Property Today June 2012 by Hua Hin Today

Hua Hin Today

Volume 9 issue 8 June 2012

Volume 9 Issue 8 June 2012

CBRE publishes Thai property outlook for 2012

he Bangkok property market has seen a significant recovery from the effects of the floods, according to CBRE Thailand a leading international real estate service provider. Even the worst hit areas such as low rise housing, retail and industrial in areas that were flooded have seen resumed activity. In the flooded areas, all retail centres have reopened, there were new housing sales and the majority of factories have reopened or are in the process of reopening. Residential Market: In the single detached house and townhouse market, while developers are concentrating most new launches in areas that were not flooded, CBRE is also seeing new sales resuming in areas that were flooded, particularly for the low to middle-end market, but the high-end housing market is slowly recovering. “We believe the desire of purchasers to own a house or townhouse close to future mass transit stations in the suburbs have continued as fears of a repeat flood are now alleviated. Demand for single-detached houses and townhouses will increase but this will be driven by affordability and the attractiveness of the product and location,” said Aliwassa Pathnadabutr, managing director of CBRE Thailand. The prices of condominiums are rising due to higher land costs and construction costs. CBRE believes that for a fixed budget, the majority of the family market will consider townhouses in a good location several kilometres away from a mass transit station in the suburb rather than a one-bedroom condominium in the city which is at a similar price point. Nevertheless, there will be continued demand for small condominiums from singles, couples and weekday occupation by children attending central city schools and second home use. LPN, the leading entry-level condominium developer has branched out into townhouse developments with two new projects including Lumpini Town Residence which offers 190 – 200 sq. m. threestorey townhouses on an 88 – 188 sq. m. plot priced at THB8. 79 million (US$280,070) and only 200 metres from the MRT Ladprao station. LPN has also launched Lumpini Town Place

offering three-storey townhouses on 80 – 100 sq. m. plots at Ratchayothin-Sena, located 3. 6 kilometres from the nearest MRT station. In the luxury condominium market, demand is driven primarily by end-users and partly by buy-tolet investors who purchase with the potential for own use in the future. Record prices have been achieved for condominiums in the best locations and best-quality recentlycompleted projects. CBRE has seen achieved sales prices in the region of THB160,000 to THB200,000 (US$5,098 to US$6,373) per sq. m. for individual units in completed luxury projects such as Q Langsuan, Saladaeng Residences, Athenee Residence and The Park Chidlom. The majority of the projects achieving this price level is located within the Lumpini area, one of Bangkok’s most prestigious address and expensive locations. CBRE believes condominium prices in the Sukhumvit area are also gradually moving up in line. However, prices in projects that are more than ten years old remain flat mainly because common areas have not been renovated which means they are significantly less attractive than new projects. In the middle and entry-level markets, condominium prices have adjusted upwards, but to a lesser extent than the luxury market. There continues to be new project launches although the absorption rate is slower, compared to two years ago where many projects tended to sell out at launch. The top public listed developers dominate this segment of the market. Condominium living is becoming more widely adopted and there is still potential demand particularly in densely populated areas where there has

been limited development. Developers will face the challenges of identifying new opportunities in new locations as well as to sell out poorly performing projects before they are completed. The competition will remain fierce with a tendency to quickly over supply in a particular location. Office Market: Demand continued to improve in the office market. The overall vacancy rate was 13. 86 per cent compared to 14. 13 per cent in Q4 2011. The Grade-A CBD vacancy rate was 18. 33 per cent, down from 20. 51 per cent in Q4 2011. The higher vacancy rate for the Grade-A segment compared to the overall office market can be explained by the completion of two new Grade-A buildings – Park Ventures Ecoplex and Sathorn Square. Both buildings were completed last year with tenants just beginning to take occupation. ....Continued on page 37....

