ScandAsia Thailand April 2013

APR 2013

Theme: International Schools

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Opinion

Safe travel with the spirits, travel insurance or yourself

W Your FREE ScandAsia Magazine in Thailand ScandAsia is the only magazine that covers all the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish residents in Thailand.

We also publish a ScandAsia magazine in China, Singapore and the rest of South East Asia.

Please sign up for your own FREE copy: www.scandasia.com Publisher : 211 Soi Prasert Manukitch 29 Prasert Manukitch Road Chorakae Bua, Lad Prao Bangkok 10230, Thailand Tel. +66 2 943 7166-8, Fax: +66 2 943 7169 E-mail: news@scandasia.com Editor-in-Chief : Gregers A.W. Møller gregers@scandmedia.com Assistant Editor: Wachiraporn Janrut wachiraporn@scandmedia.com Advertising : Finn Balslev finn@scandmedia.com Piyanan Kalikanon piyanan@scandmedia.com Nattapat Maesang nattapat@scandmedia.com

e live in this bustling and charming city of Bangkok with sky trains, subways, skyscrapers, modern technology, fashion and sophisticated business people …… but still the supernatural has an integral part of the daily life where magic is respected and considered very powerful. Most buildings have Spirit houses or altars where the offerings of food and garlands are made to appease the spirits inhabiting the land. Local businessmen could not dream of opening a new office without a blessing ceremony. Magic may reveal the winning lottery number in a sacred stone, magic can make people invulnerable to bullets and knives can capture souls and a car blessed by monks or a garland of jasmine flowers can protect and secure a safe travel and prevent accidents and mechanical breakdowns.

But do we as foreigners believe in this? If not, then what do we believe will ensure us a safe trip?

Thailand is ranked among the top ten countries in the world in terms of road crashes with more than 1,000 fatalities per month and over 80,000 injuries per year. Seat belts and helmets are worn only to please the police and avoid penalty and the terms as insurance and safety are still far from being understood and implemented.

Despite the financial crisis, the number of tourists visiting the Kingdom of Thailand reached last year over 22 million, and statistics shows, that many of those are entering without a travel insurance with their faith in the hands of the spirits (whom they most likely don’t even know how to please).

Holiday is seeing and doing something different than what we do in our daily life. Travelers are fond of the easy going and free Thailand with the “sabai sabai lifestyle”, where you are free to dress as you like, behave as you really are, eat, drink and sleep when, what and with whom you feel for. You can stand up at the back of a pickup car while its moving, riding three or four persons on a single small motorbike and I find myself tempted from time to time to jump on a motorbike taxi to get through the traffic when I’m lost or time is short. All is possible in this country where law enforcement is ranked 3 on a scale with 10 as maximum and should you be caught crossing the line, you just pay a minimal fee.

The choice is all ours and we are free to choose to be ignorant, believe in karma, wear amulets and to travel with or without an insurance.

All kinds of people are traveling, young as well as elderly and the world has become smaller, but when an accident happens we are suddenly very far from home and unfortunately some tourists end with an illness, injury or accident, some of those without an insurance to assist and pay their bills.

Statistics from the UK travel association shows that the proportion of people failing to take out any sort of travel insurance for their holiday increased to 24 percent in 2012. One in 10 over 55 years of age admit that they do not always take out a travel insurance before going on holiday but the group most likely to travel uninsured is younger male travelers aged between 15-24 years.

Nationalities applying for a Schengen visa are requested to show proof of a travel insurance. If Thailand or the Asean countries would implement similar requirement to obtain the visa upon arrival, a lot of troubles could be avoided, the Bangkok group of hospitals surely would be very pleased, the embassies less burdened, people in my profession would get more business with even longer working hours, unfortunate patients less devastated and the spirits would have less people relying only on their protection.

How do you travel safe?

Graphic Designer : Supphathada Numamnuay supphathada@scandmedia.com Distribution : Wanvisa Rattanaburi wanvisa@scandmedia.com Printing : Lake & Foundtain Printing Co., Ltd.

Daily news and features here: www.scandasia.com Front cover image courtesy of Tono Balaguer / 123RF Stock Photo

Susanne Morch moved to Bangkok in 1992.

Through her marriage to a Thai, she soon became well integrated in the Thai society where she also speaks Thai and reads Thai. Susanne has two sons who spent their childhood in Thailand. Both of them now live and study in Denmark. In 2002, Susanne founded Asian Assistance (Thailand) – a 24/7 alarm centre, providing emergency medical assistance in South East Asia to foreign insurance and other assistance companies.

Coming Events Tim Heterington: Infidel Photography & Video Exhibition Date: 4 April – 2 June 2013 Location: WTF Café & Gallery WTF Gallery on Sukhumvit 51 announces Tim Hetherington: Infidel, a photography and video exhibition by Tim Hetherington (1970-2011). The exhibition will include photographs taken in Afghanistan and published in the book “Infidel” (2007-208) and two films “Sleeping Soldiers” and “Diary”.

