PEC Program 10 December / Report for 3 December

Meeting Programme for Sunday, 10 December, 2006:

Our guest speaker will be novelist Jake Needham, whose latest book, "The Ambassadors Wife", spins a tale of summer in the city of Singapore, and a murder that no one wants to solve. Jake, who the Singapore Straights Times calls "Asia's most stylish and atmospheric writer of crime fiction", is also doing a book signing for PEC at the Royal Garden Plaza the day before the talk, on Saturday, 9 Dec., 2pm, in the Bookazine store.

The theme of Jake's talk to the PEC will be "Expats in Thailand - What they think of us out there in the real world". Jake can also be seen this week on Pattaya People Channel where he will discuss his books, the process of writing novels and the experience of being an expat.

We will also hear from Mr. Tore Naerland, a 52 year young man from Norway, and manager of Bike for Peace. At age 15, Tore lost his eyesight, and is now more than 80 percent blind. He then started cycling in Norway, and has continued through most of the countries in the world, meeting presidents and kings, as well as the Pope! So far he has written 7 books about his trips, and more will follow, as he will be cycling as long as he is able to sit on a bicycle!
The message of his trips is peace and nuclear disarmament, and he would like as many bikers as possible to join him during his cycling in Thailand, from March 6 to 14, '07. The daily schedule for the bike tour in Thailand is available at: bikeforpeace@hotmail.com, and will also be posted on the PEC website.

Our Master of Ceremonies this Sunday will be Gary Bruton; and Brian Maxey will host our Open Microphone Forum, so come and listen in at 2nd Rd's Grand Sole Hotel, and participate with questions and answers about nearly everything for living safely and legally in Pattaya!

Christmas is Coming!! And Santa's elves need a little help from YOU!! Please bring wrapped gifts for children to any or all of our next three meetings. The presents will be given out on Christmas Day. Please note on the outside of the package the suitable age and sex of the child receiving it.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Report from Meeting 03 December 2006 - Meeting Manager:- enRico Nestler.
Richard was our MC today, with Bob4you as Open-Forum Moderator.

Hi, I'm Brian, an MC at the Sunday meetings of PEC
To contact the Pattaya Expats Club email: (webhits2000@yahoo.com)

Please think about helping out at the Pattaya Expats Club Meetings, or in the background during the week. A lot of preparation goes into one of these Meetings. You would be welcome, and you can determine your own level of help. Please contact a ‘Maroon Jacket’ member at any meeting.

The 'Speaker' today was Scott M. Bernat, Assistant Force Protection Attaché, Bangkok, & Chief of U.S. Naval Security Thailand. For more than 20 years Scott had handled security in over 35 countries, to include the Middle East, Europe, Latin America, South East Asia and the Far East. When the US military visit overseas for peacetime exercises or R&R, a tremendous effort is made to ensure they are safe, and do not cause harm to their host in any way. Scott spoke of the many hours spent informing and preparing the troops for a visit to their intended host country. They may come off the end of the pier with a wide-eyed smile, but they also know that they represent their government when they travel, and any transgressions will be noted. He then spoke of the ways in which we can be vigilant in our own city to try to thwart attempts to cause mayhem by terrorists. He also pointed out that local families are rarely involved in any unrest because they want to live here peacefully too! A great presentation - well received.

Richard Ravensdale also spoke of security from a local Hotel Manager's point of view, and Loran commented on how current international politics seem to be exacerbating the situation globally.

Bob4You was our Open Forum Moderator, but time did not allow for everyone to ask those questions on living in Thailand. This feature occurs each week - come and ask the experts! :)

We heard from a member who has visited the Bristol Music Bar Soi 6 Jomtien, where every Sunday 1900-2300 'Sunday Unplugged' Jam Sessions are held. All musicians & vocalists are welcome - proceeds to charity. They plan a visit to our club one Sunday, soon. He was well pleased with his visit.

The Club shop now has long awaited XXXL shirts. Get in quick, they're popular - and BIG!

More questions were asked about transferring funds from country to country - members assured everyone that 99% of the time the process is efficient and relatively cheap, but emphasised that monthly payments of pensions or interest sent to Thailand worked out very expensive. If you can reduce the frequency of payments the costs fall significantly. Someone has tried the personal cheque method of transferring funds, and apart from a long delay, the charges are much lower.

10 digits are now necessary to call a mobile phone. 9 digits for house phones.

The British Embassy has a Pattaya Office local representative for emergencies. He is Barry Kenyon. Contact 081 782 7363. Barry can authenticate your UK pension or UK bank statements for Immigration purposes if you can show proof.

US Embassy local Pattaya representative for emergencies is Gary Hacker. Contact 089 803 0388.

Please help our Meeting organisers by suggesting 'Speakers' for our weekly (Sunday) Meetings. Tell us a subject you wish to hear of by suggesting a competent speaker. There are vacancies in January, onwards. Please come up with some ideas and contact Loran our current Program/Speakers Manager. Give her your suggestions and let her arrange the details. Please do not fix dates in advance.

Contact: Loran Davidson (furzymouse@msn.com).

The PEC next golf group's Monthly Golf Tournament for December is planned. More info on this event is available from Pattaya People Office (Soi Day Night), Globetrotter (just off Soi 7), and of course PEC Club meetings on Sunday, or contact Ossi Viljanen on 081 851 9620, (ossigolf@yahoo.com). These events are popular and fill up quickly, so sign-up early to avoid disappointment.
Also a new venture for golfers is a daily friendly event starting from the Globetrotters off Soi 7. Sign up at Globetrotters before 1500, for a 0900 start the next day.

Deutschsprachige Treffen. Jeden 1.und 3. Samstag im Monat,10:00 Uhr morgens, im Konferenzsaal des Wat Chaimongkon an der South Pattaya Road. Nachste Treffen: 18. November und 2. December 2006. Jeder ist eingeladen. Info: Erwin 086 009 8497

Why not come along next Sunday morning 10:30am (11:30 program start) to the Grand Solé Hotel (in the Theppraya Room, up on the Mezzanine level), 370 Pattaya 2nd Road (north), near the Pattaya Mail Office. Hotel tel: 038 427 555 Fax: 038 427 550. Half way between TOPS supermarket & BIG-C supermarket - bring a friend.

For location - link to: (http://www.grandsolepattaya.com/location.htm)

See you soon, MC - Brian.