’t seen Bill Stewart for a while and wondered where he was, but he returned in a most successful

way by scoring 37 points to win the B flight. We had better stop calling Barry Oats ‘the old stager,’ as he claimed his second podium finish in a week. He can still play golf, even with an injury. His 35 points got him second place.

Barry Cunningham had a good day out with 34 points while sometime ‘wig’ wearer, Masa Sugaya, scored 32 points to hold out the other Masa, Okada, on countback to take fourth spot. Near Pins A flight: Petur Petursson (x2), Keith Griffith, Ronnie Greene. Near Pins B flight: Masa Okada, Joe Earls, Ollie Walsh, one pin not claimed. A Flight (0-17) 1st Place – Steve Moxey (12) – 42 pts 2nd Place – Peter Lacey (13) – 37 pts 3rd Place – Russell Exley (10) - 31 pts c/back 4th Place - Phil Davies (15) - 31 pts c/back B Flight (18+) 1st Place – Bill Stewart

(20) – 37 pts 2nd Place – Barry Oats (29) - 35 pts 3rd Place – Barry Cunningham (22) - 34 pts 4th Place - Masa Sugaya (20) – 32 pts c/back Best Front Nine (non-winners) Alan Walker 19 pts Best Back Nine (non-winners) Gordon Laviolette 18 pts Keith Griffith has had some good recent form and dropped his handicap a couple of shots. Today wasn’t one of those good days as he ‘won’ a countback for lowest score on a nine and wore the ‘silly hat’. Paul Sales wore the ‘wig’ for the second time this week. Eastern Star is starting a nice priced special in March and we will return in a couple of weeks for that.

VOL. XXVIII No. 5

FRIDAY MARCH 6, 2020 27

PATTAYA MAIL

Steen Habersaat nails 44 points at Pleasant Valley PSC Golf from Cafe Kronborg Thursday, 20th Feb. Pleasant Valley Stableford Cafe Kronborg played at Pleasant Valley on Thursday 20th February, where the wind was blowing from all directions making club selection and fade or draw decisions difficult. The blue tees for the A flight further raised the difficulty of the task in hand. The greens were running faster than normal which was great, but putting was not easy by any stretch of the imagination. We teed off early and after a slow start the field stretched out and a good pace of play

ensued. Good scores were not expected, but one person nailed it, leaving everyone else in his wake. Back in the clubhouse the scores weren’t as bad as expected most people making 30 plus points. There were 2 flights with the A flight 0 to 21 and the B flight 22 and above. The A Flight winner was Carole Kubicki with a solid 36 points, including a superb 21 points on the back nine which she usually finds more difficult. This was her second win of the week, the coaching obviously paying off. In second place was Mr

Steen Habersaat (left) with Carole Kubicki (right) and Kran from the Cafe Kronborg (centre).

Consistency himself, Rob Brown with a steady 35 points off his 6 handicap. Breaking 80 on the day which

was no mean feat in the windy conditions. Perhaps it reminded him of Bonnie Scotland, just 40 degrees warmer!

Richard Kubicki celebrates his birthday with friends and family at Cafe Kronborg.

Third and fourth places were decided on countback with 2 players having 34 points each. Andre Van Dyk took third place with 19 points on the back beating Kjeld Jorgensen into fourth who had 18 on the back. In B Flight, the winner was Steen Habersaat with 44 points by far and away the best score of the day, with no one else making 40 points. He must have timed his shots to perfection, hitting when the wind was to his advantage. There was even an impressive 4 point birdie 3 on his card, so very well done Steen. In second place was Gordon Clegg with an impressive 39 points, just missing out on a coveted 40 pointer. Third and fourth places were decided on countback with 3 players being in contention with 35 points. Top of this bunch and taking 3rd place was Ronnie Ratte with an impressive 21 points on the back. In fourth place was Kaj Aabling with 19 points on the back. Missing out with only 17 points on the back was Jan Lovgreen. Back at the Café Kronborg

