From ANDREW DRUMMOND, BANGKOK
September 21 2011
It is with deep regret that I have to announce that the Optimist Club of Thailand, has deceased, kicked the bucket, gone to meet its maker, shuffled off its mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the choir, and is pushing up the daisies..etc..
Formed in 2008 by well known, er, ‘dignitary’ Drew Noyes it has given away its last pair of shoes to needy kids. The club was heralded by Banglamuang Chief Mongol Thamakhittikhun as a boost to the city of Pattaya giving it honour and prestige. Unfortunately someone appears to have pocketed members fees.
The club will be sorely missed not least because it takes up a couple of lines in its founding president’s extensive 999 page CV. News of its demise was covered up six months for fear of upsetting local citizens.
Above: Member Mike of Optimist International Thailand on field trip
Below is how its historic inauguration was reported in the Pattaya Mail.
Its demise was quietly reported in a short one line statement from Optimist International in St. Louis, Missouri.
‘It’s charter was revoked for non payment of dues on March 31, 2011. Drew Noyes was a member of the club at that time but was not an officer.’
There is no suggestion that Mr. Noyes was involved as he was clearly not President at the time. In fact he was not re-elected as President of either of the Optimists or the Pattaya City Expats Club. He claims he did not stand for re-election of either.
Honour and Prestige
The news comes as terrible blow to millions of kids in Thailand, but in honour of its lasting achievements and benefits to the cityof Pattaya, its website remains up on the internet and mourners can view the body here at the Optimist Club of Thailand.
Michael Strouse, above, as he appeared on the Fubar adult webmasters site. Fubar? F***ed up beyond all recognitation.
Among those prominent members affected are the ubiquitous former M.P. Changyuth Hetrakul, billed as the charity’s advisor and reformed American pornographer Michael S former boss of Mayors Money and ‘Porncity’ and also famous for leading a charge of adult webmasters around the fleshpots of Phuket. (His ex-wife ‘Kat’ became a legendary porn star in the United States)
Also affected is Wanrapa Boonsu, ( nicknamed Kung above left) from Buri Ram province and the mother of at least three of Noyes nine children. Kung, host of ‘MeetUniversityGirls.com’ (Facebook site here)and 18 other registered websites, is being hailed as the best writing talent to have been discovered on the Eastern Seaboard since Jason ‘G’day’ Griffiths, another talent groomed at the ‘Pattaya Times’. She has dedicated her latest work of fiction ‘Cybercrimes Investigation of Brit Begins with Backing of Powerful Police General‘ to the club’s memory.
Above left Kung with Drew Noyes – the subject of a star profile in the Wilmington Morning Star, North Carolina, before arriving in Thailand.
Her blockbuster in the ‘Pattaya Times’ has been publish I understand to rave reviews. But unfortunately the newspaper’s comment button has been turned off.
Andrew Drummond has been reported by the ‘Pattaya Times’ to have ‘vacated his seedy 2000 baht apartment in Bangkok leaving hurriedly heading for the Malaysian border’.
* There is no suggestion whatsoever that any Thai members of Optimist International of Thailand were in any way responsible for its charter being withdrawn.
Review:
“A masterpiece. Wanrapa is the best author to come out of Pattaya since Jason Griffiths. Obviously taught by a master. Her clever weaving of truth and fiction is something to behold. She has us biting our nails and gripping our seats. I almost wet myself in anticipation. I especially liked the dialogue with of the policeman in the cyber-crimes division. And the story’s hero Drew Noyes, comes across as a masterful 21st century man –
Vidal Gore, Sporting Life
A claim by the ‘Pattaya Times’ that police have ordered the closure of a website is spurious and in any case beyond the police remit. Mr.Noyes has asked CSD police to process his claims of libel in stories publish on this website. These alleged libels refer only to Drew Noyes. I not only invite but welcome investigation of my claims and am passing on ‘ a dossier’. Mr.Noyes has not yet provided specific evidence to indicate how he has been libelled.
Mr.Noyes is due to appear in Pattaya Court on October 3rd to face an accusation of, er, libel
How Drew Noyes Posed as Britain’s Honorary Consul – click here !
Below from www.scandasia.com
Link Myriad lies, an American businessman and influential people
Drummond, is there no where we can discuss this without suffering the dregs and fiefdoms of Teakdoor-dom?
I am loathe to give the sites any play where members, and admin- are inciting violence.
Sorry is this a quote from the P T article, it isn't clear.