The British-American photojournalist and Oscar nominated film-maker Tim Hetherington was tragically killed in a mortar attack on the front lines of Misrata while covering the civil war in Libya in April 2011.

Hetherington and Christopher Wise (WTF Gallery curator/creative director) had planned to exhibit images from his book “Infidel” at WTF Gallery in November 2011 as an installation of the best images and themes from the book pasted directly to the gallery walls, in the same way US soldiers in Afghanistan plastered the walls of their outpost with images of wives and friends, or favorite pages from gun, girly and car magazines.

A documentary film tribute to Tim Hetherington, directed by his friend Sebastian Junger, “Which Way is The Front Line From Here? The Life and Time of Tim Hetherington” will be screened at Foreign Correspondents Club Thailand (FCCT) on 2 May 2013 at 8.00 p.m.

For more information, visit www.wtfbangkok.com

DanCham Easter Lunch 2013 Date: 5 April 2013, 12.00 p.m. – 5.00 p.m.

Location: The Admiral’s Pub and Restaurant at Hotel Mermaid Once again, it’s time for Easter celebration!

DanCham is inviting you to celebrate Easter on Friday 5 April at the Admiral’s Pub. Prices are THB 1,600 for DanCham members and spouse of corporate members, and THB 1,900 for non-members NYP/Alumni. The prices include traditional Danish Easter Lunch Buffet, snaps, beer and soft drinks. Registration starts at 12.00 p.m. and lunch will start at 12.30 p.m. Booking is binding, no show will be invoiced.

If you are interested in sponsoring lucky draw prizes, contact DanCham at contact@dancham.or.th

Joint Chambers Songkran Networking Date: 11 April 2013, 8.00 p.m. – 11.00 p.m.

Location: Q Bar Bangkok’s new Le Derriere French Bar For anyone planning to enjoy Songkran holiday in Bangkok, head to Joint Chamber Networking at Q Bar’s new Le Derriere French Bar for a fun night out on Thursday 11 April. Sponsored by Q Bar Bangkok, guests can enjoy Vodka drinks and Bloody Caesars at THB 100 per drink (while supply lasts). Complimentary finger food

by Q Bar will also be available.

Le Derriere French Bar offers great ambience and relaxing environment to meet up with friends and work associates.

Please confirm your attendance with Thai Swedish Chamber of Commerce. Entrance fee is THB 100 per person.

Scandinavian Society Siam – AGM Date: 23 April 2013, 6.30 p.m. – 11.30 p.m.

Location: The Admiral’s Pub and Restaurant at Hotel Mermaid Scandinavian Society Siam will hold its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 23 April at the Admiral’s Pub & Restaurant at Hotel Mermaid on Sukhumvit Soi 29. Before the AGM, the official opening of the library of the Scandinavian Society Siam will be celebrated at 6.00 p.m. on the top of the building, where the Hotel Mermaid has offered its Board Room to double as a library.

Norway – Asia Business Summit 2013 Date: 26 – 27 April 2013 Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Organised by Indonesia Norway Business Council (INBC) in collaboration with the Royal Norwegian Embassy and Innovation Norway, Norway – Asia Business Summit 2013 will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia on 26-27 April 2013. The summit will offer a platform for representatives from the Norwegian business communities in Asia and Norway to connect with each other, as well as to share and accumulate experience during the meetings and networking events.

The topics to be discussed at the summit include: Changing Asia – Protectionism, New opportunities and changing trade patterns; Are Norwegian companies competitive in Asia?; Responsible business practices; Norway Inc – Where are we today and what’s our strategy?

For more details on speakers, venue and registration, contact the INBC Secretariat, attention of Ms. Bente Toxopeus-Ekdahi at nabs@inbc.web.id 4 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

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Past Events

DanCham Annual General Meeting 2013

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n 5 March, the Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce held its annual general meeting at the residence of the Danish Ambassador.

There was a large attendance with more than 60 at the general meeting and 41 companies were represented, while 45 attended the following dinner.

At the general meeting, a budget deficit problem was discuss.

“It’s true that the budget was not kept. We have had a lack of income, which is mainly because we had expected to sign more cooperate members,” says re-elected President of DanCham, Peter Emil Romhild.

He expects the goals in the budget to be made this year. Especially the new corporate sponsor packages are looking good so far. Pandora has signed up as a Platinum Plus sponsor, while ECCO and Jyske Bank are Platinum Sponsors.

“The whole idea of DanCham is not to cut back in some areas to create profit. The important thing is that we are an active business chamber with events and media, and that I most certainly think we have been for the past year,” Peter Emil Romhild adds.