was Richard Kubicki’s Birthday Danish Feast, and what a feast it was with some of the best food in Pattaya. Many thanks to Kran and Bjarne for putting on a spread worthy of Danish Royalty. Can’t wait for the next one, although the next day was a write off due to a slight excess of Danish and Mexican Liquor. A Flight (0-21) 1st Carole Kubicki (21) 36 points 2nd Rob Brown (6) 35 points 3rd Andre Van Dyk (14) 34 points (Countback 19) 4th Kjeld Jorgensen (18) 34 points (Countback 18) B Flight (22 & Above) 1st Steen Habersaat (27) 44 points 2nd Gordon Clegg (27) 39 points 3rd Ronnie Ratte (22) 35 points (Countback 21) 4th Kaj Aabling (25) 35 points (Countback 19, beating Jan Lovgreen, 17 points) Near Pins: #5 Steen Habersaat, #8 Ronnie Ratte, #13 John Bachman, & #17 Carole Kubicki / Gordon Clegg. Long Putts: #9 & Kurt Sandgaard #18 Andre Van Dyk.

6 - 19 Mar. 2020

DATE:

FRI 6

Apple’s Irish

Pattavia

Bunker Boys

Bangpra

SAT 7

SUN 8

MON 9

TUE 10

Eastern Star

Pattana

Crystal Bay

Charity Calssic Green Valley

Pattavia

Harry’s Golf

Charity Calssic Green Valley

I Rovers

Charity Calssic Green Valley

Lekatai

Charity Calssic Green Valley

The Links

Charity Calssic Green Valley Pleasant Valley & Mountain Shadow

Greenwood & Royal Lakeside

Green Valley

Siam Country Resort

Stay Sharp

Valley View Hackers

SUN 15

MON 16

TUE 17

WED 18

Eastern Star Monthly Medel

Pattaya CC

Mount.Shadow

Greenwood

Pattaya CC

Parichat

Pleas. Valley Plutalung

Royal Lakeside

Eastern Star

Treasure Hill & Pattavia

Khao Kheow

Eastern Star

Charity Calssic Green Valley

Wangjuntr

Royal Lakeside

Eastern Star

Bangpakong Pleas. Valley

Parichat

Pleasant Valley & Crystal Bay

Pleas. Valley

Pattavia

Crystal Bay

Royal Lakeside

Charity Calssic Green Valley Charity Calssic Green Valley

Eastern Star Greenwood Mt.Shadow

Khao Kheow Pattavia

Greenwood

Eastern Star

Bangpakong Greenwood Treasure Hill

Charity Calssic Green Valley

The Golf Club Tropical Golf

SAT 14

Charity Calssic Green Valley

Growling Swan

Sugar Shack

FRI 13

Bangpakong

Colin’s Golf

Retox Game On Bar

THU 12

Greenwood St.Patrick‘s Cup

Khao Kheow

Cafe Kronborg

WED 11 Charity Calssic Green Valley

Eastern Star

Bangpakong

Green Valley Bangpra

28 FRIDAY MARCH 6, 2020

PATTAYA MAIL

VOL. XXVIII No. 5

Cobra Gold: Partner nations practice noncombatant evacuation operations

Chemical, biochemical, radiological and nuclear defense specialists with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Royal Thai Navy Sailors scan a simulated noncombatant evacuee. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Audrey M. C. Rampton)

As the lead in the trilateral exercise, the training was valuable for the Japanese side as well, according to Col. Iwakami, commander of the Central Readiness Regiment with the Japan SelfDefense Force. “Through these exercises, we strengthen our joint employment capabilities, and also improve our cooperation with government agencies,” said Iwakami. “Exercises like this strengthen our ties of cooperation and collaboration among U.S Forces and Royal Thai armed Forces.”

Story by 2nd Lt. Jonathan Coronel 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit Utapao, Kingdom of Thailand – Civilians stream through the gates into view of Department of State personnel and military service members welcoming them with clear directions. A military working dog sniffs for hazardous materials, and a bilateral chemical response team stands by to decontaminate evacuees. Led by the Japan Self-Defense Force, the simulated noncombatant evacuation operation proceeds efficiently and smoothly as citizens from the United States, Japan, and Thailand are safely sorted, processed, and prepared for follow-on travel, during a major trilateral evolution as part of exercise Cobra Gold 2020. For exercise Cobra Gold 2020, the United States, Japan, and Thailand co-located their evacuation control centers in the same area to share tactics, techniques, and procedures, and to demonstrate their partnership in

