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Zonta’s ‘Dance with an Angel’ Gala a great financial success
Michael and Marion Vogt
Despite the torrential rain the annual Zonta Gala was
again very well attended. This was the 3rd year that Chiang Mai Zontians had
organized a gala dance to raise funds for poor underprivileged women and
families living in Chiang Mai and the surrounding areas.
 Ajarn
Somporn Putiyanun, a past president of Rotary Club Chiangmai Thinthaingam
together with her nephew Akekaluck Jeanphan at the ballroom dance show.
Margaret Bhadungzong, the immediate past president of the
Zonta Group, Chiang Mai thanked everybody who made it through the disastrous
floods. Her first thank you went out to the musicians, Teh and Bella
Intaranan with the Jazzliners Band and all their ‘guest singers’. The
soloists from Prem International School were most professional and delighted
the guests with their high spirits and temperament when they sang jazz,
oldies and evergreens in their debut performance.
 (From
left) Rassamee with her daughter, a Rotarian from Chiangmai Club
Thinthaingam, ballroom dancer Ajarn Somporn Putiyanun, Mrs. Waewdao
Limlenglert, the accounting and financial director of Sahapanich Chiangmai
Company, Rotary P.P. Mrs. Supapitch Puiyanun, Rotary P.P. Mrs. Supapitch
Puiyanun, Pichitphon and Akekaluck.
The newly formed ‘a cappella’ group, also provided by
Prem, preceded Mrs. Jiamjit Boonsom, the Zonta Club president who took over
the podium. She said at the end of her speech, “You are all angels and
even more since you came through the floods tonight to help us raise funds
for our activities, for the people suffering from AIDS in our community.”
She then invited Chao Duangdearn na Chiangmai, one of the honorary advisors
to speak on the fine work and programs done by Zonta International, such as
the Thursday Club, which is a support group for AIDS affected people in the
community.
 The
lucky winners of the round trip ticket from Bangkok Airways.
But from sad themes like that, the mood changed again
when the ballroom dancers took over and Ajarn Somporn Putiyanun, a past
president of Rotary Club Chiang Mai Thinthaingam, together with her 13 year
old nephew Akekaluck Jeanphan floated over the dance floor to the sounds of
a slow waltz. Spontaneous applause followed, when attractive Rotary P.P.
Mrs. Supapitch Puiyanun together with 15-year-old Pichitphon Kammongkol
presented a Cuban Rumba.
 Chao
Duangdearn na Chiangmai during her pledge to help advance the status of
women worldwide and to raise funds for AIDS victims in the northern region.
The highlight of the night came later that evening when
Zontians Hope Watcharapreecha, Celeste Tolibas-Holland, Club President
Jiamjit Boonsom, Margaret Bhadungzong and Zontian-to-be Aree Buchard
enthusiastically presented a very professionally choreographed dance show to
the song ‘Dancing Cheek to Cheek’. The costumes and the good mood
produced by these Zontian ladies, who raised more than 60,000 baht in one
night, can only be admired. Everybody who has ever worked in a ‘social
club’ knows how much work is done behind the scenes.
(From
left) Zontians Margaret, Hope and Celeste.
Davidene
(director of admission) and Lister Hannah, (head of school) from Prem
Tinsulanonda International School were the driving forces behind all the
enthusiastic singers, are seen here talking with Marion Vogt from Chiangmai
Mail.
One of
the many “good mood” tables (from left) Zontian and immediate president
of Rotary Club Thinthaingam Hope Watcharapreecha, Rotarians from Mexico
Elias Ramirez Leon and his wife Olivia Rios de Ramirez, Gowit Boonma and Num
from Hair Pro Saloon.
Teh and
Bella Intaranan, with the Jazzliners Band.
(Front)
Hope and Celeste, (back row) club president Juamjit, event organizer
Margaret and Aree.
Charter
president of Zonta International Chiangmai Club, Somboon Suprasert, better
known in Chiang Mai as ‘Auntie Boon’, enjoys a dance with one of the
handsome dance teachers from CMU.
Margaret
Bhadungzong, the immediate past president of the Zonta Group Chiang Mai and
event chairperson, danced the opening dance with her husband.
