ScandAsia Denmark - April 2010

APR 2010

Henrik Friis: Time to Smile Again April 2010 • ScandAsia.Dk 1

2 ScandAsia.Dk • April 2010

Mikkel Hass Gave 8.000 $ to Get Johanne Out of Jail By: Niels C. Jensen

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anish diplomacy at its best was not enough to bring Johanne Vinther Axelsen home to Denmark from the prison in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where she was rotting away for sending over-thecounter-medicine out of the country by postal mail.

Last minute, Danish pensioner Mikkel Hass stepped in and donated the 40.000 Danish kroner in cash that the court in Phnom Penh demanded for her release.

Mikkel Hass just hopes more Danes would follow his example when countrymen are in trouble abroad.

The 8,000 dollars was the fine, which Johanne Axelsen had to pay before the transfer procedure negotiated between Denmark and Cambodia, could proceed.

Mikkel Hass had early on been in contact with Johanne’s lawyers Henrik Hasseris Olesen to ask if there wasn’t anything that could be done to help the poor Danish woman back to her freedom in Denmark. At that time he was told, that there was a stumbling block as the court demanded that Johanne paid a fine of 20.000 dollars to accept her release. At that time, Mikkel Hass had suggested that a few good people could join hands and find this amount.

“Then on February 10, I was called up by Henrik Hasseris Olesen, who told me that the amount was now down to 8.000 US$. My answered was that in that case he could count on me to transfer the full amount overnight to the bank account in Phnom Penh,” Mikkel Hass says.

Henrik Hasseris Olesen, who has been helping Johanne Axelsen for free, was speechless, Mikkel Hass adds.

The whole affair was handled in deepest secrecy.

So secret was the transfer, that when Johanne Axelsen on Thursday morning at 6.30 landed in Copenhagen Airport, she was received only by Henrik Hasseris Olesen and Mikkel Hass.

It is part of the Danish deal with the authorities in Cambodia, that Joahnne Axelsen will have to be tried and sentenced at a Danish court for her crime in Cambodia, but it is understood that she will only be sentenced the two years she has already served in the prison in Phnom Penh, which means she will immediately be released.

Next, she will need to get her pension back. While in prison in Cambodia, the Danish authorities stopped paying her pension, “This is normal procedure in Denmark, where it may make sense, but if you are in a prison in a third world country this is a disaster,” Mikkel Hass comments.

“The 8.000 dollars is an interest free loan,” “If Johanne can, she is supposed top pay me back, if she cannot find the money, well, then it’s a gift.”

“The main thing is, that she is free!”

Mikkel Hass thinks it is a shame that not more Danes are willing to help other Danes facing injustice outside Denmark. Four years ago, Mikkel also paid a major amount to help the release against bail of another Dane, James Christensen, who had been sen-

D

Mikkel Hass is a Danish real life hero. He has twice shown that when Danes abroad are facing injustice, he is willing to put his money where other people just support with their words.

Johanne Axelsen being led to one of the court hearings in her case by Cambodian prison guards. (Photo: Stephan Volmer Jensen tenced to10 years in prison for setting fire to his neighbors farmhouse. The appeals court in October last year cleared James Christensen of all accusations against him. However, the public prosecutor appealed his case to and consequently James Christensen is now awaiting the outcome of that appeal. This will take three to five years and during that time, James Christensen is confined to stay inside Thailand.

“I think more Danes should show empathy when other Danes are in suffering under unfair circumstances abroad,” Mikkel Hass says.

“If you have some money and your have the choice between buying that boat you may have dreamed of or make a real difference in another persons life – what do you choose? My choice is clear,” Mikkel Hass says.

April 2010 • ScandAsia.Dk 3

Making Asia a Better Place to When the machinist Henrik Friis took over as head of Dantherm Filtration in Bangkok he succeeded people with much higher education. Today he is the head of Dantherm Filtration in China, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.

By Bjarne Wildau

enrik Friis is a busy man. As the Managing Director of Dantherm Filtration Ltd in Bangkok, he is responsible for the production and sales of filters produced by almost 100 staff. Representative offices in Vietnam and Malaysia need to be taken care of too.

As of January 2010, he is also the Chairman of the Board at Dantherm Filtrations in China. And on top of that, Henrik Friis has an advisory role for Dantherm Filtration in Denmark preparing for a new sales office in India.

It’s a Friday noon. In a few weeks, the big news that Nederman is buying Dantherm Filtration will break. Although he surely must know of it, he doesn’t say a word.

Yesterday morning, Henrik Friis, landed in Hanoi to check up on the finishing of three huge filters in Hai Duong north of the capital. Later the same day he went down to HCMC/ Saigon to pay his representation office a visit. And to night it’s back to Bangkok again.

H

Back in the early 90Ês Lots of things has happened since the Danish machinist landed in Asia for the first time.

4 ScandAsia.Dk • April 2010

“I am quite happy that we have found new owners with a financial strong back ground, as we have now secured our future and we look forward to expand our business with them,” says Henrik Friis, head of Dantherm Filtration in China, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.

“It was in the early nineties.

I was asked to stay for six weeks, but it developed into a 12 months stay. And after six months back in Denmark, I returned as a manager, Henrik Friis says. At that time Dantherm Filtration was still called Nordfab, a name occasionally used even to day.

“We had lots of orders, lots of things to do. Everything was quite fantastic,” Henrik recalls.

Then in a split second, his world turned upside down, and it took almost three years before things were back to somehow normal.

“I was working with a project in The Philippines. I went on the roof of a factory, when a power cable literarily fell down on the top of my head. What I am telling you now is actually what other people have since told me, because I can’t remember anything,” Henrik Friis says while he starts to role up his left sleeve.

Swift action saved his life A big part of Henriks body was cov-

ered with third-degree burns. The costumer in the Philippines was also the chairman of the local hospital. At that time the filtration company was named DISA and owned by Maersk.

So a private jet was ordered almost right away, and a few hours later the Dane was airlifted to a hospital in Singapore. Without that swift reaction from the costumer and Maersk, Henrik Friis would not have been in HCMC this afternoon for sure.

“It took a year before I was fit to work again. And actually three years before I was back to normal,” he says. The scars are mostly covered by his shirt or jeans.

“What you can see, my face, neck and hands, are free of scars.

But the rest is a mess,” Henrik Friis smiles.

Dantherm take-over In 1999 before Dantherm purchased DISA / Nordfab, Henrik Friis took over the responsibilities for the Bangkok offices.

“At that time we were only four people. And in 2002 I became

responsible for the entire Far East.

Since then there has been lots of ups and downs.”

The representative office where we are sitting now doing this interview was opened in 2006.

The office has three people employed. And after the stand-still during the peak of the financial crisis, the salespeople in HCMC are now doing fine.

“We got several huge orders from a factory serving the upcoming wind turbine industry in the Northern part of Vietnam. Before that we have also delivered filters to Scandinavian companies like Aalborg Boilers, Jotun, Hempel, and a range of local costumer including at least one steel plant.”

Dantherm Filtration cleans the air for particles. It can be almost what ever from the production of furniture, to asphalt and welding.

“The Vietnamese rice industri is a huge potential for us. The rice mills could become an important market for us. Its not realy up an running, but we will do what we can

Breathe to make sure its happening in the future,” Henrik Friis says.

Environmental demands “People both inside and outside the factories will increasingly demand a cleaner environment, it just a matter of time,” he says.

“We started in the wood production. Our first filters were installed to make it possible for the machines to work. The next step was to improve the environment for the workers. We handled that too. And the next will be to take care of the surrounding society.”

“People who live nearby production facilities will demand a clean environment, as in the case with the Map Ta Put Industrial Estate at the Eastern Seaboard in Thailand,” says Henrik Friis.

“All over Asia, politicians and the authorities will be forced to handle the pollution in cooperation with the polluting industries; it’s only a matter of time”.

And Dantherm Filtration Ltd will get its share of that positive development, he says confidently.

“At the moment Vietnam is running very well for us. This little representation office takes care of more than 20% of our Bangkok turnover,” Henrik Friis explains.

The Vietnamese share of the Bangkok business is that big, because the turnover in Thailand it self plunged with almost 30 % in 2007 and 2008 due to the political situation.

In 2008 Malaysia followed. And next there will be a representative office in Indonesia as well.

“We have an agents in Indonesia already. But there is a huge huge potential in Indonesia,” Henrik Friis says.

“The country was hardly hit by the crisis.

They have it all. Gold, coal, oil, wood, what ever - they have it, and they will need more and more filtration”, says Henrik Friis.

India on its way Henrik Friis is also strategic advisor to the new Indian project opening soon.

“It’s taken care of from Denmark, I am just giving strategic advice,” he says modestly.

“In India we will sell products from our China factory. Normally the Indians are not so happy with Chinese products, but we will try to convince them about the fact that Dantherm Filtration products has the same quality whereever they are produced. If it carries the Dantherm Filtration name on it, it has the very same high quality all over the world.”

“I am already on the road a huge part of my time. My calendar is normally full three to four months ahead. Meeting with our staff like the one you see here to day in HCMC is foremost important. The same with follow ups to agents and their costumers or potential costumers. Our costumers demand to negotiate with the head. I simply have to be there when things are rounded up, and the ink goes to the paper”, explains “the machinist” Henrik Friis.

Nederman Buys Dantherm Filtration he Swedish company Nederman Holding has bought the filtration business of Dantherm for 280 Mill.

Danish kroner. After the acquisition is completed, the merged company will be the global market leader in industrial air filtration.

The acquisition is good for Dantherm Filtrations future development, says Henrik Friis, head of Dantherm Filtration in China, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, where Dantherm has just registered a company.

“In consideration of the Dantherm Groups difficult financial situation since the global crises, I am quite happy that we have found new owners with a financial strong back ground, as we have now secured our future and we look forward to expand our business with them,” Henrik Friis says.

“Dantherm Filtration and Nederman work today within the same kind of business but in different areas. We have only a few competing products and in Asia we only have two countries that overlap and that is China and India,” he says, adding that he does not expect that the integration of these companies will give a lot of changes on the operational level.

“We will have a lot of great opportunities for expanding both our business areas with joint efforts in the market. Nederman is in same business and also with a Scandinavian culture so I don’t think we will have problems finding our self at home under the new owners,” Henrik Friis says.

Dantherm Filtration had sales in 2009 of around SEK 980 million, a headcount of slightly over 900. The acquisition of Dantherm Filtration will double Nederman’s existing business in the area.

In press releases issued by both companies, the logic behind the transaction is cut down to the basics: “Together, Danthem Filtration and Nedermann will form the largest, world-leading player in industrial air filtration.”

“Dantherm Filtration supplements Nederman with filtration systems that make it possible to offer complete solutions for industrial air filtration. These include large and mediumsized filters aimed primarily at the manufacturing industry.”

“Nederman complements Dantherm Filtration’s solutions including extraction systems, arms and high vacuum solutions used for guaranteeing a good working environment.”