At the general meeting, Mr. Thomas Nyborg, Event Committee, pointed out that DanCham had been involved in more than 35 events, which exceeded the goal for 2012 of 25 events.

Peter Emil Romhild has now been President for DanCham for five years, but has no comment when asked if he will run again next year, but says that he feels he can be satisfied with the way DanCham is running now.

While President Peter Emil Romhild, took another year, the long-time Treasurer, Soeren Presman, did not wish to run for re-election because of a busy schedule with his own company. Presmann was replaced by former Events Chairman, Mai Ellegaard.

New members of the board were Henrik Jensen, who is CEO for Maersk Line’s organization in Thailand, and Mogens Hansen, Managing Director at Royal Copenhagen (Thailand), while Santhapat Periera was on re-election.

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Past Events

The admiral names the boat “Viking”

By Wachiraporn Janrut

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n Saturday 23 February 2013, Hotel Mermaid Bangkok held the name giving ceremony for the boat at its Admiral’s pub at 5-7 p.m. Many regulars and guests turned up to support the admiral, Mr. Jorgen Lundbaek, while enjoying the pub’s happy hours promotion.

At about 6.30 p.m., the admiral rang the bell for free round of drinks for every guest. The boat’s christening ceremony took place shortly after when the admiral’s wife, Uvai Boonmalert or Khun Tip, held the champagne bottle against the hull of the boat (in this case it’s the bar at the pub). “I name the boat Viking,” the admiral announced.

Khun Tip and the admiral then opened a red cloth at the boat’s hull to unveil the word “VIKING” which was inscribed beautifully on the bar.

The champagne bottle was, in fact, opened and served to participating guests at the event.

The admiral told ScandAsia later that he brought many authentic nautical pieces including the boat’s bell from a shipyard in Bangladesh.

When he found the bell with the name “Viking”, he knew that it would be the name of his boat.

To complete the launch properly, long-term maritime businessman Jan Egil Amundsen from Det Norske Veritas played his part by singing and giving a stamp on the International Low Line Certificate for the admiral there.

After the ceremony, many guests moved up to enjoy BBQ dinner at the boat deck.

Located on Sukhumvit soi 29, the Admiral’s Pub is the Center piece of the Food & Beverage facilities of the Hotel Mermaid Bangkok. Designed and decorated in maritime style, it is one of the most unique Pubs in Bangkok. The pub is decorated with authentic nautical pieces such as a steering wheel, a telegraph, and solid brass portholes.

Danish Embassy participates in the Cancer Care Charity For Run

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n Saturday, Feb 23, Danish Ambassador to Thailand Mikael Hemniti Winther led an energetic team of 10 staff from the Danish Embassy in the annual Cancer Care Charity Fun Run in Lumpini Park, Bangkok.

Thai Red Cross Society hosted the event in association with the Four Seasons Hotel. Proceeds from the run will support the research projects currently conducted by the ‘Hematological Cancer Research Centre’ at Chulalongkorn Hospital.

According to the embassy website, the team had an enjoyable day at the run which was also a great opportunity for socializing with colleagues.

8 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

Danish Ambassador (back row, first on the left) and the staff from the embassy.

Past Events

DanCham networking by the river

T

he second DanCham networking of this year took place at the Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok on the Chao Praya River. This five-star hotel is the winner of Trip Advisors 2012 Travelers’ Choice Award for Best Hotel in Bangkok.

The impressive buffet included various delicious surprises. The evening ended with a lucky draw giving away hotel accommodation vouchers to lucky winners.

Among many familiar and new faces were representatives from DSV, Allied Pickfords, GDF Suez Energy Asia etc.

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Past Events

Alpine Saleforce celebrated Grand Opening

By Gregers Moller

D

anish telemarketing company Alpine Saleforce Ltd. celebrated on Saturday 9 March the Grand Opening of its new office building on Petchkasem Road Soi 28 in the centre of the popular Thai resort town Hua Hin in Prachuabkhirikan Province in Thailand some 250 km south of the capital Bangkok.

The company has currently 35 Danes working in the new office building and a few Thai staff, but Rasmus Moller, Founder & CEO of Alpine Saleforce hopes by the end of this year to be employing 60 Danes. The company is BOI promoted, so work permits is an open end.

Alpine Saleforce Ltd. serves clients in Denmark with their sales. The largest client is a prominent Danish mobile phone operator and an independent electricity company as Danish consumers can freely decide, which company they want to buy their electricity from.

The opening started with a monk ceremony with nine monks in the morning. Later during the day, many local Scandinavians in Hua Hin came by to congratulate the company with its new premises and enjoy the Danish food – prepared by Alpine Saleforce’s own Danish in-house chef – and traditional Thai delicacies like Lab Gai, Som Tam etc.

In the evening, the reception turned into a party that closed at midnight.