Jones Lang LaSalle reveals Asia Pacific Property Digest:

Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore

ones Lang LaSalle has revealed its Asia Pacific Property Digest for the first quarter of 2012. The report has stringently analysed the residential real estate markets of key cities across Asia Pacific, including Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. Dr Jane Murray, Jones Lang LaSalle’s head of

research said: “Following a strong end to 2011, Asia Pacific’s property markets saw a moderation in activity levels in Q1 2012. ”

Bangkok: According to the recent report Bangkok residential capital value rose 1. 1 per cent in the first quarter of this year; compressing yields to four per cent. Strong take-up in the residential market offset supply. Jones Lang LaSalle reported that gross rents rebound whilst effective rents slightly decreased at 0. 4 per cent. Local property purchasers continued to be the major source of demand for high-end condominiums; for both self-occupancy, and investment purposes. The only Bangkok project to be completed in the first quarter was Pearl Residence, Sukhumvit 24. Between January-March 78 units were added to the project stock. In total, 23,102 units now complete the stock. The report concluded: “Demand from end-user buyers and investors is expected to remain sound following renewed interest in highrise developments in the city centre. ” The report summarised that although the amount of supply is falling compared to previous years, rents are expected to continue to experience pressure from existing and future supply. Capital values are expected to continue in an upward trend as condominiums continue to attract liquidity flush buyers, confirmed the report. Kuala Lumpur: It was reported that the real estate developers in Kuala Lumpur concentrated on more saleable mid-price range condominiums. As a result, high-end project launches slowed in quarter one. Between January-March, M City was the only highend development to be completed. Developer, Mah Sing Group offered a five per cent price discount as well as a developerbearing scheme to purchasers. On the whole, capital and rental values remained stable, according to the Jones Lang LaSalle Q1 2012 report. Over the year, the high-end condominium market

is expected to remain ‘soft in the shortterm. ’ This reflects market caution and continued global economic uncertainty. Sale and leasing market demand has been stronger amongst smaller units: this trend will continue as developers attract a larger purchaser market in constructing ‘more affordable’ units. The report concluded about the year ahead: “Due to construction increases, prices of new launches will effectively continue to increase. ” Singapore: Singapore’s real estate market delivered a downturn in figures, across the board, according to Jones Lang LaSalle’s first quarter report of 2012. In the prime districts, only two new projects were launched this quarter. Unit completion stood at 300, down 36. 2 per cent, quarter-on-quarter. This figure, stands at the lowest since 2008, quarter four. Recent restrictive legislation: Additional Buyers Stamp Duty continues to negatively impact the volume of Singapore sales. Residential rents also follow suit in falling as supply hits the market. While, the influx of expatriates and demand from dwellers opting to rent rather than buy following the introduction of ASBD in December has helped to maintain consistent demand, the increase in supply of new properties has added downwards pressure on older rental properties, stated the report. In an over-view of the year ahead the report said: “Despite steady demand, supply pressure, combined with the latest round of cooling measures, is likely to maintain downwards pressure on rents and capital values for properties in the prime districts and as such we expect both rents and capital values to continue to soften in 2012. ” Dr Jane Murray, head of research Asia Pacific summarised: “Despite the more uncertain global economic environment, the Asia Pacific economy is expected to significantly outpace the rest of the world this year. ”

Hua Hin Today Volume 9 issue 8 June 2012

Hua Hin Today

Volume 9 issue 8 June 2012

Thai Property News

The Barai Suites Named One of the Top Ten Pool Villas in Thailand

ua Hin, Thailand, May 2012. . . THE BARAI has recently added another accolade to its achievements and awards list as its residential spa suites, The Barai Suites, were selected as one of the top ten pool villas in Thailand by Wallpaper magazine.

