Expats Newsletter of Feb 17, 2005

Dear Pattaya Expats Club Members & Friends
SATURDAYS at 1100 AM. PATTAYA EXPATS CLUB PresentsSATURDAY LUNCHTIME KEYNOTE SPEAKERS & CONVERSATION for 19 February 2005.For all Pattaya’s Expats, at The Green Tree Restaurant & Bar, on Beach Road at Soi 1. (Please walk through the outside terrace
area to the indoor Restaurant behind the garden). We open at 11.00 am for Drinks and Snacks. An entrance fee of ONLY 20 Baht
to assist Club costs is payable at the door.
CLUB NEWS…A Club Board Meeting on 12th February voted to move our Club meetings to a bigger capacity venue,
the GRAND SOLE HOTEL located centrally on Pattaya Second Road, which has superb meeting rooms and sound system
facilities. Our move will be made on the 26th February, starting at our usual time of 11.00am, with a free buffet for the first 120
members through the door. Please have your membership cards ready to show. This free buffet has been donated to the Club
by departing Board Member Michael Withers. Our last meeting in the “pub atmosphere of the Green Tree Restaurant” will be this
coming Saturday 19th February.
CLUB NEWS…Also at the above Board Meeting a restructuring of the Club Board was completed, to put the skills of the volunteers
who run the Club to the best use and in the best position for them. Pete Mills our Club Founder is our Web-master and jointly with
Richard Ravensdale as Club Vice Presidents. Niels Colov becomes our Club President and CEO. Bernard Leach has been
re-elected as Board Secretary for another year’s term. Denis Laurin continues as Club secretary for speakers programme and
memberships. Daniel Dandoy has retired as Club Treasurer to travel around Europe in 2005 and has been replaced by Board
Member Paul Sinclair and probationary Board Member Michael Mayne as joint Club Treasurers. Frans Moret, Dave Watson
and Michael Withers who cannot spend sufficient time in Pattaya leave the Board with our grateful thanks for their assistance
to the Club.
OUR CLUBHOUSE THAI LAWYER….Pattaya lawyer Khun Ponthep Werachon is a Board Member of Pattaya Expats Club, and attends regularly in the Saturday Club Meetings to give advice and answer general questions on Law. Khun Ponthep also appears on the weekly news programme “Legal Vision” on Pattaya People Television on Sophon Cable TV and has valuable information about Thailand’s laws.
GUEST SPEAKERS LINE UP 19 February 2005. This week we have Mr Bob Lee, who is the President of the SKAL Club of Pattaya and Eastern Thailand Who will give a talk on the SKAL organisation.
WEEKLY EMCEE
Hi, I'm Brian Maxey
~ 12 February meeting - a very gentle, easygoing meeting today of around 90 people. We had to cut promptly at 1300 today as a Board Meeting (no, not a Bored Meeting) took place immediately afterwards.
~ Khun Tom Kanathan Chantrisri is the CEO of FARA Thailand (Fire and Rescue Association) and Vice President of APFF (Asia Pre-Hospital & Fire Rescue Association). He and his staff showed us a couple of frightening videos of 'high-rise' building fires, including one in Chonburi. He explained that they travel Thailand giving free prevention and rescue demonstrations on a voluntary basis and recently held a demonstration at the Redemtorist Centre in Pattaya. He said that companies with high building risks are now just starting to realise the potential danger, and are asking for their staff to be trained. He promised to inform us when another demonstration was planned so that we could attend, and report to a Saturday meeting. Frightening stuff, well presented.
We've had a good few well prepared speakers recently, on interesting topics. Well worth a listen.
~ A member asked about 'best card to use in an ATM' from a cost point of view. We asked for your help, and a UK member responded with this tip. The Nationwide Bank in UK allows him to access ATMs worldwide with no charges, and good exchange rates. I typically get a charge of UKP 3.00 per transaction on my statement, so that's another thing I need to do when next in UK.
We need more info from North American, Australian & European sources.
~ The Consular Section of the American Embassy in Bangkok will be in Pattaya on Friday, February 25th, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and from 1:00 to 2:30 PM at the Amari Orchid Resort, Pattaya. The following consular services will be available:
*Passport renewal applications (US $55.00 or baht 2,200 for adult passports)
*Additional passport pages (no charge)
*Notarial services (US $30 or baht 1,200 for the first notarial; US $20 or baht 800 for each additional related notarial), including income letters for immigration.
*Embassy registration and/or address change *Absentee ballot application and voting abroad information
*Social security, VA or other federal benefits questions
*Obtaining forms for marriage registration, report of birth, etc.
