November 2003 95th Issue

San Paolo Moving Ahead

When San Paulo Hua Hin Memorial Hospital first opened it’s imposing plate glass doors the local people were delighted to have an international standard hospital in a prime location in town.
The hospital boasted internationally trained doctors, the latest equipment and hotel standard rooms.
Unfortunately problems dogged the hospital, the reputation became tarnished and the expected profit targets were not reached.
San Paulo along with many privately owned hospitals in Thailand receives no assistance of any sort from the government, and as a business they have to make their services pay.
To add to their woes the government’s poorly conceived “30 Baht” scheme cost the medical service dear.
Now, Dr. Eklarp is in charge in his role as Chairman and Hospital Director. He is well aware of the hospital’s reputation and is doing his utmost to turn it around. Very experienced new doctors have been recruited, new technology equipment is being installed and big plans are being drawn up to give the townfolk of Hua Hin the medical services a town of this size needs.
Fully manned 24 hour accident and trauma units are ready to handle any emergency.
An excellent dental facility on site is operated by Dr. Eklarp’s brother.
For those who feel the need to change their looks, a new plastic/cosmetic surgery unit can alter their appearance for a very reasonable fee.
When asked what advice the good Doctor would offer to tourists here, his response was: “When you see the result of as many road traffic accidents as I do, the answer would be - TAKE CARE ON THE ROADS”.

Loy Krathong

Loy Krathong Day is one of the most popular festivals of Thailand celebrated annually on the Full-Moon Day of the Twelfth Lunar Month. (This year November 8th). It takes place at a time when the weather is fine as the rainy season is over and there is a high water level all over the country.
"Loy" means "to float" and a "Krathong" is a lotus-shaped vessel made of banana leaves. The Krathong usually contains a candle, three joss-sticks, some flowers and coins.
In fact, the festival is of Brahmin origin in which people offer thanks to the Goddess of the water. Thus, by moonlight, people light the candles and joss-sticks, to make a wish and launch their Krathongs on canals, rivers or even small ponds. It is believed that the Krathongs carry away sins and bad luck, and the wishes that have been made for the new year due to start. Indeed, it is the time to be joyful and happy as the sufferings are floated away.
The festival starts in the evening when there is a full moon in the sky. People of all walks of life carry their Krathongs to the nearby rivers. After lighting candles and joss-sticks and making a wish, they gently place the Krathongs on the water and let them drift away till they go out of sight.
A Beauty Queen Contest is an important part of the festival and for this occasion it is called "The Noppamas Queen Contest". Noppamas is a legendary figure from the Sukhothai period. Old documents refer to her as the chief royal consort of a Sukhothai Kng named "Lithai". Noppamas was said to have made the first decorated Krathong to float in the river on the occasion.
In Hua Hin and Cha Am, major establishments such as leading hotels, and some of the popular bars, organise their Loy Krathong Festival and the Krathong contest as major annual function.
For visitors to Thailand, the Loy Krathong Festival is an occasion not to be missed. the festival is listed in the tourist calendar.

Everyone is invited to take part and share the joy and happiness.

Hua Hin officially introduces its coolest dining place

Khun Jira, Hua Hin Mayor, and Khun Silachai Surai, Director-Tourism Authority of Thailand, Hua Hin Office presided over the opening party of Let's Sea, Hua Hin's new beach restaurant.
With a very special and unique character of its food and beverage as well as its design, which strengthens Hua Hin charm and helps Hua Hin develop it’s tourism business.
Khun Juthamas Siriwan, Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor has visited the restaurant since it first opened.
Laid out at the best location on the peaceful Hua Hin beach, complimented by its design and professional team, Let's Sea is officially the coolest place to dine and relax in Hua Hin. So says it’s owner.
The restaurants design compliments its food with it’s unique taste to delight diners in groups large or small. A simple lunch with cool juice, or a cup of coffee with a piece of cake, or a sumptuous dinner, or take your time with a long drink and just enjoy the view!

