Royal British Legion Thailand

[TropicalBerts]

First of all I promise no mention of Sausages!,

We are fast approaching the time of year the Legion call Remembrancetide, we will again be putting out Poppy Boxes in a number of pubs and offices around the Pattaya area, we also cover other areas of Thailand including BKK, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Korat and Hua Hin.

We will be attending the Sevice of Remembrance at the British Embassy, Bangkok on Sunday 14th November and also our first Remembrance Service in Pattaya.

This will be held at St Nikolaus Church, Sukhumvit road on Thursday 11th November at 10.50am ( please try to be seated by 10.40am, dress at least smart casual)

All nationalities and faiths are more than welcome to attend, the service will be as it should be, short and simple lasting about 30 minutes. Wreaths will be laid by a number of groups inside the church, outside will be a garden of remembrance where, if you wish you may place a small wooden cross with the name a loved one you have lost on it.

As I have said this is open to all and you can of course just turn up, however it would help us if we had an idea of numbers, especially if you intend to bring a large group (I could then reserve seats for you) Please PM me if you intend to be at the service.

Many thanks

Bert

Edited October 9, 2010 by Lite Beer
E Mail removed.

[JohnLeech]

A couple of things it may be useful to know for non Legion-members.

Does "smart casual" mean blazers and medals for those who would normally wear them to the Embassy service?

The Embassy service has effectively been taken over by the various Legion branches and schools due to the wreath-laying process; no offence to the Legion but is the Pattaya service going to be along similar lines where the wreath laying lasts longer than the service, unlike the usual practice where schools and other groups lay their wreaths after the official wreaths (usually no more than one per Armed Service and one per nationality)?

[TropicalBerts]

A couple of things it may be useful to know for non Legion-members.

Does "smart casual" mean blazers and medals for those who would normally wear them to the Embassy service?

The Embassy service has effectively been taken over by the various Legion branches and schools due to the wreath-laying process; no offence to the Legion but is the Pattaya service going to be along similar lines where the wreath laying lasts longer than the service, unlike the usual practice where schools and other groups lay their wreaths after the official wreaths (usually no more than one per Armed Service and one per nationality)?

Hi John

I/we would class smart casual as shoes, long trousers and a shirt, many ex services will of course wear suits, blazer and medals. However that does not mean you would be turned away for wearing shorts and a shirt, as far as we are concerned paying your respects is just as important as what you are wearing.

The Embassy service is run by the Embassy on Remembrance Sunday, we attend it but have nothing to do with the running of it, they have certainly not been taken over by Legion Branches even though we are the Custodians of Remembrance (we do take over the Social Club after the Service!!).

Remembrance Services as far as I am concerned should be kept short, simple and to the point, on our service on the 11th there will be 10 poppy wreaths layed, 3 of those by schools (it is after all very important to involve them) the other 7 by invited guests (representatives from the British Embassy, the Royal British Legion, Thailand, Honorary Consuls, VFW and other groups). There will be no individual wreaths, however there will be a Garden of Remembrance outside the front of the church where individuals may, if they wish place a small wooden poppy cross with the name of an loved one they have lost in the garden, those same crosses will also be placed in the British Embassy the following Sunday.

This will be our first Remembrance Day Service in Pattaya so it will of course be a learning curve as regards how many attend but as I have said it will be simple and traditional.

Best regards

Bert

[SweatiePie]

Bert, many thanks for that. I've never been to one here, but I used to go to the service at the Cenotaph in Hong Kong. I always thought I should go here as so many friends go to the the service in the Embassy, but I've never felt comfortable going there as it seemed to be an intrusion into a British affair, while in a local church it may be more international.

Edited October 16, 2010 by SweatiePie