Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Pattaya Expats Club Newsletter Aug 30, 2006

Dear Pattaya Expats Club Members & Friends

Our planned Club Programme for Sunday, September 3, 2006

News and information on the insurance scene, this week from one of Pattaya's experts, Peter Smith - new products PLUS some very important information for anyone who has a property insurance.
 
MC is Brian Maxey, Meeting Manager - Paul Moore
 
This Sunday morning the Clubhouse has one of Pattaya's best known Insurance experts, Peter Smith as keynote speaker with news and information about the insurance scene, new products PLUS very important information for anyone who has a property insurance - as he says "no B.S. this is important !!". Peter has been in the Pattaya business environment a long time and a sponsor of the PEC since 2002 when we worked nearby each other - me in hotel management near
Dolphin Circle at Astoria Resort and he in the nearby 2nd Rd.

AA INSURANCE BROKERS CO., LTD, Peter's newer company since that time, was formed in 2004 with the purpose of providing services to the expat community, initially in the Pattaya area. Since then the company has expanded considerably and now has clients throughout Thailand including at expat hubs Phuket, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai and Bangkok.

The company is majority Thai owned in line with the current legislation laid out by the Department of Insurance (DOI). The two foreign directors have both lived in Thailand now for many years and have a broad range of experience in the insurance industry, both here in Thailand and internationally. AA Insurance Brokers work in partnership with leading international & local insurance companies and they aim to provide the high quality service and the value for money demanded by the expatriate community here.

Their client base is not limited to Thailand but stretches throughout the globe -  from housewives to international corporations.

They specialize in designing tailored solutions to individuals and companies alike with services including risk assessment, product design and technical backup.
The Head office is currently located in the centre of Pattaya, with branches in various other locations including Jomtien. The company is technology oriented - it operates a sophisticated paperless office system that ensures efficient processing of clients applications and more importantly claims.

AA Insurance Brokers is constantly updating its ties with the various insurance providers to offer specialist services and difficult to obtain insurance coverage to the oil & gas industries, both onshore & offshore, schools, small businesses, hotels, large corporations and of course the individual expat. Public liability, Employer & employee liability, workmen's compensation, construction, marine, pleasure craft, house, condo, car, motorbike, SME, hotel, restaurant, Medical, Tailored Group medical schemes, Personal accident, life insurance - quite a wide range any of our PEC members may like to know about. AA say their motto is: 'if it can be insured we will get it insured.'
So come and test out their 'claims' this Sunday - no pun intended. They are one of the very few licenced brokers here as Peter is proud of as operating legally in Thailand is most important.

We also have our weekly Lucky Draw ticket prizes of dinners for two at several of Pattaya's finest restaurants - Jameson's, The Globetrotter etc. We will have our late-morning start time of speakers programme from 1130 am, with the optional brunch from about 1030am - another great reason to be a member and to come into the Pattaya Expats Club this Sunday at The Grand Sole Hotel, 2nd Rd. The meeting entry cost is 80 Baht and for non-members 100 Baht. For that cost we enjoy the excellent technical presentation facilities of the Grand Sole Hotel conference room.

Our foyer exhibition displays, throughout the meeting period from 1030 are worth a visit for practical advice from experts. In the club's greeting, programme and memberships area you can get Club memberships at only 300 Baht expiring 31 Dec 2007 or 600 Baht for Life Membership. (Bring two very small 'visa' photos and your card is laminated and ready at the same meeting.) Display tables have in-depth information from regular expert contributors in their field. Our Microphone announcement at 11.10am confirms who is available to consult free of charge. For example The Pattaya International Hospital table usually includes regular FREE testing of blood groups, blood sugar, blood pressure and lung function to help you stay healthy.  Advice on Insurance policies is available from AA Insurance - including the club member's own low cost 'group' health policy, now in its second year and with premium at under 11,000 B - as well as a range of Insurances such as property, house contents and motor cover are available.

Plus, our large take-away information point with leaflets and publications from hundreds of member to member services available in Pattaya is open until the end of the meeting.
Our Meeting Entry cost, now set by the Hotel at 80 Baht, are sold as tickets from 1030 am when hall doors open for seating. The table plan is usually in friendly format tables for eight or ten - so please allow the 'gaps' to be filled by new arrivals at your table.
This week Brian Maxey is M.C. and will lead our Open Microphone Forum, so come and listen in this Sunday morning, at 2nd Rd's Grand Sole Hotel and participate with questions and answers about nearly everything for living safely and legally in Pattaya ! 

