Rates for South African Thai Chamber of Commerce
Evason Hua Hin

Valid from now till 12 July 2010

Room Rate:

Evason Studio Room
THB@2,600.- net inclusive breakfast for 2 persons per room per night

Evason Pool Villa
THB@5,000.- net inclusive breakfast for 2 persons per room per night

Hideaway Duplex
THB@7,600.- net inclusive breakfast for 2 persons per room per night

Hideaway Pool Villa
THB@8,400.- net inclusive breakfast for 2 persons per room per night

Hideaway Pool Villa Suite
THB@10,600.- net inclusive breakfast for 2 persons per room per night

The above rates are in Thai Baht per villa per night inclusive of breakfast for single or double occupancy and are inclusive 17.7% Service charge and VAT.

*Condition of booking is required your credit card number and expiry date to guarantee at the time make a booking.
*Cancellation policy is one night of agreed rate will be charged if cancellation is made less than 7 days prior to arrival date or in the event of no show.
*Please indicate that special rates for South African Thai Chamber of Commerce when make the booking.
*The rates are subject to availability

The Huffington Post Shari Cohen

International development worker in the public health sector

Posted: June 15, 2010 11:35 AM

South Africa Rolls Out the Ubuntu in Abundance

I went on a rant the other day regarding the cost of the 2010 World Cup versus all the critical needs South Africa is facing and whether or not the most vulnerable of this country would gain anything from having the World Cup hosted in their country. At that time, I also had some very positive things to say about our hosts for the 2010 World Cup and I wanted to share that side of the coin as well, because it is equally important.
To say that I have been blown away at the hospitality South Africa has shown the rest of the world would be an understatement. I think back on recent Olympics and struggle to remember much reporting in the USA of athletes from other countries. I remember when a Togolese guy won a bronze medal in kayaking and NBC reported it and I thought to myself, "where are all the other fascinating stories like this one...like the Jamaican bobsledding team." In today's America, sadly, we have drifted so far towards being so US-centric that we only seem to root for the Americans.

Not so here in South Africa. I've been here since early May and each week I have become more and more impressed with the global embrace that South Africans have offered up to the world. On the way to the airport a couple of weeks ago, I heard a radio program that said each day they would focus on one country that would be coming to South Africa for the World Cup, and they would explore not only that sport's history in soccer, but also their politics, religion, and socio-cultural practices. On the television, I've seen numerous programs that focus on a particular country and it's history of soccer and how the history of that country is intertwined with their soccer history. I've seen programs on India, exploring why India enjoys soccer but hasn't really excelled at the global level... yet. And I've seen shows on soccer in Muslim countries. Maybe it's planned, maybe it's unplanned, maybe it's by chance, but it is happening. It's not just about South Africans showing off their varied and multifaceted culture to their global guests, it's also about using this opportunity to educate South Africa on the rest of Planet Earth's inhabitants.
As I moved through my work here in the provinces over the last six weeks, I had a pivotal meeting with the Board members of a rural NGO. They were explaining their guiding program philosophy of Ubuntu. No, not the Linux program. I'm talking about the traditional African philosophy of Ubuntu that essentially says, "No man is an island."

I found a better explanation from Wikipedia:
Archbishop Desmond Tutu further explained Ubuntu in 2008:
One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu - the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can't exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can't be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality -- Ubuntu -- you are known for your generosity.

We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.

To me, Ubuntu is the acceptance of others as parts of the sum total of each of us. And that is exactly what I have experienced during the lead up to, and the initial days of this World Cup. There is nary a South African citizen that I've met on the street, or in shops or restaurants or hotels, that hasn't gone out of their way to greet me and make me feel like I am home. And I don't mean that in the trivial, "Oh, aren't they nice, homey people here... " sort of way. I mean real, genuine interest and questions. People seriously want to know where I come from. What it's like where I live. How does it compare to where I am now. What do I think of South Africa. Oh yes, and what do I think of Bafana Bafana... The questions and conversations are in earnest. They are honest. And they are had with enthusiasm and a thirst to know more. South Africans are drinking deeply from the cup of humanity that has been brought to their doorstep. I would never imagine that an American World Cup or Olympics would ever be this welcoming to the rest of the world. And that saddens me for the state of my home country, but it also makes me feel the pride of the South African people.

I have been truly humbled on this trip. And while I have my gripes regarding development here, I cannot say one negative thing about how South Africa has handled its duties as host and hostess to the world. If I could say one thing to sum up being here during this once-in-a-lifetime experience, it would be that I've learned the value of Ubuntu, and that when found and offered in abundance, the world is indeed a better place to live in.