Evacuees prepare to board a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft as part of a simulated noncombatant evacuation operation during Exercise Cobra Gold 2020 at U-Tapao Airfield, Rayong, Feb. 29, 2020. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Audrey M. C. Rampton)

addressing potential security challenges together in the Indo-Pacific. According to Maj. Gen. John P. Johnson, deputy commanding General of U.S. Army Pacific, the trilateral nature of the exercise is key. “Noncombatant evacuation operations are a national responsibility, so each nation has to sort out how it wants to do that. The advantage of doing it this way is that it’s an effective way to share best practices between our countries,” Johnson stated.

A government official receives a simulated noncombatant evacuee’s passport. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Audrey M. C. Rampton)

NEOs are conducted when civilians in a foreign country need to be safely evacuated due to a deteriorating security environment. For the exercise, evacuees from each of the three countries proceeded through security provided by U.S. Army soldiers, JSDF service members, and Royal Thai Marines for processing. After a search for hazardous objects by a 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit military working dog,

evacuees were paired with a military member to shepherd them through the next step of the process. Within the processing area, evacuees were then interviewed by their respective nation’s government personnel to verify their identity prior to embarking on military transport. To simulate a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear crisis, a bilateral decontamination team of 31st MEU and Royal Thai Marines conducted a decontamination rehearsal. After identifying hazardous materials on a role player, members of the decontamination team led the simulated victim through a full decontamination process and medical check-up for demonstration purposes. The chance for service members from each nation to conduct this process alongside one another was important in the case of future contingencies, according to Royal Thai Navy Capt. Phollakit Salai. “The training fosters a good relationship between nations and personnel,” explained Salai. “It gives us mutual

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Yaxel Santiago Rodriguez plays cards with an evacuee during processing at a simulated noncombatant evacuation operation as part of exercise Cobra Gold 2020 at U-Tapao Airfield, Rayong. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Jordan E. Gilbert)

understanding and prepares us for the coordination necessary if a real NEO situation arises in the future.” For the exercise, the United States’ ECC was run by Marines from Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st MEU, in tandem with a security element from the U.S. Army’s 25th Infantry Division, as well as Department of State personnel. As the IndoPacific’s premier crisis-response force, the 31st MEU regularly trains to conduct NEOs in the wake of contin-

Allie, a military working dog with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, smells a simulated noncombatant evacuee’s bag. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Audrey M. C. Rampton)

U.S. Embassy Thailand Chargé d’Affaires Michael Heath and U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Pete Johnson, deputy commander of U.S. Army Pacific, watch a demonstration. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Jordan E. Gilbert)

gencies. According to CLB31’s commanding officer, integration with the Department of State is a key aspect of this preparation. “We are both a training aid for the State Department and them for us. This is a multinational and joint training opportunity where the State Department has the lead and we support them where necessary,” Johnson explained. “This mission is interagency combined arms. We are just one aspect of the combined arms power but they are the lead aspect of it.” After being successfully led through the ECC, the 60 U.S. evacuees departed via Air Force C-130 aircraft to complete the exercise. The process, which had over 100 civilian role players from the three countries, took approximately four hours. Exercise Cobra Gold demonstrates the commitment of the Kingdom of Thailand and the United States to our longstanding alliance, promotes regional partnerships and advances security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

A U.S. Marine Corps chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense specialist with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, checks an evacuee for contamination. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Jordan E. Gilbert)

VOL. XXVIII No. 5

FRIDAY MARCH 6, 2020 29

PATTAYA MAIL

Pattaya Cricket Club win Chiang Mai Big Bash International 8s

PCC and All Stars at the presentation ceremony.