TSCC’s Annual General Meeting 2013

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he Thai Swedish Chamber of Commerce held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit on 21 February, gathering about 50 members and guests.

Jan Eriksson was elected a new President. Joining the Board for the first time were Dan Ake Enstedt, Bo Palmqvist, Pontus Muntzing and Lars Andersson.

The AGM was followed by dinner with a guest speaker Dr. Duenden Nikomborirak who presented her research on ‘Middle income trap and the Thai Service Sector’.

10 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

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Past Events

Norwegian Seafood Master Class

By Anders Holm Nielsen

T

o boost the interest for Norwegian Seafood, a cooking demonstration had been arranged on 4 March 2013. The event was hosted by the Royal Norwegian Embassy, in cooperation with the Norwegian Seafood Council and Innovation Norway.

In posh surroundings on the 25th floor of the Westin Grande Sukhumvit Hotel, tables had been set and turned towards Chef Sven Erik Renaa who was going to showcase fresh Norwegian salmon, halibut and king crab flown in directly from the country.

Chef Sven Erik Renaa is a former captain of the Norwegian Olympic team and winner of Best Fish Dish in Bocuse d’ Or in 2007 and when he is not on tour in Asia with “CirusRenaa” he operates three distinguished restaurants back in Norway.

H.E. the Norwegian Ambassador, Mrs. KatjaNordgaard, opened the event by welcoming the chef and all the guests, stating that the aim of the demonstration was to increase awareness about the superiority of Norwegian seafood and to educate and inspire local chefs.

Delicious and educating While Chef Erik Renaa explained the characteristics of truly fresh fish and displayed different cuts and techniques, his assistant Christopher Davidsen was working in the kitchen preparing the tasting menu for the some 50 guests at the event.

During the demonstration Chef Sven Erik Renaa mentioned that fresh salmon was so good that you should be able to eat it raw. Determined to prove his point, the first dish on the menu was Norwegian salmon tartar with avocado “flying carpet” and vendace roe. The second dish was raw salmon again and just as delicious.

“Warm” salmon sashimi crystallized ginger and sesame, putting a nice Asian touch to the Norwegian fish showing that the two can go hand in hand. The third and final dish was lightly smoked Norwegian white halibut, Norwegian king crab and oyster “linguini”.

With the final dish being served, stomachs were full but the appetite for Norwegian Seafood had only gotten bigger. As a chef at my table said: “I enjoyed this. I’m a head chef and even I learned something.”

12 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

News Brief

Danish “beer yard” promotes brew in Bangkok New Finnish ambassador to Thailand “Use your nose, look at the body – think of it as more of a wine than a beer.”

This was the opening message when Gitte Holmboe introduced Bøgedal Beer – the brainchild of her and husband Casper Vorting who brew some of the most unique beer in Scandinavia – A beer that is now making its way to Thailand.

By Anders Holm Nielsen

T

he introduction of Bøgedal was through a four-course beer pairing with food prepared by Chef Nan Bunyasaranand of Little Beast in Thonglor, Soi 13 where the event was hosted. Some 40 tickets going for 2.600 Baht made for an exclusive event and all seats had been sold.

“It seems a bit surreal to be here. We usually toddle around at a farm in Jutland, me, Gitte and two boys who help out with the packing and now here we are, in the heart of Bangkok, sampling Bøgedal,” master brewer Casper Vorting said.

The reason for the long trip was newly started Hopsession founded by Danish JakobMørkenborg Rasmussen.

“Jakob wrote me an email, saying this is how I want to promote Bøgedal, this is where I want to sell it and this is how much I believe I can sell. It was very detailed and very convincing, so we went on board,” said GitteHolmboe.

Industrializing is compromising During the dinner, the beers were presented one by one by GitteHolmboe who also talked about the history of the beer and brewery.

She has experience in marketing and when she is not working in the brewery, she is in charge of sales. Husband, Casper, is a former engineer and each recipe is his work.

According to the brewers, Bøgedal should be considered a vineyard as much as a brewery – A beer yard if you will. The beer is produced in batches of 350-700 bottles; each brew is unique and never made again. As the master brewer himself says: “Industrializing is compromising. We pay attention and have every single bottle in our hands before it leaves the brewery.”

Because of the small production of Bøgedal, Hopsession only has 1500 bottles to sell every year, costing around 1500 Baht per bottle. It will mainly be an event beer serving as the flagship of Hopsession.

14 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

S

irpa Mäenpää, the current Finland’s Ambassador to Bangkok with responsibility for Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, will be transferring to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 1 September 2013.

Replacing Mäenpaa is Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Kirsti Westphalen who will be the new Head of the Embassy of Finland in Bangkok, Thailand as from 1 September 2013.