“In cases where the companies target the same customers, it currently occurs with different applications. The merger is therefore primarily complementary, opening up expansion in the value chain by selling systems,” it says in the release from Nederman.

It was Dantherm’s management which in

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the autumn last year initiated a process “which included assessing possible structural measures”. Now, that a new owner is found, Torben Duer, Dantherm A/S’s CEO, comments: “Nederman is a very good new owner for Dantherm Filtration. I see asignificant potential in this deal where the companies together will become a leader in industrial air. Both businesses will benefit greatly from the marketing and sales synergies in the transaction.”

“Dantherm took over the now divested Filtration activities in 2005. In the intervening period, Dantherm Filtration has developed positively. With the divestment, Dantherm achieves an improved capital structure with significantly reduced interest-bearing debt,” Torben Duer says.

The purchase price is DKK 280 million (approx.

SEK 364 million). The acquisition is expected to be completed end of April 2010. Integrating the activities will take place gradually and is expected to be fully implemented in 2011.

Nederman has secured long-term bank financing for the acquisition through an advance credit commitment from Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (publ). As part of the agreement with the bank, Nederman’s two largest shareholders, Investment AB Latour and Ernstr.mgruppen AB, have provided guarantees.

Tor the remaining business of Dantherm, which constitute “the historic heart of the Dantherm group”, a growth strategy has been drawn up. The two business areas are Telecom and HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning). The new strategy for these two business areas “will again make Dantherm a company which generates good earnings,” Torben Duer states.

The two diverse business areas are bound together by technological synergies. Within telecom, Dantherm provides Air-conditioning systems for global network suppliers and telecom operators. Within HVAC the primary product groups comprise dehumidification, ventilation and stationary and mobile cooling and heating units.

April 2010 • ScandAsia.Dk 5

Development Work as Anna Høybye has spent most of her adult life with development and relief work. The 35 year old Dane will soon end her assignment at the Danish Red Cross in Burma but the relief work in Burma continues.

By Morten Scheelsbeck

anish Red Cross’ primary mission in Burma is to implement health-related activities. To do the work, the Danish section in Burma has Anna Høybye, 35, who has been the Danish Red Cross representative in Burma for three years. In May, she ends the mission after more than three years in the job. In total, she has worked with development and relief work abroad for nine years and has, among other countries, been in Uganda, Botswana, East Timor and Albania. She has a Danish education in political science, and through her times of study she had a student internship in South Africa.

To her development work is a fulltime profession.

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Varied work Anna is the only Danish representative of the Red Cross Denmark in Burma. That she ended up in Burma this time, was not planned in advance: “I got the job in Burma after responding to a general call for applications by Danish Red Cross. I wanted to get out in the world, and there were several exciting possibilities. I didn’t go specifically for Burma, but I’ve been very happy to be here.”

Anna’s work is to provide tech6 ScandAsia.Dk • April 2010

nical assistance and professional guidance to Myanmar Red Cross with respect to planning, implementation and monitoring of activities within the health programmes and to raise money through donors.

Some of the work is also based on schools and universities, to find and train volunteers to help out the organization all over the country.

Anna One of the difficult things about working in Burma, is that foreigners have to get official approvals to go to the field. “Operating here definitely requires more advance planning, but I also think it is important to be clear about where we have most added advantage, whichis not necessarily being in the field 100% of the time. Actually out there, it is not always an advantage to be a European woman, and it can actually take focus away from some of the activities the Myanmar Red Cross is implementing” as Anna explains.

She works closely with the Myanmar Red Cross, who also works with other Red Cross national soceities, and the long-term aim is to Myanmar Red Cross able to fend for themselves.

Denmark sets the agenda Danish Red Cross’ projects on health prevention and promotion

are mostly concentrated in the middle of the country. In some of the project areas there are many mines.

Among other major problems, some mine workers, who are in many cases migrants from other parts of the country, have unprotected sex with sex workers, and sometimes get HIV as a result. Then they take the disease home with them, spreading it to wives or other sex partners.

“We therefore provide condoms and health education for both the sex workers and the mine workers, refer for testing, and provide counselling to those in need. Our

role here is to fill gaps and assist the most vulnerable. Myanmar Red Cross has so many volunteers who do a fantastic job,” Anna Høybye says, and continues: “The HIV Project is sponsored by the Danish government as well as Danish Red Cross’ own funds, and the whole problem of the spreading of HIV by the miners, is something we have helped put on the agenda,” she explains, and cites an example of how the Danish Red Cross can influence developments in health prevention in the country.

Besides a focus on HIV/AIDS, other diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis are high on the agenda of aid organizations in Burma.

Even diseases that we in the western world do not perceive as life threatening, can be fatal for the Burmese, because the infrastructure of the country is very poor and the distance to a health facility can be quite far. Therefore, the Danish Red Cross is working also with something as simple as hygiene promotion and transporting sick people to doctors and hospitals. If the sick are not being helped to the doctor or the hospital, they often will not go as they cannot afford the transportation.

Small degree of freedom Danish Red Cross’s international strategy is defined around the goal of assisting the most vulnerable.

Community based health and HIV & AIDS are among the main focus areas of this strategy, which further places a special focus on vulnerable communities.

It may be difficult to implement

a Lifestyle all the projects, because Burma is known for a strict military dictatorship that wants to control everything, foreign organizations are doing. Anna Høybye acknowledges that work is not always easy: “This is a very difficult and complex system. As an example it is difficult for foreigners to get visas and to go to the field we need to apply for for special travel permits to move around the area. So things take time and can be difficult, the Danish woman says, however, she has has learned to navigate around it and also stresses that local Danish Red Cross staff as well as staff from the partner organisation do not face such restrictions : “We will of course have to accept that this is the way it is here.

We knew it when we started up operating in the country, and we have to be realistic about the ground rules. Work becomes more difficult by it, but it is not impossible, and we think the results on the ground simply mean that we will have to live with this added complexity.”

Does it help?

Danish Red Cross does, according to Anna Høybye invest a lot in monitoring and evaluating their projects, so they can correct them if required and identify best practices.

“A concrete example of how such monitoring is being done can be taken from the HIV/AIDS project in the mining areas. Here, we surveyed in advance the local knowledge of HIV and AIDS, such as knowledge of how HIV is transmitted, and we got baseline information about relevant behaviour. For example we asked

i Nu ävenika! er Nordam

representatives of the project’s target groups whether they use condoms. When we are engaged in the project, we can continuously make new diagnoses to get a picture of whether we change anything with our work,” Anna Høybye explains, and concludes: “Our results clearly show that we are making a significant difference, and of course that drives me and the others in the Red Cross forward.”

Anna also tells a story about an HIV-affected woman in one of the areas that knew so little about the disease and how it is transmitted that she sent her young son away to live with relatives, because she thought she could pass make him sick just by living with him.

“She now has her son back because we could help and inform her about the disease and how she should adjust to a life with HIV,” Anna says with a friendly smile.

More than a full-time job In May, Anna will finish her assignment with Danish Red Cross in Myanmar. She will most probably go back to Denmark, but has made no definite plans yet. She, however, does not hide the fact that she would love to go out in the world again at some point: “There will clearly be a gap when I’m back in Denmark. I will miss it, and it would probably be strange with a regular 9 to 5 job. In countries like Burma, one quickly gets humbled by the people who can live for really nothing. The resiliance and positivism is incredible and I would love to keep some connection to it,” Anna explains,

and continues:”It is wonderful and frustrating at the same time to work this way. There is still so much to do and so many people to help and you really live into this job. I have a great sense of professional pride in my job and my profession, and it is an amazing award to work with so many dedicated people,” Anna Høybye says.

She explains that she really lives in his job, which is much more than a full-time job. “Most of my friends here are also working with development and relief, and we talk about it all the time. It is also about finding solutions to obstacles, learning to see possibilities in even sealed countries and consider the glass half-full instead of half-empty so to say”.

The future in Burma Although Anna Høybye soon will end her mission, there is still plenty

of work with for the Danish Red Cross in Burma. In the future, the Danish humanitarian organization plans to expand its health projects to put more emphasis on mother and child health, pregnancy problems for instance, reproductive health, water and sanitation and nutrition.

“We will obviously continue the work in areas of HIV, hygiene promotion, malaria, and TB, but we want to also prioritise mother and child health and will try to provide assistance to ensure safer pregnancies and deliveries. It is part of the Red Cross’ overall strategy,” says Anna Høybye and states: “It is always about identifying what is needed and what is possible. To Danish Red Cross, it feels like a good time now to expand further in health in Burma, and it will hopefully be a focus for a long time to come.”

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HRH Prince Henrik Visited Phuket His Royal Highness Prince Henrik, the Prince Consort of Denmark visited Phuket February 2010 n 11th February 2010 HRH Prince Henrik was welcomed to Phuket by Boathouse General Manager Louis Bronner, a personal friend of Prince Henrik, and Mom Tri’s Villa Royale General Manager Adisak Pitakrojananont.

HRH Prince Henrik was in Phuket for a number of official visits during a trip to Asia.

HRH was the personal Guest of Mom Luang Tri Devakul (better known as Mom Tri) and stayed at his private property, Villa Terra Cotta, managed by Villa Royale. M. L. Tri Devakul is a descendant of His Majesty King Mongkut Rama IV. During his stay the Prince kept quite busy with official matters.

On 15th February HRH paid a visit to the Bangkok Hospital Phuket.

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8 ScandAsia.Dk • April 2010

Dr. Kongkiat Kespechara, Hospital Director and Dr. Sompoch Nipakanont, Assistant Hospital Director and recently appointed Honorary Consul of Sweden in Phuket, together with hospital staff extended a Royal Welcome to the visiting Prince.

HRH visited the Tsunami memorial and expressed his gratification at being able to visit the hospital personally. “In Denmark we all followed the news on television about the tsunami and the aftermath with so much concern. You have done great work in coping and helping with the disaster. Not only I, also the Royal Family and my Danish compatriots had the highest admiration for the unselfish actions of the Thai people. I’d like to say we are very grateful for what you have done. Thank you!”

On 16th February HRH Prince Henrik paid a visit to the Phuket Aquarium, started as a combined initiative of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit and His Royal Highness Prince Henrik.

Prince Henrik is known for his love of nature and marine life and numerous ‘green’ initiatives; he also presides over the Danish World

Wild Life Fund dedicated to the protection of the environment. The Prince is known to eschew plastic bags. The information board displaying damage done by discarded plastic bags, mistaken by turtles and other marine life for food and often causing a slow death, was especially shocking to His Royal Highness.

“HM Queen Sirikit and I wanted to combine our efforts to assist the sustainability of the marine environment, a cause close to our hearts.

We focused first on a turtle hatchery and release project as in those days the turtle population was already in decline. We thought the ideal place for such a project would be Phuket which I had been visiting since the late seventies.” said Prince Henrik.

To the delight of many Scandinavian tourists Prince Henrik could be seen dining at Mom Tri’s Kitchen and Mom Tri’s Boathouse.