Thailand’s rising prices creating rising property demand

Courtesy of www. property-report. com

be pampered: sight, thanks to the unique While in the first quarter demand has grown 15 to 20 percent in the north, architecture itself; touch, thanks to the wellnortheast, and south of the country it was marginal in the greater Bangkok area. trained hands-on therapists; sound, from THE BARAI’s musical selection; smell, from the hailand’s rising prices are pushing found that Chon Buri had the highest property aromatherapy scents and surrounding tropical consumer to make faster decisions development outside of Bangkok, with 534 gardens; and taste, at McFarland House, which resulting in a higher demand for new developed projects and 87,500 units worth an offers Thai and Western cuisine served tapasOpened in 2007, THE BARAI introduced properties, according to the Thai Home average of THB 2. 82 million (US$90,617). style with a wide range of beverages. itself as a destination spa offering a journey of Construction Association. In the first quarter Of the total, 69 per cent have already sold and discovery, where the art of architecture is the Our suite butlers are your personal assistants demand has grown 15 to 20 per cent in the the rest are likely to sell within six months or guest’s visual guide, and is a pioneer in the and are at your beck and call throughout north, northeast, and south of the country in so. Association president Sitiporn Suwanasut spa industry, using architecture as one of the your stay. They will assist you in preparing home building markets. However, growth was said the recovery in home building is leading key elements to influence guests’ moods and a healthy breakfast that you can enjoy either marginal in the greater Bangkok area. Property to a shortage of labour. This is worse in and feelings. As a destination spa, THE BARAI at McFarland House or served in your suite. Wire reported that wealthier people are looking around Bangkok, as many workers from the provides eight exclusive residential spa suites, They will recommend and book your daily spa to buy new buildings as a second home and this provinces or other countries went home during treatment, serve you an evening cocktail and is pushing prices up even further. The Barai Suites, 18 exotic treatment rooms, a the floods. The association expects the demand swimming channel with a relaxation area, and prepare your in-suite Aroma Steam and Aroma A survey by the Real Estate Information Centre to continue. a dining pavilion at McFarland House. A self- Milk Bath, to name just a few of the services contained spa resort, THE BARAI provides they offer. relaxation and wellbeing throughout. Four Barai Suites are located on the ground The first and only residential spa suites in floor with a private plunge pool and garden, Hua Hin, The Barai Suites, are designed for while the other four are located on the upper overnight stays and treatments, offering guests level with a balcony. Other features are an overhailand’s largest real-estate developer were sold using the pre-booking system. The luxurious and comfortable residential spa sized soaking tub, a Thai bed area for relaxation withdraws its investment in the Maldives initial value of the apartments was between accommodation. Whether for just two nights and traditional Thai massage, individual walkor a one-week stay, guests will truly enjoy the in closets, a vanity area, a private dining area, after recording a loss of US$3. 2million, Rf0. 9million US$ 59,210 and Rf1. 6million personalised service of their suite butler from a 40-inch plasma TV and complimentary reportsMinivan News’ Daniel Bosley. Last US$105,263, according to Minivan News. broadband Internet connectivity. week, Pruksa CEO, Thongma Vijitpongpun The fluctuation in exchange rates in the period arrival to departure. confirmed its depletion of a Hulhumale following the unit sales resulted in a loss of Whether for a holiday by the sea or a spa THE BARAI SUITES NAMED IN TOP getaway break The Barai Suites, which offer a development in an interview with The Nation. Pruska’s projected income between US$1. 8 TEN POOL VILLAS IN THAILAND higher level of luxurious residential spa suite, According to Miniwan News, in 2010, Pruksa and 3. 