Westphalen will be transferred to Bang-

kok from Los Angeles, where she has served as the Consul General of Finland since 2008. She has worked at Finnish diplomatic missions abroad in Paris, Beijing and Damascus as well as at the Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN in New York. She has also worked as the Chargé d’Affaires ad interim at the Embassy of Finland in Rabat.

At the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Westphalen has held positions in the Department for External Economic Relations, the Department for Communication and Culture, the Protocol Department, the Department for Development Cooperation, the Political Department and the Department for Africa and the Middle East. During her career she has also been the Ministry’s coordinator for contacts with representatives of the Islamic world and leader of the team for intercultural and inter-religious dialogue. Westphalen started her career at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1981.

Danish chef praised for making Sra Bua among best restaurants in Asia

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ne needs not to be a Thai to cook Thai food that can impress Asian diners. The Danish chef, Henrik Yde Andersen, has thrilled Asian food lovers to such a degree, that his Asian restaurant, Sra Bua, has earned a place among Asia’s top 50 restaurants.

Henrik Yde Andersen operates the restaurant Sra Bua in Bangkok, which is a division of the Thai restaurant “Kiin Kiin” in Nørrebro, Copenhagen.

“It’s crazy. Here I come as a Dane and get recognition for our Thai food out there. Now we get the recognition that we have not gotten at home because of the new Nordic food wave,” says Henrik Yde Andersen.

And ambitions go even further. The Danish chef is planning to open another restaurant in Thailand – on the island of Phuket in November 2014.

“World’s 50 Best Asia”, published in February, is a regional edition of the international “World’s 50 Best”, where culinary experts and chefs from around the world rank the world’s best restaurants. Also the international edition bears a striking Danish fingerprints in the form of restaurant ‘Noma’, which ranks first in the 2012-series.

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News Brief

Thai Princess visits Denmark and Norway

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n 11 February 2013, Copenhagen Zoo had a very special guest as Her Royal Highness Princes Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand paid a private visit to Denmark. The Princess is the daughter of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit.

During the visit, the director of Copenhagen Zoo, Steffen Stræde, gave Her Royal Highness a tour of the Zoo, and the Princess also named the new two-week baby male elephant “Khao Sok”, which is after the name of Khao Sok National Park in southern Thailand particularly known for its elephants.

The parents of little Khao Sok are the male elephant Chieng Mai and the female elephant called Kungrao. Both were gifts to the Copenhagen Zoo from the Thai Royal Family. Chieng Mai was donated in 1962 and has since 1970 fathered all 12 elephants born in the Zoo. The mother of little Khao Sok, Kungrao, came to Copenhagen in 2001 and Khao Sok is her first baby.

After a short visit to Denmark, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited Norway on 12 – 15 March 2013.

The main objective was “Longyearbyen” and “Ny Ålesund” on Svalbard where she aimed to get more insight on the environment and climate in this Arctic region. The princess also met with many Thais who have settled there.

Svalbard is a part of Norway, located 400 miles from the mainland, inside the Artic Circle.

The place is home to 110 Thais and has a Thai restaurant in the most Northern location in the world. During the visit, she also had an audience with His Royal Highness King Harald.

New dimension of codeshare agreement between SAS and Thai Airways

T

he summer shutdown of SAS flights to Bangkok plus a new joint venture between SAS and Singapore Airlines will now have an effect on Thai Airways (THAI). For some years now SAS have had a codeshare agreement with Thai Airways from Bangkok to the many regional destinations in Asia. That agreement has now been cancelled by SAS as of 8 April 2013 where the Bangkok route will be closing down temporarily.

Instead, SAS signed a codeshare-agreement with THAI on local traffic between Scandinavia and Bangkok and domestic flights in Thailand.

“We will lose some of the “beyond Bangkok” traffic but we stand to gain on the direct Thailand traffic,” says Director of Sales from Thai Airways Flemming Sonne. He is pleased that Thai Airways will have a codeshare agreement with SAS from Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen directly to Bangkok.

Together with Singapore Airlines, SAS will try to move the passengers who previously travelled to Asia with SAS via Bangkok so that they will travel beyond Bangkok with Singapore Airlines instead of Thai Airways.

The two airlines have created a joint venture on flights between Copenhagen and Singapore, where theoretically all expenses and earnings will be shared 50/50.

16 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

Thai firm buys Danish department store Illum

C

entral Retail Corporation (CRC), Thailand’s largest retail operator, has acquired Illum, a famous Danish department store, and plans to invest two billion baht to renovate the Copenhagen store in four years.

CRC chief executive Tos Chirathivat said renovation of the 120-yearold Illum building, situated on the main shopping street, will help boost its income from five billion baht to eight billion baht, by adding of more luxury brands and refining the food and beverage segment. He said the investment is in line with the company’s strategy to have a unique department store.

The company expects to double its revenue from overseas investment to 50 billion baht in the next four years, when the renovation of Illum finishes.