On 17th February, HRH Prince Henrik and HE Danish Ambassador Sternberg were welcomed by Khun Thiraphong Chansiri, President at Thai Union Hatchery in the province of Phang Nga for a visit of this immense farm.

The same evening a grand BBQ party was organized at Villa Terra Cotta for HRH and His entourage,

including HE the Danish Ambassador and Madame Sternberg, Dr Sompoch, the Honorary Consul of Denmark in Phuket Mr. Kenneth Karlsson and his wife and several other Guests.

On 18th February Mom Tri hosted a dinner at Mom Tri’s Villa Royale for HRH which included Madame Francoise Bardin de Monpezat the Prince’s sister and renowned author William Warren.

On 21st February the Boathouse hosted a farewell cocktail party in honour of His Royal Highness and invited the Danish and other Scandinavian Guests staying at Mom Tri’s Boathouse and Villa Royale to greet the Danish Royal.

No stranger to Phuket the Prince has a genuine affection for the island. Fortunately he was able to find time in his busy schedule to visit a sight new to him, Phuket’s revered ‘Big Buddha’ on Top of Nagakerd Mountain.

Teams of Mom Tri’s Boathouse and Mom Tri’s Villa Royale bade the Prince farewell early morning on 22nd February. His Royal Highness traveled onward to Indonesia to attend several official functions there before returning to Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen.

Opposite page: HRH Prince Henrik signing the guest book and visiting Phuket aquarium.

Managers and staff saying farewell to HRH Prince Henrik.

Above: At the Bangkok Phuket Hospital.

Left: HRH Prince Henrik with Louis Bronner, GM of Boathouse, at a lunch at Mom Tris Regatta Boathouse.

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The Man Behind “Burma Text and photos: Stephan Volmer Jensen

urma VJ was the winner of the top award for best documentary over 60 minutes in length at the International Documentary Film festival in Amsterdam 2008.

The movie has received 35 awards from festivals around the world, and portrays the work of a small group of independent Burmese journalists, who risked their lives recording and distributing video footage to international news stations from the popular uprising against the Military regime in Burma September 2007.

Burma VJ has just been shortlisted for an Oscar in March 2010.

Jan Krogsgaard is the initiator and driving force behind. He is in Cambodia, doing research on a Global film project “I have a Dream” collecting dreams that people dream during their sleep connected to their experiences with war. Jan has always been interested in the Indochina wars, but felt it more urgent to tell about Burma.

“The Indochina wars can only be visited trough history. The situation in Burma is more serious; the repression of the population from the regime is ongoing, this is a story from the present, unfolding here and now.”

He decided to make a film about the country in 2002, having heard a lot of stories from his travels in Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia about Burma.

“Very little came out of the country, in terms of specific stories.

Wanting to discover the country myself, I went to Burma for 2 months, travelling from Rangoon to Putao, in the North. During my stay I talked to people in all levels of society, and shot everything I could with a small DV-Camera. People were reluctant to talk; there was an underlying sense of fear everywhere. Some criticized the regime openly, but turned 180 degrees and started praising the regime, when I switched my camera on. This is the situation. People like to speak, but do not dare."

“I realized that if you want to talk to the Burmese about Burma, it had to happen outside the country.”

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10 ScandAsia.Dk • April 2010

”We have had some criticism for using re-enactments, but I think the broader message of the film is more important. 80% of the material was recorded by VJ´s inside Burma.”

In Mae Sot, a Thai village bordering Burma. He spoke to exile Burmese, and went into the Karen state, with soldiers from their national army fighting the government, to do interviews and film their military bases.

“Basically forgotten by the world the Burmese I met were more than willing to pose in front of my camera, they needed the PR.” Jan new knew that he was about to tell a story that had been told many times before. Burma had been in a state of Status Quo for years, and there wasn’t really any new stories coming out of the country. A new story had to be told, but there were problems. Jan was not only searching for a new story, but also another way to tell it. He contacted Magic Hour Films a Danish production company and discussed the project with producer Lise Lense Møller, for days. She was interested, and they approached the

Danish director Anders Østergaard to get a third pair of eyes on the project.

“One day my assistant Eva Pedrelli phoned me, and said: “Jan, DVB (The Democratic Voice of Burma) is becoming a TV-station; there is the story you are looking for.”

DVB is based in Norway and has been broadcasting short wave radio into Burma for years. They get their stories from undercover journalists working inside Burma, secretly filming the abuse of the regime against the population. Jan suggested that they did a movie on the Vj´s (video journalists) and Anders and Lise immediately jumped on the idea. Jan is going back to Mae Sot, to do research for the next 18 month.

They were looking for a protagonist, a good storyteller to carry the film.

In February 2007, they meet a VJ with the codename Joshua. He’s a good narrator, very charming, and

daring. They knew they found their man.

“We wanted to tell the story trough the eyes of the VJ’s whose material is limited, due to the circumstances in Burma. They have to be cautious, if they show up with a camera, people might think that they are intelligence personal from the regime. At the same time, they themselves must be careful, as some of the people they interview might be government agents.”

In August monks starts to demonstrate in Rangoon, because of rising food and gasoline prices. It starts small with a few monks walking the streets of Rangoon chanting, “end to poverty, our cause, our cause.”

“Reconciliation now, our cause, our cause.”

When monks are beaten up by the regime in Mandalay, the public starts to take part in the demonstrations; a religious movement has become a political movement. "Free Aung San Suu Kyi, our cause, our cause." Tens of thousand’s of people walk in Burma’s main cities, and chant the slogans from balconies and rooftops.

Joshua is angry he can’t work inside Burma. Having filmed a demonstration a few weeks earlier in Rangoon. He got arrested and his camera and tape was confiscated.

During interrogation about his contacts and network, Joshua denies any knowledge of anything and says he was there by accident. The police let him off with a warning. In the following days Joshua’s every move is monitored and he escapes to Thailand.

Setting up headquarters in Mae Sot, he coordinates the VJ´s working inside Burma. All foreign journalists are denied access. The only live footage that leaves the country is by VJ´s sending the material to Joshua, trough the Internet or from satellite phones. He uploads it to DVB in Oslo who distributes it to news stations all over the world. This is TV history in the writing. It’s the first time that citizen journalists become the main providers of news for International news networks.

The demonstrations are stopped by a brutal crackdown by the regime. Several people are killed, monks as well as civilians.

Thousands of people are arrested, and incarcerated in sport stadiums, because the jails are full.

VJ” Documentary “The rising hope of freedom, the arrests and beatings of monks and civilians, seen trough the eyes of the VJ´s, becomes our story. We become a kind of chronicle writers, and feel obliged to tell a story, that reaches an audience as broad as possible. I spend a few months with Joshua in early 2008 to review the material, identify the VJ´s whereabouts, and personal experiences during the uprising, in close contact with Anders while we develop the manuscript. I travel to Rangoon with Joshua who has to empty a location full of intimidating evidence against the VJ´s in April 2008.”

His mentor has been jailed and tortured. The only one who knows the location of the place is Joshua except from his imprisoned friend, who might have cracked under interrogation.

“I find myself in a strange vacuum meeting Joshua amid all the New year partying, with water splashing and general mayhem. Having no influence at all, Jan only hope that

he comes trough unscathed. Having three phone numbers that shuts down one after one, he’s unable to reach him.

“I walked the streets of Rangoon in a daze, thinking, my god

what comes next. Luckily nothing happened to Joshua and we meet again in Thailand four days later. We start the last recordings in mid April 2008. The VJ´s had no more than 2-3 tapes each, and erased material

to be able to keep shooting. Joshua’s telephone conversations with the Vs inside Burma were never recorded and reconstructed from memory. I spend two months with Joshua, to seek verification of the VJ´s stories, to get as close to the truth, as possible, in the films reconstructed scenes."

"We have had some criticism for using re-enactments, but I think the broader message of the film is more important. 80% of the material was recorded by VJ´s inside Burma."

"The film had phenomenal success; it has brought a new awareness on Burma, which was what we were aiming fore. That it happened we could not have expected. Circumstances, a lot of different forces found each other by inscrutable ways, and made this project come trough. In the end it’s the Burmese peoples fight for freedom that matters most.”

April 2010 • ScandAsia.Dk 11

Fibertex Malaysia Goes Full Throttle Fibertex will invests 275 mill Danish kroner in a new production line in Malaysia.

By Katrine Back Sigvardt

ibertex started its production in Malaysia in 2003.

Shortly after, things started to change in the market.

The Asian population got wealthier and accustomed to the convenience of disposable diapers rather than using the same ones again and again. All of a sudden, the need, for Fibertex’ products, was enormous: For Fibertex, that meant the company had to expand business with a new production line after only two years of operation in Malaysia. It was necessary in order to keep up with the increasing demand of non-wovens textiles. ”We were always convinced that expanding production to Malaysia was a good investment,” CEO of Fibertex Personal Care Mikael Staal Axelsen explains, “but that we would achieve this kind of success took us by surprise – a good one, however.”

F

Won over Japan With the factory in Malaysia, Fibertex hoped to make a breakthrough and become a significant player in Asia – including on the Japanese market. That, however, was easier said than done. In the end, the small town business made it in and today Fibertex is the largest non-Japanese supplier of nonwovens textiles for the Japanese market, which has created great respect and recognition of the company by other players in the industry.

With such feathers in their cap, Fibertex has a strong foundation for future activities and investments.

That is why the next step for Fibertex Malaysia is to further expand the business in order to keep up with the development that will probably happen in the usage of different hygiene products within the next decade.

In 2010, 40 billion disposable diapers will be used in Asia alone, but by 2020 that number is expected to double.

Mikael Staal Axelsen explains that the dream for Fibertex Malaysia always has been to be able to 12 ScandAsia.Dk • April 2010

get two production lines up and running, but with the new expansion, Fibertex has surpassed its own dreams by adding a third line to the production. ”With the new line, we will have a joint capacity of 100.000 tons, which is about 8-9 percent of the world market,” Mikael Staal Axelsen says and adds that the company has focused and succeeded mainly in the European and Asian markets.

Recognition and respect Fibertex has within a very short period of time achieved a high status in the market and accomplished some very good results. Fibertex has become a benchmark company in Malaysia. How did a small company from the Danish province make that break and become so successful at an international level?

Mikael Staal Axelsen has an idea: “Even though our production consists of a mainly local work force, the management of Fibertex Malaysia will remain Danish,” he says.

“The combination of Danish culture and the values we have here and the very multi-ethnic Malaysian culture is very good. The way we work according to the laws and treat our staff has resulted in some very capable and motivated workers and they fully measure up to our

CEO of Fibertex Personal Care Mikael Staal Axelsen welcomes the success and the new production line but at the same time he says that both have come as a pleasant surprise.

Danish operation.”

The fact that the company has preserved its Danish roots is exactly one of the reasons behind the success. ”We have a brand, an image with our clients, which is based on Danish culture and Danish values.

That’s why we want to make sure that Fibertex stays Fibertex.”

It is the second time in seven years that Fibertex increases its capacity in order to deal with the increasing demand but also to ensure steady growth in the market that appears to keep expanding.

