‘Tis The Season To Sing’
This festive season, the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok is committed to spreading joy through song, and giving back to the community…
Demonstrating t heir strong sense of responsibility to the local community, Siam Kempinski Hotel has devised a melodious initiative for the festive season. For the first time at the hotel, and in partnership with BE Health Association, a Swiss-based non-profit organization, co-founded by Kempinski Hotels S.A., they have been preparing for live Christmas caroling in the lobby.
Amid the sparkling seasonal décor, a group of children from Chomchon Moobaan Pattana School, in Bangkok’s Klong Toey district, will be performing their little hearts out, every Sunday in December up to and including 20th, plus special performances on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Around 25 children aged between 8 to 15 years old have taken their task very seriously and are very excited, since being selected for this important task of helping to spread joy, through festive song. Practising for the last five months, the kids will be dressed from head to toe in outfits supplied by Siam Kempinski, and be presenting traditional English carols, accompanied by the lobby piano. They have already learned around 20 songs by heart and are still adding to their repertoire.
The brainchild of the initiative is the Siam Kempinski Hotel Manager, Oliver Schnatz, from Germany, who has been in Thailand for eight years. “I had the idea, when I visited the 70 rai community in Klong Toey, earlier this year, to help promote the hotel’s CSR activities, to fight TB, as part of the Kempinski ‘BE Health’ initiative,” he explained. Some of the popular classics will include: ‘Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer’, ‘We Wish You A Merry Christmas’, ‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’, ‘Silent Night’, ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘Feliz Navidad’, as well as a few selected Thai songs, particularly for Christmas and New Year.
In the spirit of reciprocity with the children, “The hotel has been collecting donations, to buy a sound system or an amplifier for their school,” continued Mr. Schnatz. He also hopes that having the children experience the atmosphere of a luxury five-star hotel and being surrounded by international guests will inspire the children to seek a career in hospitality later in life. “For the hotel, it means we have a chance to give back to the community and provide meaningful activity for the children.” The hotel team believes it will be a touching experience for their international visitors too. “I have witnessed some of their practice sessions and their passion is wonderful,” the hotel manager added.
To catch a glimpse of the children’s enthusiasm and rekindle the true spirit of Christmas, all spectators are welcome to stop by and join in the hotel festivities. Two heart-filled choral performances will take place every Sunday in December before Christmas, and on Christmas Eve (Thursday 24th) from 17.30-18.00 hrs and 18:30-19.00 hrs. Special addition caroling will be set on Friday 25th December from 12 noon12.30 hrs, 13.00-13.30 hrs and a grand finale from 15.00-15.30 hrs. Advance bookings are recommended for tables during performance hours. For reservations, call 02 162 9000.
More information on Siam Kempinski can be found at www.kempinski.com/ bangkok and information on the ‘BE Health’ initiative is available in the Corporate Social Responsibility section of their website (http://www.kempinski.com/en/hotels/social-responsibility/health/be-health-association/)