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New branch of National Health Security Office in Chiang Mai
Preeyanoot Jittawong
Dr.
Sa-nguan Nitayarumpong, secretary general of National Health Security Office
(4th
left); Pongsak Wangsamer, Chiang Mai governor assistant (4th
right) and Dr, Winai Sawadiworn, the deputy secretary general (3rd
left) and officers of Chiang Mai new branch of National Health Security
Office.
A new branch of National Health Security Office has been
set up in Chiang Mai to support health golden card holders. It opened
officially on December 16, 2005 at Airport Business Park building on the
third floor, but had been operative since August this year.
At the beginning, the office has stressed on service standard development
by supporting and encouraging nursing homes to join the health security
project and checking the Medical Record Audit and Disease Management. The
committees of National Health Security Office hope it will be advantageous
for residents as much as possible.
4th Northern Raksat Festival for animal lovers
Kittiyaporn Kanjam and
Pinutda Suwanchaisri (Student Trainee MFLU)
Female
Bang Kaew Thai dog competition for ages 6-9 months.
Raksat Oversea Pet Shop in association with Faculty of
Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University or-ganized the 4th
Northern Raksat Festival for animal lovers at the Chiang Mai 700 Year
Anniversary Stadium on December 17-18, 2005.
 Many
visitors were interesting in the festival.
Vet. Kamon Awaiwanon, former Director General of the Livestock office
presided over the openingceremony. The event was supporting and encouraging
development of dogs species similar to overseas countries. There were also
dog and cat contests including single fancy dog and fancy dog with its
owner, foreign dog species competition, both small and large breeds, Thai
dogs and cat species competition and Persian cat contest. Judges of the
entire competition came from both Thailand and overseas.
Budding gymnasts at CMIS
Nicki Gamble
 CMIS
gymnasts perform the bridge
The new gymnastics club at CMIS is fortunate to have a
very experienced coach. Catherine Erpen began her life-long association
with the sport when she was just three years old. She progressed from being
a fledging gymnast at Earls School of Gymnastics in the U.K. to becoming a
certified coach who ran a successful gymnastics program of her own at a
local sports center.
 CMIS
First Grade Student Sandra B. is already accomplished at the splits.
Catherine is passionate about the benefits of her sport,
and thoroughly enjoys passing along her know-how and enthusiasm to her
forty students. She is keen to point out that gymnastics helps children to
develop good hand-eye coordination, strength, balance, flexibility, and
endurance. For the past four months, Catherine’s students have been
training in the special floor work skills required for artistic gymnastics,
including body conditioning, rolls, jumps, and balances. The club will soon
be acquiring a springboard, and a vault apparatus is on their wish list for
the New Year.
Two sessions of the CMIS Gymnastics Club have been held on Fridays after
school since September, but in response to popular demand, two more classes
will be added on Monday afternoons. There will be an additional class
starting in January (Fridays from 4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.) for non-CMIS
students from ages 4 to 12 who are interested in learning gymnastics. A few
spaces are still available — please contact Catherine Erpen at 04 741
5737 for more information.
Baroque Music at Gong Dee Gallery
Jan Verwers
The thunderous applause after the Baroque Music concert
demonstrated how much this very special event was appreciated by the
audience. The combination of an ensemble with excellent musicians,
performing a program dedicated mainly to Baroque music, was something not
to be missed. On stage was the Silpakorn Ensemble, consisting of four
teachers and two students from the famous Music Department of this Bangkok
university.
The evening started with older music. “Mille
Regretz”, a chanson by the Flemish Renaissance composer Josquin des Pr้z
(c.1440-1521). Originally written for four voices, here it was given an
instrumental presentation by all six instruments: violin, cello, guitar,
flute, oboe and harpsichord.
After this magnificent start, each musician got his
‘solo’. There was Antonio Vivaldi’s (c.1676-1741) “Sonata for
Violin and Basso continuo No.2”, played by violinist Tasana Nagavajara.