According to Mikael Staal Axelsen, it is especially the Danish modesty that helps Danish companies to do well abroad. ”In Denmark, we have a long tradition of always seeking compromise,” he says. “We have to because as a small country like Denmark, we can’t afford to be arrogant with the rest of the world.”

The brand based on Danish values seems to go down well with the clients. For the second year in a row, Fibertex has received Procter&Gamble’s prestigious award for best supplier, which is awarded to 55 out the organization’s 80.000 suppliers. ”The project of Fibertex Malaysia has surpassed all of our expectations,” Mikael Staal Axelsen concludes with pride. ”It really has been a fairytale in every possible way!”

April 2010 • ScandAsia.Dk 13

In many cases, moving abroad can take its toll, but for this Finnish family, relocating to Singapore has been a piece of cake.

By Katrine Sigvardt

Finnish Kids Enjoy Life Abroad s they sit there by the big conference table at International School Singapore, it is clear to just about anyone that Emil, Karin, and Paul aged 14, 16, and 18, are related. Not only do they look alike, with that Finnish glow of content and peacefulness, but they also talk to each other in that very peculiar way that only exists between siblings.

“We go to Finland in the summer and we always stay for two whole months,” one of them says.

“No, school is only out for six weeks,” another adds, while the third claims that in fact both are wrong and that they stay in Finland for six weeks at a time every summer.

Almost a year and a half ago, Emil, Karin, and Paul moved to Singapore with their parents. Joining a new school that followed a completely different curriculum than they were used to and taught in English rather than Finnish, there were a lot of new things to get used to.

The three Finnish teenagers have, however, sailed though obsta-

A

cles and challenges, and now they are like fish in water in their new surroundings.

Easy transition According to the children, they were the ones who pushed their parents and made them move. Paul especially was excited about the idea.

“I wanted to move. If we hadn’t come here, I would have gone on exchange somewhere,” he says and adds that at the time, he was open to change and wanted to experience something new.

Coming to ISS was indeed a new experience, but the teens adapted quickly and within a couple of weeks they had completely accepted and adjusted to their new surroundings.

Even though the Finns were suddenly exposed to the challenges and demands of MYP (Middle Years Program) and IBDP (IB Diploma), which are the curricula taught at ISS, Paul says it only took him two weeks to get used to the new system. His siblings agree and add that the reason they were so quick to pick it up was because of the support they received from teachers and other students.

“I think it is easier to come here and be new at an international school than it is at a normal school in Finland,” Karin says.

“Everyone is international here and they are all used to adjusting to new schools and students, so they know what it is like when new people come.”

City life vs. small community For the three Finnish students, the main difference between living in Finland and Singapore is that Singapore is much bigger in the sense that they come from a small town community just outside Helsinki.

“Everyone knows everyone there,” they say.

“Here we don’t have that.”

Because they come from a small town, they enjoy the fact that they have come here and met new people from all over the world. Back in Finland that rarely happens and one’s circle of friends stays the same forever.

The fact that they have seriously improved their English language skills is just an extra bonus.

Family life Living abroad has also changed the children’s relationship with each other and with their parents.

“We probably see our parents more than we would have, if we still lived in Finland,” they say and Karin adds that moving abroad has brought them closer together as a family.

14 ScandAsia.Dk • April 2010

ISS - International School Singapore Elementary School (Grades K to 5) ISS International School 25 Paterson Road Singapore 238510 Phone (65) 6235 5844 Fax (65) 6732 5701 Middle School (Grades 6 to 8) ISS International School 25 Paterson Road Singapore 238510 Phone (65) 6737 6407 Fax (65) 6735 4966 High School (Grades 9 to 12) ISS International School 21 Preston Road Singapore 109355 admissions@iss.edu.sg Phone (65) 6475 4188 Admissions Office: admissions@iss.edu.sg Phone (65) 6470 0113, 6470 0114, 6470 0138 www.iss.edu.sg

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A Passion for Teaching After 38 years of teaching, Holger Jensen, Danish language teacher at NIST, still loves his vocation.

Holger Jensen feels like a fish in water - both in Bangkok and in his choice of career. Some of his students at NIST are Max and William Bestle (bottom far left), Natascha Lefort (middle left) and Henrik Romhild (middle right.)

By Katrine Sigvardt

W

hen Holger Jensen thinks back on his own school experience, he remembers an incident where the teacher handed out stickers to his students according to how well they had finished an assignment; the better the assignment, the bigger and brighter the sticker. Holger’s disappointment was enormous when the boy sitting next to him was awarded a large, colorful sticker with a Red Indian on it, while all he got was a small one of a boring, gray mouse.

At the time, he never thought he would once make a career of teaching himself, but he did, and now, having taught more than 500 students, one of the core principles of his work is still that learning has to be fun.

Leaving Denmark To Holger, a career in teaching was not an obvious choice, and he had to try his way forward working odd jobs. He started working on a ship, but suddenly the dream of becoming a teacher emerged in his head, and instead of slowly disappearing, it continued to grow. Holger therefore attended teaching college to see if this was really the career for him. As it turned out, it was and in

and exchange ideas on how best to teach their foreign languages to their students. He explains that it is such a nice group of people to be a part of and he appreciates the level of cultural understanding they have achieved by sharing a teachers’ lounge and drinking coffee.

Life in Thailand

1972, he started his new career.

In 1994-95, Holger went on his first pack packing experience around the world. It was an experience that made a huge impact on him. Little did he know that just a few years later, he would actually leave little Denmark behind for good.

A Danish couple based in the capital of Thailand contacted him and asked if he might be interested in coming to Bangkok for eight months to teach their teenage son, Simon.

“All of a sudden, I just heard myself say ‘yes’,” he says and before he knew it, he was off to Bangkok and a new job that would prove to be very rewarding.

Little victories

New International School of Thailand 36 Sukhumvit Soi 15 Bangkok 10110, Thailand T: +66(0)2651-2065 F: +66(0)2253-3800 www.nist.ac.th

16 ScandAsia.Dk • April 2010

“It was amazing! The things I was able to teach that kid,” Holger says as he recalls his first teaching experience abroad.

“When he had learned how to read, the two of us went to a café to celebrate.”

To Holger, those are the moments that matter the most, and it is within those same moments that his passion for teaching lies.

“It is the most fantastic experience when you know that finally,

the student gets it. You can almost see, the piece of the puzzle falling into place, and bingo! It just clicks!

That is why I love my job,” he says and adds that he gets the greatest pleasure when a child after a lot of hard work, suddenly knows how to read.

Teaching at NIST For the past nine years, Holger has practically been part of the inventory at New International School of Thailand (NIST) where he has been teaching Danish at the foreign language department. He does not work there full time but he comes in several times a week to teach some of the Danish children who go to school there.

It is a big school but Holger knows the hallways and the numerous corridors like the back of his hand. He turns corners and walks up and down stairs until he comes to a halt in front of a door covered in different flags.

“I love this room,” he says as he walks into the foreign language teachers’ lounge.

It did not exist when he first started at NIST, but now the teachers who represent 22 nationalities have a place where they can talk

Holger Jensen loves his life in Bangkok and feels that he got it just right when he decided to pursue a career in teaching. At 64, however, he is starting to consider putting an end to the busy days of teaching.

“I have this dream of one day opening a little café shop where I can sell silver jewelry and old books.

I see myself sitting at a small table in the corner where I will be reading my books while eating brownies and talking to customers,” he says with a dreamy look in his eyes and a little smile on his lips.

At the same time, though, he admits that he will probably never be able to let go of teaching completely. It has been such a big part of his life for so long that he feels he will have a hard time living without it.

Born to teach When watching Holger at NIST it becomes clear that this man is truly in his right element. He is one of those teachers who leave a mark on the children they work with, and it is no wonder that he is still in touch with several of them and that even people he taught back in Denmark still visit him in Bangkok from time to time.

With a chuckle and eyes of wonder, he concludes: “I am so surprised that I am not sick of it yet, but the truth is that I am just as excited about my job now as I was when I started at 26.”

April 2010 • ScandAsia.Dk 17

Smooth Transition from Denmark to Harrow When Line Jessen had her first day at Harrow International School, she hardly knew any English.

Coming straight from a traditional school in Denmark, seeing the other students in their blue uniforms and the different way of teaching was a shock. That was two years ago, and since then a lot has changed.

Harrow International School 45 Soi Kosumruamchai 14, Kosumruamchai Road, Kwaeng Sikun, Don Muang, Bangkok 10210 Thailand Tel: +66 02 503 7222 Fax: +66 02 503 7223 www.harrowschool.ac.th

18 ScandAsia.Dk • April 2010

was really nervous,” Line recalls of her first day at her new school. “Mostly, because my English wasn’t that good. Everything was so different for me.”

Line had just moved from Denmark to Bangkok with her parents and everything was new. She had been with her parents on a successful familiarization trip prior to the move, but still there was a lot to learn.

However, after meeting her Housemaster, she soon felt part of the group. She was given a buddy to show her around and help her settle into her new environment.

And settle she did. After some intensive English lessons, she is achieving great academic success and she has made a wide circle of friends from many nationalities. Her quick adaptation and progress was so evident that she was awarded a prize at Harrow’s annual Speech Day last year.

Line’s achievements didn’t come out of thin air, though. They required hard work and, knowing only a little English, getting through the first couple of weeks was tough. She received a lot of help from her new class mates, but her teacher, especially, supported her and helped her through the transition.

“He made sure that I got lots of extra English help and spoke to me clearly and slowly whilst I was learning the language,” Line says, and according to her that is what gave her the confidence to keep working at improving her skills.

I

Line Jessen’s hard work won her an award in 2009 at Harrow’s annual Speech Day.

The hard work paid off, and Line has always been glad that her parents chose Harrow as her new school. Of all the schools they visited, they liked Harrow and the idea of the British Curriculum the best.

“My parents wanted a curriculum that would help me in later life choose the universities I want and they understood that the British Na-

tional Curriculum has a very strong reputation,” Line explains about the choice her parents made.

She is particularly happy about the way they teach at Harrow.

“My previous school was OK, but I felt that the teaching wasn’t that great. I remember sitting in the history class, and just wanting to sleep. At Harrow the teachers expect you to give your opinions much more and to work out what you have learnt for yourself. It is more challenging, but it means that we understand things in a more meaningful way,” she says.

According to Line, her first impression of Harrow was a good one. Everyone was friendly and they helped her adapt to her new surroundings.

Even though it was tough in the beginning, she highly recommends the school to other Danish students who are moving to Bangkok.

“The way they teach at Harrow is very different from Denmark, but in a good way. Everything about this school is great. What I really like about it is that it is so easy to make friends and when you are new, there is always someone to ask you how you are feeling or to help you out.”

As for the future, Line isn’t quite sure of which path to choose yet.

“I am going to take IGCSE, and then we will see what happens next,” she says, and because of her education at Harrow, she feels prepared for whatever comes her way.

