PCEC Meeting – Monthly Review – December 2007

The Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) meets every Sunday at Henry J. Bean’s at the northern end of Beach Road, Pattaya. The format of the meeting is similar each week. There is normally a guest speaker, sometimes more than one, an announcement of Forthcoming Events plus an Open Forum, usually a lively and entertaining session, when questions can be asked or information exchanged.

The atmosphere is relaxed, informal and friendly and everyone is welcome. If you weren’t there, here are the highlights of last months’ meetings.

The doors were bulging at this week’s meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) on Sunday November 4^th at Henry J. Bean’s as the large amount of information flow continued.

The morning got under way with MC Richard Silverberg introducing Ted Coley, the Visa Chief of the US Embassy Non Immigrant Visa Section. Ted provided some useful information regarding the process of applying for a visa to visit the US as a temporary visitor. Whilst Ted’s talk was from a US viewpoint the approach would be similar for applications for other nationalities.

Next to take the stage was Barry Kenyon, Honorary British Consul for Pattaya. The purpose of Barry’s visit was to clarify the recently announced changes in retirement visa applications. He confirmed that there had been considerable tightening with some types of visa, primarily short term visas which were being used for long term stays.

This week’s MC, Richard Silverberg started the proceedings on Sunday November 11th by introducing Gavin Waddell, head of the International Relations and Marketing department of the Phyathai Hospital in Sri Racha. A group of PCEC members had visited the hospital previously and had been most impressed with the available facilities. Gavin took many questions from the floor regarding the facilities and the treatments available. The website of Phyathai Hospital is www.phyathai-sriracha.com/Eng.

The morning got under way on Sunday November 18^th with the familiar figure of Dr Manoon Somranthin of the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya’. Accompanying Dr Manoon were hospital personnel who were providing free blood pressure tests and a limited number, due to time restrictions, of ankle-brachial index (ABI) tests.

The subject of Dr Manoon’s talk was Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). This is caused by the hardening and narrowing of the main arteries by cholesterol plaque. 

On Sunday November 25th the PCEC welcomed back the well known author Dean Barrett. Dean has produced a number of books, a large number of which are based in Bangkok or Thailand in general. His latest offering is Dragon Slayer which consists of three individual novels in one book.

For more information regarding, not only the PCEC Sunday meetings, but also the large number of mid week activities, visit the Club’s website at pattayacityexpatsclub.com.