Contacted by phone the unnamed Brit who is allegedly being sought everywhere by Thailand's CSD said: ""Oh @#@@! What do I do now? Help me please. Look I was just posing as a journalist. Ain't got no income! The tables have turned against me.""
He is understood to have vacated his seedy 2000 baht apartment in Bangkok and is reported to be heading for the Malaysian border.
Where can I get a copy of this Pattaya Times? I've not seen it for months, or perhaps the A3 Inkjet printer used to publish it has finally broken down…
I tried googling it, but Google came back and said ""Did you mean – A Proper Local Newspaper""…
Anyway I hope they find that nasty man posing as a journalist and shut his site down immediately(last week)
Starfighter: To go to the PT article click on the link. The quote is a summary of how the Pattaya Times has described me in two articles so far. It has used the terms posing as a journalist,living in a cheap Bangkok apartment, travelling to Pattaya by bus, unemployed, wanker, most hated man among journalists and publishers etc. I could go on.
While the last part of the story is of course a spoof, and there is a liberal use or irony Optimist International in Thailand has closed down for the reason stated. Or if they are running then they have nothing to to with Optimist International.
Good grief , at the end of that 999 page c.v. is a link for "" Complete bio "". And then trows in every Noyes that ever crossed the Atlantic
The following is misleading, is it not?
Is Mr Noyes actually a partner of B Grimm Group and / or Thai Polo Club? Note use of the term "" They..""
[quote]
"" Drew is partners with Ms. Nunthinee Tanner and Mr. Harald Link of B Grimm Group of Companies. They own Mamma Mia Restaurant at Central Festival Pattaya Beach shopping mall on Beach Road in Pattaya and operate Thai Polo Club, Pattaya …To be invited to one of the posh charity polo tournaments at Thai Polo Club, Pattaya, contact Drew Noyes at … The Thai Polo Open and Pink Polo are annual events.""
[end quote]
Incidentally both events are open to the public with a ticket charge. ( And anyone can buy the orange shirt. I give them to my staff as gifts )
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soroptimist_International
QUOTE The name ""Soroptimist"" was coined by combining the Latin words soror ""sister"" and optimus ""best"", and can be taken to mean ""best for sisters"" (referring to women in general).UNQUOTE
Presumably they don't want any such sentiments in a community that prides itself on its 'masculinity'. 😉 Right Gordan?
An optimist is a person who floods the internet with pictures and stories about himself as a man of substance – and expects people to believe it.
Dear Mr.Drummond,
Mr Noyes has sent me this message on tagged.com 'You will pay for your lies asshole. Just wait, it wont be me but you will wish it was'
The message has been in my box for a week or so. I dont use the site any more, but just thought I would check
Isobel, Manila
I feel for his poor wife here. It seems like he's now involving here in his crap.
Sadly for her, she'll learn what ""guilty by association"" means when Noyes finally leaves her by the wayside once her usefulness is spent.
Jack:Well actually his 'wife' my lawyers tell is the Editor and the person to whom the Pattaya Times is registered so she would be obviously the first person on the writ list. I am also told she is quite pro-active. It is more than likely that all these stories are written by Noyes. But lawyers advise she must be sued particularly if she holds the purse/property strings.Noyes would have to be sued as the writer.
She looks quite cute…wonder if she might be interested in a new partner…MILF's n all that.
subzerosiam seems to be backtracking in its original support for your article on eric and noyes
Newbie: Can't say I really noticed. Apart from a letter from a Teakdoor member saying his site is the best one to go to for advice on'but spray bum guns'.
That's one thread I will give a miss.
Sam. Your comment is not appropriate unless it is genuine.
No surprise TV is out of the loop, Teak door is allowing comment in the members section so we must commend that.This story is destined for the Sunday magazines, it's just too juicy !!
( Glad to see formatting adjustments on the quotes and such – Good work. )
Andrew, you are spoiling some sound points by getting personal and to some extent abusive. You are not only doing it on this blog but on subzerosiam
Everyone supports you on the issues of libel and family threats, but joining in the shit fights should be beneath you
You said ""Hope we never meet"" Why say this. You may not like or agree with Jerry Dean but dropping to subzerosiam standards is a bad judgment in my view. Once this is over do you expect their support? They'll attack your blog stories with the same inaccuracies, misstatements and misquotes as the other forums have done in the past
Way to counter that last barrage, I was believing it too.
Newbie, Drummond is up against an organized slander gang who seek to discredit him and protect their interests. Let him vent a little if he needs to.