April 2010 • ScandAsia.Dk 19

Boarding Schools Prepare Stu The expat lifestyle provides many practical reasons for sending children to boarding school, but the advantages of a boarding experience can go far beyond that.

A

lthough the distance can take its toll on both the child and its parents, sending children to boarding school in their home country remains a popular choice for expats.

In spite of the separation from family and loved ones, ultimately, the benefits of attending boarding school are many. Gaining a better understanding of roots and cultures, desires for academic achievements, a change of scenery, or being bored with life abroad are just some of them.

Focused attention 24/7 According to advocates of the boarding school experience, students at boarding schools are usually taught in smaller classes, which is not always possible in regular schools. The fact that students as well as teachers live on campus also allows for more focused attention on the individual student, and he or she will be able to become absorbed in different subjects and receive the help they need along the way.

Furthermore, advocates claim that students are encouraged to study more than normally because they are constantly in an academic environment, and they are inspired to do so by their peers.

Because of this, people who have attended boarding school are, on average, better prepared for future challenges such as college and university.

Adapting to a changing world Proponents also claim that because they are constantly surrounded by people their own age, students will acquire the skills to become independent, critical thinkers at an early age.

They learn how to deal with their problems in a mature and responsible way, and they will develop the ability to quickly adapt to new surroundings and environments.

Being apart from parents and other loved ones also gives the students a strong sense of self, supporters say. They learn to trust and believe in themselves as they work through challenges and hardship on their own without the physical support of their parents nearby.

Friends for life At most boarding schools, there is a strong feeling of unity and the community on campus is often

People who have attended boarding school are, on average, better prepared for future challenges such as college and university.

20 ScandAsia.Dk • April 2010

udents for Life

Nyborg Gymnasium

KOSTSKOLEN very strong, proponents claim.

Although the students receive a lot of help and support from their teachers, they very much rely on themselves and the other students.

As everyone is in the same boat in a very intense environment where studying and being away from home are some of the key words, the students at boarding schools often form very strong bonds of loyalty and trust with their fellow boarders. After a boarding experience, many find that the friendships they have made last a lifetime.

Not for everyone Boarding school provides you with skills that will be benefit you throughout life. However, it is important to keep in mind that boarding is not for everyone. For

the robust child, the experience will prepare him or her for an ambitious life and it teaches the students to survive on their own when things get rough.

If the students has a need to feel secure and comfortable in order to thrive, a boarding school may not always be able to provide that kind of environment.

Some will like it while others will not.

Having selected a boarding school for their child, parents should observe their child maybe even closely than before the move in order to detect early on any signs that may indicate if their decision to go for a boarding school was wrong - or if the chosen school was not the right choice for their child,

På kostskolen ved Nyborg Gymnasium bor du i dejlige omgivelser midt i Danmark, samtidig med at du tager en dansk studenter- eller hf-eksamen eller den internationale studentereksamen International Baccalaureate (IB).

Skolen lægger vægt på gode og tætte kontakter mellem elever, lærere og øvrigt personale: på kostafdelingen i form af elevdemokrati, på skolen i form af et tæt samarbejde om den enkelte klasse og elev.

Vi sender gerne yderligere oplysninger og ansøgningsskema.

Skolebakken 13 DK-5800 Nyborg Tlf +45 65 31 02 17 Fax +45 63 25 52 19 post@nyborg-gym.dk www.nyborg-gym.dk April 2010 • ScandAsia.Dk 21

Private Banking with “Home Field” Advantage

By Gregers Moller rivate Banking with a Danish bank gives a kind of a “home field” advantage if you are Danish, says Alex Slot Hansen, Vice President for Private Banking.

“When banking with us, Danish clients have the home field advantage,” Alex Sloth Hansen explains.

“This means that we call on our

P

clients where they live their everyday lives – even in Asia where we visit every second month. We arrange local customer events, hold meetings and is an active player in the activities of associations on a regional level.”

Sydbank offers a variety of Private Banking solutions, including wealth advisory and tax consultancy services which are among the core competences of the bank. In addition, the bank also gives advise on relocation and repatriation issues and provide individual investment solutions.

If you have no clue what he is talking about, don’t worry. You don’t need to be a banking expert to benefit from the banks services.

“Our advice is always based on the client’s individual circumstances.

Some clients prefer basic advice involving meetings twice a year, whereas others request daily meet-

Alex Sloth Hansen, Sydbank’s Vice President for Private Banking (left) with Allan Hvii, Senior Vice President Sydbank (Schweiz) AG.

ings and more complex advice.”

For Alex Sloth Hansen, Private Banking is to a large extend a question of finding individual solutions to the individual requirements of each client.

“Finding the specific requirements of each client is our most important task,” he says.

“It includes elements such as risk appetite and ability, investment horizon, tax as well as requirements in terms of liquidity. Defining these elements is a prerequisite to providing sound investment advice.”

New Søren to Lead Carlsberg in Malaysia Søren Ravn has replaced Søren Holm Jensen as Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia’s Managing Director. arlsberg told this Monday that Søren Ravn had been with the Carlsberg group since 1998 at the Carlsberg Denmark organisation and then in Carlsberg A/S as group strategy director.

He has moved within Calsberg operations in the region and was the managing director of Carlsberg Hong Kong & Macau prior to his appointment here.

Søren Holm Jensen will return to Denmark to take up a senior mangerial role in the Carlsberg Headquaters.

C

22 ScandAsia.Dk • April 2010

Is there a minimum balance needed to open an account?

“No. Not only millionaires are welcome as Private Banking clients, what is required is around DKK 500,000 or USD 100,000.”

Opening an account is a matter of a few days only. If things proceed according to plan, the account relationship may be established within one week, he adds.

Fewer Danes Become Expats he global crisis has caused a decrease of 15.5 percent of Danes moving abroad. In 2009, 20.085 Danes chose to leave Denmark for a life overseas, but just two years before, the number was 23.771.

The Danish news paper Børsen reports this based on number from Danmarks Statistik, and according to futurologist Jeffrey Saunders, the dramatic drop of more than 15 percent is caused by the global economic crisis.

The crisis has prevented people from being offered a good job abroad.

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Maintaining Swedish Roots in Singapore Five years ago, the Karlsson’s made the decision to move to Singapore with their two children. Since then, many things have changed. A third child has made her appearance in the family, but one thing that hasn’t changed is their mind about living abroad.

ouise Karlsson is sitting by the end of the table in a soft leather chair in one of the meeting rooms at Canadian International School of Singapore. She is only seven and in her school uniform but she is principal of this meeting.

Her parents, Conny and Victoria Karlsson are sitting next to her, smiling. The whole family looks so Swedish that they could be picked straight out of an episode of “Emil from Lönneberga.”

In fact, the Karlsson’s don’t just looks Swedish, they try their best to be, because to them, maintaining the culture and values is tremendously important – especially because they live thousands of kilometers away from what used to be home.

By Katrine Sigvardt

Life in Singapore

Conny and Victoria Karlsson with their daughters Louise and her younger sisters Elin and Jennifer.

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“We wanted to live in Singapore, because we wanted to be warm,” Louise announces.

Conny and Victoria add that although being warm is certainly one

of the benefits of living in Singapore, it was not for them the primary reason why chose a life abroad.

They decided to move because Conny was offered a position with Cybercom in Singapore. Victoria had already lived in America for six years, and the couple had also spent a year in Madrid together. So it did not take long for them to accept the new opportunity and meet the adventure moving to Singapore would be. At the moment, they have no current plans of ever going back.

Taste for international life “Life in Singapore is easier than in Sweden in many ways. The climate is better and the children can run around in their underwear all day if they want. We are able to travel to exciting places that are close by, and we can afford to have hired help in the house which, in the end, gives us more quality time together.”

But even though the family enjoys their Singaporean lifestyle, they make a point of going back to Swe-

den twice a year for summer and Christmas.

“Then we go ice skating and I throw snowballs at my dad,” Louise says.

There is however more to the visits than fun and games. Both Victoria and Conny are proud to be Swedish, and it is very important to them that their children grow up knowing their roots and feeling Swedish.

“Sweden is a good country. A lot of good things come from Sweden, and we want our girls to know that,” Victoria says.

A fairy-tale country Both Conny and Victoria are aware, though, that the children’s idea of Sweden might not correspond entirely with reality.

“Because we only go at those times of the year, they think that Sweden is the land of Christmas presents and summer barbecues, but of course there is more to Swedish life than that,” Victoria says and adds that she hopes one day to be able to take them there during spring or fall, because even though those seasons are the epitome of Sweden, her children have no concept of what they are.

To compensate, Louise’s best friend in Sweden sends her photographs of the sprouts and delicate flowers of spring and of the piles of red and orange leaves in the fall.

Relationship with grandparents The hardest part about being abroad as a family, is that the grandparents are not always around to help out when they are needed.

The fact that they do not see each other for long periods of time is also something that might affect the relationship the daughters have with them. Fortunately, the grandparents try to visit as often as possible, and the children love it.

Sometimes, however, Conny and Victoria wish they had their families closer. The Karlsson’s have recently bought the well-known and well-known STYLE:NORDIC shop in Singapore that sells exclusive Scandinavian design in the area. Victoria is the Managing Director of the company and sometimes she wishes 2 ScandAsia.Sg • April 2010

that her parents were around.

“It would be nice if I could just call and ask them to help me out once in a while. We do have our hired help, of course, but it’s not the same. They’re not family.”

The Singaporean school system expects a lot of involvement, too.

“When your child asks why all the other mommies are there and you are not, you’ll want to be there,” Victoria says.

A global education The couple decided to enroll their daughters at Canadian International School of Singapore where they believe their children will receive a better education than they would if they still lived in Sweden. However, as they say, it all depends on what goals you have for your kids.

“We want our children to be world oriented and global. They get that here and they learn to believe in themselves. To us, that is really important.”

And the kids are truly global.

Louise has friends from all over the world. Her best ones are from India, Australia, and Singapore, but it is not something she really thinks about.

“I just play with them and have fun,” she says, and to the Swedish family, the fact that everyone is con-

sidered equal disregarding nationality and skin color is also one of the benefits of attending international school.

Belonging somewhere Even though it is important to be global, it is also important to maintain and nourish one’s roots. That is why Louise attends Swedish school for two hours every Friday. There the students, who are already able to speak Swedish, follow a Swedish curriculum and learn about Swedish culture and literature.

“The roots are important. That is why we make sure we celebrate all the Swedish festivals even though we are here. We have name days and Mid Summer festivals,” the couple says and adds that it is important to them that their children do not grow up feeling rootless. They know children who do not know what to say when people ask where they are from.

“It is such a simple question, but for these children it is very tricky,” Victoria says and emphasizes that her children will never have any doubts about where they are from.

Both Louise and her little sister Elin were born in Sweden, even though they left at an early age. The third child, Jennifer, was born in Singa-

pore and the whole family chuckles as they start talking about her because apparently, she is more Asian that any of them: “My little sister only eats at school because she loves Asian fish porridge,” Louise says and giggles as her mother adds that the rest of the family has no idea what fish porridge is but that they have been told by the teachers that she devours it every day.