3million. Government implementation BY WALLPAPER MAGAZINE are the suites of choice for your next holiday. formed a dual venture agreement to build of ‘managed floatation’ of the currency in 2011 over 100 houses with the former Hulhumale’ allowed the rufiyaa to be traded within a 20 per When you arrive at The Barai Suites you leave In a nutshell, The Barai Suites are the favourite Development Corporation, now Housing cent margin of its former rate. choice of many discerning guests who look for one world behind and enter another, discovering Development Corporation small touches and delightful surprises from the all-inclusive and luxurious yet personalised (HDC). In the same year, stays. Enjoying a stay at THE BARAI means unique design to the exclusive tailor-made construction of the first furniture. You will enjoy the supreme comfort result-oriented spa therapies and lifestyle phase, consisting of around of a specially made bed measuring 3 m x 2 m, activities where your body, mind and spirit 180 units, commenced. In one of only eight beds of this size in the world will be lifted. As a result The Barai Suites was the initial period there were named in the Top Ten Pool Villas in Thailand and designed for total relaxation. problems with the standards by Wallpaper magazine. in construction quality, To ensure that your residential spa suite experience is complete, your choice of a daily For reservations and more information please which caused delays as 60-minute spa treatment is included in your contact THE BARAI at +66 3251 1234 or log work was redone to meet the standards set by the quality stay. During your stay at The Barai Suites onto www. thebarai. com. control officer. Pruska’s you can rest assured that all five senses will company secretary in the Maldives, Mohamed Sharah declared that they had not been informed The result being: the devaluation of the of the back-out and that work on the first currency to a rate of 15. 42 to the US dollar phase is continuing. The first phase consists – which is unable to be exchanged outside the of nine blocks, housing 180 apartments. Six black-market, where rates can reach Rf 17-18 apartments are completed, four of which have to US$. The problem is likely to continue as the been assigned to purchasers. The first phase is government’s budget deficit was predicted to e have a proud moment to share! scheduled for completion by July of this year. reach 27 per cent of the country’s GDP in 2012, TripAdvisor, the world’s largest All 180 units were sold in Maldivian rufiyaa according to figures released by the Majilis travel website, has acknowledged prior to construction. Pruksa anticipated a Finance Committee. Hyatt Regency Hua Hin in its 2012 Travellers’ profitable venture: “We started to pre-book Choice Awards, recognising us as one of the our project in the Maldives last month for the “As long as the government continues to “Top 25 Hotels for Families in Thailand”. first phase of 180 units. Demand is for more inject substantial amounts of new spending The Travellers’ Choice Awards are based on the than that amount and as a result we believe into the economy, the foreign exchange reviews and opinions of millions of travellers our presales in the Maldives will exceed our situation in the country will not be resolved,” in the TripAdvisor community. There are estimate,” said the company’s chief business said Jonathan Dunn, International Monetary many reasons why Hyatt Regency Hua Hin officer in an interview with The Nation, June Fund’s head of mission to the Maldives. A should be your holiday destination and this 2010. Recently, Sharah said that this policy, Pruska representative was unable to confirm recent recognition is one that means that at due to local currency problems, had “caused the cessation of the company’s project in the Hyatt Regency Hua Hin your holiday will be a significant losses” for the real-estate developer. Maldives. The Hulhumale project is considered happy, memorable one. The management and He said: “Pruksa have faced devolution of as the most ambitious urban development staff of the hotel would like to thank all guests the currency and a shortage of dollars in the project in the history of the country. The internal for giving us the award. This encourages us to Maldives. ”When the 180 unit sales were migration of Maldivians to the island and the continue improving to ensure we remain your completed the price of the rufiya was Rf12. 85 reclamation of land is seen as fundamental to favorite’s hotel. to the US dollar. Ninety per cent of the units the country’s long term plans for congestion relief and economic development.