Ajarn Tasana is both a devoted teacher and a much sought-after soloist with
a long career, both in Thailand and abroad. Among his spectacular
achievements is
his concert tour with the Camerata Lysy Gstaad under the direction of Lord
Yehudi Menuhin.
Flautist Worapon Kanwee-rayothin has been invited as a
soloist by several well-known orchestras in the world. He has been the
principal flautist in the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra since 1992 and flute
instructor at Silpakorn University, Chulalongkorn University, and Kasetsart
University. He performed Bach’s (1685-1750) “Sonata BWV 1031 in E Flat
Major”.
A less well-known composer was next on the program.
Jacques Martin Hotteterre (1674-1763), born in Paris, descended from a
family of woodwind makers and players. We listened to his “Sonata for
Oboe and Basso continuo in D Major”, played by Damrih Banawita-yakit.
Ajarn Damrih this year completes his 7th season with the Bangkok Symphony
Orchestra. He has an impressive international career as performing
musician, is also active as composer and conductor, and still finds time to
teach at Silpakorn.
Music from Handel (1685-1759) was presented by guitarist
Jetjumnong Jong-prasert. He played the “Passacaglia” from the
Harpsichord Suite No.7 in Gminor. Jetjumnong is a second-year student with
a full scholarship at the Faculty of Music at Silpakorn. He won the First
Prize at several Yamaha Guitar Festivals and the Gold Medal from the 2001
Mahidol Music Competition.
There was another student on stage: Christopher Jan-wong
McKiggan, a first year student at Silpakorn. Born in Christchurch, England,
Chris moved to Thailand when he was seven. He is highly regarded as an
accompanist at voice and instrumental concerts. That is also what he did
here in a quite spectacular way, as he was on stage practically all
evening, accompanying his five colleagues. Fortunately several compositions
gave him ample space for impressive solos.
At the end of the concert all musicians came back for a
beautiful finale: Telemann’s (1681-1767) “Concerto in A minor”, for
flute, oboe, violin and basso continuo.
And there was an encore: Ajarn Tasana on violin together
with Chris McKiggan on harpsichord surprised us with Bach’s “Ave
Maria”.
Great Christmas show at Christian German School
Matthias Wolf
On of
the highlights of the annual Christmas party at CDSC was the shadow play.
On December 21, 2005, CDSC celebrated the be ginning of
winter break with an exciting Christmas show.
To start the fun off, all classes sold goods at our
Christmas market and the money raised was given to charity. It was chaotic
due to the line-up for the delicious waffles sold by
the 9th and 10th graders.
Each
grade demonstrated how different countries and continents celebrate Christ
Afterwards, there was a picnic buffet on the soccer
field, with some of the girls dancing to entertain the guests. After an
hour, the Christmas play star-ted. This year’s theme was “Christmas in
other countries.” Each grade demonstrated how different countries and
continents celebrate Christmas, which included: Mexico, Africa, Sweden,
United States,
and Russia!
 All
classes sold goods at the Christmas market.
In addition, there was a shadow play about the birth of
Christ. Afterwards, all the actors sang “Silent Night”.
To conclude the Christmas program, the school band played a number from
Michelle Branch. Everyone enjoyed the show, and most students left
im-mediately to start enjoying Christmas Break.mas, which included: Mexico,
Africa, Sweden, United States, and Russia.
Fashion Week promotes Lanna traditions and local materials
Chaingmai Mail Reporter
Orachorn Chanwiwattana,
GM of Central Airport Plaza Chiang Mai (5th
from right) joined the Northern Village Fashion Week 2005.
Almost 200 dresses designed by eight of the best-known
designers in the North were on show at Northern Village Fashion Week 2005,
staged as part of the year-end festivities on December 16 and 17 by Central
Airport Plaza Chiang Mai and Northern Village Project in association with
Tourism Authority of Thailand Northern Region 1.
The boutiques and fashion outlets were keen participants
in this event, as the style relied very much on the culture and materials
of the region. Each outlet came up with a special concept with some such as
Sang Boon, Trueng Tra and Oriental Textiles displaying local textiles and
patterns, Born 2 Shop presenting ready to wear dresses, and Earth Tone
showing natural color materials.