Even though she acts Asian, little Jennifer will also grow up feeling Swedish in Singapore, and that is why both Conny and Victoria are not worried about the children’s future even if they, however unlikely, should decide to move back to Sweden.

“They will realize that Sweden is not the magical country of Christmas and summer holidays that they know. The international environment abroad has its own challenges though – learning a new language and saying goodbye to close friends on a regular basis are just some of them,” they say and add that life abroad has taught them to overcome different challenges but also prepared them for whatever the future holds.

Canadian International School (Singapore) Tanjong Katong Campus (Early Childhood to Grade 8) 371 Tanjong Katong Road Singapore 437128 admissionstk@cis.edu.sg Phone: +65 6345 1573 Fax: +65 6345 405 Toh Tuck Campus (Early Childhood to Grade 3) 5 Toh Tuck Road Singapore 596679 admissions@cis.edu.sg Phone: +65 6467 1732 Fax: +65 6467 1729 Bukit Tinggi Campus (Grade 4 to 8) 71 Bukit Tinggi Road Singapore 289759 middleschool@cis.edu.sg Phone: +65 6875 1519 Fax: +65 6875 1516 Kampong Bahru Campus (Grade 9 to 12) 514 Kampong Bahru Road Singapore 099450 highschool@cis.edu.sg Phone: +65 6323 0208 Fax: +65 6323 0209

April 2010 • ScandAsia.Sg 3

Swedish Victory in Singapore

By Jan Tommy Fosse Photos Stein Mangersnes

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he annual Swedish-Norwegian sports day in Singapore took place on Saturday March 6th. This year the event was held at Serangoon Stadium and almost 450 Swedes and Norwegians participated in the various events. Before the sport activities started, both the Swedish and the Norwegian national anthems were sung, there was time for warm up and “good luck” wishes.

The annual sports day started with the youngest children running their 10 meter race,.

Then the older children ran their 40 meter and 60 meter races. Simultaneously those that were not running went over to the long jump venue to participate there. When the children’s races and long jump was over, it was time for the adults to run and jump before the football matches for children and adults.

In addition to the sports, the children could play on the playground, the cafeteria was open and sold “kanelbullar” and “vafler”, soft drinks, hotdogs, fruit and ice cream and there was plenty of time to catch up with old and new friends.

As always the competition is serious and participants from both countries want to leave the stadium with the best nation trophy. This year the victory, by a good margin, went to Sweden.

Congratulations to the Swedes in Singapore!

The Swedish and Norwegian Church in Singapore is looking forward to welcoming everyone back next year.

4 ScandAsia.Sg • April 2010

Be the First to Be Surprised at B – Lay Tong B – Lay Tong Resort, the new Hip and Exciting Resort in Patong is now opened. ocated on the most prime convenient address at the up-market north end of Patong Beach, B – Lay Tong is a pulsating resort that offers state-of-the-art design and lounging space. The resort is, just steps away from the beach and offers great sea views and sunsets to remember! Consisting of 123 rooms & suites, all rooms are designed with subtle lighting and decorated in one of 4 colour schemes based

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on the concept of Feng Shui, red (fire), blue (water), green (earth) and gold (wind). All of the rooms boast state-of-the-art audio and LCD equipment with free WiFi and LAN internet connection, as well as luscious in-room amenities combined with the finest quality furnishings and fittings. All Deluxe rooms come with a spacious Jacuzzi or a large bath tub while rooms on the ground floor have direct access to the adjacent lap pools and the lush inner garden courtyard.

The resort facilities include a meandering see-through infinity pool, a serene spa, a gym, contemporary dining spaces offering Mediterranean and Asian flavours, a library to nourish the mind and a full service business centre to stay connected. At the heart of it all will be

One Free Night at

the Beat Club with the latest hi-tech sound system playing the hottest beats. Music will play an essential part in the B – Lay Tong experience as well-know guest DJs from around the world spin their tracks and the latest hits spill out over the airwave’s of the resort’s own radio station.

“Be the first to Be Surprised at B – Lay Tong”, introductory rates are available from now until October 31, 2010. Rates start at THB 4,900* for a Superior Garden View inclusive of breakfast for two persons.

Come and be surprised with funky

surroundings and extra value to enhance your stay. *Rate is net and inclusive of service charge and applicable tax.

For more information or to make reservation, please contact the resort reservation centre Tel: +66 76 344 999, e-mail: rsvn@b-laytong.com, website: www.b-laytong.com or InVision Hospitality’s Sales & Marketing office at Tel: +66 2 684 1616 or e-mail: sales@b-laytong.com

Haad Son

Stay one night Free!

Valid: 01.05.2010 - 30.06.2010

aad Son Resort are located on their own secluded white sandy bay on the popular sunset coastline of Koh Phangan. The hotel was established almost a decade ago. Its rich tropical gardens and beautiful natural surroundings harmonize with the environment creating a special private paradise.

Haad Son resort has a great variety of accommodation options with the emphasis focused on quality and style, from island huts to luxury aircon villas. Haad Son resort prides itself on its great service and friendly family atmosphere, so no matter what type of accommodation you choose you are guaranteed to enjoy

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2 ScandAsia.Th • April 2010

your stay at this luxurious beautiful location.

Haad Son beach is one of very few on the Island which has remained undeveloped and it presents a perfect picture of an idyllic desert

island cove. The complex occupies the north end of the beach and the central and southern areas are completely uninhabited, leaving a 300 metre long stretch of tropical beach fringed with shady coconut palms.

- Stay 03 nights pay 02 nights - Compulsory breakfast during free night is 200 per person - Applicable for new booking from 01.05.2010 onwards - First and last night of stay must fall within the above periods.

- This promotion can not apply to extra bed.

- This promotion cannot be combined with Special Rate or any other promotions For more information contact: Haad Son Resort 85 Moo. 8, Koh Phangan, Suratthani 84280, Thailand, Tel: +66(0)77-349103-4, Fax: +66(0)77-349104, E-mail: haadson@hotmail.com www.haadson.net www.haadson.info

Bonus Night

at

See Through on Haad Yao Haad Yao beach is one of very few on the Island which has remained undeveloped and it presents a perfect picture of an idyllic desert island cove.

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aad Yao See Through resort is a brand new hotel located in the north-west of the island, in Haad Yao. The area of Haad Yao is also called long beach for its one kilometre beach. Many people consider it to be the "perfect" beach of Koh Phangan. Its rich tropical gardens and beautiful natural surroundings creates a special private paradise atmosphere. In the resort the sand is white, the sea is blue and that makes it the perfect spot to dive or snorkel. The landscape is unique and irresistible.

Haad Yao See Through resort is the perfect place to relax and enjoy your vacation. See Through resort prides itself on its great service and friendly family atmosphere. The hotel has 30 rooms just by the sea.

Almost all the rooms have sea views and the swimming pool.

The rooms are modern and well equipped and the resort has it own private beach where you can spend easily all your vacation.

The hotels restaurant and bar are just on the beach; from there you can enjoy splendid sunsets.

The restaurant serves western and Thai food from the morning to the evening.

At your disposition there is a pool table and a video projector for movie evenings.

The bar is on the beach and it is a perfect place to enjoy the sun with a drink and have a swim on the sea. Our professional bar team will be happy to make you a special cocktail.

Special Promotion:

Bonus Night Valid: 01.05.2010 - 30.06.2010

-

Stay 03 nights pay 02 nights Compulsory breakfast during free night is 200 per person Applicable for new booking from 01.05.2010 onwards First and last night of stay must fall within the above periods.

This promotion can not apply to extra bed.

This promotion cannot be combined with Special Rate or any other promotions

For more information please contact: See Through Boutique Resort 85/6 Haad Yao, Koh Phangan, Suratthani 84280, Thailand Tel: +66(0)77-349315, 083-0707317 Fax: +66(0)77-349316, Email: haadyaoseethrough@gmail.com www.haadyao.net 4 ScandAsia.Th â&#x20AC;˘ April 2010

Five Scandinavians Friday night entertained around 100 Thais at Mingles Pub and Restaurant at the Atrium Hotel.

By Niels C. Jensen Photos Disraporn Yatprom he band was the SwedishDanish-Norwegian JazzKamikaze, which plays their own fusion of jazz and rock. This month they are doing their tour in Asia.

Friday night was a special concert for HitmanJazz business partners and friends. Most of them Thais but also a few foreigners enjoyed JazzKamikaze’s music this night. Kamikaze is Japanese and means something like storm, which very well suits the Scandinavian band, which have to be experienced live. Jazz is usually sit down and relax music but the JazzKamikaze concert was more in

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Hard Rocking Jazz stand up rock manners. The stage was filled with an amount of energy never seen at jazz concerts before.

Their repertoire included a song for Myanmar, which two of the band members visited a couple of years ago, the song was called Land of Gold. While playing a more jazzy song the band promised the next one will be more rocky, still the first song was doing it quite good as a track of rock.

The five young guys where all dressed in black t-shirts and vests and very much into their music performance. Using their bodies as well as their voices to tell their story and reach the audience. The big applauses and the many young women screaming were a clear indicator that the audience was satisfied.

The concert went on without any pauses for the band. One time the Danish version of “one-two-threefour” said like “en-to-tre-fire” was shouted out by the Danish vocalist.

Before the concert ended so many young women was screaming and cheering it was more like Rolling Stones was in the house than a jazz band. And standing was no more a possibility but an obligation, when the saxophone and clarinet was played at once by one man and the audience was singing along: “The music is heaven.”

April 2010 • ScandAsia.Th 5

Cafe Europe in Bangkok Saturday Denmark came to Bangkok.

When the new Cafe Europe at Sukhumvit Soi 20 held Grand Opening. he hostess had lost her voice, but the Danish specialities, soft jazz music and cold beers was more than enough to make it “Hyggeligt” aka a good time for everyone.

Before Anita Lauritsen worked in her husband Kenn Lauritsen's company selling plumbing and heating products.

But all the computer work became a bit too boring for Anita, and then suddenly there was the opportunity for her to start her own Café.

“I always wished to start my own and here was the chance, and I took it,” whispers Anita, who had also her voice temporarily due to a too cold air-conditioner.

Cold beer, drinks, water and samples of Danish and Thai foods were all free this Saturday afternoon at the Cafe Europe. It was a clear success, some of the best-sellers included samples of Danish open sandwich with meatballs and others with liver pâté and bacon.

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In Denmark know as smørrebrød med frikadeller and leverpostej og bacon. But the tasty spring rolls were also quite popular.

Anita and Kenn Lauritsen and their eight-year old daughter Cassandra have lived in Bangkok for almost three years.

This is also easily recognized this day were the Danish greeting “Go'dav” is heard more than “Hello” or “Sawasdeekaap”. The guests this day is friends of Anita and Kenn and and most of them resident Danes in Bangkok, and almost everyone is on first name with everyone.

When the talk of this, that and the other is going on at Café Europe, Mark Hodgkings are playing his saxophone at soft and pleasant tones.

