The
Annual St. George's Ball - History

The social highlight of the year for the Society,
and considered to be one of the best events in Bangkok,
is the Society's Annual Ball, held on the nearest Saturday
to St. George's Day (23rd April) each year. The Ball has the
twin objectives of raising funds for our many charitable projects
and celebrating St. George's Day. A truly English experience
for our guests of many nationalities in such a cosmopolitan
city.
Click here for a report and photographs of previous year's St Georges Ball celebrations.
Up until the late 1980's, Society
Members provided a "St. George's Cabaret" as an entertainment
highlight, prior to dancing the night away, until the early hours of the following morning (when breakfast would be served) to a local
band.
Work commitments of the 'boom' years (early 1990's)
in Thailand were such that the St. Georges members, no longer had the time
to write scripts, plan acts, rehearse, practice, arrange
stage settings, paint backgrounds etc. so The
Society began bringing "Acts" from the
UK to perform at the Ball.
Over the years these "Acts" have included
cabaret, famous comedians, The Beatles (impersonators) and very successful was a visit
in 1991, by The Baron Knights, whilst on their way to do an Australian
Tour.
1996 saw the Society making the decision to
significantly "uplift" the entertainment at the Ball, and thanks
to generous sponsorship, the St Georges Society was able to bring a 28 man, Royal
Marine Band from Portsmouth in the UK. The Band of World-class musicians assisted with fanfares at the start of the
evening, the Baron of Beef Ceremony, and performed as a 20
man Chamber Orchestra during Dinner, followed by a full
28 man Marching Display and culminating in
a chorus of old favourites from "The last Night of the Proms". The Band then took turns with a local Disco,
performing "Big Band" and "Blues Brothers"
sets until breakfast was served at 6.30 am.
By popular demand
the RM Band returned every year until 2001, when sadly due to financial
and other business difficulties following the events of September
11th 2001, we were unable to raise the high level of sponsorship
funds needed to bring the band plus their almost 3 tonnes
of instruments, uniforms, and equipment, to Thailand for the
2002 Ball.

(The Bandit Beatles with the Society Council and
various hangers-on,
early hours, Sunday morning)
So, for the 42nd Annual Ball held on 26th
April 2002, thanks to some new and some old sponsorship, the
Ball went ahead and 460 people enjoyed cocktails before sitting
down to dinner at The Siam Inter-Continental Hotel in Bangkok.
The Baron of Beef Ceremony commenced proceedings.
An over-enthusiastic Nell Gwynn managed to lob one of her
oranges onto the red wine glass of the British Ambassador,
and where the spillage luckily missed him but did for his
butter!
Whatever the entertainment in store for the next Annual Ball, you can be guaranteed a night of tradition, good food, good company plus plenty of dance and alchol!
|