Zonta’s
bazaar with high quality silk, silver, clothes and handicrafts to raise
funds for their projects to help the underprivileged.
All is quiet on the Thai-Burma border
But drugs from the Wa still a problem
Thai soldiers stationed at the military outposts along
Thai-Burmese border in the Angkhang mountain range of Fang border district,
Chiang Mai, said the present general situation along the border of the two
countries was very quiet and peaceful.
 Thai
soldiers welcome visitors to the outpost at Doi Angkhang.
However, one of the military officers told Chiangmai
Mail that there were still drug smugglers from Burma attempting to
deliver drugs across the border into Thailand along the Doi Angkhang
mountain ranges. “They have guns and rifles but when met face to face
during our military inspection patrol, they fled into their Burmese
territory,” he said. As part of the fight against drugs, the US Drug
Enforcement Authorities (DEA) has provided an x-ray scanner for the Thai
military officers to help locate the drug smugglers.
 An
arrow, made to look like a compass, points toward the enemy to help direct
fire from the Thai outpost.
A military captain who commanded the company base under
supervision of Pha Muang Task Force, who works along the Thai-Burmese border
said that the soldiers of the two countries indeed had a good relationship.
“Sometimes they even lent us blankets and pillows when ours were not
sufficient enough, due to many visitors who wanted to rest in our camp,”
he added.
 The
military officers’ station at the border outpost on Doi Angkhang.
However, he said that the main problem in this area
remains drug smuggling, with so many Wa living here who live on drug sales.
He also said that information about the Wa smuggling comes from both Burmese
and Thai people. In addition, the army has its own informants in the field.
Using
binoculars, visitors have a look at the Burmese outpost on the opposite side
from the Thai military outpost at Doi Angkhang.
The Thai
border gateway with the Burmese army forces on the opposite side.
The
Thai-Burmese border gate and checkpoint for crossing between the two
countries at Doi Angkhang Mountain Range.
The
Burmese army force is seen far beyond the borderline.
Frank Roedel’s collages
Art and culture has no season in Chiang Mai
Marion Vogt
Gong Dee Gallery has another invigorating display this
month. With the cooperation of the German Embassy Bangkok, with the Hon.
Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Chiang Mai and many more
sponsors, Chiang Mai welcomed internationally renowned artist Frank Roedel
to Chiang Mai, and introduced him and his art to the public.
 Satisfied
smiles on the faces of the organizers, who worked hard all year to bring
‘Art and Culture’ to Chiang Mai. From left: Hagen and Wanphen Dirksen,
the Hon. Consul of Germany to Chiang Mai, Frank Roedel and Peter Finger,
Press and Cultural Affairs Counsellor from the German Embassy in Bangkok.
At the opening, Peter Finger, from the press and cultural
affairs department from the embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany gave
a short overview of Frank Roedel’s biography. He was born in the ‘art
and literature’ town of Weimar in the East, but moved to West Berlin. His
talent was soon discovered and earned him scholarships all over the world,
including in 2002, a studio scholarship (Artist in Residence Program) at
Chiang Mai University.
 Viewers
discussing the life in these New York images, all drawn before the infamous
September 11th.
Frank Roedel is not a provocative artist, he doesn’t
start a revolution by criticizing the society but is determined to use the
technical complex of collages to get the fantasy of the viewers rolling.
 Four
of Chiang Mai’s long time residents who never miss a cultural event,
Helmut Gros, Dr. Rudi, Reinhard Kohler and Mr. Krickau.
He brought samples from six different groups of Collages
from Europe. His theme ‘Bangkok’ came following an invitation and a
teaching job at the Department of Fine Arts at the Rajamangala Institute of
Technology Pon Chang Campus in 2001. Anyone who has been to one of the
cities he uses in a collage will recognize something and then can use his or
her own imagination to find the pieces which are zoomed out, put in new
panoramic perspectives and new focus to sharpen the view of the observer.
 Bullfights
and huge hand-made fans. Frank Roedel had a vision of Spain, of the energy
which adds to the power of the motion and the activeness of the torero.