Mr. Tos declined to reveal the acquisition cost but said the company was approached by the Danish department store. The company sees potential in this market, which is considered a tourist destination for Chinese and Russians and a stopover port for several cruise lines.

Moreover, Scandinavia is a growth market with a population that has a very high average income per head.

Swedish and Norwegian Call Centre Specialists to work in Bangkok

D

IAKRIT’s International Call Center in Bangkok is hiring Call Center Specialists for its Swedish and Norwegian markets.

The company’s Call Center Specialists are the cornerstone of DIAKRIT’s International Call Center operation. It is based in a brand new office space in the central business district of Bangkok, Thailand.

According to the company’s statement, DIAKRIT will provide selected candidates with the necessary visas and work permits as the call center is certified under The Board of Investment in Thailand (BOI). This enables foreign staff of BOI-registered companies to obtain work permits and long-term visa by using the unique One-Stop Service Center for Visas and Work Permit.

For more information, visit http://www.diakrit.com/job-opportunities/view/56

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Thailand 17

News Brief

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra visits Sweden

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n 4-7 March 2013, the Prime Minister of Thailand, Yingluck Shinawatra, made an official visit to Sweden, Belgium and the European Union headquartered in Brussels.

Prime Minister Yingluck arrived in Sweden on 4 March 2013, where she was granted a royal meeting with the Swedish monarchs in the afternoon the same day.

Carl Bildt, Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, wrote a welcome note to the Thai Premier on his twitter: “We are warmly welcoming Thailand PM Yingluck Shinawatra, five other ministers and the important business delegation to Stockholm.”

During her visit in Sweden, the Prime Minister was accompanied by key Cabinet members, senior officials and CEOs from prominent Thai enterprises. The visit to Sweden was the first in nine years by a Thai Prime Minister.

The Signing of the second Joint Plan of Action and the Law Enforcement Cooperation Agreement The Prime Minister had a bilateral meeting and working luncheon with Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt on 4 March.

The two Prime Ministers also

witnessed the signing of the second Joint Plan of Action between Carl Bildt, Foreign Minister of Sweden, and Thailand’s Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul together with other high level government figures and a large business delegation. The agreement is from the period of 2013 to 2017, covering a wide range of cooperation areas, including environment and energy, information and communication technology, research and education, health and elder care, design,

regional development and defense.

Carl Bildt says the agreement means new opportunities for Swedish and Thai businesses to make contacts, conduct business, and sharing knowledge. The agreement highlighted the strong bilateral relationship between the countries.

The Law Enforcement Cooper-

ation Agreement between the two countries was also signed, following a discussion during a visit of Swedish Justice Minister Beatrice Ask to Bangkok in February.

Yingluck thanked Reinfeldt for the warm welcome. She said she was glad that about 30,000 Thais were now living comfortably in Sweden and had a role in the Swedish economy.

The Prime Minister also held discussions with Mr. Per Westerberg, Speaker of the Riksdag, met

with representatives from leading Swedish companies and visited “SymbioCity”, a model of urban development that combines sustainable transport, energy and water usage and modern technology in an integrated manner.

Yingluck promotes Thai-Swedish investment The Prime Minister promoted ThaiSwedish investment at a business dinner in Stockholm, where she invited the Swedish government to invest in Thailand’s logistics and regional transport system so that Sweden can use Thailand as a gateway to neighbouring countries in the region.

She said Thailand would invest US$66 billion to develop its logistics and transport routes to link neighbouring countries. Yingluck invited the Swedish government to join in the investment and use Thailand as a gateway to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam through the Dawei deep seaport development project and other border special economic zones.

According to Suranand Vejjajiva, Secretary General to the Prime Minister, Yingluck expressed interest in learning from Sweden about medical tourism – and the Thai government promised to take good care of Swedish tourists. She said about 350,000 Swedes visited Thailand every year.

A visit to the European Union in Brussels While in Brussels, the seat of major institutions of the European Union, the Prime Minister had bilateral talks with the heads of the three key institutions of the European Union, namely, Mr. José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, Mr. Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, and Mr. Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament. She was the first Thai leader to meet with the leaders of all three main institutions of the European Union.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra also visited the Royal Swedish Family while she was in Sweden.

18 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

News Brief

T

Danish Minister for Trade looks forward to free trade agreement with Thailand Scandi Village DK.pdf 1 3/10/2555 17:01:07

he Thai government delegation ended its visits to Sweden and Belgium with the announcement that the ThaiEU free trade agreement will be concluded in less than two years, as part of Thailand’s commitment towards free trade and competitiveness enhancement.

For Denmark this will lead to increased exports to the Land of Smiles, and Danish Minister for Trade, Pia Olsen Dyhr is looking forward to the signing.