Richard Ravensdale
Vice President
Here's our MC's report on the Aug 27 meeting:
Hi, I'm Brian. MC at the Sunday meetings of PEC
(info@pattayaexpatsclub.com)
27 August 2006 - Meeting Manager:- Paul Moore.
(Richard is away for a couple of weeks)
Our main 'Speaker' today was ‘Fairfax Sports Resort Complex’. Zena, and a very fit band of Muay Thai trainers filled the house with martial arts sounds as they kicked and pummelled each other. Due to their skill not one injury occurred or one smile stopped. Zena then asked for a couple of volunteers to undergo a brief workout on stage. Bags of enthusiasm, and shouts of ugh! & ah! resounded throughout the room and all were surprised by their efforts. Our own Golf Pro Ossi gave a very credible show. It should perhaps be remembered by the members that if ever you are in front of Ossi on the fairway, and running a little slow – watch out, he could easily clear the way. Fairtex is located on Pattaya North Rd, just up from the Dolphin traffic circle on the left. It is a very impressive place – I visited last week. It’s built in a style reminiscent of Khmer stone temples, and is the first complete International sports club for Pattaya. There is a huge range of activities including Muay Thai (Thai Boxing or Art of the Eight Limbs), restaurants, bar, detoxification and wellness centres. It has weights and cardiovascular training areas, aerobic classes, Thailand's highest rock climbing wall, a 25 M outdoor pool, air-conditioned squash courts, badminton courts and indoor football, tennis - including lessons, a children's nursery and kids activities and a Five Star Hotel.
Open forum questions & information arising from the Meeting:--
Buddie - meetings are continuing each Wednesday at The Redemtorist Centre, Sukhumvit Road, 7:00pm. I have twice visited these meetings of the ‘help’ group using the acronym ‘buddie’ (they were our ‘Speakers’ 9 July). Lynda Crone, from the US, moderates group discussions about – well, almost anything. A different subject is collectively chosen each week for the following week. It’s very relaxed and ‘low-key’, and often entertaining. They meet at The Redemtorist Centre, Sukhumvit Road (km 145) just north of the turn from the top of Central Pattaya Road each Wednesday evening at 7:00pm. Their aim is to help foreigners to settle into the local community by discussing those ‘new’ elements found in Thai life. Ask questions, discuss issues, develop new contacts, and realise that a problem is not necessarily yours alone. Why not give it a try.
Peter Drescher (ESA) & Wolfgang (Bon Novo) are trying to organise a presentation on dangerous electrical installations in the home, and they are looking to you to relate your experiences on this subject. So if you have a story send or call: Peter 079411900 (email info@esa-th.com), or Wolfgang 068653575 (email wolfgang.novacek@bonnovo.com).
Darren McGarry & Stephen Wilson, from Key Visa Co, were very much in attendance this week. They were back in their old location (on the right as you enter the meeting hall) with renewed vigour and lots of information & handouts. Darren tells me they will attend regularly with a Thai staff member each week (on the job training). They can help with Thai Immigration regulations, UK/Europe visa requirements, applications at Jomtien Soi 5, and overstay problems. As you know they now have two large offices – Jomtien, near the Hanoman Statue call 038303735 – Pattaya, in Soi LK Metro call 038422131. The hotline is 010045397.
Sunday 10 Sept Jesters at Diana Garden Resort & Driving Range. The 8th year of this fair especially for children is in the afternoon – great fun. Location is: go north on 3rd Road towards Pattaya North Road. About 200 mtrs before the end, on the right, you will see signs for the Diana driving range. Follow these signs and when you hear 1000 kids playing, or see 500 cars trying to park, you’re there. Take your bike, it’s much simpler!
Saturday 16 Sept "Jesters Pub Night" at Jameson's, Soi Sukrudee (Soi A.R.). this one’s for the adults – and it’s all for worthwhile charities. (jesterscd@care4kids.info)
MOBILE PHONES - 10 digit dialling went into effect 1 Sept. 2006 for all Thailand’s mobile phone numbers. Your mobile phone will acquire an extra digit – an 8. Thus new numbers will change as follows: an OLD number 01 2345678, will become 081 2345678, and 09 2345678 will become 089 2345678. If you are called from outside Thailand you need to inform your contacts that they need to add this new 8 to their numbers, e.g. Old number 66 1 2345678, will become 66 81 2345678, and 66 9 2345678 will become 66 89 2345678. Please note: landline (house phone) numbers will NOT change at this time. They may need to change in the future but no information is available at the moment.