Maybe the new club is legit, but it hasn't been the old club for some time, and Noyes not a member for two years, but lists himself as current member, etc.
I have not desire to get into a pissing contest with anyone on the internet or otherwise just wish to clarify the question of where is the money for Friends of Youth (FOY).
100% of the monies collected via dues, donations or any other source are used to support the youth of Pattaya. For example today (24th) we are taking 40 children from Banglamung boys home and school bowling at Tops Bowling lanes we have 10 lanes reserved, serving box lunch and drinks. Most of these kids have never been around Farangs nor seen the generosity and kindness that they will experience. Needless to say I'm sure that they have never been bowling and will have a fun day out. Everyone is welcome to come join us at Tops bowling at 11 am to 2 pm today, including you Andrew, hope to see you all there.
Newbie:Sometimes a post demands a robust reply. Jerry Dean asked me in screaming capitals what I did for children. He got an answer which included reference to actions of his Founding President. I do not particularly wish to meet him. If I am impatient with people who should know better I offer a small apology. But that's the closest to an insult I have got.
Similarly I think most people know that my only interest in local blogs is the disemmination of news. They are even more fickle than newspapers. I would not count on any for support, nor solicit it. But I do pop in on them occasionally to provide clarification, sought or otherwise
Its inaccurate to say I have gone down to their level. However its more than probably that Jerry Dean is a nice enough chap so I have modifed my reply.(24/9/2011)
Starfighter: I am too long in the tooth and have been watching Thailand for over 20 years.
I have seen convicted criminals and child abusers join the Pattaya versions of international do-gooding groups, societies,bretheren, call them what you will, almost ad infinitum, so I am not easily impressed. Having said that I am not refering to the newly formed groups Friends of Youth of Pattaya and would not wish them to bear the burden of the 'sins' of others. (Modified 24/9/11)
Andrew, love the photo of Kung with Drew Noyes. Her body language is almost as revealing as her expression! Keep up the great work. You're a real breath of fresh air, many thanks for providing so much entertainment mixed with such incisive reporting.
Why don't you start a discussion forum ?
Moderated in a manner that is condusive to free speech but keeps the TD/SZS/FT character assasination cliques in check. Somewhere between Thai Visa corporate weenie-ism and TD's bottom half anarchy with no SZS admin's petty totalitarianism. Using real names, as the women's Chicky Net forum does, verified by telephone and address would cut out the multi-nic monkey who trolls all the forums.
Dear Jerry Dean,
Thank you for your letter. Of course I do not have any problem publishing it. It is only one of two I have in support of Drew Noyes. The other is by another of your club members.
However I fear that your letter has done little in damage limitation.
First of all you are not an ‘Optimist Club’ and cannot claim you are. That charter has been revoked for the reasons stated. I am a member of the British Association of Journalists and International Federation of Journalists and the FCCT and pay my dues. Of course to save money I could form my own Pattaya Foreign journalists club if I lived there (and what a distinguished bunch that would be) but I prefer to be part of a bona fide organization.
Believe me that Optimist Club of Thailand (see website) or Optimist Club of Pattaya is not merely sleeping and pining for the Norwegian fjords. It is deceased. You decided to keep the Optimist International fees and move on from there. Call yourself ‘Friends of Youth’ or anything else, that’s fine.
Your claim that there are no other Optimist Clubs outside North America is patently untrue if you believe what is on their website.
You also bring up the subject of another member of the club Michael S. You say he resigned to protect the club’s good name. Good.
You quote: “One of the main tenets of the Optimist Creed state `Forget the mistakes of the past and press on the greater achievements of the future�.
I do not know about the mistakes of the past, but your member was a major pornographer (not against the law in the US of course) and made a lot of his cash on porn sites with Thai girls (including his ex-wife). These girls are not protected by the rigid rules of the US porn industry.
He further gave interviews in the US where he praised Thailand for its cheap women (against the US dollar).
He then came to Thailand set up a company, with strong links to the same or similar businesses (sex chat lines). The only difference is that he is now HERE…..but the dollar is not so good.
I am a journalist. I will leave the forgiving and forgetting to the Lord Almighty.
Then you write the following:
“SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS VERY SIMPLE… WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR THE KID'S OF THAILAND???????????? EXCEPT MOUTH ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.�
Well Mr. Dean, your Founding President Mr. Drew Noyes has put up a link on a phony website on the net (allegedly for the Wilmington Morning star) to a site which he sponsors. The administrator of this site, publishes my private address, provides links to my wife and three year old daughter, encourages foreign criminals to visit me, and finally accuses me of sexually abusing my children.