From page 32 The tournament was held at the Gymkhana Club on 22 and 23 February at Chiang Mai. There were two cricket clubs from Hong Kong (DBCC Lions and DBCC Lana), two teams from Chiang Mai (CMCC and All Stars), Patong Cricket Club and Pattaya Cricket Club. Each team would have 8 players, and 8 overs would be bowled per innings (max 2 overs per bowler). There would be 4 points for a win, 2 for a tie and 0 for a loss. Bonus points were awarded for batting and taking wickets. Each team would play 3 matches and their final position would dictate who they played for the Cup, Shield and Plate trophies. PCC’s first match was against CMCC, previous winners of the tournament. PCC won the toss and chose to bat. In essence this match set the tone for how PCC would play - big hitting from Matt Harkness and Wez Masterton and a tight bowling attack that took wickets and earned bonus points. CMCC were hit for 82 with 31 (Not Out) from Matt and 25 from Wez. There were a few silly run outs (Venky Rajagopalan and Ian Liddel), but the fielding was pretty good. So, 82 for 3 and a defendable score.

the toss again and chose to bat. Wez and Matt opened and after a quiet first over, 5 runs, they set about the bowlers. Between them they smashed eleven 4s and two 6s before they retired on 34 and 33 respectively. Venky and his damaged finger took the field. He hit a ball straight back to Imtiaz but it was too hard to hold and Venky survived to score 11 Not Out. Salman added a few and Mr Extras made a valued contribution of 20. PCC scored 101 for 0 – an insurmountable challenge for most teams. Patong took the field with Craig Morgan (a prolific scorer) and Raju. Matt opened the PCC attack with almost immediate success as Craig

CMCC had some renowned big hitters and it was essential to keep them under control. Abaid Ullah went in the first over for 4, caught by Venky off Matt and a real scalp. Young Hamza Khan with his fast, unusual bowling action and in his first tournament, bowled aggressively and took Asif Noor for 10 in the second over. A great start. Ian Liddel, Wez, Hamza and Simon Philbrook, Captain of PCC, with the Richard Holt kept the run rate Winners’ Cup. down in the middle overs and took a wicket. Matt caught Venky damaged the nail on skied a ball and was Caught Tansy in the last over off Wez his middle finger and retired and Bowled. The batsman and CMCC could only man- hurt – he thought major sur- crossed so Matt bowled Raju age 60 for 3. PCC won by 22 gery was required, but a bit on the last ball of the over. A of tissue paper and 2 plasters terrible start for Patong at 7 runs with 7 points. PCC’s second match of the were sufficient. The Khan for 2 and Matt was on a hatday was against DBCC Lana. family, Salman and Hamza, trick. Things got worse for Again, PCC won the toss bowled very tidily with Hamza Patong when Michael Flowand decided to bat. Richard bowling Matt Bray for 10. ers went for 3 in the next over, and Wez opened with Wez Elliot Lodge and Martin Pe- bowled by Hamza. 12 for 3 off taking most of the strike be- ters kept the scoreboard tick- 2 overs and the writing was fore falling for 21. Richard was ing but never at a fast-enough on the wall. Imtiaz and Stuart bowled for 11 with the score rate and although they re- Hamilton came to the rescue on 50 and Matt, dropped on tained their wickets, Lanna’s with 32 and 31 respectively 5, was swinging the willow innings closed at 74 for 2 and before retiring, but it was too with five 4s and a 6 off 17 balls PCC won by 22 with 7 points. little and too late. In the final This left PCC at No 1 in the over Matt returned to bowl before retiring on 31 Not Out. Venky was dropped on his league table at the end of the for his hat-trick. A dot ball, first ball and then hit a 6. Luke day on 14 points along with but the pressure to score got Stokes and his still slightly All Stars, but PCC had a bet- Saju Abraham and Sajal Gaur wibbly wobbly knee managed ter net run rate. Day 2 would run out on consecutive balls 10 Not Out and PCC finished see the last 3 matches before at the end of the over. Patong the finals and it was highly scored 77 for 5. PCC won by on a good score of 96 for 2. DBCC Lanna opened with likely The Final would be 24 runs and gained 9 points. All Stars also won their 3rd John Scales and Elliot Lodge, PCC versus All Stars. PCC’s final league match match and so, as predicted, but lost John for 6 in the first over to a brilliant catch by was against Patong. Simon the final was set, PCC versus Richard Holt off Matt Harkness. Philbrook, PCC Captain, won All Stars.

Matt Harkness smashes DBCC Lanna for a 6.

