Pattaya Patriots

I am using the term Patriot for a series of articles to feature in the magazine. Firstly because I love the alliteration, and secondly because I wanted a word to describe some very special people who live amongst us here in Pattaya. Sometimes given a military connotation, the word patriot actually describes someone who deeply loves, supports and defends their country (or, for the purposes of this article, their city). They often demonstrate loyalty through service, sacrifice, or civic engagement. True patriotism goes beyond mere pride—it involves striving to make improvements for all, for freedom, and for progress. If you missed any of these earlier articles you can still find them online at our website pattayatrader.com.

Rodney James Charman, known affectionately by many of us as “Rodders” has to be included in the Pattaya Patriots. Why? Because, put simply “He just doesn’t stop”. Where many of us feel our philanthropic responsibility only at certain times of the year: maybe Christmas, New Year or Songkran for Rodney it is a full time commitment. I’ve known him for almost as long as I’ve been in Thailand (some 14 years now). We have had many photos taken together at various networking events and charity functions but the one I’ve used above Rodney tells me is his favourite. Taken at the Pattaya International Ladies Club’s Black and White party it was a really fun night and as usual raised lots of money for local charities.

Many in Pattaya know Rodney as the smart chap (usually in a blazer) who carries a glass of red wine in one hand while taking photos from his Canon in the other. As photography has been a hobby Rodney has been passionate about from back in the days when he lived in England and as a youngster developed his own 35mm and 120mm film from a makeshift dark room in his bathroom!

Otherwise you may know him from his Facebook Cover photo showing how he was with the Kent & South East Coast Ambulance Service. But did you know that it was a career that spanned 40 years? He started as an emergency technician and through continual promotion achieved the position of Critical Systems Manager before retiring.

During his time in the Ambulance Service, Rodney began his life-time job of raising money. Firstly with funds for The Kent Air Ambulance Helicopter Appeal and then the Medway Health Authority and other local charities. Mostly this was for equipment such as televisions for the wards, hospital beds, baby incubators, breast pumps, cardiac and defibrillators. In 1980 he even raised funds and bought the first arthroscopic for a new surgeon, Dr John Beavis at Medway Hospital. Also after becoming a Mason, Rodney raised money for The Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Having visited Thailand in 2005 he decided to retire here and continued to raise money for the poor doing charity work. He joined The Royal British Legion and became a caseworker helping ex-pat service personnel who required help, in conjunction with the British Embassy Bangkok. He was also the treasurer for TFi (Thai Farang Initiative) raising funds by holding disco nights and other events and when this initiative finished Rodney became a Rotarian. He was President of Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard 2015 to 2017,2020 & 2024.

With Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard Rodney helped to raise millions of baht for charities including The Glory Hut, Aid relief for the flood victims in the North of Thailand, Hand to Hand, The Child Protection & Development Centre, Take Care Kids, Human Health Network Drop In, Pattaya Orphanage and Fountain of Life Women and Children Center. As he says “none of this could have been achieved without the support of teamwork and sponsors ”

Over Covid the Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard did tremendous work distributing food and masks and although Rodney gave us all a scare when he had to undergo open-heart surgery, he was out helping with the distribution just 6 weeks later. A very popular and ongoing fund raiser has been “ The Christmas Bags for Children” and Rodney has personally been there to hand these over to thousands of smiling faces

So although we may know Rodney because he take the time and trouble to make us lovely collages of photos taken throughout the year for our birthdays we should all know and recognise what exemplary work he has done tirelessly throughout the years, As Jeff Mitchell MBE so rightly says:

I’ve known Rodney for close on 20 years and I’ve never understood where he gets all of his energy and passion from. He pursues charity projects like a man possessed, but more importantly he gets the results.

I remember joining forces with Rodney, in his case-worker role with the Royal British Legion, when I was working at the British Embassy. Rodney demonstrated on so many occasions just how committed he was when distressed British Nationals, who’d previously served in His Majesty’s forces, had hit hard times. He collaborated so well with us to either get them home or the help they needed. An amazing man!