**The Embassy asks that you bring the correct fee as they will not be able to provide change or accept credit cards.
~ The Asian University presents Nobel Prize Laureate, Prof. Douglas C. North, to speak on the economics affecting Beliefs, Institutions and the Control of Violence, on Friday, March 4, 2005, at 10:30 a.m. The talk is free of charge, and will be given in the Asian University's Theatre, Highway 331, Huay Yai Amphur, Banglamung, Chonburi.
~ The Newsletter is always available on our website http://www.pattayaexpatsclub.com/newsletter.htm, and just became available as a 'BLOG' on http://pattayaexpatsclub.blogspot.com which you can access direct, or via a 'My Yahoo' page if you have one.
~ The Club's 'Chat Forum' link is: http://s8.invisionfree.com/expats/index.php? You will need to set up a username the first time you visit, but the forum is an excellent place to 'talk' to people worldwide about anything you want to know - try it.
~ The 'Open Microphone Forum' each Saturday is a time for you to ask that question that has haunted you for a while. We can usually find someone who has 'been there - done that' to provide the answer. If you cannot attend the meeting why not try our 'website-forum' (details above) - same idea. (http://s8.invisionfree.com/expats/index.php?) or via the website. You can always email me direct - see above for address.
~ Keep the emails coming, tell us what you think of our club, tell us what you think is missing, always happy to know someone's listening.
~ The 'Bank' site next door is available for limited parking - but very much at your own risk. It is still a 'building site'!
~ See you next Saturday 11:00am (1130 program start) - introduce a friend.
Brian.
‘EDITORIAL PAGE’
The Pattaya Expats Club is honoured to have the following HONORARY BOARD ADVISORS
General Chatchai Tammaraksah, Personal General to His Majesty the King;
Khunying Tidarat Tammaraksah, Assistant to Her Majesty the Queen;
Khun Niran Wattanasasatorn, Mayor of Pattaya City
Khun Somchai Manothavorn, Advisor to the Mayor of Pattaya
Khun Sansak Ngampiches, Advisor to the Minister of Tourism & Sports.
Khun Poramate Inthornchumnom Chief Prosecutor of Pattaya Court
Khun Sanga Kitsamrej, Owner of the SK Group of companies and President of SOS Rice.
Khun Surat Mekavarakul, Owner of Mike business group.
Khun Sopin Theppajug, Owner of Diana Group of companies.
Khun Paisan Bundityanond Founding President of the Real Estate Brokers Association of Thailand and owner of the Rabbit Resort in Jomtien
Dr. Prasan Stianrapapongs, Specialist in Preventative Medicine at Bangkok and Pattaya Hospital
Kru Yodthong Senanan, Most respected teacher of Thai Boxing in Thailand
CLUB BOARD MEMBERS
Club Founder & Web-Master Pete Mills.
Honorary Co-Founder, Preben Hansen
Club President & CEO Niels Colov
Club Vice Presidents, Pete Mills & Richard Ravensdale
Club Secretary (Memberships & Speakers), Denis Laurin
Board Secretary & Newsletter Editor, Bernard Leach
Club Treasurers, Michael Mayne & Paul Sinclair.
Board Members – Herman van Gucht, William Hurndell, Colin de Jong, Brian Maxey, Peter B. Piedferme, Khun Ponthep Werachon, and Khun Laddawan Yingyong.
Directors of P.E.C. Co. Ltd. – F. Moret, M. Withers
Here is a calendar of World Events.
~ Mon-21-Feb-05 President's Day USA
~ Tue-22-Feb-05 Washington's Birthday USA
~ Wed-23-Feb-05 Makha Bucha. Important Buddhist festival - holiday Thailand
~ Fri-25-Feb-05 Consular Section of the US Embassy BKK, in Pattaya from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and from 1:00 to 2:30 PM at the Amari Orchid Resort. Many Consular services will be available.
~ Fri-04-Mar-05 Asian University presents Nobel Prize Laureate, Prof. Douglas C. North, to speak on the economics affecting Beliefs, Institutions and the Control of Violence.
~ Thu-17-Mar-05 St Patrick's Day - Ireland
~ Sun-27-Mar-05 UK BST - British Summer Time starts
~ Sun-27-Mar-05 Easter Sunday
~ Sun-03-Apr-05 US DST - Daylight Saving Time starts
~ Wed-06-Apr-05 Chakri day - festival for King Rama 5 Thailand
~ Fri-08-Apr-05 Total Solar Eclipse
~ Wed-13-Apr-05 Songkran festival starts - and goes on & on! - Thailand
~ Fri-22-Apr-05 International Earth Day
~ Sat-23-Apr-05 Passover (Begins at Sundown*) - Jewish holiday
~ Sun-24-Apr-05 Penumbral Lunar eclipse
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REGULAR MEETINGS OF GROUPS IN PATTAYA
Saturday - The Pattaya Expats Club - meet at Green Tree Pub each week 1100
Saturday - UK Club of Pattaya meet each week at a different location at 1:00pm (1300). Call 038-426098 for venue
Saturday - The PRILL (a classical music trio) will be performing in the Lobby of the Bangkok/Pattaya Hospital 10:30am to mid-day (1030-1200). Performances every 1st Saturday of the month in the Lobby.
