THIS MONTH
Hua Hin Online Community
HHAD enjoyed a record readership month in May topping 58,000 readers, more and more people are logging on to the forums to find out what is going on in Hua Hin. The figures were boosted byinterest in the poorly annual jazz festival and a number of heated property debates. We are constantly amazed at how many people were leaving it to the last minute to book their accommodation for the jazz festival only to find that most places were full.
Plenty of warnings are given to book ahead but the problem lies with the organizers who are always reluctant to release any information – including the actual dates of the event – until the last minute. Every year we are baffled by the complete lack of promotion and marketing for what has become Hua Hin’s largest annual event. It seems that Bangkok wants to keep it to themselves and keep Hua Hin in the dark.
Jazz Festival
The festival itself was a little disappointing this year compared to previous ones, the single stage was a long way down the beach from the toilet facilities and a lot of the beach was cordoned off for “VIP’s” leaving little room with the incoming tide near the stage. It seems that it suffers the same problems every year but no attempts are made to alleviate them. The music itself was also a little bland compared to previous events with many of the afternoon and early evening performers falling into what we would describe as the ‘elevator music’ category. Only three acts really stood out and these were Kenny Garrett and band who played some nice bluesy-jazz, T-Bone who got the crowd on their feet with their unique Thai style reggae-ska and Mike Stern and band who rocked the festival to a close on Saturday night. More jazz was performed in town the following week in what appeared to be Hua Hin’s efforts to keep up with the Bangkok organized and dominated main event on the 13th and 14th. Photos from the event can be found on www.jazzfestivalhuahin.com
Property Problems
These were the dominating topics on the board last month with hundreds logging in to read and comment on their real estate issues. A meeting was held between property developers, agents and a few consumers in an effort to form an association to raise standards, information and professionalism within the trade. The property industry in Hua Hin has been clouded recently due to underhanded tactics by a number of local developers and one or two less than honest ‘officials’.
HHAD has agreed to assist in the endeavor by providing a private platform for the professionals to get together and discuss their issues.
There were plenty more restaurant reviews as the culinary critics get out and about. We also had a number of requests for food items that are unavailable in Hua Hin – there is hope that the new department store will come to the rescue – either that or Hua Hin Ham and Bacon will increase their already burgeoning selection!
As usual the ever popular “Ask the Expats” section had its requests for the bizarre and bemusing such as fancy dressoutfits, Japanese “Shojii” screens, VHS players, sidecars and cobblers. Whatever your question you’ll find an answer on HHAD!
HHAD forums are the only definitive and original online message boards and discussions for the area with over 3,600 members. There are sections for finding and booking accommodation, seeking out bargains, and exploring the local area an beyond. There is also a nightlife section for the night owls, a restaurant and feedingguide along with an online meeting point for visa runners and clubs. The ever popular “Ask the expats” section is great for quickly getting the answers you need from the people that live here.
Logon and find out what is happening in Hua Hin:
There is also a blog for the Hua Hin area at:
Olymic Games
With the XXVIII Olympic Games commencing at Beijing on 8 August, we here bring you the first installment of a brief Olympic history, with some interesting details of the ancient Games in Greece. This section of the modern Games runs from 1896 to 1936, and part 2 in the August issue will take us from 1948 to 2008. Although there are details of the ancient Olympic Games in Greece from 776 BC onwards, archaeologists have demonstrated that the Games can be traced far back into the second millennium before Christ. The sporting festivals lasted five days and included running, wrestling, discus and javelin throwing, the pentathlon (fencing,
swimming, riding, archery and distance running); horse riding and chariot racing as well as competitions to determine the best dancers, trumpeters and heralds. During the Games, a sacred truce was held and honoured by all competing city states – there could not be any wars whilst the Games were being held. In the running of the ‘stade’ (a distance of roughly 180 metres and from which the term ‘stadium’ originates),
sprinters who committed a false start were penalised by being whipped (!) and all athletes competed naked. A ceremony to honour all the victors was held on the last day of the Games, and the 
winners were all awarded laurel wreaths. Only male athletes participated and women were not even allowed to spectate, on pain of death. We have the Christian church to thank for ending the ancient Olympics. A decree issued by the devout Roman emperor Theodosius I in AD 391 prohibited ‘all pagan worship’ which included the Olympic Games. The sporting fun was over for more than 1,500 years. On 6 April 1896 King George 1st of Greece opened the