All Stars won the toss and chose to field. As usual PCC opened with Wez and Matt. All Stars opened their attack with Buhran and Ismail and they managed to contain PCC with quick accurate bowling. Wez and Matt bided their time, scored what they could and preserved their wickets. At halfway it was 30 for 0 off 4 overs. Time to turn up the wick against the second-tier bowlers. Wez got a lucky 6 as he was dropped on the boundary by Akib (a wee Thai lad), then got a 4 and then hit another ball down Akib’s throat – only to be dropped again. Wez and Matt smashed five 6s and four 4s until they retired on 36 and 31 respectively. Luke and Venky kept the scoreboard turning over with a few boundaries and some quick running until they had a circus clown moment and tried to get Luke run out, but he was saved by a miss-field at the bowler’s end. PCC scored 93 for 0, a challenging total. All Stars sent in Sami and Buhran who faced Matt. Buhran was bowled for a duck on the second ball and Ismail arrived to take a few

Something needed to be done to stem the flow. Enter Man of the Match, Richard Holt. He had Sami caught by Wez at Long-off and bowled Tariq off the last ball for 6 runs in the over. However, at this point PCC fielders lost their composure and turned into clowns which prompted the Barmy Army Trumpeter to blow unflattering tunes. Matt dropped a skier, then threw over throws; Ian had a ball bounce over his head for 4 and Wez dropped a catch (Firdous for the second time). More circus clown music. Firdous was eventually run out for 17 and Venky dropped a catch off the last ball of the innings, injuring yet another finger. However, it didn’t matter, All Stars had only managed 84 for 5. PCC had won the match by 11 runs and the Tournament. In the other finals, the Shield was won by DBCC Lions who beat DBCC Lanna, and in the Plate Final CMCC beat Patong. There was not a Man of the Tournament award but it would probably gone to Matt Harkness with 129 Not Out from 4 innings and bowled 7 overs, 74 for 5. He was cer-

Richard Holt receives the Man of the Match award for the final.

edgy shots. Ian took the second over and had Ismail caught by a stupendous catch by Wez at long-on. 15 for 2 off 2 overs and a superb start for PCC. Sami and Tariq set about the PCC bowlers aided by some slack fielding. 1s were being turned into 4s and this allowed All Stars to reach 48 for 2 off 4 overs and they were 18 runs ahead.

tainly PCC’s player of the Tournament. It was a fantastic weekend. Really good cricket played in the best possible spirit and great organisation by the Gymkhana Club, David Walker as the sponsor, George Appleton organising the umpires, Lockie and his scorers, the ground staff, the ladies behind the bar, etc.

Venky drives a ball from Patong CC.

30 FRIDAY MARCH 6, 2020

PATTAYA MAIL

VOL. XXVIII No. 5

Monttra’s Kiin – hidden in plain sight! How can a 25 room hotel on the beach remain out of sight for four years? And how can its restaurant also remain hidden for the past five months? The Dining Out team went to investigate. Begin the quest at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, an icon for the yachting fraternity and on the beach where Pratamnak comes down to the sea. It turns out that the Royal Varuna owns more than just the developed area in front of the Varuna clubhouse. It owns a tract of jungle land stretching round the base of Pratamnak hill, and had made that area available to the owners of the Monttra hotel group which

built the hidden hotel in the jungle. Even the entrance to the hotel property is difficult to find. It is a short track running from the Varuna car park and wending around the tropical trees. Having parked, it is another short walk to their Kiin restaurant (alternative spelling for Giin) which overlooks the Gulf of Siam. Amongst the trees was a large sign proclaiming “LOVE” which just might refer to the hotel, but we were there to review the restaurant not the rooms. (Our waiter did mention that the rooms were THB 8,000 which suggests a high class of B&B.) The restaurant uses angular minimalist décor, with

wooden chairs plus glass walls on three sides and the kitchen at the rear housing five Thai chefs. The menu is photographic and is almost 100 percent Thai, so is very appropriate and whilst there are some “western” dishes, they are

this was a very popular dish. The next item was a deepfried sea bass topped with crispy ginger, once again a heavy hand on the spices. A soup was up next and it was an interesting variant on a wellknown Tom Kha, but clams and not chicken, and with all the

A tangle of deep fried fish.

sun go down over the horizon, and there are extra tables and chairs for those who want the fresh air. Kiin at Monttra Pattaya, 398 Moo 12 Rajchawaroon Road,

Nongprue, Banglamung, Phone: 038 306 333. For more information, simply call +66 (0) 38 306 333 l +66 (0) 92 2806 333, secure parking, hours 11 a.m. to 10.30 p.m.