Do not forget to change your ‘address book’ numbers to allow correct ‘auto-dialling’.
There will be a period from 1 Sept. to 30 Nov. during which you can dial with either old or new number.
AIS and DTAC tell us all their shops will have a conversion program to add the ‘8’ to your address-book stored numbers, but think carefully if you store numbers in your phone that are NOT phone numbers (as I do!). The program will add to any number that ‘looks’ like a phone number. Once changed these numbers cannot be ‘automatically’ reversed.
You can make the changes yourself by adding an appropriate ‘8’ to your stored numbers.
Do not try to dial a new 10 digit number before 1 Sept. 2006, it will not work.
I plan to ‘wait and see’ for at least a month, before I let a computer change things in my phone. By that time we are bound to have heard of any unforeseen problems occurring.
I use D-tac for my mobile phone carrier and I currently have a promotion that allows me to talk for 1 hr to anywhere in Thailand for a little under 20 baht (0.25baht per min + 5 baht for the first min). The problem is I don’t use it enough to exhaust the money before the time ends. I have discovered a solution. If you establish a user account online with D-tac (Happy Dprompt) they will allow you to swap money for time, or vice versa, so I can extend my time by using up some of my money. Excellent!
There is now a “Pattaya Ex-Services Club”, Tropical Bert's Bar, 2nd Road (opp Bangkok Bank) every Sunday 1300-1700, phone 098072335 for info.
International driving permits, based on a Thai driving licence, are available from Department of Transportation in Bangkok: 1032 Paholyothin Road Bangkok 10900 Tel. 272-3100 and 272-3601-9 , Fax: 272-5343
Visa Runs in the afternoon/evening are becoming a popular item at 1st Class Visa Runs, Witherspoons top of Soi Diana, 061471618. 2400Tb in a 6 person minibus. Mon/Wed/Fri start 1500 return 2200. Discount voucher booklet worth at least 8KTb for use around Pattaya, and freq traveller discount on your 10th run - half price. They also have daily morning runs.
British Embassy local Pattaya representative for emergencies is Barry Kenyon. Contact 017827363. 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 098030388.
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 from September onwards. Please come up with some ideas and contact Richard or Paul our current Speakers Managers. Give him your suggestions and let him arrange the details. Please do not fix dates in advance.
Contact: Richard Ravensdale 010 016 372 (pecrichard@yahoo.co.uk), or Paul Moore 011 776 915 (norfolkconstabulary2000@yahoo.co.uk)
The PEC golf group's Monthly Golf Tournament for September is being 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 018519620, (ossigolf@yahoo.com). These events are popular and fill up quickly, so sign-up early to avoid disappointment. If you need to rent a Golf Cart call Ossi soon.
New Time: The Sunday Golf Driving Practice (with free tuition from Ossi Viljanen for PEC members) now runs from 8:30am to 9:30am at the usual location on Sukhumvit Road just across from Central Pattaya Road – The Pride Driving Range. This is to allow members to attend the PEC new Meeting time of Sundays at 10:30am (program start 11:30). High Handicap players welcome!
The German Speaking Group of the Pattaya Expats Club hold their meetings on the first and third Saturday of each month at 10:00am. They meet in the Conference Room of Wat Chaimongkon Temple in South Pattaya, near the Intersection of Second Road and South Pattaya Road. The Conference Room is in the big white building at the end of the temple complex. Next meetings are 02 & 16 September. Contact Erwin Schlottmann, 060098497, email: (erwinschlottmann@gmail.com)
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: 2. September und 16. September 2006. Jeder ist eingeladen. Info: Erwin 06 009 8497
Mon-04-Sep-06 Labour Day - US Financial markets closed
Sun-10-Sep-06 Jesters “Children’s Day” at Diana Garden Resort & Driving Range
Tue-12-Sep-06 THE VEGETARIAN CLUB OF PATTAYA - 6:00pm, 99 baht. For reservations call: Café New Orleans: 038710805
Wed-13-Sep-06 Regional competition for National Bartender Contest - Dusit Resort
Sat-16-Sep-06 Jesters "Pub Night" at Jameson's, Soi Sukrudee (Soi A.R.).
Sun-24-Sep-06 Ramadan (on first sighting of the moon)
Thu-28-Sep-06 Suvarnabhumi (New BKK Airport) opens
Fri-29-Sep-06 Pattaya 'Best of Music' festival starts
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: 038427555 Fax: 038427550. 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.

Wherever you are in the world today, we wish you a great upcoming weekend , and if you are not already enjoying life in Pattaya - then come back soon. 
Best wishes from all of us at the Pattaya Expats Club