Saturday - Free Masons, Lodge Pattaya West Winds. Every 2nd Sat of the month. Call Jon Morgan 012999574
Sunday - The Scandinavian Expats of Pattaya - meet at Soi 4 Tower Condo every second Sun. Call John 015236080 or Per 070833834.
Monday - Rotary Club of Pattaya - meet at Town in Town hotel each Monday from 7:00pm (1900)
Monday - Pattaya Bridge Club. 2pm every week in the coffee shop, Pattaya Beach Tower, Soi 4
Tuesday - Pattaya International Ladies Club (PILC) Morning coffee meeting every 3rd Tuesday of the month. Also PILC Lunch meeting every 1st Tuesday of the month. Special meeting for 'newcomers' 4th Monday of each month. Contact Patricia Cromwell for locations and speakers, or email PILC262@yahoo.com
Wednesday - Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya, Royal Cliff Grand from 1830. Call Judy Hoppe 099302004
Wednesday - Lions Club of Jomtien - meet at Town in Town hotel each 2nd Wed of the month. Call Peter 038303072.
Thursday - Rotary Club of Taksin-Pattaya meet each week at Woodlands Resort 1900. Email tropicfr@gmx.ch
Thursday - Lions Club of Pattaya meet each 3rd Thursday of the month at A-One Cruise hotel.
Friday - Dutch Expats Club meet last Fri of every month at Sea Breeze Hotel Jomtien Beach Road (near Soi 10), email koger@Loxinfo.co.th
Friday Night - The Pattaya Motorcycle Club meets at the "Old Speckled Hen" pub, Soi 9, Jomtien Beach from 8 p.m. Meet new friends and enjoy "Bike Club Happy Hours" 8 till 10 with 10 baht off all beers and soft drinks and 15 baht off all spirits. New runs to be organized from day trips to the beach to 2, 3 or 4 day tours to?? Contact Martin 09 9909342 or Az 09 9356011
Every Day - Alcoholics Anonymous meet every day of the week to help. Call Jim 038303285, Craig 019967852, Tony 068403055, Hanns 019849501, Christain (German) 018634581
CONTACTS & CONTRIBUTIONS to our weekly E NEWSLETTER. Bernard Leach is the editor of our Club Newsletter, members with NEWS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS should email in by Wednesday 12 noon at bernjill@hotmail.com. Club Members seeking advice on practical topics such as Visas, work permits or services needed, please send an email direct to our MC and Open Microphone Forum specialist Brian Maxey at kop1bj-pecmc@yahoo.com. If Brian cannot answer your question from his own knowledge of Pattaya he'll forward on to someone who can. Member's emails on club business and policy issues please send to either Club President, Niels Colov dragone@loxinfo.co.th. Club Founder & Vice President Pete Mills on info@pattayaexpatsclub.com or Richard Ravensdale richardexpatsclub@yahoo.co.uk
ADVANCE SPEAKERS PROGRAMME. Please think of offering the Club a speaker of your choice on a theme you think members may find interesting. Contact Pattaya Expats Club Secretary, Denis Laurin djlauri@loxinfo.co.th with the details.
MEMBERSHIP CARDS. We produce our Club's laminated photo ID cards in just a few minutes at the same Saturday meeting in which you join or renew your membership. So if you are a past Pattaya Expats Club member and you can bring in a past ID card with the words 'Pattaya Expats Club' on you will get a new membership FREE of charge to expire 31 Dec 2005. The cards identify our members to staff at many shops and businesses around Pattaya where Club Members can claim our discounts. There are two membership options one expiring 31 December 2005 for 150 Baht or a Life Membership for 600 Baht. To get a new card please bring in two small driving licence style photos and see Denis Laurin or Michael Mayne
PATTAYA EXPATS CLUB ….ON SOPHON CABLE TV. 5 times per day. Watch Club news during the week. A Vice President of the Club, Niels Colov, who is the Chief Executive of 'Pattaya People News Channel' on Sophon Cable, Pattaya City's cable TV operator, has very kindly provided a regular segment of each show, devoted to Pattaya Expats Club news. This is a wonderful regular 'free gift' to our Club of highly valuable TV time! This is a 60 minute local News bulletin five times per day at the following times: On Cable Channel 5 showing at 0800 hrs and 1200 noon.On cable Channel 2 at 1600hrs and 2400 midnight.Plus peak evening bulletin at 2000hrs on Cable Channel 4.(These are the channels which show English language movies on Sophon Cable.)
Best Regards to all
From Pattaya Expats Club