July 2002 79th Issue

National Safe, Secure and Hygenic Workplace Award

Dusit Resort and Polo Club were recently the honoured recipients of the prestigious 2002 National Safe, Secure and Hygienic Workplace Trophy, presented by the Right Honourable Dej Boon-Long, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare. The annual award was made on 8th May as part of the "Creating a Safety Culture in the New Economy" programme during the 16th National Safety in the Workplace Week, held at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
As well as scooping the national award, the hotel also gained the equally prized Provincial Safe, Secure and Hygienic Workplace Plaque of Excellence for Petchburi.
The tragic fatal blazes at Kaider doll factory in Nakhon Pathom and Royal Jomtiem Hotel in Pattaya, coupled with the collapse of Royal Plaza Hotel in Nakhon Ratchasima, in recent years have caused untold grief and loss of life, not to mention loss of assets. The disasters have highlighted the need for much more stringent safety standards, and prompted the government to urge every business in the industrial sector to become much more aware and concerned with the value of organising the workplace in a safer, more secure and hygienic way. The government has set up a roving health and safety inspection team who visit and evaluate businesses. Awards are then handed out, during National Safety in the Wrokplace Week, to those who meet the required standards.
Picture below shows hotel General Manager Mr Victor Sukseree holding the award.

Hua Hin Regatta

31st July - 4th August 2002
The Yacht Racing Association of Thailand welcome sailors from around the world with their regatta, hosted from the Hua Hin Naval Yacht Club.
The first real action takes place with a practice race at 1 pm on August 1st. The opening ceremony will be held the same day at 7 pm.
On August 2nd and 3rd the racing starts at 10 am and on August 4th there is an earlier start at 8 am. 6.30 pm there will be the prize giving followed at 7 pm with a closing party.
In the Thailand Open Championship the crafts will be: OK, Laser, 420, 470, Fireball, Platu (one design) and Catamaran. The Vega Rudder Race will feature: Laser, 420, 470, Fireball, Platu (one design) and Catamaran.
For more information contact: Yacht Racing Association of Thailand Tel: 02-4755 455, fax: 02-472 0852 or email: sail@yrat.or.th.
There is the possibility of a race taking part on the lake at Palm Hills, but at press deadline, we didn't have firm details.

Over the coming months we will bring you extracts from travellers journals in several parts, starting this month with 'A break in Krabi'

One of the most renowned provinces for spectacular scenery, fine food and un-crowded beaches is Krabi. It easily accessible from Hua Hin with busses running daily (8pm and 10pm) for 275Baht (second class bor song) and 700baht for VIP; the journey takes around 8 hours to Krabi town. The town itself is best used as a base for exploration; it has a good market and pleasant riverfront where boats to the beaches and islands can be caught. If you want to stay on the beach take a white songtaew (30baht) to the delightful coastal village of Ao nang about half an hour away. Here there are a number of reasonably priced guesthouses and more up-market resorts if budget is of little consequence. Ao nang itself has retained its quiet, laid-back atmosphere over the years in comparison to other destinations such as Chaweng (Koh Samui) which has undergone massive development. The seafront is lined with a number of restaurants, local shops and a couple of tour operators. The bar scene is slowly creeping in but is still unobtrusive and very low key. The beach itself isn't that impressive but just around the corner are some fantastic beaches and caves to be explored. You can take a long-tailed boat for 50Baht to Railey Beach about ten minutes away or go a little further to Ao pranang, which is even more spectacular.

White sands, striking rock formations and crystal clear Andaman waters are there to greet you when you get out of your water taxi. There is also a cave where fishermen honor the spirit of an Indian princess said to have perished here over two thousand years ago. From this beach a short walk will take you round to Railey West Beach, which is mainly a mangrove ecosystem, great for wildlife enthusiasts. If you're feeling a little more adventurous you can climb up to an impressive viewpoint and then down again to an inland lagoon although the climb is quite steep in places and is not recommended after recent rains.

Another ten-minute walk will take you back to East Railey Beach where you can relax or grab a bite to eat. These beaches are only accessible by boat and so remain relatively unspoilt.

A thirty-minute boat ride from Ao nang (200Baht) will take you to Koh Poda. Now this is true picture paradise island stuff. Virtually uninhabited (all but one small restaurant and a couple of bungalows) you can have an entire beach to yourself, there are also great waters for snorkeling and diving. Hat Noppharat is around 2kms north of Ao nang and has more of a Thai feel (a little like Cha-am). Local food can be had cheap and you can walk out to some limestone outcrops at low tide. It is also the departure point for the ferry to Koh Phi Phi.

The ferry to Koh Phi Phi leaves daily at 9am and costs 250Baht one way, the journey takes about an hour and a half. Koh Phi Phi actually consists of around 80 islands; Koh Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Ley are the main two. Phi Phi Don is best appreciated if you stay for a couple of days to explore the surrounding islands and beaches; the island itself is over developed and quite expensive. A short boat ride will take you to Phi Phi Ley (where the film 'The Beach' was shot) numerous hidden bays concealing small pristine beaches and calm clear water whose colour is a kaleidoscope of greens and blues can be found. High visibility and an abundance of marine wildlife attracts divers from all over the world to these islands.