first Olympic Games of modern times in the historic city of Athens. An audience o over 60,000 gathered in the city’s newly refurbished stadium to witness the events. Initially, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Games, had intended to stage the sporting festival at Paris in 1900 in association with the World’s Fair. However, it was eventually decided that the first Olympiad should take place four years earlier with the Greek capital as host city. Greek organisers printed the first sports postage stamps to commemorate the Games of 1896, and you can bet that those stamps are worth a tidy amount today. The nine sports held at Athens were Athletics (track & field), Tennis, Fencing, Weightlifting, Cycling, Wrestling, Shooting, Swimming and Gymnastics. In keeping with ancient tradition, there were no competitions for women, who had to wait another four years before they could join
the movement, and then in only two sports – Golf and Tennis. Each winner was presented with an olive branch, alaurel sprig and a copper medal. Whilst most top class athletes of the day stayed away for various reasons, the first man in modern Olympic history to win an Olympic competition was James Brendan Connolly (USA) who won the triple jump. The host nation had to wait until the final day for their
first Olympic win: Spyridon Louis duly won the marathon, a race held over 40 kilometres to commemorate the legendary run of the Greek messenger Philippides after the battle of Marathon in 490 BC, where the invading Persians were routed. Marathon running is of course big business today with hundreds of cities all over the world holding mass entry races which raise millions for charity. The distance of 26 miles, 385 yards (42.195 kilometres) was standardised at the London Games in 1908, where the race was increased by an extra 2.195 kilometres so that the race would finish alongside the ‘Royal Box’ at Windsor where members of British Royalty were seated. The Games at Paris in 1900 were held over no less than five (!) months, from 14 May to 28 October to coincide with the Worlds Fair, and excited little interest, partly through bad organisation. Cricket was held for the first (and only) time, with Britain beating France. (The entire ‘French’ team was made up of British members of the French Embassy in Paris!) Star of the Games was Alvin Kraenzlein (USA) who won the 60 metres, 110 metres hurdles, 200 metres hurdles and Long Jump, setting world records in the first two events. Americans predictably dominated the 1904 Olympics in St Louis, winning 80 gold medals in only six sports, andtook every track and field event except the Decathlon and 56lb Weight throw. Their star athlete was Ray Ewry, who won the first three of his eight Olympic titles in the now defunct standing jump events. The IOC perhaps wisely decided to ignore an ‘Interim’ Games in 1906 – an attempt by Greek authorities to make Athens (or the ancient site of Olympia) a permanent venue for every summer Olympiad. Twenty-one sports were held at London in 1908, including Motor Boating. Most memorably, Dorando Pietri of Italy collapsed four times very near the finish of the Marathon, and was promptly disqualified after being helped to his feet by officials. If the race distance had been over 40 kilometres, he would surely have taken the title. Representing the USA in the Modern Pentathlon at Stockholm in 1912 was George S Patton, later to become
he famous World War II general known as ‘Blood and Guts’ Patton. Controversially, the great American Decathlete Jim Thorpe was stripped of his two gold medals because of ‘professionalism’: he had won 20 dollars for playing Baseball in 1910. This harsh decision was eventuallyreversed in 1982 and the medals returned to his family – ironically 29 years after Thorpe himself had died. The first Great War (1914 1918) in Europe wiped out the Games of 1916, and when athletes from around the globe assembled again at Antwerp in 1920 the IOC excluded the Central Powers (Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary and Turkey) as they were held responsible for the conflict: so much for keeping politics out of sport. Belgian fencer Victor Boin took the first Olympic oath on behalf of all competitors by a representative of the host nation, and that tradition survives today. The USA easily topped the medals table with 41 golds spread over 22 sports which oddly included Figure Skating and Ice Hockey, events that also showed up at the first Winter Olympic Games at Chamonix, France in January 1924. Albert Hill (GBR) won both the 800 and 1500 metres titles at Antwerp, and the silver medallist in the longer event was his countryman Philip Noel-Baker who was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize as a Labour MP in 1959. At Paris in 1924 the great Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi took five golds, including winning the 1500 and 5000 metres finals within an hour. In total, he won nine gold medals over three Games before being banned for professionalism in 1932. In 1928 at Amsterdam the legendary Johnny Weissmuller retained his 100m freestyle title before going on to movie stardom as ‘Tarzan’ and Percy Williams became the first (and only) Canadian to win a track sprint double. Women athletes competed in Olympic Athletics for the first time, but only