Crispy rice crackers.

hidden at the back of the menu. Chili indicators show the degree of spiciness. We were supplied with a differing selection of all very traditional Bangkok Thai dishes starting with a crispy rice cracker with a tamarind chicken and shrimp peanut sauce. This was a very tasty appetizer and I did take several of the rice crackers. The next dish was a salad with broiled shrimp with Thai herb sauce and deep-fried mixed mushrooms (shimeji, straw and black). This had a little more chili that I was used to, but for the seasoned Thai

other ingredients being lemongrass, galangal and mushrooms in the coconut base. This was very pleasant. We finished the evening with an assortment of Thai desserts, including an interesting Som Choon with lychee, pomegranate seed, green mango in syrup and topped with fried shallots. Kiin is a Thai restaurant with traditional Bangkok cuisine. The dishes themselves were expertly prepared and presented. Kiin would be a good place to take visitors to introduce them to excellent Thai food and watch the

“If you go down in the woods today.”

VOL. XXVIII No. 5

Associations & Clubs The next meetings of Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) will be held on Sunday, Mar 8 & 15, 2020. The PCEC program varies, but usually involves a guest speaker on a topic of interest to Expats. The program starts at 10:30 am with a buffet breakfast available from 9:00 to 11:00 am on the 4th floor of the Holiday Inn’s Executive Tower located behind the Holiday Inn’s Bay Tower on Beach Road. Joint Chambers ESB Sundowners hosted by AustCham: The AustralianThai Chamber of Commerce (AustCham), in collaboration with partner chambers, welcomes members and guests to AustCham’s Eastern Seaboard Sundowners to be held on Friday 20th March 2020 at Amari Pattaya from 18.00-21.00 hrs. All those living on the Eastern Seaboard or who travel there for business are welcome to attend this event which is a great opportunity to network with others who live and work within the region. Baht 500 for AustCham members and partner chambers members, Baht 1,000 for non-members. For booking,

PATTAYA MAIL

please contact Khun Chanakarn <Chanakarn@ austchamthailand.com> or Khun Thitaporn <thitaporn @austchamthailand.com>

Community Services Alcoholics Anonymous: The Pattaya Group meets Monday, Tuesday and Friday at 5 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. All meetings are closed (alcoholics only) and are held at Soi Skaw Beach (off Pattaya 2nd Rd). Contact Carl 08-456-31671. The Good Morning Pattaya Group meets 9 a.m. every morning. All meetings are ‘open’: contact 080 563 0232. The Jomtien Group meets every day at noon at Jomtien Long Stay Hotel: Contact, Andrew 086 107 6631. The Scandinavian Group meets on Tuesdays and Fridays 6 p.m. at the Norwegian Seaman’s Church, Thappraya Road Soi 7: contact Hans 085 135 7755 or Rune (Rayong) 089 754 9515. 9.00 a.m. meetings every day at Satree Pattana Centre on Soi Skaw Beach off Second Road. Call 080 563 0232. Narcotics Anonymous Hotline: 082 811 2686. 3 English speaking meetings in Pattaya near Central Festival

Prawn and Oyster Five Spice This is a real local market dish, with the main ingredients available very cheaply. At last count it was B. 50 for 100 gm of shelled oysters. This is also a dish to prepare in European fashion, removing the heads, tails and shells of the prawns. Devein by slicing down the back and removing the central vein before cooking too. Ingredients Large prepared prawns Oysters Garlic (crushed) Five Spice powder Corn flour Salt Vegetable oil Chicken stock Coriander leaf (chopped)