There are a few temples on the road from Krabi to Ao nang, Wat Sai Thai has a 15-meter reclining Buddha under a limestone cliff face. Wat Tham Seua is a home to a meditation monastery; strict dress code must be adhered to. There is also Susan Hoi, a shell cemetery with granite like slabs of fossilized shells said to be around 75 million years old. The name is a little confusing as there was never a woman called Susan Hoi who opened a shell museum, the name Susan comes from the Thai word for cemetery (su-sarn). Somebody wrote them together once unaware that Susan was a western girls name.

Krabi has so much to offer, from striking landscape to clear warm waters to unspoilt beaches. Excellent seafood can be found as well as local food, which is 'Southern style' and with its Muslim influence, tends to be a little spicier! Something for everyone, a great destination for a short break or long holiday.

Article and photography by Martin Young. Next month - A trip to Samui

We are very sorry to report the sad death of Mr Brian Tarney, aged 55, who died on 20th May in a road accident. He is survived by wife Khun Ong and will be missed by his many friends in Cha Am and Bangkok.

MORE SAD NEWS
Our condolences go out to Mr Ian Lewins, long time resident of Hua Hin who lost his son Graham in a car accident in England, last month. Graham lived here for a period and worked on the Observer during that time. Many Hua Hin expats will remember Graham and be saddened by his death.

Rotary round up

The Rotary Club of Hua Hin, has been very active as usual with the various charitable projects, in addition to these they have signed a friendship agreement with the Rotary Club of Poozan Lare Zon from Poozan City South Korea, after signing it was off to Baan Mettar, in Pranburi to donate 1,600 US$ to orphaned children.
The picture shows our local Rotary joining with the Rotary Club of Bangkok at the Grand Hotel and Plaza. The plan to give plentiful clean water to schools in the area was greatly helped with a 176,000 Baht donation to pay for 44 water tanks.

Wild Life

Thailand is a tourist destination for millions of people each year. Best known of course for its temples, culture and sunny beaches. Not far west of Cha-am and Hua hin there is Kaeng Krachan National park, Thailand's biggest national park and home to a large variety of wild animals like tigers, leopards, gibbons, monkeys and over 600 different kinds of birds! However the existence of this jungle is almost unknown to most visitors.
It has been quite common over the last decades for Thai people to keep wild animals as pets or as a means of making a living, using primates, tigers or birds of prey to entertain tourists. Since 1992 though the Wildlife Preservation Act, a law to protect the endangered species, has made it illegal to keep, trade or hunt most wild animals in Thailand.
However there are still many captive wild animals in Thailand. These include gibbons and macaques which are taken as young from their natural habitat. The mother is usually shot dead. Not all of the young survive the fall from the trees to become pets. At this young age the primates are easy to handle and affectionate. As the animals get older they become more aggressive and unpredictable and therefore are no longer considered good pets. Thai people also keep wild animals at markets so tourists can pay for a photograph with the animal, or in bars to attract people there. These animals are given drugs to keep them awake at night in many cases.
The Wildlife Friends of Thailand and the wildlife rescue center were co-founded by Edwin Wiek, just over one year ago. The aim of the center is to rescue and care for these animals. If possible they try to rehabilitate the animals back into near wild environments. Unfortunately this is not always possible due to permanent disabilities received from abuse, neglect or malnutrition.
Animals arrive at the center having been kept in extremely unsuitable conditions. Some needing immediate medical attention, others simply need space for the freedom to move. Some primates have never had food from their natural diet e.g. fresh fruit and vegetables and have survived as pets on fried food or even candy. Recently volunteers rescued two Assamese macaques that had never had water to bathe in. They now have two pools in their enclosure and enjoy the hosepipe!
Gibbons on the other hand dislike water, and this helps with their rehabilitation. The rescue center is very fortunate to be located on temple grounds, next to a large lake. Wildlife Friends of Thailand have built islands on this lake. This means that the gibbons can get out of the cages, have freedom to move, but can still be monitored and kept safe. Wildlife Friends of Thailand boasts the largest gibbon island in Asia!

The macaques live in family groups where they can properly socialize. In one enclosure there are long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques. This mixing of species is not a problem; all the animals are properly integrated and have their place in the family structure.
Wildlife friends of Thailand not only rescue gibbons and macaques though, there are also civets, a loris, a wild pig and even a tiger!
The Wildlife Friends of Thailand receives no funding from government bodies or other organizations. As a non-profit organization it relies on donations and paying volunteers. This money is used to buy animal food and the building of new enclosures or islands. The center employs three Thai people and is run with the help of volunteers from all over the world.
If you would like to know more about the work of the Wildlife Friends of Thailand, please visit the center or have a look at their web-site www.wfthai.org. If you spot any animal-abuse or wild animals being held please report this to the wildlife Friends or to the Royal Forestry Department via their website: www.forest.go.th
The address of the center:
Wildlife Rescue Center
Moo 6, Tambon Kao Look Chang Thayang Ampoe 76130 Petchaburi (24Kms from Cha-am, 32 Kms from Hua-hin)
Tel: 032-458135 e-mail: info@wfthai.org

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