PEC Program 17 December / Report for 10 December

Meeting Programme for Sunday, 17 December, 2006:

Christmas is Coming!! And Santa's elves need a little help from YOU!! Please bring wrapped gifts for children to our next two meetings, indicating age and sex for recipient. We will be giving out these presents on Christmas Day at children's hospital wards and orphanages, hopefully with Santa Ken!

Our Speaker for Sunday will be PEC member Paul Victor Craven, who will give us a QuickTime Presentation on Astronomy. As the new moon for December will fall on the 20th, this gives us a prime opportunity to study the constellations and the Milky Way unobscured by mother moon's light. Paul writes:

"I am a 57 year old British male, interested in heavenly bodies - all types! Perhaps my Father can take some credit in my interest in the stars, as when I was a child in the 1950's the TV programme 'The Sky at Night' hosted by Patrick Moore, was the only time I was allowed to stay up late? (in those days children were seen, and not heard!)

"In 1961 at the age of 11, I had the thrill of being taken to the 'Russian Trade Exibition' at Olympia, where I was to have the thrill of meeting Yuri Gagarin, the first man in orbit, and the rest probably followed from there.

Our Master of Ceremonies this Sunday will be Bob Sutterfield, 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, legally and happily in Pattaya !

MEMBERSHIP NOTE: The PEC committee voted to reduce the cost of short term memberships which all expire 31 December 2007, to be 200 Baht in future. Short term memberships were suspended from issue for a couple meetings, for 10th and also 17th December, and will be re-launched at the new price on 24th December meeting. (NB If anyone planned to join short term membership for the express purpose of obtaining PEC medical cover on 17th Dec, please see Paul and Alfie at our memberships desk.)

o-o-o-o-o-o

..and at the Meeting of 10 December 2006.

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

Meeting Manager:- enRico Nestler.
Gary Bruton was our MC today, with Brian Maxey as Open-Forum Moderator.

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 Jake Needham - author. Have you read Big Mango, The Laundryman, Killing Plato or The Ambassador's Wife - NO! Well, you missed a great talk by Jake on what being an expat is seen to mean. Later he signed some books and chatted to the members. A great presentation - very well received.

Our second speaker may well be the most enthusiastic speaker we've heard in a long time. Tore Naerland, a 52 year old man from Norway, and manager of Bike for Peace, spoke of his journey around the world promoting Peace & Disarmament - and all from the saddle of a bicycle. Tore lost his eyesight at the age of 15, and is now more than 80 percent blind. He then started bicycling in Norway, and has continued through 102 countries of 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! 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 from: bikeforpeace@hotmail.com, and will be announced again later.

Ask all those questions on living in Thailand - here at the Meeting. This feature occurs each week - come and ask the expat experts! :)

The Open Forum got off to a grand start with an amusing email from a member who had won a 'door prize' the previous week, but couldn't find Lasse's wonderful restaurant - Globetrotter! Fortunately Lasse was in the room and gave them a small map showing that his establishment is in the complex between Pattaya Central Road, and Soi 7 (Beach Road), about 35 mtrs from the beach. We were also able to open an invitation to this great restaurant to the membership for a limited (39 people) number to join PEC Staff for a festive dinner on Wednesday 20 December at 20:00, cost 400 baht. Tickets available from Pattaya People Weekly offices on Soi Day Night. This same office has the tickets for the Grand Dinner with the Rotary Club of Pattaya, at Town in Town Hotel, Pattaya Central Road, Saturday 30 December at 18:30, cost 500 baht.

We were asked for the location of the apartments mentioned on our website by Pete. Opposite Carrefour is Soi Arunothai, in Soi 2 there is Maxx's Internet shop. He manages the apartments. They have free ADSL internet fed to each apartment, and are available by day, month or longer.

We had a visit from the guys at Oliver Twist - Old English Pub, located on Central Pattaya Road, opposite Nova Lodge. If you can't find them call 038429881.

We heard that a Bridge Club (playing-cards) occurs Monday, Wednesday & Friday, at 13:00, at the Mercure Hotel, Pattaya 2nd Road - Soi 15. Players of all abilities are welcome. Thanks to Rose Marie and Peter for this.

Niels told us of a great event coming up next weekend. The Pattaya Esarn Association in conjunction with City Hall & TAT, are having a big Parade followed by an entertainment evening with food & drink, all for the price of 200 baht per person. The parade kicks off from the Dolphin Circle at 15:00 16 Dec - all are welcome to join in. Dinner & entertainment starts 18:00 at Chaimongkol School (opposite the temple). There will be music, singing, dancing, food & Drink all included for 200 baht. On Sunday 13:00 it continues up until around midnight. Tickets available at Pattaya People offices - Soi Day Night.

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 is 26 December. 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 twice weekly friendly event starting from the Globetrotters off Soi 7. Sign up at Globetrotters by 1500 the day before.

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: 16. December 2006 und 7. January 2007. 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.