And in his own newspaper the Pattaya Times in his Ask Drew Noyes column: “The way to get at Andrew Drummond is for writing lies about us is to publish his address on the internet every time he moves…kind of like they do to out pedophiles in the UK�. So this is what your Founding President Prints in his newspaper.
Mr. Dean apart from raising my own children I have for 20 years been an assistant and advisor to FACE (Fight Against Child Exploitation)and have been actively involved in the rescue of many.
I wish you well with your new club
Meanwhile I would like to point out to readers that two members of the Optimist Branch in Pattaya I referred to are no longer members of the Optimist Branch in Pattaya – which is now known as 'Friends of Youth' (Reply modified 24/9/11
Thank you Bob. And I am pleased to clarify again that Friends of Youth is not an Optimist Club and that the members mentioned in my story are no longer with this former organisation. Have a nice day. And good luck with your future ventures.
In the interests of harmony I have modified my posts.
You will not find a pissing contest here. You will have to go to the English language forums for that.
What we try to endeavour here is to separate the bull from the truth and protect people accordingly.
You are absolutely right to draw attention to the libel and threats and i am sure we understand the extreme frustration but posting on subzerosiam could be a bad judgment call. maybe it serves your purpose but they'll change sides and flame you when it suits them. there are only two forums that would be more honest in their attitude to free speech and honest reporting and szs is not one of them. your readers look at that site and they can see the replies
Newbie; I suspect you are right of course, but I have not found the forums to which you refer.
Admin at SZS pretends of course to be waiting on the fence to see who is right. They appear to have forgotten that I have merely continued and updated an investigation by a respectable American newspaper which is damning of Drew Noyes. My memory is not that short that I am not aware what SZS's admin can say and of course who it considers nice guys.
Grant I have to agree, K. Kong's body language and expression is, "" Please don't put that greasy sweaty maw against my lovely white silk suit.""
Is it a wedding photo?
The SZS admin has banned myself and two other members that were supporting you from the thread so I would not call that fence sitting, but a blatant lack of fairness and a clear bias against you.
Interesting little development. Thaivisa gets stories from this http://www.andrew.local on an RSS feed. And indeed when these stories went out, I emailed George Anderssen there and made a point that as he had dealings with Noyes ‘this is probably not for you’. (Thaivisa collaborated with the Pattaya Times on a legal seminar recently)
George actually came back and said: “We skip with this one�.
Now the print version of the Warapa story in the ‘Pattaya Times’ reported (and I know this because my lawyers have given me the latest printed copy) “Earlier when the blogger submitted his ‘news article’ to many credible websites in Thailand (shome mistake here) he was flatly refused. One leading website even wrote back to the blogger ‘We will pass on this one’.
“This led the blogger to a tirade on his one-man blog to degrade at least three prominent English language websites for rejecting the negative venom spewed by the blogger and not allowing it to be posted on their sites.�
My oh my! Anybody who can find this tirade please let me know. But interesting too that George also provided information in email sent to me to Noyes. Actually that he has has is neither here nor there. But it sort of tells me George cannot be trusted, or at best plays all sides against the middle.
On the plus side 'We pass on this one' is the first semi accurate quote in any of the Pattaya Times stories.
Ya just can’t make it up
Firstly…you can tell all that body language kinda stuff from a still photo…amazing. When i first met my wife, a friend saw a photo I had taken of her and she said ""do not get involved with this girl, she is evil, look at her eyes, they are very evil""…now I had to agree in that particular photo she did look very evil…and she did evil things to me later after taking it. But she is the sweetest thing, so maybe K. Kong is same same. Secondly, SF, you and the other poster were I believe banned from the Drummond thread on SZS for malarkey behavior, you were told to pull your heads in, you did not and for the sake of a quality and informative, accurate news thread to remain on track, you were shown the door.
Hi Sam ,
I hope Drummond doesn't mind the impromptu web message board banter going on here, and thanks to him for the opportunity to not be censored.
I received no pm warning from SZS admin on either of two threads I have posted on in the last few weeks. But, I have not signed in either since the thread ban. Please note I complained previously how the thread was wasted, not modded and hijacked repeatedly.