The huge fans on the wall behind the stage came from a
visit to the small town Borsan near Chiang Mai in 2001. The fans fascinated
him, not because of their pattern but because of the size and the neutral
basic shape that is not traditional for South East Asia. He had a vision of
Spain, and following his preparing of the images in Germany, he brought the
mulberry dyed pictures under his arm to Borsan and had 24 handcrafted fans
made to his order.
 Three
art lovers from Chiang Mai society, (from left) Wanphen Dirksen, Akadet and
Chaiskran Nakkabunlung.
That was just one of the stories Frank Roedel told his
audience but looking at the crowd of people this exhibition drew to Gong Dee
Gallery, even the most skeptical person should be convinced that Art and
Culture has no season in Chiang Mai.
 From
Borsan to Thailand to Berlin and back to Borsan. Frank Roedel combining
different materials and contents which do not usually belong together.
This exhibition continues until September 22, open daily
from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will move later to the National Gallery in
Bangkok.
Food tasting for the pros
HORECA brings suppliers and users together
Marion Vogt
Horeca Supply Co. invited restaurateurs, chefs and people
from the hospitality industry to the Westin Chiang Mai Riverside Plaza Hotel
to show and offer food tasting for interested professionals.
 Be
Lucky’s ‘test station’ with delicious hot ham and sausages.
MD Rudy van den Berg and Khun Joon started Horeca three
years ago (HO stands for hotel, RE for restaurant, CA for catering). Today
it is one of the leading distributors of a wide range of imported food and
beverage products, as well as being an exclusive distributor for well-known
local brands.
 The
“BB Seafresh” fish display.
The huge Tharathong Ballroom was set up with food stalls
and cooking stations and some very enthusiastic chefs and specialists
provided the customers with food samples and introduced new products.
The food fair appeared to be a great success and the
Horeca people have been living up to their promise to present food and wine
tasting events on a regular basis for Chiang Mai professionals.
The huge
Tharathong Ballroom was set up with food stalls and cooking stations.
Jaran Manophet’s book legacy
Pichitpon Tongtuek
Jaran Manophet, a famous Lanna folk singer who died two
years ago, was remembered last week. He was one of the few artists who still
wanted to keep local Lanna life style going.
 Jaran’
wife, Anya Phothiwat (left), who wrote the book “Tam Roy Fun Jaran
Manophet”, talked about the book’s release with Jaran’s closed friend,
Mala Kumjun (right), a famous SEA Novel Writer Award winner who was born in
the local Lanna area.
When he passed away many northern people were very sad
because they knew that they would lose an important man in the entertainment
arena. Jaran was the man who sang most of the local Lanna northern dialect
songs, which were called “kam muang” songs.
 Jaran’s
statute is situated in the garden at his “Mist and Flowers” restaurant.
Even today, his songs can be heard all over the north.
His most famous song is “Rang Wan Dae Kon Chang Fhun”, a song for those
who still have dreams.
Perhaps this song referred to himself because he had a
dream to build “Hor Sin Sa La Lao Lueng”, which is a hall to keep the
works of local Lanna artists, for the people who are interested in Lanna
arts. However, his dream has yet not become true because he died before
doing it.
 Jagota
Brothers cookies and bread corner.
He had also opened his own restaurant and named it “Sai
Mork Dork Mai”, on Orm Muang ring road between Chiang Mai City Hall and
Mae Jo University. At this restaurant, there are many recipes that are made
from flowers, such as rose juice, made from rose petals. All of the recipes
were devised by his devoted wife, Anya Phothiwat, who had been with Jaran
for more than 17 years.
 The
stage is still set up inside the restaurant, where Jaran used to perform
shows when he was alive.
After Jaran died, Anya wrote the book “Tam Roy Fun
Jaran Manophet”, which is filled with details of her husband’s life.
Sales of the books go towards making Jaran’s dream come true.
The book is all about her feelings, the emotions and
everything Anya had for Jaran. In addition, it covers the promises she made
to Jaran, even if only a verbal promise, but when Jaran passed away Anya
just did everything that she had promised.
If you want to know how much a woman can love one man,
just read her book and you will understand.
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