“Based on analyses from the EU, it is expected that an agreement of free trade would lead to an increase in Danish exports of DKK 630 million. Some of the export will be directly to Thailand while a portion will come from exports to subcontractors for other countries exports to Thailand. The increase in exports will lead to more jobs in sectors that stand to benefit. These are the pharmaceutical industry, mechanical manufacturers and chemicals. An agreement of free trade is there for important for Denmark and will contribute to growth and new jobs,” the Minister says.

For all countries in EU such an agreement would mean elimination or reduction of customs and trade barriers from Thailand. ”An agreement of free trade with Thailand and other countries in the ASEAN would ease access for European companies. The EU’s export to ASEAN could grow € 33,7 billion if customs were removed completely and trade barriers lessened. At the same time, the consumers of the EU would see increased competition and thereby lower prices on a number of durable goods, especially cars and electronics,” the Minister says.

Singapore was the first ASEAN country to reach an agreement with the European Union. Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines are set to start negotiations soon.

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Thailand 19

Shaking up Thailand’s beer scene: F

Hopsession With a thirst for good brews, a degree in beer and a strong base in Bangkok, Danish Jakob Mørkenborg Rasmussen recently started his own company, Hopsession Co. Ltd. The vision is to bring exclusive and limited edition craft brews to both curious Thais and expats.

By Anders Holm Nielsen

20 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

or the past few years, a Belgium beer wave has been setting its mark on the Bangkok beer scene. Stella Artois and Hoegaarden are big hits among beer enthusiasts as an alternative to the not so demanding Chang and Singha. For the thirsty souls now looking for a new trend, Jakob Mørkenborg Rasmussen believes he found the answer with his new beer import company, Hopsession.

“These beers are everywhere now and people are starting to go for the next big thing. They had their Hoegaarden and they had their Stella, so where should they go next? I’d say: Craft beer!

If you want something different and something unique you have to get away from the industrial breweries,” he explains.

Hopsession’s first supplier was Danish microbrewer Bøgedal. Produced in batches of 350-700 bottles and never made again, Bøgedal should be considered more as a vineyard then a brewery according to the brewers. With a statement like that, you get an idea of Hopsession’s portfolio.

“If you like to taste the small details then go for a craft beer. Our beers serve an acquired taste.

The first time you have it you might not like it but if you have it a few times you don’t want to drink anything else,” Jakob explains.

A degree in beer

Jakob instructing staff at BREW, Beers and Ciders for Mikkeller beer launch

The strategy of uniqueness also means that asides from a few brands there is no permanent portfolio and the company receive as little as one case of some beers.

“We have a lot of changing beers. From what I see, Thais like change. Look at any nightclub. They have to re-decorate every two years because people get tired of it. Here you get new products all the time; we can launch new beers every month forever,” he explains confidently.

Aside from a love of beer that most Danish

I see a bright future for Hopsession in Thailand. The Thai market is massive and I believe that there is plenty of space for more beers.

Jakob behind the bar poruing a beer

men possess, Jakob has his credentials straight. He did his senior research thesis in behavioral economics in the beer market focusing on Carlsberg entering the Thai market. He joined Carlsberg full time in May 2012 where he was charged with facilitating the sale of draft beer in the country an experience that served as a stepping stone to Hopsession.

“I had done research in the beer market and I had a good idea of how it worked, especially in Bangkok, and in my opinion, Denmark has some of the best craft beer in the world, so it was an obvious move for me.”

A strong connection to Thailand Jakob’s journey towards starting his own company in Thailand began in 2004. Fresh out of high school and looking for adventure, he headed out for a backpacking trip starting in Bangkok. Here he met someone that made him extend his visit.

“I was going backpacking and my brother told me that he knew this girl who worked at Maersk in Bangkok, who could show me around. I was supposed to stay in Bangkok for three days and I ended up staying here for four months.

The girl his brother knew was Rutima, who he married in 2008. After a stay in Denmark, where Rutima took her master’s degree in economics, the couple moved to Bangkok in 2008, where Jakob entered Chulalongkorn University to study economics.

Jakob did the international program and out of 150 he was the only farang in his year and was as he puts it himself “thrown into Thai student life.”

“I think you get a lot of good friends in a different way. If you come here to work as an expat you are always a bit distant from the rest. I was the only white guy out of 150 students, so I didn’t really have a choice if I wanted to study here for four years.”

Happy that he chose a Thai university, he explains that the strong network of local connections is a big selling point for him and Hopsession today.

With his own business and a Thai wife, he has come to call Bangkok his home. Nevertheless, the family in Denmark alongside with some of the weather is the only thing he truly misses.

“I am proud of being Danish and it’s a good heritage, but Bangkok is my home now. I don’t miss Denmark - I miss people,” he explains.”

Family Financed Starting your own company is never easy, especially if it is the first time and in addition in a foreign country. To help and support him, Jakob has a strong network of friends, family and former colleagues.