I do admit, on another thread, posting the admins's frequent use of the expletive c*nt in a way that might be construed as combative, and also attempted to discuss another, obviously touchy subject but isn't that what those "" shite threads "" are for? ( SZS admin's quote)
NAME REMOVED BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO GIVE ENDLESS PEOPLE RIGHTS OF REPLY – AD
Mr. Jerry Dean, ""“SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS VERY SIMPLE… WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR THE KID'S OF THAILAND????????????"" This arrogant question in capitals negates anything you perceive yourself as doing good to others. People who are really charitable will never pose such a question.
Starfighter, I think AD has the measure of szs and indeed thailand forums in general. Sam's response (he seems to be in the know with their admin to make the comments he did)is a complete nonsense. Some members, including yourself, supporting drummond's valid points on libel and threats, were set up to be flamed by their little (minority) group as anyone reading the thread can see.
I don't think it's fence sitting. It's the usual thai fora method of running with the hounds and hunting with the hares
Oh the games that people play now
Call me a pessimist, but I too am unimpressed by Mr. Jerry Dean's ""doing it all for the kids."" While charity is a noble and necessary pursuit, it is dead wrong for expat men to have any contact with underprivileged Thai children. We know very well the threats that kids in Western countries face from a substantial minority of their so-called ""benefactors"" like priests and scout leaders. That's why anybody who seeks to work with children goes through a screening process in the USA. While the motives of Mr. Jerry Dean and the rest of his optimists may be completely honorable, they should realize that (1) Pedophiles actively seek out positions in which they ""help"" disadvantaged youth, and (2) Pattaya is probably the world's headquarters for pedophiles. Therefore, even the most optimistic person would have to conclude that a significant number of foreign men volunteering for mentoring and outreach to Pattaya orphanages and charities must be pedophiles. Since it is impossible to perform any kind of reliable screening, when it comes to children's charities, expat groups should confine themselves to FUNDRAISING ONLY, and make prominent note of that fact.
wow Ned, I was flabbergasted with this comment…'it is dead wrong for expat men to have any contact with underprivileged Thai children.'…perhaps you should extend this view of yours to biological children as well…also friends with children, stay out of teaching circles, don't go near shopping malls and by god not within 300m of any ToysRus stores.
wow Sam, I was flabbergasted with this comment…'it is dead wrong for expat men to have any contact with underprivileged Thai children.'…perhaps etc etc
Unfortunately your comment lost its ""power"" by going overboard. I do go a long way with Ned Pflug in recognising the fact that one way for pedo's (and other ill intended persons) to get close to children is in professions and occupations such as schools, summer camps and the like, you don't find them in old folks homes. I do occasionally travel to upcountry school with a children show and have come across situations more often than I thought possible which were totally unacceptable. Quite a few (female) teachers are still walking around with canes and rulers in their hands to touch and point children where to go or sit as if they are cattle. And yes, of course, the majority is not like that but it is the minority to be careful about.
For Ned to blanket the expat community like that is just…flabbergasting…As for upcountry schools and canes, you do not have to travel far, our niece's school lines them all up morning and night with the cane and then the chosen few cruise around the lines with their big stick…and that's not too far from Bangkok….
Sam,
How would you feel about putting your kids into contact with a random group of expat men from Pattaya who've undergone no type of screening or reference checks whatsoever? And it surely doesn't seem that this Optimists Club — excuse me, ""FRIENDS OF YOUTH"" — is much bothered to look into the background of its members, considering that they turned a blind eye to the most notorious ******** ***man in town.
Ned…I would never put my children in that situation…however, they do go to school which has many foreign teachers. Should I be concerned about that, yes I should and I am. But should I keep them out of school ? Your blanket comment was ridiculous and you know it, don't be Thai and not want to lose face, that is even worse. Just admit such a claim is ludicrous and you should have written it differently. I do agree that people, particularly men that want to be involved in charitable work, should be screened thoroughly in several different ways. If that involves a telescope up their butts, then so be it and the ones that enjoy it would obviously be first rejections.
Drew Noyes was the presedent of the optimists only because he started it. He lost the presedency at the first election held as most members could not stand him and could not wait to see the back of him.He did not bother to attend after he lost the leadership and completly fell out with the group when he refused to pay money that he owed. a similar story at the Pattaya city expats where at the first vote he lost at the first voting opportunity.Whenever there was work to be done or donations to be made he was never there, only when there was a photo opportunity for him to put in the Drew Noyes Times. The man is a complete joke in pattaya among those who know him. I think a lot more people will come forwaed about him as your site gets better known.