in five events. Four years later, a man won an Olympic gold medal whilst masquerading as a woman: Stanislawa Walasiewicz of Poland took the Women’s 100 metres title from Hilda Strike of Canada at Los Angeles in 1932. Walasiewicz took up American citizenship (as Stella Walsh) in the 1940’s and on ‘her’ death in 1980 was found to be male. In spite of protests from Canada, the IOC has never revised the official 1932 result, however. A big media favourite named Mildred ‘Babe’ Didrikson from Fort Arthur, Texas pulled off an unusual double win at 80 metres hurdles and Javelin (plus taking a silver medal in the High Jump). The Babe became much more famous in later years as a highly successful professional golfer under her married name of Zaharias. Over at the pool, the 14-year-old Japanese swimmer Kusuo Kitamura became the youngest Olympic Champion in any sport when won the 1500 metres freestyle. The infamous ‘Nazi’ Olympics took place at Berlin in August 1936, which Adolf Hitler used as a massive propaganda exercise for his brutal regime. Germany (33 golds) topped the medal table for the first time, but four of the USA’s 24 golds came from the inspirational James Cleveland (‘Jesse’) Owens who won the 100 metres, 200 metres and Long Jump before anchoring the American sprint relay team to victory in world record time. (By the way, it’s not true that Hitler refused to shake hands with him – the fuehrer simply left the stadium after watching Owens win his first gold medal in the 100 metres). Berlin also witnessed the first Olympic flame, an idea dreamed up by IOC delegate Carl Diem. The flame was ignited by the sun in Olympia, Greece and then relayed to the 100,000-seat stadium in Germany by no less than 3,075 torchbearers. This remains an Olympic tradition, though the 2008 torch relay was seriously disrupted by activists protesting China’s human rights record in Tibet.
King Mongkut
His Majesty King Mongkut (Rama IV) spent many years in meditation as Buddhist monk prior to ascending to the throne of Siam on the death of his half-brother, Rama III in 1851. This highly intelligent man harboured a keen interest in modern science and firmly believed that one of his duties as Siam’s monarch was to replace long-held superstitions among his people with logic and reasoning, whenever possible. One of the King’s scientific passions was the study of astronomy, and in early 1868 His Majesty calculated the exact timing of an upcoming solar eclipse to be on 18 August that year. He also calculated its exact path over his kingdom and decided to make the event a public lesson in astronomy by organising a large expedition to a spot on the Thai coast (just south of Hua Hin) where the eclipse could be viewed in totality. According to research by Eileen Hunter and Narisa Chakrabongse, King RamaIV chose ‘a wild and uninhabitable spot about 140 miles south west of Bangkok’. That works out to 224 kilometres, almost exactly where we can now find part of Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, although other historians dispute this, claiming that the spot was some 60 kilometres further south near Wa Kaw, near Muang Prachuap Khiri Khan at Wakor village. At the King’s invitation, a French expedition travelled all the way overland (the Suez Canal had not yet been created) to Siam to join King Rama IV in convincing his subjects that ‘contrary to their superstitions, the eclipse would not be caused by the dragon Rahu eating the sun and disgorging it only when frightened by the beating of gongs and letting off fireworks, but could be predicted beforehand and explained by rather more rational methods.’ Also invited was Sir Harry Ord, the British Governor of Straits Settlements
in Singapore, who sailed over from the Crown colony for this auspicious occasion.
According to the French expedition leader, ‘The King of Siam with all his court, part of his army and a collection of Europeans, duly arrived by sea on 8th August 1868 in twelve steamboats of the Royal Navy, while by land came troops of oxen, horses and fifty elephants.’ Also in attendance were the King’s
sons, the Princes Damrong and Chulalongkorn, along with court astrologers, ‘who could hardly be blamed if they did not display much enthusiasm for the whole project.’ Much to the chagrin of the Frenchmen who had travelled over 10,000 miles and spent a fortune to support this Royal endeavour, a thick layer of clouds threatened to spoil the event on the day itself. But the sky suddenly cleared twenty minutes before the eclipse and the occasion was hailed as a grand success. But in choosing the site the King had not accounted for the unfriendly nature of the ground, which was a large low-lying swamp inhabited by millions of deadly mosquitoes. Both King Rama IV and the 15-year-old prince Chulalongkorn subsequently contracted malaria during their ten-day astronomical sojourn. The King died shortly after his return to Bangkok, on 1 October, just 17 days shy of his 64th birthday. Prince Chulalongkorn however survived the malaria, and succeeded his father to become one of Siam’s most veneratedKings as Rama V. You are likely to see his framed portrait in just about every household in Thailand. For his role in introducing Western science and scientific methodology to Siam, King Mongkut (Rama IV) is still honoured to this day in modern Thailand as the country’s ‘Father of Modern Science and Technology.’