FRIDAY MARCH 6, 2020 31

Serves 4 500 gm 100 gm 1 1 tspn 2 tspns ½ tspn 4 tbspns 250 ml 1 tbspn

Cooking method Mix the Five Spice and salt in a saucer. Take the deshelled prawns and dip into the mixture of Five Spice and salt, making sure they are covered. Heat the oil in the wok and stir-fry the crushed garlic for 30 seconds. Add the prawns and quickly stir-fry until they are a pink color, then remove the prawns with a strainer. Add the chicken stock to the wok and bring to the boil. Mix the corn flour with two tablespoons of cold water and add to the wok. Stir until the sauce thickens then add the prawns and the oysters and stir well. Remove and sprinkle coriander leaf as garnish on steamed rice and serve with champagne.

and 2 in Jomtien each week. Also, regular Thai speaking meetings at 12 noon every Sunday, and Persian Farsi speaking meetings at 5.30 pm on Thursdays. Please call the Hotline for details. North Star Library on Sukhumvit Road, north Pattaya holds regular Thai language classes Mon - Fri from 10.30 a.m. till 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. Cost of admission is 100 baht per session for library members and 200 baht for non-members. Private lessons are also available for 200 baht per hour. In addition, the library also holds Yoga training every Tuesday from 1 - 2 p.m. at the Father Ray Foundation. Cost is 1200 baht for 6 sessions (first session free). For more information, call 081 575 4854 or email wan_nujan@yahoo.com OvereatersAnonymous - The

‘Up to You’ group meets Wednesdays 9:30-10:30 a.m. in the housing area just behind Pan Restaurant in Jomtien on Thappraya Road. Call Steve at 038-364-207(h) or 089-250-1359 (cell) for directions or more information. Post 12146 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States of America (Ban Chang – U-Tapao, Thailand) meets the second Saturday of each month at 13:00 at Sinthavee Park Condo, 2/ 1 Moo 5, in Ban Chang. If you are interested, please contact Membership Chairman Dan Morgan at <ban changvfw12146membership@ gmail.com> or visit website: www.banchangvfwpost 12146.org. Royal British Legion Thailand meets on the last weekend of every month at various locations around the city. Please join and like the Face

Book page and you will see the all the social events listed. You do not have to have served in the Armed Forces to become a member and can join in the many social events arranged throughout the year. The Legion’s primary aim is the care and welfare of those who have served and/or their dependents. For general enquiries send an email to - chonburi. secretary@rbl.community. Samaritans of Thailand English Help Line operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide support to the expatriate community. English-speaking staff, trained in crisis intervention will provide active, non-judgmental and empathetic listening

services on the phone. All calls will be handled on an anonymous basis and are free of charge. (02) 713-6791.

Bridge The Dutch Bridge Club is based in The Garden Resort, North Pattaya, and is open to players of all nationalities. Jomtien Bridge Club – the one which used to meet in the large house more or less opposite Mr Mac’s Apartments on Thappraya Road – has moved. It now meets at Friends, a Norwegian-run bar and restaurant located very close to Jomtien Beach Road. Walking towards the beach, it’s the last soi on your right after passing Hemingways. Mon, Wed, Fri, starts 1 pm, but be there by 12.45.

32 FRIDAY MARCH 6, 2020

PATTAYA MAIL

Pattaya Cricket Club win Chiang Mai Big Bash International 8s

PCC with the Tournament Cup.

PCC took a strong team of 10 players with plenty of expertise and had high hopes of doing well in this prestigious event – in

marked contrast to last year’s dismal performance. Support was provided in the form of a Barmy Army, i.e., Bobby, Shaun, Andy’s

Dad, Andy’s Mum and musical assistance from Ruddy Lorrimer.

VOL. XXVIII No. 5

La Familia riders win Queen Mother’s Royal Cup

La Familia (white) defeated Marengo (purple) 7 - 5 to win the Queen Mother’s Royal Cup in this year’s Queen’s Cup Pink Polo 2020 tournament held Saturday 22 February at the Thai Polo & Equestrian Club Pattaya. The annual event raises funds for the Queen Sirikit Centre for Breast Cancer Foundation. (Full story and more photos on page 16.)

Continued on page 28

PATTAYA MAIL is edited by Nopniwat Krailerg for Pattaya Mail Publishing Co., Ltd. Printer, publisher and owner Offices: 62/284-286 Moo 12, Thepprasit Road, Pattaya City 20150. Advertising and Administration Office: Tel: 038 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax: 038 411 833, E-mail: ptymail@pattayamail.com www.pattayamail.com