Friday, February 16, 2007

PEC Program for 18 Feb / Report from 11 Feb 2007

PEC Program for 18 Feb / Report from 11 Feb 2007

Meeting Programme for Sunday, 18 February, 2007:

This Sunday the PEC will host Dr. Nattawat Rerkratanavaraporn, an Ophthalmologist from Pattaya International Hospital.
Dr. Nattawat will discuss the topic: Innovation in Eye Surgery

Our Master of Ceremonies this Sunday will be Alexander, and Peter Smith of AA Insurance will host an Expert's Open Microphone Forum alongside Open Forum Moderator Brian, 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 !

The PEC's DVD and Book Swap will be in the front left of the meeting room. Bring in those books, magazines and DVD's that you've already perused, and swap them out for some new ones! Many thanks to PEC members Ray and Joyce Aldridge for their help with this project!

The PEC's Monthly Breakfast Social will be at The Canterbury Tales Restaurant on Thursday, 22 February, starting .at 10 AM The restaurant is located on Soi Chaiapoon off Soi Buakhao, near the top of Soi Diana Inn, and is also a bookshop and a club prize giver. We are printing 25 tickets per month for the social, and will begin selling tickets this Sunday. Menu and Price: 75 Baht Ticket - English full breakfast, or 'Healthy Breakfast' (exotic fruits, cereal, yogurt, mug of tea or coffee), or Omelet, or Tuna Salad. All newcomers and new members are welcome, and we will also have a door prize of books from the owner.

And the MC Report from 11 Feb Meeting:

Hi, I'm Brian, an MC at the Sunday meetings of the Pattaya Expats Club.
To contact PEC email: (webhits2000@yahoo.com) (do not use - info@pattayaexpatsclub.com - it doesn't work)

Programme Manager:- Loran. Meeting Manager:- enRico. MC:- Brian. Open Forum:- Loran.

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 our Meetings. You would be welcome, and you can determine your own level of input. Please contact a 'Maroon Jacket' member at any meeting.

Our main Speaker today was:- Khun Nawaporn Sawaetwong (Neil), the Founder and Developer of Pattaya Airpark Co., Ltd. Just 15 kms from Pattaya City. Neil pursues his dream of providing air services to small aircraft owners & pilots from his 127 rai (approximately 50 acres) park. His presentation showed his facilities and the many activities that he hosts there, such as Ultralight tours and instruction, his annual Pattaya Sun and Fun Festival, and his plans for an Aviation Museum and Bungalows for fly-in pilots. There is also an opportunity to design, build & own property on the airpark. The Airpark website: (www.pattayaairpark.com), & email: (sportypilot@gmail.com)
The second speaker was Khun Sombat (motorbike taxi psychologist). His theme was general advice to all foreigners who may be worried about the present political situation in Thailand. After 14 Coups he advised us to relax & enjoy Pattaya, as was he and the other Thai people. Thais are taught to take the middle path, which basically means there will be little change. He did comment that he found it difficult to understand the official view to foreign ownership of land. After all, we couldn't take it away from Thailand, and while we had it's ownership we would probably improve it.
The Experts Open Forum this week was Moderated by Loran, and featured Darren McGarry of Key Visa Co, and Barry Kenyon the Pattaya representative of the British Embassy, Bangkok. Darren gave an overview of the current visa situation, and answered some questions, and Barry provided the Embassy view of the changes. They both agreed that the expat community were confused by the new rules, and they would probably both be busy for some time to come. Darren writes a weekly column on Visa matters in the Pattaya People Weekly Newspaper, published Saturdays. I sure learnt something new!

US Consul visits Pattaya Fri 23 Feb Dusit Resort 0800 -1200
US Consul visits Phuket Wed 28 Feb Hilton Arcadia on Karon Beach 0800 - 1200

A reminder that if you plan to apply for a Visa for a non-British national, the current system is NOT to apply direct to the UK Embassy in Bangkok. The official company now handling these applications is: VFS (Thailand) Ltd. UK Visa Application Centre, 2nd Floor, Regent House, Kwaeng Lumpini, BKK 10330. A short walk from the Sky-train station at Ratchadamri. (Email: info@ukvac-th.com).

Some information from 1st Class Visa Runs: they run a 6 seat mini-bus to the Cambodian border each day for 2,400 baht, including 2 meals and all visa costs. A trip to Penang for 11,500 baht includes all transport, hotel, agent and visa costs for a single entry 60-day Tourist Visa, which may be extended in Thailand for a further 30 days. This trip involves a one night stay in Georgetown (Penang) at the Cititel Hotel. 1st Class Visa is at Witherspoons Pub on Soi Buakhao, near Soi Diana Inn.

The British Embassy's Pattaya Office local representative for emergencies, Barry Kenyon (tel: 081 782 7363) can authenticate your UK pension or UK bank statements for Immigration purposes if you can show original 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. Please do not fix dates in advance.

The PEC Golf Group have a Monthly Golf Tournament. 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).

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)
PEC website:- (http://pattayaexpatsclub.com)
PEC Blogg:- (http://pattayaexpatsclub.blogspot.com)

See you soon, MC - Brian.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home