BANGKOK BUZZ
“Crossing Borders” An exhibition by Ayako Tsuda,1-30 July 2008. ‘Crossing Borders’ is a fascinating exhibition of black & white portraits of the people encountered by Norwegian- Japanese photographer, Ayako Tsuda. As the title suggests, Ayako Tsuda, has crossed many borders: national, cultural, ethnic, climatic and language wise, and got impressed by the common human emotions in these people she has photographed. Yet each person is unique in its own light. Ayako is fascinated by the magical moment when she shutters. She attempts to capture the essence of the persons whom she encounters. Through this exhibition she wants to share her meeting with these people in Morocco, Greece, Norway, France, Japan, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand during the period 2001 – 2007. Born and grew up in Japan, and educated in Japan, USA and Norway Ayoka obtained BA in Sociology from the University of Colorado, USA and Candidate Sociology from the Universi
ty
of Oslo, Norway. She was engaged in civil service many years in Norway. Her main occupational engagement is in the area of youth and children, refugee children included, protecting and promoting their welfare as well as their rights. Her photography skills she obtained by training at numerous workshops by
renowned photographers like Morten Krogvold and Anders Petersen between 2000 -2006. The Rotunda Gallery & the Garden Galleries are at the Neilson Hays Library,
195 Surawong Road, Bangkok (Tel. 02 233 1731) and it’s opening hours are: Tuesday-Sunday 9.30 am - 5.00 pm. TRAVIS AND SIM PLE PLAN LIVE IN BANGKOK The multi-platinum album UK band Travis have lined up a date at Bangkok’s Impact Arena on Tuesday July 29, 2008 as part of a small series of dates in Asia. They will be supported by Simple Plan, a French Canadian pop punk band based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Ticket Information Venue: Impact Arena Location: Muang Thong Thani Show Date Tuesday 29.07. 08 Gates Open 18.00 hrs. Show Time SIMPLE PLAN: 19:30 - 20:45 hrs. TRAVIS: 21:15 - 22:30 hrs.
Ticket prices 3,000, 2,500, 1,500, 1,000 and 600 Baht“Chahn’s Impressions” An exhibition by Chahn Sutarapong 1-30 July 2008. “Chahn’s Impressions 2008” is Chahn’s 31th solo exhibition and his 8th exhibition at the Rotunda Gallery. This exhibition will show Chahn’s new collection of oil paintings, which are painted in the
beautiful soft-tone, impressionistic style Chahn is known for. Chahn paints quickly, on the spot, which gives his mainly landscape paintings a freshness and vibrancy, that catches the mood of the moment. Chahn’s impressions will stay with you long after you have left the gallery. Chahn Sutarapong graduated from Chung Ling High School in Penang, Malaysia, while studying art under two Malaysian artists. one of them, Chua Thien Teng, is a wellknown batik painter and one of Malaysia’s foremost contemporary art gurus. Chahn also took correspondence courses offered by the Washington School of Art and the British Institute of Careers. Chahn began his career as an artist by working with advertising agencies as visualizer and illustrator prior to joining the Bangkok Post’s creative department in 1974. After more than twenty years of service, he left the Post in 1995 to pursue painting fulltime. Chahn also taught Japanese painting classes at the Japanese Association for many years. Chahn’s paintings can be seen in the finest hotels and in the offices of prestigious companies. In fact, more than 10 of Chahn’s paintings decorate the Oriental Hotel’s Royal Suite. Adding an international note, Philips Corp. also acquired some of his paintings for their 1989 calendar. In fact, Chahn’s evocation of Thailand’s warm play of light can be seen in homes in Japan, Paris, Malaysia, Switzerland, the U.S. and South Africa. The Rotunda Gallery & the Garden Galleries are at the Neilson Hays Library, 195 Surawong Road, Bangkok (Tel. 02 233 1731) and it’s opening hours are: Tuesday Sunday 9.30 am - 5.00 pm. Inte rnat ional GFT Exhibition 3-4 July 2008, Grand Hall, BITEC, Bangkok. Get ready for the latest trends of the Garment and Textile Industries with the 1st international conference in Thailand with the theme “Garment and Textile Beyond 2010”. One of the most promising and enduring Exhibitions for garment and textile sector in Thailand, the International GFT 2008 Exhibition, is being organized at the most opportune time when the government is looking forward to modernise and upgrade the textile sector of the country for better quality products and enhanced productivity. The exhibition aims to focus on the immense potential of textile and garment