(Top pic shows Hua Hin mayor addressing the party. Lower pic left to right: Khun Silachai Surai-Director TAT Central Region Office; Khun Juthamas Siriwan-TAT Governor; Khun Prakit Phiriyakiat-TAT Director of Advertising and Public Relations; Srayut Ekahitanonda-Chief Operations & Marketing Officers of Let's Sea.)

Tips to make your holiday smooth

Thai people believe the head is the most sacred part of the body. Refrain from touching a Thai person on the head.
The feet should not be used for pointing at people or objects.
The Buddhist faith is strong here, it is considered disrespectful to wear beach clothes to a temple, or to climb over Buddha images.
The Royal Family is deeply loved, and speaking ill of any its members is considered a serious matter.
Displays of affection in public is poor form as is topless sunbathing.
Most independent small businesses and street vendors are open to bargaining. All discussions should be done in a friendly manner.
Thailand and in particular Hua Hin/Cha Am remain very safe for tourists with almost no violent crime, pickpockets and credit card crime rares its ugly head from time to time.
Respect for the police should be shown at all times, they do not take kindly to rude or loud talk.
Take particular care on the road, motorbike spills are very common and can ruin your holiday. If you hire a motorbike and it is damaged, you will have to pay for its repair. The major car hire companies do have insurance, but check first. An accident can be very costly.

Remember these Thai phrases throughout your stay “Sanuk” which describes anything which is fun, and “Mai pen rai” which means never mind, and all will be well!

Hua Hin Vintage Car Parade

Hua Hin Vintage Car Parade
31 October - 1 November, 2003

Last month in the Sofitel Central’s Colonial Hall, Khun Prasong Pitoonkijja, Prachuab Kirikhan Governor; Khun Sirachai Surai, Director of TAT Central Region 2; Khun Kwanchai Prapatpong, Secretary General to Vintage Car Club of Thailand; Khun Manoo Tharnpipitchai, President of Hua Hin/Cha-am Tourist Association; and Mr. Bernd Schneider, General Manager of Sofitel Central Hua Hin Resort held the press conference concerning the Hua Hin Vintage Car Parade, the Prachuab Kirikhan Governor said that Prachuab Kirikhan and its people are glad that Hua Hin Hotlier's Club led by Sofitel Central Hua Hin Resort hold hands with the Vintage Car Club of Thailand to organize the event. It is going to be the first time for Hua Hin to welcome a parade of 30 Vintage cars and classic cars.
Hua Hin is known for its beauty and identity. It has the unique charm and the natural attraction. "I would like to invite people to come and experience the beauty of Hua Hin as well ad to participate in the vintage car parade",he said.
Khun Sirachai gave his speech on behalf of Tourism Authority of Thailand and emphasized that the event will help support the policy of TAT's "Unseen Thailand" program. Hua Hin has been a place to visit for both local people and tourists for many years and it still keeps its charming attraction and peaceful town as it was. The Hua Hin Vintage Car parade will be one of the great event to draw people and tourist to explore Hua Hin.
Khun Kwanchai from the Vintage Car Club of Thailand informed the gathering that the Club will bring 30 vintage cars to participate the event. Six cars will be exhibited before the actual event takes place. It will be displayed at the Sofitel Central Hua Hin Resort as from 23 October. The rest of the cars will join in the parade and will be driven down from Bangkok. The event would give the opportunity for new generation people to experience the Vintage Cars which are hardly seen nowadays.
Khun Manoo from Hua-Hin/Cha-am Tourist Association told us that the association is one of the organizations that helps promote the tourism in Hua-Hin. He said that he was confident that the event would draw the tourists and help boost tourism in Hua Hin. It will also create the cash flow for local people and business in Hua Hin.
Mr.Bernd Scheider, General Manager of Sofitel Central Hua Hin Resort,said that on behalf of Hua Hin Hotelier's Club he was glad to host the Hua Hin Vintage Car Parade which was not only to revitalise the appreciation of vintage cars but also to celebrate the 80 th Anniversary of Sofitel Central Hua Hin Resort. During the event, there will be the exhibition of Vintage Cars and Classic Cars as well as the exhibition of hotel since it was the Railway Hotel in King Rama VI period. The event will be wrapped up with the charitable Gala Dinner in the hotel which the glorious old-days atmosphere will fill in the air.
Hua Hin Vintage Car Parade will be held from Friday 31 October through to Sunday 2 November, 2003 from 09:00 hrs. - 17:00 hrs.
For more information. Please call Khun Dauenden Tel : 02-6533999 or fax : 02-6533989 or Khun Sunisa at 032-512021
Hua Hin Vintage Car Parade Program
October 31st, 2003 to November 01st, 2003