So, if South Africa accomplishes nothing more on the playing field, it will still have won as a host country. I am a cynic, no doubt about that. And yet I have to admit, I'm a little teary just writing this because I leave for home next weekend and I will be leaving a little piece of myself here in South Africa. I just hope I have learned enough to bring back a little piece of Ubuntu to my homeland, where perhaps with a little caring and a little water, it will take root as naturally as it does here, in the cradle of civilization. It's funny, many people in America still ask me, "are the people in Africa very primitive?" Yes, I know, amazing someone could ask that but they do. And when they do, I usually explain that living in a mud hut does not make one primitive, however, allowing kids to sell drugs to other kids and engage in drive-by killings -- isn't that primitive behavior? I think it is. When I think of Ubuntu and my recent experiences here, I think America has much to learn from Africa in general, in terms of living as a larger village; and as human beings who are all interconnected with each other, each of us having an affect on our brothers and sisters.
As the 2010 Cup slogan goes, "Feel it. It is here." Well, I have felt it, because I am here. Thank you South Africa, for giving me this unexpected gift. I am humbled.

SA ONE OF THE BEST – EXPATS

(www.pretorianews.co.za, 2009/11/26)

South Africa is one of the top 10 countries in the world for expats to live. The UK ranks as one of the worst. Canada was seen as the best place to live for expats, followed by Australia, Thailand and Singapore. Thailand was the country where it was easiest to make friends. Only 28 percent of expats said they had bothered to learn the local language. The poll by HSBC Bank International placed Bahrain fifth and South Africa sixth, ahead of France, the US, Spain and Hong Kong. The poll, based on responses from more than 3 100 expats from 50 countries, showed 41 percent of expats in the UK found it difficult to find somewhere to live, compared with 28 percent averaged across all the countries. Expats find it difficult to find somewhere to live in the UK, with many finding their quality of accommodation poorer than they had at home. Also, 31 percent of expats said their health had deteriorated since moving to the UK, with 53 percent reckoning the daily commute had got worse. Among the reasons expats liked living in the UK was employment prospects, and they also enjoyed the entertainment.

The South African-Thai Chamber (SATCC) in cooperation with the
German-Thai Chamber (GTCC) invite you to join a networking evening

DOWNLOAD INVITE HERE

The South African-Thai Chamber (SATCC) in cooperation with the
German-Thai Chamber (GTCC) invite you to join a networking evening
with the kind sponsorship of Dusit Thani Bangkok and
Ayudhya Insurance Public Company Limited.

Monday 26 October 2009
My Bar, Dusit Thani Bangkok
18.00 – 21.00

THB 400 @
Includes snacks, soft drinks, Heineken beer, South African and German wines.

Please advise who and how many people will be attending with you.
Due to space restriction each chamber will only be able to accept a limited
number of members, so please book early.

RSVP satcc@satcc.net before 22 October

Members and invited guests who accept to attend, do so on the
understanding they will pay their entry fee regardless.

South African-Thai Chamber of Commerce
satcc@satcc.net

BMW INVESTS ADDITIONAL R2,2BN IN ROSSLYN PLANT

(www.businessday.co.za, 20091005) - “This investment will also trigger many positive spin-offs within our local supplier Network,” BMW SA MD Bodo Donauer told a media briefing in Johannesburg. While the investment would result in Rosslyn’s maximum plant capacity increasing from 60 000 to 87 000 units a year, it would also secure BMW car production in SA for the foreseeable future, Mr Donauer said. The South African vehicle market was facing its steepest decline in 15 years. “But the BMW Group has never shied away from making decisions for the future in difficult times,” he said, explaining that BMW had announced it was building its biggest production facility, Plant Dingolfing in Germany, in the middle of an oil crisis some 35 years ago. “At this time, Germany’s fancy motorways were filled with bicycles. This decision follows a similar pattern.” He said he was convinced that an announcement of this magnitude, during the worst known crisis the South African automotive industry had faced, sent a positive message to the company’s staff about the long-term sustainability of the Rosslyn plant. “It also sends a positive message about the future of this country, as a whole,” Mr Donauer said. He said while the Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP) had not been finalised, BMW’s latest announcement had been made possible by willingness from Government to remain flexible to the needs of the automotive industry. “I am happy to report that we have received written commitment from the Department of Trade and Industry (The DTI) confirming that our R2,2bn investment will be honoured under the APDP,” he said. “This commitment, along with the clear APDP framework which government has decided on, gives us the necessary confidence to make this announcement now.”