Thailand’s largest real-estate developer with draws investment from Maldives most ambitious urban project

Hyatt Regency Hua Hin

Honoured as one of the Best 25 Hotels

for Families in Thailand

Asia Property News

Hua Hin Today Volume 9 issue 8 June 2012

Colliers International report China named “hottest property on Beijing’s office property market market” in world

eijing’s overall office property market remained stable in the first quarter of 2012. Total stock of office property market including Grade A and B came in at 11.98 million square metres at the end of the first quarter according to a report released by Colliers International. A slowdown in the leasing market caused net absorption to decrease by almost 50 per cent q-o-q to 63,056 square metres. Rental increment in the office sector was lower than the previous 3 quarters. Overseas and domestic investors continued to show confidence in

Beijing’s office market. The office market will remain stable in the short to medium term according to Beijing Office Property Report – 1Q 2012 by Colliers International. 298,00 sqm of new space is expected to enter the office market, primarily in the Grade B segment. This should increase total stock by 2.64 per cent y-o-y to 12.3 million sqm. Demand is expected to remain strong and the overall vacancy rate will remain low. Overall rents should continue to rise but at a slower pace.

Cost of living causes Singaporeans to look down under

Knight Frank survey has named China the “hottest property market” in the world based on the country’s surging house prices between the fourth quarter of 2006 to the same period in 2011. According to A Place in the Sun, house prices in the major Chinese cities of Shanghai and Beijing grew 110 per cent during the period, with a home in one of Shanghai’s prime areas peaking at HKD 1,800 (US$32) per square foot in the fourth quarter of 2011 and a similar property in Beijing costing HKD 1,600 (US$206) per square foot. Developers are still seeing large sales volumes even with the high prices. Vanke,

China’s largest developer by sales, reported a second-straight month of gains with March sales rising 24 per cent year on year. China’s largest developer by market value, China Land Overseas, saw February sales hit HKD 1.7 billion (US$2. 19 million), up 209 per cent from the same month a year ago. Other “hot” property markets named by Knight Frank included Switzerland (27.5 per cent growth during the 5 year period), Malaysia (28. 5 per cent), Norway and Canada (tied with 28.7 per cent), Taiwan (30.1 per cent), Colombia (39.4 per cent), Singapore (50.5 per cent), Israel (54.5 per cent) and Hong Kong (93.7 per cent).

Asia-Pacific investment plummets in the first quarter of 2012

ccording to a recent press release by Optimizer Capital, South Australia, on a risk adjust basis, represents one of the best property investments of the next 10 years. Optimizer Capital reported that Singapore is currently at the top of its cycle and is showing a poor market outlook for 2012 and 2013. Real estate analysts forecast a 5 to 10 per cent drop in property prices this year. Due to Singapore’s property prices at an all time high and rental yields being low, it is suggested that investors could be overpaying for the potential rental income. The annual average inflation of Singapore since 1980 is about 2.1 per cent and the Consumer Price Index is on an upward trend making it likely that the cost of living will keep increasing. This increasing cost of living has made finding a place for retirement difficult resulting in many of the countries residents to settle down in neighboring countries, such as to stretch their retirement funds. Investors can expect that some country’s property markets will be growing while others will be on the decline. Many investors are purchasing properties in Australia to ensure that their investments are not exposed to the risks that different countries face. In recent years Australia has maintained a stable, diverse, and advanced economy making it one of the most popular places to invest. South Australia has recently experienced a population boom fueled by mining, defense, infrastructure, wine, industrial growth, and education which is creating an unprecedented

need for property development. The increase in population means that by 2030, 620,000 new homes will be required. “I truly believe I’m going to witness the best property boom in Adelaide that I have seen in my lifetime,” said Adelaide’s property professor Peter Koulizos. “The thing that will drive property is people with money, and the mining industry tends to pay higher wages. As the cheapest capital city in mainland Australia, there’s a lot of focus on Adelaide.”South Australia has a population of 1.2 million while around 2/3 of the population in South Australia live in the capital, Adelaide. The highest percentage of the population in South Australia is in the 15 30 age bracket that will be entering the housing market over the coming years.South Australia is also expanding as a leader in natural resources and is rapidly evolving into the third biggest resource state, after Queensland and Western Australia.The state has already become the national leader in major defense projects, including the Air Warfare Destroyer project and the future submarine fleet project. In addition, it is already the nation’s leader in alternative energy generation, an industry of growing importance. It is expected that South Australia can expect the same kind of growth Perth saw from 20022012 when prices tripled and in Port Headland went up five times.

