Their
Majesties join in a group photograph with new members of the Baden-Powell
World Fellowship and the Honours Program.
Thamnoon
Wanglee makes his welcome address.
By Pratheep Malhotra
During the visit of Their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf, and Queen Silvia
of Sweden to Thailand early this month to attend the celebrations marking
the 60th anniversary of HM
Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great’s accession to the throne, they
took time out from the busy celebration schedules to meet with local scouts
and preside over Baden Powell Fellowship reception at the Oriental Hotel in
Bangkok on June 13.
The Baden Powell Fellowship recognizes individuals for their financial
contributions to the World Scout Foundation to help support scouting around
the world. Receptions and other events are periodically held in different
parts of the world to bring members together and to present insignia to new
members amongst who ranks are prominent business, government and Scouting
leaders who want to help bring better Scouting to more young people. Members
of the Fellowship also include many husbands and wives, their children, and
even their grandchildren.
Sutham
Phanthusak gives his report of the Baden Powell Fellowship.
His Majesty the King of Sweden is the Honorary President
of the World Scout Foundation usually bestows these prestigious recognitions
personally by traveling to many countries in the world.
In his welcoming address, Mr. Thamnoon Wanglee, President of the World Scout
Foundation (Thailand Chapter) wished HM the King of Sweden a Happy Birthday,
which he celebrated recently and went on to also extend hearty felicitations
on the occasion of the 30th wedding
anniversary of the Swedish Royal Couple.
Sutham Phanthusak Vice President of the World Scout Foundation (Thailand
Chapter) made his report to the King of Sweden saying, ‘With us today are
men and women who have continuously dedicated themselves throughout the
years towards the promoting of the noble cause and ideals of the Scout
Movement and more especially their contributions to the World Scout
Foundation.
Thamnoon
Wanglee presents the donation for the World Scout Foundation Endowment Fund
to HM King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.
‘Thailand is proud to say that at present we count on
our roll 57 members of the Baden Powell Fellowship with 4 of them in the
Honours Programme.
‘The numbers are growing,’ said Mr. Sutham, ‘and I am very pleased to
report to you that three leading scouts in our country and one from the
U.S.A have shown their intention to join the ranks of the Baden Powell
Fellowship and another three are to join the Circles of membership of the
Honours Programme.’
The new members joining the ranks of the Baden-Powell World Fellowship were
Mrs. Usa Monsereenusorn, Miss Somchit Sirisena, Mrs. Yubol Pumsathit and
Douglas B. Peterson from the USA.
The three praiseworthy men and women who joined the circles of membership of
the Honours Programme were Mrs. Ladda Visavapolboon, Mr. Sataporn
Ratchatasup and Mrs.Vipapan Choosupya. The Honours Program recognizes those
who have attained higher levels of financial support to the World Scout
Foundation.
All the recipients have had long and illustrious careers in the education
field and are involved in many service organisations in Thailand not to
mention their dedication to the Scouting movement around the world whose
objectives are to help more young people develop the knowledge, skills and
attitudes that will enable them to be responsible, self-reliant citizens and
tomorrow’s leaders.
His
Majesty presents the Baden Powell Fellowship pin to Douglas B. Peterson.
Of note was new member Douglas B. Peterson from the
U.S.A. ‘Pete’ Peterson served for 26 years in the United States Air
Force. While on his 67th combat mission over North Vietnam in 1966, he was
shot down, captured, and spent the next six and a half years as a prisoner
of war. Upon retirement from military service he joined the faculty of
Florida State University as the Director of a specialized psychological
treatment program for juvenile offenders. He was elected to the U.S. House
of Representatives where he served for 3 consecutive terms. He was then
appointed by President Clinton as the first Ambassador to post-war Vietnam.
Mr. Peterson is also the President of The Alliance for Safe Children (TASC),
a global child injury prevention foundation whose mission is to help reduce
child death and disability due to preventable injury in developing
countries.
The World scout Foundation also encourages Baden- Powell Fellows to become
members of an exclusive group known as the Founder’s Heritage, a most
inspirational partnership with young people throughout the world. They
simply make a pledge to include a donation to the World Scout Foundation in
their wills.
Furthermore donations can be made to the Queen Silvia Fund, an endowment
which enables young handicapped people, all over the world, to benefit
through Scouting. It was created as a lasting gift to commemorate the 50th
birthday celebration of Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden.
These commitments ensure that the donors’ legacy will continue to work to
help young people achieve self-fulfilment, through Scouting and help build a
better world.
Lord Baden-Powell of Gilwell founder of the Scout Movement said, ‘The real
way to get happiness is by giving out happiness to other people. Try to
leave this world a little better than you found it and when your turn comes
to die, you can die happy in feeling that at any rate you have not wasted
your time, but have done your best’.
On their
arrival Their Majesties receive bouquets from little Cub Scouts.
Sutham
Phanthusak Vice President of the World Scout Foundation (Thailand Chapter),
Jan Olav Aamlid , Asst. International Commissioner, Mrs. Sumon Samasarn,
member of the National Scout Executive Board, Dr. Valerie McKenzie and
Pratheep Malhotra at the reception.