Saturday, November 1, 2003
10:30 : Car Parade/City Tour
12:30 : Lunch
Food booths presented by Hua Hin Hotelier's Club members
14:00 : Car Exhibition
14:30 : Charity ride city tour on vintage car
19:30 : "Back to the 20th Century Charity Gala diner at Sofitel Central Hua Hin Resort"
20:30 : Period Costume awards presentation
21:00 : Ballroom dancing

Good Samaritan

Last month the Bangkok Post featured an article on a local Hua Hin man who feeds poor children.
A food vendor has turned his footpath stall in Hua Hin district into a free food corner for nearly 100 needy children.
Charnchai Chartmero, 45, who is fondly called Uncle Kluay by school children, has been serving free food to 80-100 pupils since June 10 last year.
He and his wife Juraiporn cook a variety of food for sale and charity. Children from poor families can get free meals from his footpath stall. Different kinds of dishes such as fried rice, curry, omelette, fried fish, fried sausage are offered to the children on weekdays. Free meals are not offered on weekends.
Charnchai, a Hua Hin native, served in the police force as a non-commissioned officer in Bangkok for three years before quitting and returning to his hometown to take care of his aged parents and run a grocery shop.
Charnchai said the grocery shop did not do well due to the mushrooming of convenience stores which attracted more customers. He closed down his shop and became a food vendor five years ago, selling meals for 10 baht a plate.
The price was later reduced to five baht, but even then many poor students could not afford it.
He consulted his wife and the couple decided to offer free meals to poor pupils.
He has never sought public donations to cover food expenses. Instead, he uses part of his profits from food sales to provide the free meals. He makes around 800 baht profit a day and spends 500 baht on feeding poor students.
The couple have one daughter and own the house they live in.
Charnchai, who says he will continue to give free meals till he becomes too old to cook, does not want anything in return for feeding poor students. This was simply his way of showing his gratitude to the motherland, he said.

FANTASTIC EFFORT

The good folks at the Hua Hin Dog Rescue have been working extra hard recently to raise funds to provide shelter and medical care to some of the town’s street dogs.
The team are pictured left with Hua Hin Mayor Khun Jira Pongpaiboon who was invited to pick out the winning raffle tickets at a “buffet evening” held at the Sofitel Central Hua Hin.