nvestment value across the Asia-Pacific has plummeted in the first quarter of 2012. Across Asia, investment has fallen by 42 per cent quarter on quarter. The total capital fell to US$11. 6 billion during the January-March period. Chinese mainland investment dramatically decreased by 70 per cent, revealed in the AsiaPacific Capital Markets Marketview report, yesterday. Investment in China plunged to US$949 million in the first quarter, according to the report. The report, carried out by CB Richard Ellis, the world’s largest commercial real estate services provider, correlated the decline with the New Year holidays and the high value of investment of the latter half of 2011; removing several assets from the market. Greg Penn, executive director of CBRE Investment Properties in Asia said: “China’s property investment market was relatively quiet in the first quarter, in part due to the Chinese New Year holiday, with the exception of continued strong activities of occupier purchases by domestic companies and development acquisitions between developers. ”He concluded that Chinese developers

continue to face liquidity problems, offering that: “this may offer opportunities for investors to provide capital and acquire asset portfolios,” according to English News. Domestic capital value dominated the market at almost 86 per cent of the total value investment. Cross-border acquisitions descended 69 per cent on a quarterly basis to US$ 1.6 billion, according the CBRE data.

Hua Hin Today

Volume 9 issue 8 June 2012

GOLF & SPORTS

Hua Hin Today Volume 9 issue 8 June 2012

Black Mountain Golf Club

in Hua Hin has made it into the list of “100 Top Golf Courses Outside the United States”

he ranking is published in the May 2012 issue of the prestigious US Golf Digest, one of the world’s most influential golf publications. The beautiful and challenging Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin is the first golf course in Thailand to make it into the list of Top 100 Golf Courses Outside the United States. The ranking is published in the May 2012 issue of the prestigious US Golf Digest magazine. This is the first time a golf course in Thailand has made the list. According to the US’ Golf Digest, courses around the world are judged by members of a panel who visit and play them, although not every panel member plays every course. A ranking system applies that is collated to

determine the Top 100. The 2012 list is the first ranking of the world’s best courses outside the US for three years. The last one was in 2009. Only 14 of the courses that made this year’s list are in Asia and only two (Black Mountain and Nirwana Bali Golf Club) are in Southeast Asia. Six are in Japan, three in South Korea, two in China and one each in Thailand, Indonesia and Guam. There are 23 new entrants in the 2012 list, and Black Mountain is one of them. “We are proud to be the first course in Thailand to make it into the Top 100,” said Harald Elisson, general manager of Black Mountain Golf Club. “The ranking is the third major award for the course in the past four months and will further strengthen Thailand’s position as the best golf destination in Asia. ”

olf enthusiasts should not miss the 3rd annual Hyatt Open 2012 amateur golf tournament organised by Hyatt Regency Hua Hin and Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, and to be held over the weekend of 21 - 22 July 2012 at the Banyan Golf Club in Hua Hin. This event will allow you to enjoy the charm of Hua Hin as a destination, experience the ultimate relaxation and authentic hospitality at Hyatt Regency Hua Hin, and at the same time be excited and challenged by the golf tournament. Plus, of course, enjoy the chance to win many prizes. Bring your friends and book the Stay and Play Package starting from Baht 17,800 net for one player, and Baht 24,800 net for two players based on twin sharing basis. The package includes: • A two-night stay in a Hyatt Guestroom at Hyatt Regency Hua Hin with breakfast • A welcome dinner at the hotel on Saturday, 21 July • Two rounds of golf i. e. on Saturday, 21 July (shotgun start at 12:00noon) and Sunday, 22 July (shotgun start at 8:00am), including a golf cart and a caddy • Award luncheon on Sunday, 22 July at the Banyan Golf Club • Complimentary transfers between the hotel and the Banyan Golf Club

Banyan Golf Club Hua Hin upgrades the Pro-Shop

anyan Golf Club Hua Hin has recently upgraded the Club impressive Pro-Shop to provide greater space for ease of Check-in and for the display of new Banyan Golf Club merchandise. The main feature of the change is the new checkin counter which has been relocated to the left side of the Pro-shop and has increased in size. They have added a number of new brand collections into the already impressive choice of goods. There is a new collection of PUMA Golf clothing & accessories, and the PGA legend John Daly cuts an impressive figure at the Loudmouth apparel corner. Banyan Golf Club has also increased it inventory of Footjoy, Addias, Nike Golf, and Fenix golf apparel, as well as having a great selection of Titliest, Callaway, Nike & TaylorMade golf balls on display.