Meanwhile Anita and the Thai waitresses serves more cold drinks and snacks to the guests.

Come at visit Anita and her Café, it is further down Sukhumvit Soi 20 than you have ever been, but then you will also meet a bit Denmark, that you did not believe was in Bangkok.

“I always wished to start my own and here was the chance, and I took it,” says Anita.

6 ScandAsia.Th • April 2010

April 2010 • ScandAsia.Th 7

Richelieu as Entrepreneur How was it possible for Richelieu to accumulate such wealth during his years in Siam?

On a general level the answers can be named: Commissions, ‘Corruption’ and Concessions.

hen the Admiral left Siam in 1902 it was onboard the Royal Yacht ‘Maha Chakri’ bound for Singapore, from where he would sail to Europe with one of the regular shipping lines. The direct EAC route Bangkok, Europe, Copenhagen had not yet been established. King Chulalongkorn and many members of the Royal family accompanied him to Singapore as a sign of friendship.

We can also suppose that Richelieu, as he so very often did, also served as the captain of the ship.

He had been the Royal Yacht captain for many years and sailed extensively with the King, especially during the seasons of inspection.

On arriving in Denmark with his wife and children, Richelieu first rented, then bought Kokkedal Castle in North Zealand. From other sources we learn that his personal annual income was higher than the ten leading financiers in the country — combined, and they were definitely not poor people. He was one of the richest men in Denmark.

How was it possible for him to accumulate such wealth during his years in Siam?

On a general level the answers can be named: Commissions, ‘Corruption’ and Concessions.

On a more personal level: Hard work, loyalty, political flair and language skills. Richelieu taught himself Siamese during his first command in the navy; he furthermore learned the elaborate language spoken at court. He was a visionary and saw the options and opportunities during this ‘Nation-building’ period in Siam.

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The Oriental Provision Store With a partner H.N. Andersen he founded a business in Bangkok in 1884, Andersen & Co. (later EAC). The company owned The Oriental Hotel and soon thereafter established the ‘Oriental Provision Store’. In 1878 Richelieu was appointed Captain of the Royal Yacht ‘Vesatri’, and in 1887 made Superintendent of The Marine Forces. In this capacity he was the purchaser of all goods and commodities for the forces and also for the Royal Yacht. It seems that Oriental Provi8 ScandAsia.Th • April 2010

sion Store became the main provider of all goods and commodities for the forces and also for the Royal Yacht. They were punctual with deliverances, which was especially important regarding supplies for the new yacht of 2,500 tons, ‘Maha Chakri’ delivered in 1892. The ship was sailed to Siam from Scotland by H.N. Andersen and Captain Guldberg; Andersen did not have a Certificate for International navigation.

Mister 5 percent In the book ‘Admiralen, Kongen & Kaptajnen,’ A. Eggers-Lura (1998), former Manager of EAC, discusses the belief that Richelieu, with a probability amounting to certainty, drew a personal commission of around 5% on top of the deliveries to the Marine Forces and Court from Andersen & Co., even though it is known that Richelieu always sought acceptance of delivery agreements from his supervisor Prince Chao Sais. For reasons understood there doesn’t exist any written ref-

erences, e.g. in memoirs, to these deals. Nevertheless, the money involved must have been enormous, taking alone the lavish lifestyle of the Court, and his responsibilities while onboard the Royal Yacht, into consideration.

Introducing the Western moral concept of Corruption into this ‘Nation-building’ period in Siam would be meaningless. Clear and transparent transactions are most desirable in modern societies. Instead, the concept of ‘One good turn deserves another’ reigned in Siam, and to some extent still does. The system was built on family relations, both Chinese and Siamese, discretion and trust.

To give an example of things as they then were and the way things were done, it can be mentioned that king Chulalongkorn in 1891 sent Richelieu as his envoy on a private diplomatic mission to France, Denmark and, most importantly, to Russia. The Siamese group was headed by the King’s brother Prince Damrong. During Richelieu’s

Richelieu founded with his partner H.N. Andersen a business in Bangkok in 1884, Andersen & Co. (later EAC). The company owned The Oriental Hotel and soon thereafter established the ‘Oriental Provision Store’ - which became main provider of provisions for the navy under Richelieu’s command.

Richelieu’s first concession was to build and run a private 21 kilometer railway between Paknam (Samut Prakan Province) at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River and Bangkok.

The most important concession was the Siam Electricity Company Ltd. It is due entirely to Richelieu’s determination, networking and business flair that this company succeeded. In 1912, the majority of the stocks were sold to Belgian interests.

Below left: Richelieu bought Kokkedal Castle when he returned from Siam, effectively one of the richest men in Denmark.

that it takes at least 50 years for a teak tree to mature.

Paknam railway

absence, H.N. Andersen was appointed acting Superintendent of the Marine forces. Now he was the purchaser and the provider. Practical it may have been, but even then maybe a trifle unorthodox. However, there was no law regulating such matters, and the absolute Monarch King Chulalongkorn was in the know concerning what happened in the foreign companies. Bangkok was not a big place in those days.

Concessions paid the bills The Concessions were the deep wells of wealth from which the King could draw the money needed for the modernization of Siam, as well as to cover the costs of his travels and private building enterprises, such as, for example, the Summer Palaces in Bang-Pa-In. You can say that the King sold the teak forests of the country to raise capital for modernization. Foreign companies, including EAC, paid highly for concession plots of forest land where they could log the trees in millions.

No thought seems to have been given to the fact

Richelieu also acquired concessions, but all within the field of urban development. The first was a company concession to build and run a private 21 kilometer railway between Paknam (Samut Prakan Province) at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River and Bangkok. At a certain stage, the project became short of funds, but the King invested around 172,000 Baht and became a shareholder.

The line was strategically important, as shown by the ‘Paknam Incident’ in 1893. It was inaugurated in July 1891 and was soon a success. Richelieu headed the company, which continued to run all the years up to 1959. After World War II it became a tramline.

The second was the first electric tramline opened 1894 under Danish ownership; Richelieu was the leading figure in the company. W. Fleuron Jacobsen was hired as manager and proved to be a very competent daily leader. The line ran 7, later 18 kilometers, from The Royal Palace to the harbor around Klong Toey. It was inaugurated by the king. Richelieu must really have had a partiality for rails, because when he got back to Denmark he started and controlled a private railway line between Copenhagen and Slangerup in North Zealand.

Siam Electricity Company The most important concession was the Siam Electricity Company Ltd., obtained in the year 1898-99. The company had the sole rights to deliver electricity to the capital, with at that time around 400,000 inhabitants. The concession was given for 50 years. SEC was founded by a consortium with G. M. Glueckstadt, Landmandsbanken (Farmers Bank), in Copenhagen as chairman, Richelieu as managing director and engineer Aage Westenholz as manager. The company was extremely profitable. Setting up of an electricity company in Bangkok had been tried earlier, but the attempts had failed. It is due entirely to Richelieu’s determination, networking and busi-

ness flair that he was the one who succeeded.

In 1912, the majority of the stocks were sold to Belgian interests. We do not know exactly how many shares Richelieu himself possessed.

It has not been possible to estimate the turnover and profits of these concessions, but a quite frank advertisement in a leading Danish daily from August 7th 1907 (this from Eggers-Lura (1998)) throws some light on the matter. Siam Electricity Company advertised an opening for a traffic manager to be stationed in Bangkok. In the text is mentioned that the tram line and the electricity plant combined generated a profit of 1,200,000 Danish Crowns—a gold mine in 1907.

Big business in Denmark After returning to Denmark, the Admiral engaged himself in many sorts of business at a high level; he was, of course, a member of the board of Directors EAC, Chairman of the board of directors Landmandsbanken, Chairman of B&W shipyard, DFDS shipping, etc.

Defeat came late to Andreas du Plessis de Richelieu, but when it came the blow hit hard and darkened the last 10 years of this proud man’s life. He died in 1932 at the age of 80 years.

Landmandsbanken collapsed in 1922, and in 1923 Richelieu was convicted of gross negligence and fined 4,000 Danish crowns by the Supreme Court.

Through all the years Richelieu maintained friendships with the Siamese. King Chulalongkorn visited him while in Denmark and his close friend Prince Damrong paid his last visit in 1930.

Andreas Richelieu always stayed in the realm of big business, unlike some of his contemporaries such as, for example, the Carlsberg brewer Carl Jacobsen, who founded both an art museum and foundations for art and culture. Maybe that’s why the Admiral is not anchored in the public mind and remains a strange bird in the aviary.

April 2010 • ScandAsia.Th 9

Future of SSS in the Hands of Scandinavian Society Siam recently celebrated its 90th anniversary, but the organization is struggling and whether it will live to be a hundred is entirely up to the members, says Chairman Eid Alexandersen.

By Katrine Bach Sigvardt

s the oldest organization for Scandinavians in Thailand, Scandinavian Society Siam (SSS) has been a central meeting point for Scandinavians for almost a century. It has given its members a chance to meet and get to know other expats as well as exchange information on life in Thailand.

For decades, being a member has been considered a privilege, and the SSS has been a strong and powerful organization. It has played an important part in people’s lives, but recently it has lost its influence.

The older generation of expats in Thailand still considers the organization a legend. However, it seems that this opinion is becoming less and less dominant and the interest for Scandinavian Society Siam is dropping.

Previously, the SSS was the only way for members to meet and interact, and the eagerness to spend time with other Scandinavians was evident.

Now, however, the board can hardly get anyone to sign up for the planned events.

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Great 90 Year Anniversary In January, the SSS celebrated its 90th anniversary at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Bangkok. Eid Alexandersen and her board had put a lot of time and effort into organizing the party.

Their disappointment was enormous when they realized, three weeks before the event, that only 37 people had signed up.

“We changed a few things and by the day of the party, 170 welldressed Scandinavians showed up.

Thankfully!,” she says.

The party, which had a 1920’s theme, was a big success. The guests had a great time, and to Eid Alexandersen, it was the highlight of her chairmanship.

10 ScandAsia.Th • April 2010

“That’s when I felt that all of our hard work had been worth it,” she says.

But because it is so difficult to get people to respond to the different events, morale among the board members is dropping. The lack of commitment from the rest of the society has a discouraging effect on the board who feels that it is not worth the effort to spend both time and energy on planning events that no one is really interested in.

Internet society The changes that have occurred in society over the past 20 years have also affected the role of the SSS. When it was established, it was meant as an easy way for people with similar backgrounds to meet and interact. The introduction of the internet and the constant development of new technology have made it even easier for people to create as well as maintain networks no matter where in the world they are.

The people for whom the SSS is still an important part of their lives belong to the older generation, and Eid Alexandersen thinks that the effect of the technical development is more prominent among the younger expats.

The chairman welcomes modern life and the changes that technology has brought with it, but at the same time she thinks society is taking an unfortunate turn.

She explains: “The internet is something that many people can’t live without. On the other hand, people can live without society. They don’t really feel that they need to be tied together with their own people anymore, but if they do, they can do it from their home.”