The History of Muay Thai

About 4,000 years ago, nomads called the Ai-Lao (as the Thais were called by the Chinese) settled in West-Central Asia, having fought their way up from the Indian continent. Their federation of Kingdoms grew and flourished until 200 B.C., when the Han-dynasty of China began their wars of expansion. Vastly outnumbered, the Ai- Lao managed to hold off wave after invading armies, thanks mainly to their great skill with weapons, but eventually, the greater numbers of the Chinese won out and the Ai-Lao became vassals to the Szechuan-empire. Rather than live under Chinese rule many of the Ai-Lao gradually migrated south into the forests and jungles of Southeast Asia. The wandering Ai-Lao-people divided into three branches; The Shans who settled in Burma, The Ahom who went East into Vietnam and the Loa-Tai who wandered into Laos. By the 7th Century A.D, the Ai-Lao tribes still in China had become the so-called independent Kingdom of Nanchao. And for the next 100 years, Nanchao and China were constantly at war usually as enemies, but occasionally as allies against the Tibetan tribes to the west. (One Tibetan tribe in particular, the Burmans later became Thailand's worst enemy). By the end of the 9th century, Nanchao had been absorbed into the Chinese empire but at the same time, the first Thai states were forming into today's Laos and Siam, the name of ancient Thailand.
The Ai-Lao became a powerful force, ready to expand and conquer. By the year 1350, northern Siam and Most of Laos was united into Kingdom of Lan Xang and prince Uthong of Ayudhhya began a new dynasty, which was to last for 400 years. This was the Golden Age of Thailand, but with its prosperity came constant warfare against the Burmese to the west and the Khmers to the South East. To ensure the survial of their country, the great warriors of the nation were brought together and distilled the vast combat- knowledge of their people into a training-method called the Chupasart. Because the methods of combat-training were recorded and kept up to date, the martial art of Thailand never fragmented into different styles and systems. There were improvements and innovations added to the text, but every change was first proven on the battlefield or in the ring.
Thailand's first legendary martial artist was Prince Naresuan, who spent his youth (while being held hostage by the Burmese) studying the art of warfare. When he was eventually released, he modified Siamese boxing to supplement and conform to weapons use, the strikes and blocks of boxing were modified to duplicate the movement of weapon staged boxing completions and large scale combat exercises, to increase bravery, endurance and strength, while (krabong). This is the name of the mother-art of 'Krabi-Krabong'. Muay Thai boxing was created because too many soldiers were being killed or injured during this training with weapons, and although Thai Boxing is a devastating and effective sport, it lacks the deadly refinement and efficiency of Krabi-Krabong. This ancient fighting method became the basis of modern Muay Thai.
Many consider it today as the most powerfull martial art known to man. During contests between fighter from all different styles of martial art, e.g. Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Aikido etc. only a skilled Kyokushin Karate expect could possibly match a Muay Thai boxer.(Kyokushin means full contact) However, in todays World Championships Muay Thai you will not find, same as with kickboxing, a Thai name between the first three rankings!!! The Amateur World Championships for instance, held in Bangkok in march this year, were won by Holland in both the male and the female classes, with Russia as second and third…..

Fight Night at Hua Hin

The Thai Boxing Garden, located behind the Temple at Poonsuk Road, Hua Hin, was sold out completely for the first time in weeks on the cloudy and humid Tuesday, October the 7th. It seemed like the many tourists and locals sensed that there would be some extraordinarily fights this particular night.
Usually, two out of the 5 matches are participated by 8 to 12 year old boys, two more by 14 to 16 year olds and only one is between grown-up thai or 'farang' men. Entrance fee is B250,-a person for tourists, drinks not included. Locals can get in free but have a less comfortable tribune. Often, the fighters competing at the TBG live in Hua Hin or Cha-am, or are Hua Hin based soldiers, who are great fighters with extreme good condition and spectacular to see fighting.

But, as last Tuesday proved, sometimes there are even very experienced fighters from Rachaburi, Petchaburi or even Bangkok opposing each other in this smalltown boxing-ring. To my taste, the second fight was best. With a boxer from Bangkok, 50 matches experience of which many in Bangkok's world famous open-air Lumpinee Stadium, against a 17-year old boxer called Pet, with much lesser experience, only 10 fights, but nonetheless kicking good ass. However Pet who trains at the same dojo the writer attends, had to give up after the third round due to lack of breath. A wise decision, because otherwise he would have been severely wounded by his professional opponent, and although many members of the public come to see blood, this was something they didn't get at this marvelous and exciting fight-night in Hua Hin.

Marc Goodfello.

Features

this month

regulars

stories

sports

golf

funnies

back issues