Sale promotion with many items being offered on discounted prices”. The Pro-Shop at Banyan Golf Club has a lot to offer. Why not pop up there to take look, or ponder for a few minutes before of after you round to browse through the new collection & the great value offered. You never know, you might just be tempted to buy those trousers you saw on TV!!!

The Banyan Golf Club Pro-Shop manager, Khun Nattakallaya (Pam) commented, “Our members & guests love the new layout of the shop. The increased space allows for an easier flow through the shop & for us to display more merchandise. We have the largest collection of Loudmouth products in Thailand and we have just taken delivery of our new house brand shirts, trousers, shorts & caps. These are the best we’ve had since our opening. On top of this, we are also holding a Summer

Be a part of the fun and challenges that await at the Hyatt Open 2012! This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion(s); prior reservations are required and are subject to availability. For reservations and further information, please contact the Hyatt Regency Hua Hin Hotline on +66 2254 6200 or +66 3252 1234, or e-mail reservations. hrhuahin@hyatt. com ABOUT HYATT REGENCY HUA HIN Set in lush landscaped gardens, the beachfront Hyatt Regency Hua Hin has 205 elegantly appointed guestrooms. The resort offers a family-friendly environment that features the largest recreational facilities in Hua Hin, including the resort’s fun and apparently never-ending inter-connecting free form swimming pools which include a 22 metre long and seven metre high water slide, and a unique beach pool. Four restaurants and bars provide home-style traditional Thai, Italian cuisine, as well as fresh seafood specialities and tasty Asian noodles. In addition to the resort, THE BARAI - an award-winning residential spa - is located on the beachfront land adjacent to the resort and provides eight exclusive residential spa suites and 18 exotic treatment rooms.

Hua Hin Today

Volume 9 issue 8 June 2012

Kids & Education

….. Continued from page 1...

Hua Hin Today Volume 9 issue 8 June 2012

Kids & Traffic Safety

s safety administrations worldwide focus on seat belt safety through its annual campaign, the Safe Kids organization applauds the agencies as well as the law enforcement and traffic safety community for its work. “Click It or Ticket” is an international seat belt enforcement mobilization effort launched May 21. In the USA, motor vehicle crashes are still the leading cause of death among children ages 3 to 14. In 2011, more than 1,300 children ages 14 and under died and an estimated 179,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes. Additionally, 46 percent of kids 14 and under who died in crashes were completely unrestrained. There is an indispensable relationship between buckling up and keeping kids safe in cars, whether it’s a booster seat or seat belts when children get older. “Approximately 94 percent of the time, when an adult wears a seat belt, the child in the car is buckled up as

well,” said Kate Carr, President and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. “Kids are like sponges and adults set the example. That’s why Safe Kids, in cooperation with NHTSA, strives to ensure that every Citizen uses a seat belt or child safety seat every time on every trip. ” With support from the GM Foundation, Safe Kids Worldwide has been committed to keeping kids safe in cars since 1997, working through more than 600 coalitions and chapters across the country. To date certified child passenger safety technicians working through Safe Kids coalitions have examined more than 1. 4 million child safety seats, talking directly to parents about remaining diligent with their own seat belt use and the importance of setting a good example for their children. Safe Kids serves as the certifying body for the international technician certification program. More than 3,000 people die every die Worldwide because of road accidents . More than 30,000 are injured or disabled daily. This accumulates to over 1 million killed a year and between 20 and 50 million injured or disabled ! In Thailand, the causality rate per 100,000 population is 43, which is 6% of all deaths and the injury rate is 110 (persons) after Strokes, Heart Attacks, Diabetis and Lung diseases. ! Traffic Deaths per 100. 000 inhabitants :( In 2011 there were 30. 000 deaths which made Thailand rank as the 6th highest ranking country in the world ) Namibia 54, Swasiland 48, Malawi 45, Iraq 44, Iran 43. Rest World: Russia 23, China 21, Poland 14, USA 13.9, Greece 13.8,