All the designs were based around Lanna art and culture, the concept
being to give tradition an international style and to increase the profile
of Northern textiles and designers. An exhibition with stands displaying
clothes and accessories was included in the event.
Earth, Wind and Water
Two young Chiang Mai artists exhibit at La Luna Gallery
Chiangmai Mail reporters
A muscular young man in boxer-shorts sings karaoke with
his hands tied behind his back. Two angels with dreamy stares bend naked
with soft pandas on their laps. Big mama is dipping her toes in the cold
water, new busses have yellow wings ready to take off and even the cocks
are flying!
 Jittiwut
Sriyang letting loose with a new selection of semi-abstract, semi-bizarre
paintings.
Artist Jittiwut Sriyang is letting loose with a new
selection of semi-abstract, semi-bizarre paintings, bold in color, and bold
in depicting humans and celestial beings in natural and unnatural
environments. The seemingly happy pain-tings often contain numerous symbols
commenting on Thai society and recent events in the country, be it pandas
elevated to Gods, monks with modern mobiles or the heavy death toll in
traffic accidents.
Jittiwut is exhibiting at La Luna Gallery, January 14-28
together with ano-ther young popular Chiang Mai artist, Jason Tamthai
Jason’s style and tech-nique is vastly different from
Jittiwuts, although he also draws his inspiration from Northern Thailand.
He emphasizes the balance and partnership between man and nature as seen on
his canvases – yet not so often in life. For this exhibition he has
created a number of new paintings in his unique deep colors with smooth
flowing lines. Blue icicles slide down the wall next to dense rainforests
and a sun sets over a pur-
ple lake.
“We are pleased to showcase two of the best young Chiang Mai artists
during the peak season”, says La Luna director Sommai Lumdual.
Looking back on a filled niche: Christmas among friends
Phillip Johnson Photos:
Marion Vogt
On December 24, 2005, the newly formed Chiangmai Expats
Club (CEC) held its first Christmas buffet at the Chiangmai Orchid Hotel.
Board members expected around seventy-five guest to attend the event,
however, one hundred and two adults and six children arrived.
 Enormous
numbers came to the first CEC Christmas meeting. Standing (from left)
Phillip Johnson, Lucy Coombs, John, CEC President Jim Cox while (seated)
Ploy and treasurer Don Egan are busy signing in the many new and ‘old’
faces.
The well-received affair, hosted by Chiangmai Orchid
Hotel, was a refreshing way for old friends (figuratively speaking) to get
together and share their most recent experiences in Thailand, and also a
time for new expat club members and guests to meet new friends.
Jim Cox, club founder, was Master of Ceremonies, and was
elated that so many people were having so much fun. Although this was not
billed as a ‘meeting’, dates of some upcoming events were shared.
Besides the hike (a steep one to be sure) on January 2, it was also
mentioned that a trip to the Chiangmai Waterfalls is in the plan-ning
(please log on to the Chiangmai Expats Club website -
http://www.chiangmaiexpatsclub.com for more information). It was also
mentioned that the next club meeting will take place on January 14, at
10.30 a.m., at the Chiangmai Orchid Hotel.
 Half
of the attendants came with Santa heads and even more had their photo taken
on stage in front of the tree, as seen here Mate and Sak.
Don Egan, club web-master and acting treasurer, asked all children under
six years of age to come to the podium and select a holiday gift from under
the Christmas tree. After the children had chosen their gifts, Don
conducted a lucky draw and gave out some very nice prizes to several lucky
adults in the audience. Gifts were also collected for Chiangmai orphans and
other children who are not so fortunate to receive gifts during the
holidays. If you are interested in seeing what the Expats Club is all
about, reserve some time on January 14, and stop by the Chiangmai Orchid
Hotel. The Chiangmai Expats Club would like to wish all children throughout
the world, a very merry Christmas and a fun-filled New Year.
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