People have so many choices.

They are able to interact on several different platforms and Eid Alexandersen thinks that is one of the reasons the SSS is losing ground.

She adds that the sad thing is that people do not speak to each

Its Members “They need to want to put all their time and effort into it willingly.

‘Willingly’,” she says, ”that’s the key word.”

Keep it alive

Board Members of the SSS blowing candles on the Birthday cake at the 90 year anniversary gala dinner.

other anymore, and the result of that will be destruction of the community and the act of being together. The SSS provides a forum for physical interaction, and she hopes that there will still be room for that in the future.

Wholehearted commitment The fact that many of the board members never had a real wish to join the committee does not help the situation either.

Setting up SSS events and parties is very time consuming. Therefore, it is essential that the people involved in the organization are committed to the work and the task at hand.

Most of the board members never had a plan to join the committee. People were forced to join the board. When they attended the meetings, they were lured into joining even though they did not have the intention of becoming active board members.

According to Eid Alexandersen that is the reason the organization is falling apart.

The chairman really hopes that the SSS will live to see its 100th anniversary. As chairman of the organization, she has put a lot of time, work, and energy into the organization and she hopes it will not be wasted.

More than that, though, she really believes in what the SSS stands for. To her, the organization is a legend with a good story and a great cause, and it is important to preserve that.

For the SSS to live on, she hopes that the members will realize they need to give something back to the society.

“I wish and hope that some of the Scandinavians here will give their time to save this organization,” she says.

“That’s what this is all about; giving and taking. The members want to take. They want the opportunity to come to the functions and the parties but they really have to give back if they want this to continue. If they start giving, the SSS could continue for another ten years – maybe longer. If they don’t want to give, it has to die, and that’s hard.”

SSS 90th Annual General Meeting Wednesday 28 April 2010 Time: 18:00 to 00:00 Venue: The Rembrandt Hotel, Rembrandt III (2nd floor), 19 Sukhumvit Soi 18 Bangkok.

Reception starts at 6:00pm with drinks and Biksemad!

AGM starts at 7:30pm.

Agenda according to the ByLaws

Swedish Duo Rolling to The Swedish couple Jim Petersson and Maria Larsson is doing the trip of a lifetime. Jim on a skateboard and Maria on In-liners. As the very first in world they do the journey from Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand to Singapore – skating all the way. A journey of about 2500 kilometres.

By Niels C. Jensen

fter one week of relaxing at Koh Chang the Swedish couple Jim Petersson and Maria Larsson are ready to roll again. Wednesday morning they left Samut Songkhram.

They started out in Chiang Mai the 16th January and until now they have been skating 12 days but there still is a long way to go. But they do not have any rush and are planning to stay some days in Hua Hin and later on in Phuket.

“We sk ae 3-4 days and then rest for next 2-3 days. And we skate about 60 kilometres per day, which we are doing in like 5-6 hours,” Maria and Jim tells.

Jim and Maria have been together for one year and in Sweden they still live separately. Maria in Skåne and Jim in Blekinge. But in this trip they are together 24-7 which is: ”So far – so good,” replies Jim when I ask how it has been to travel together as a couple.

A

On the roads of Thailand Maria and tells that the road condi-

12 ScandAsia.Th • April 2010

tions in Thailand have so far been very good: “The highways have a lane only for motorcycles, bicycles and skaters. It feels very safe,” says Maria.

On the road the young Swedes often meet local people who want to talk to them. But since they do not speak Thai and the locals often do not speak English they most of the time use simple body language.

Why not backpacking?

The big question to be asked is why the couple wants to skate through Southeast Asia and not “just” backpack. And Maria quickly replies: “We really like to challenge us self and we wanted to be the first in the world to do something special,” and Jim continues “I am the first to skate at a longboard all the way from Thailand to Singapore and Maria is the first woman to rollerskate the journey.

They also like to meet new people and that is also one of the reasons that they did not book anything from home: “We have no bookings we just

skate until we find a place to stay,” Maria says and continues: “When you skate you see a lot of places and meet and lot of people. While the bus just passes by.”

Thai hospitality and spicy food The decision about where to go was easy as Jim and Maria both had been to Thailand before and they both loved the food and the people

Singapore “But first we need to go shopping in big scale, the shopping should be fantastic there I have heard,” says Maria with a big smile.

More than vacation

and wanted to go back. Then Malaysia came into the route as they the final destination should be Singapore. The plan is to roll into Singapore in the beginning of June.

In Singapore they are going to visit some of Jims family who lives there and then finally fly back to Bangkok to get a flight back to Sweden:

The trip is not only a big experience for Jim Petterson and Maria Larsson, they are also raising money for The Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation.

From when they started planning the trip they thought about the the publicity their journey could get and decided that it should be in benefit of a good cause. The goal is to raise 50.000 SEK. In the official homepage of Jim and Maria's trip you can help them achieve their goal and donate money directly to the The Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation.

Make your donation here (Swedish) and for all non-Swedish: Information in English.

BEST TIME

WORST TIME

The best part so far has been a visit to Tiger Kingdom in Chiang Mai: “It was a very nice place, also for the animals. Not just concrete cellars but like a natural environment, that was very nice to see,” says Maria

The worst experience was when Jim had an skating accident: “We were skating downhill and I realised to late how steep it was, I could not brake and had to jump off the skateboard and hurt my right foot quite bad. And it is still not completely well,” tells Jim.

February 2010 • ScandAsia.Th 13

Foundation for the Future For Danish international students in Bangkok, an International Baccalaureate education from KIS will provide benefits throughout life, particularly in our increasingly borderless world.

KIS International School, 999/124 Kesinee Ville, Pracha-Utit Road, Huay-Kwang, Bangkok 10320, Thailand T: +66 (0) 2274-3444 F: +66 (0) 2274-3452 www.kis.ac.th

14 ScandAsia.Th • April 2010

KIS

International School is one of only three international schools in Bangkok authorized to offer all three International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes – providing a cohesive education for children aged 3 to 18 years old.

Many international families in Bangkok struggle when choosing a school for their children, mainly due to lack of knowledge about the curricula offered and the value and relevance of each for their children’s futures.

At KIS, we have chosen the IB curriculum as the sole education programme for a wide number of reasons, not least the value of offering an accessible and relevant education for students, regardless of home country or mother tongue. KIS’ ethos and the structure of the IB means students from almost 40 countries benefit from the international perspective and transferability of the curriculum at KIS. For Danish and other European families, the long term advantages of having their children study UK or US curricula, dictated by the Governments and economics of these countries, can be questionable. The IB, with its holistic approach and globally aware characteristics, is increasingly becoming the curriculum of choice for many international families.

Combination of the best Danish parents wanting to educate their children with an international perspective, without denying their home culture, can gain advantages from many of the characteristics of the IB

programmes. At each stage in the children’s learning, starting right from the Primary Years Programme, children are taught to understand and respect different cultures, including their own, and to embrace both similarities and differences.

Mother tongue learning is also an important focus of all IB Programmes. This emphasis becomes particularly relevant in the later stages of a student’s education because of university choices and admission requirements.

Recognized all over The IB Diploma is recognized and welcomed as an entrance qualification for all higher education institutions in the Nordic countries – provided the applicant has passed their mother tongue in their IB examination or is able to pass a required language test in the country in question. KIS secondary students whose mother tongue is neither Thai nor English may decide to study their mother tongue as their second language as an independent study unit.

This option allows students to continue their mother tongue studies to an advanced secondary level all the way to the IB Di-

ploma.

KIS assists parents in setting up additional mother tongue language programmes upon request which can be done at primary and secondary levels through after school classes, personal tutorials and small group tuition during school time.

For international students in Bangkok, the benefits of having an IB education are numerous.

Not only does it give admission to universities all over the world, its strong emphasis on international understanding, responsible citizenship and critical thinking provides skills for life that will assist students in both the workplace and their personal relationships.

University counsellor available For families who are settled in Bangkok for the long term but want their children to attend university in Denmark, the IB is by far the most transferable curriculum. Additional assistance is provided by KIS’ full time university counsellor, who is responsible for contacting universities around the world and helps students prepare for admission requirements and applications.

Families who wish to arrange a campus visit can contact the Admissions Dept on +66 (0) 2 274 3444 ext. 4118 or email aine@kis.ac.th.

Two old-school nerd guys, Erland Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe, from Norway was truly loved by the crowd in Bangkok who screamed and applauded at every opportunity when the Kings of Convenience performed in Bangkok.

By Niels C. Jensen

1000 People Bewitched From Track One ings of Convenience did not need the big set up.

The two guys were just there with their guitar and piano and the audience was complete bewitched.

The Norwegians even got away with their special Norwegian humour. Some girls in front of the scene had for example made a banner showing the letters “ooooohh” which could become very useful if the musicians should forget their lyrics, Eirik Glambek Bøe claimed. Eirik Glambek Bøe did also entertain with his many gestures and some kind of dance, which is not easily described by words.

The crowd was mainly smiling youngsters between 20-35 years, dressed in t-shirt and jeans, in all the concert had a very nice and chilled or should we say convenient atmosphere.

“The music makes you smile and feels like driving on a long road with the windows open,” as described by a girl in the audience.

K

The words from the crowd The self-promoted Kings stepped into the heart of more than 1000 people. Some of them was Thai Manopan Leepaibool and his friends, who were at the concert to listen to the nice music and afterwards they go to a party. It was Manopan Leepaibool who introduced his friends to the Norwegian Kings: “I read about Kings of Convenience in a Art and Design magazine four months ago and I have listened to their music since,” he says.

16 ScandAsia.Th • April 2010

He explains why he prefers international music to Thai music.

“I am a big fan of folk-pop music and Thai music is often just a copy of international music. So I prefer international music,” says Manopan Leepaibool, who works as creative designer.

Scandinavia was also represented at the floor in the Studio 1 at the Moonstar Studio, Lad Prao 80.

Swedish Stefan Bengtson and his girlfriend were lucky to find a ticket to the Concert on Facebook: “We really wanted to go but it was sold out so very fast, but then we were lucky to find a ticket on facebook,” says Stefan Bengtson, 31, who has seen Kings of Convenience live one time before in Germany.

The Swedish couple has lived in Thailand for one and half year. Stefan is writing on his Ph.D. about Education in Vietnam and his girlfriend is working for the UN.

The music makes you smile and feels like driving on a long road with the windows open.

Southeast Asia Tour It is the very first time Kings of Convenience is performing in Thailand, but this in the next month they have jobs all over Southeast Asia. Originally the plan was not to go Thailand – but at the end of the concert the Norwegian Kings promised that they will come back to Bangkok in future.

This time Bangkok was not only performing at Moonstar Studio, for the Erland Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe, they had also been out in the streets to see for themselves what was going on in Bangkok and the moment: “It is really hard to understand who is the good guys and who is the bad guys is all this, and then we wrote this song,” said Erland Øye.

The song is called “Rule my world” and you can hear it at MySpace. http://www.myspace.com/ kingsofconvenience

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