by GMoss

New Zealand 10.3, Belgium 10, Italy 8.4, Australia 6.8, France 6.6,Germany 5.7, UK 4.8, Sweden 4.1, Netherlands 4.0, Zwitserland and Japan 3.8. The main cause of accidents in Thailand are motorcycle accidents also with kids. Every year more than 30 kids per 1000 fatalities between 0 – 4 years and more than 60 kids between 5 – 14 years die in traffic accidents. Kids on motorcycles without helmets on – Kids not buckled up on the backseat of a passenger car. Kids riding in the back of a Songkeaw open green bus or any pick up, not designed to carry passengers with no impact zones, overloaded and terribly unsafe. All these kids and more are endangered. Schools must set priorities – set and enforce standards. These standards should represent international traffic safety rules, especially for school children. Teachers as well as Parents sometimes think too relaxed about safety until it hits them or loved ones. As I mentioned all these jeopardizes to a foreign teacher who didn´t see this too critical, the comment was : That is why we live in Thailand, so we don´t have to follow strict rules. Can we afford to close our eyes and wave it off? Are we that careless about our loved ones?

Shortage of Science Teachers in the USA

Courtesy of Voice of America

Active learning replaces traditional lectures

The U. S. has a surplus of science jobs but not enough college graduates to fill them. Studies find that 40 percent of students planning to major in science, technology, engineering or mathematics end up switching majors or don’t finish. Some say large lecture classes are chasing students out of science. First-year student Nora Oles at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, doesn’t like them. “I don’t learn very well in lectures,” she says. “I get bored and sometimes I say, ‘Maybe I’ll sleep in today. ’”There’s an initiative at Johns Hopkins to engage students in socalled “active learning” entry-level science courses. “Students typically master 20 percent of the material, long-term mastery of the material

neighbor what their neighbor learned and then deciding together what is the message, the key idea that the course is attempting to deliver. ” Phage hunting Zeger is also taking cues from an experimental advanced biology class for qualified freshmen. The course is called “Phage Hunting,” which is the study of bacteriophage, a type of virus that infects and destroys bacteria. Over two semesters, the students search for and collect phages from dirt samples, photograph them under an electron microscope, learn lab techniques for analyzing them, then return to the classroom to map their DNA structure, or genome. For first-year student John Cotoia, this handson approach heightens his interest and understanding. in a lecture format,” says Scott Zeger,vice “It was such a foreign thing to me. Now I provost for research at Johns Hopkins, who can grasp it. I’m getting technical scientific is spearheading the initiative. “And you can double or triple that in an active learning format. ” Lectures online before class One key to active learning is to put lectures online for students to view before class. The class time can then be directed to selected problems or questions by using small handheld remote devices, like television clickers. All the students are tied into an electronic network that posts responses in real time on a screen in the front of the hall. “Even though there are 200 students in the classroom, they are having an individual experience,” Zeger says, adding that students are also encouraged to talk in small groups with the people around them. “They are communicating with their neighbor and teaching their neighbor, hearing from their

skills. ” Cotoia’s classmate, Nora Oles, is glad she took the class. “I’ve learned so many skills both in the lab and currently on the computer. ” Teaching style changes Biology instructor Emily Fisher says the class has helped her to develop a more engaged teaching style she hopes to integrate into her large lecture classes. She expects to see some of her Phage Hunting students there next semester. “So I am hoping that some of the connections, the personal connections I’ve made with them will help them tolerate a large lecture environment. ” That environment is changing at Johns Hopkins University and at other colleges around the country. It’s the kind of change schools hope will encourage more science students to stay in those fields, and to fill the many jobs that experts say are waiting for them.

Hua Hin Today

Volume 9 issue 8 June 2012

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Hua Hin Today Volume 9 issue 8 June 2012

Hua Hin Today

Volume 9 issue 8 June 2012

Hua Hin Today

Volume 9 issue 8 June 2012

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