machinery, accessories, raw material supplies, chemicals and allied services under one roof. Besides the basic areas of Garment, Textile Zones, GFT 2008 never stops and comes up with new strategies to draw visitors with interesting themes and concepts. Aiming to provide a wider scope of exhibit profiles to enhance attractiveness during show days, GFT 2008 will come up with four profiles to clearly define the areas of interest for visitors and potential exhibitors including: Fittings & Accessories Zone: highlight the importance of auxiliary materials and tools in garments and textiles with a variety of raw materials and styles to create modern and appropriate designs Supporting Zone: a presentation of technologies, equipment and accessories to help improve the quality of products
and production processes Design & Software Zone: a paradise for designers loaded with latest designing software and related products to realize their designs in a more creative and productive manner as well as a centre of management, training and production software to facilitate the workflows Screen Printing Zone: for anyone in the business of screen printing, heat-applied graphics, digital textile printing and decorated apparel, attending this zone is a must. More info about the exhibitions you can find from their website www.garmenttextile.com.
Hotel News
Romantic beach Dinner at hua hin Marriott
Hua Hin Marriott Resort and Spa invites you to enjoy a special moment at “Romantic Dinner” with your toes on the white sand and beautiful sparkling stars above you. This is a one of a kind dining experience you cannot miss! You will be captivated by the magnificent view of the Gulf of Siam which makes the dining atmosphere even more romantic; especially as the menu is the most scrumptious in the city. Here by the sea, facing a warm and gentle breeze, you will have your own personal waiter serve you and your loved one right on the beach. It is a perfect occasion for an anniversary dinner or just a romantic night when you want to impress that special someone. Every Thursday night, our “Romantic Dinner” serves you a wide range of mouth watering dishes drawn from our 
finest kitchen. Enjoy fresh Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail, Champignon Mushroo Cappuccino with Truffles and Grilled Chicken Breast along with Warm Apple Crumble for dessert at 4,000 ++ baht per couple. Alternatively, come and try a garden-fresh Caesar Salad, Lobster Bisque and a giant grilled platter of Tiger Prawn, Beef Medallion and Lamb Chop while enjoying Old Berry Compote for dessert at 5,000++ baht for couple. Then again, why not check-out our tasty Crab Cake, Champignon Mushroom Cappuccino with Truffle, Grilled Phuket Lobster, followed by Warm Apple Crumble as your dessert at 5,500 ++ baht for couple? For more information and reservations Tel: (66) 32 511 881 Visit the website at www.marriottdining.com The Hua Hin Marriott, a 219 room resort and spa, is located on the beach with easy access to central Hua Hin. The resort has four restaurants and two bars, a Kids Club, swimming pool and Jacuzzi, tennis courts, fitness center, and the Mandara Spa. Hua Hin Marriott attracts up-market leisure travelers, especially golfers who enjoy the world-class championship golf courses around the city Marriott’s “Thai Discovery” Menu “Sala Thai” at Hua Hin Marriott Resort and Spa, serving delicious Thai food in a stylish and contemporary surrounding is now offering a well-balanced “Thai Discovery” set menu. By combining the most tasty and aromatic ingredients of herbs and spices used in Thai cuisine their Executive Sous Chef, Pradit Mora has created a variety of dishes that complement one another in a delicious way. And the portion is just right so you can sample a little of everything. Savour this exceptional culinary experience from appetizers including crab meat and papaya salad, crispy shrimp on lemon grass stick with green mango chutney, 5 vegetable and crayfish cooked in chicken broth followed by grilled beef tenderloin on baked aubergine, stir fried lobster with celery root and ginger sauce, baked jasmine rice in bamboo leaf, lotus seed and taro and stir fry pak choi vegetable. And to top it all, the delicious Thai dessert platter is a feast to the eyes in the way it’s decorated and presented. The platter presents lemongrass crème brulee, mango with sticky rice and a creamy home made coconut ice cream. The set of irresistible dishes is only Baht 850++ per person and available every day to welcome all guests. For more information and reservations Tel: (66) 32 511 881.
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