He looked to his family in financing and presented the idea to them in a very straightforward manner.

“I have the idea, I’m going to work my ass off, this is the market, this is how it looks and this is how I think it will be like – are you in or out?”

Lucky for Jakob and beer lovers in Thailand, the family was on board with the idea and today the entire operation is financed by family investments.

65 percent comes from his wife’s family and the rest from his own family back in Denmark.

Start half a year in advance Jakob promised his family that he would work his ass off, and he has done so far as importing beer in Thailand is no simple task.

“Importing beer is very difficult. You are facing 380 percent taxes and you really get the idea that you are in an export focused country that likes products out, money in - not the other way around.”

It is not just the taxes that Jakob finds to be a challenge. The paperwork is another issue and compared to Denmark, he feels that the footwork is heavy at first.

“You get the feeling that the Thai system is a patchwork. Import taxes is not one or two but five or six different things and if you want to get a license you have to go to three different offices to get the papers done. It’s not like somebody is against you, it’s just how the system works,” he explains.

The back and forth paperwork takes times and for others who wish to start a business in Thailand, Jakob’s advice is this: “Start half a year in advance. Make sure that you have the financial means to do nothing for six months before you start.”

A bright Thai beer future Now that the bureaucratic startup phase is over, Hopsession is ready to focus on the beer. Talking to Jakob you get the idea how he convinced his family to invest in his brainchild. He is determined to make it work and is optimistic when it comes to his project.

“I see a bright future for Hopsession in Thailand. The Thai market is massive and I believe that there is plenty of space for more beers.”

Still he is modest when it comes to the first fragile years and Hopsession is not planning on a major growth spurt. The goal is to have his more mainstream beers in 50 bars, 15 places for the more standard Mikkeller and five places for Bøgedal.

“We hope not to lose too much this year, next year maybe we will break even and then a return in two years would be nice” Still Jakob Mørkenborg Rasmussen believes in the project and when asked why he is going to succeed the answer falls quick and confident.

“I have worked in the beer industry, I’m Danish, I know the beer, I have studied locally so I have good connections and I have friends who know the market. I believe that I have some good cards in my hand.”

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Thailand 21

Corruption eats your soul

After 15 years on long term assignments in development programs in Asia and Africa, Niels Juhl Thomsen has decided to be a free bird. Talking about his new freedom he seems relieved and when he is telling about his experiences and his outlook on life you start to understand why.

By Kim Birkkjaer Lund

It wasn’t a cultural shock to come to Vietnam, but what really was a cultural shock was to work with the Swedes.

W

hen Niels Juhl Thomsen was 16 years old, he was thrown out of school. Niels was dyslexic and at that time, students with dyslexia were believed to have no intellectual capacity.

“I was thrown out for being stupid, lazy and obstinate, so I started working in a workshop sweeping the floors,” Niels recalls.

He became an apprentice in the workshop as graphic engraver, which exposed him to acid and cleansing chemicals.

“The acid took my chest and the chemicals took my short time memory. I got painter’s syndrome as it is called.”

Not being able to work as a graphic engraver anymore, he began at the Graphic Arts Institute of Denmark and that changed his life forever.

“At the Graphic College I had a teacher who lectures in macroeconomics. I found it really interesting and decided to apply for a dispensation to go to the University of Copenhagen and god damn it, they let me in.”

Niels consider him self lucky. It was only for two or three years it was possible to get dispensation to get into the university without a high school education and at the age of 30 he got his Master of science in Economics as the only one from his course that finish on time.

“For all the others the diploma at the university was a mean to achieve something else. For me the diploma became a goal in life. So my ambitions were done with when I was 30.”

A new regime After a short visit in the Ministry of Education, Niels found his future passion, renewable energy, in the Ministry of Housing, where he took part in preparing the first fiscal, legal and technical regime for renewable energy.

“I was tuned in on renewable energy right away. We were all kinds of people with different educational backgrounds and I find it highly rewarding when working in multi-disciplinary teams.”

For almost 20 years Niels worked with energy and energy efficiency in the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Energy and at the Risø system analysis department, before his life took a new turn. At the age of 49 he started as a consultant at Carl Bro - Europe’s 3rd largest engineering consultancy firm.

“It came to me rather fast, that going abroad for three week and coming home just to go away for three weeks again is an impossible scenario if you have a family.”

So Niels went with his family on his first long term assignment to Khon Kaen in North Thailand.

While Niels thrived here, his wife was bored. She felt that there was no need for her and when they returned to Denmark, the couple divorced.

Niels’ next assignment was in South Africa.

With the experience from Khon Kaen in mind, Niels and his new wife discussed future assignments and narrowed down which countries they both would like to live in when Niels’ contract in South Africa expired. So when the phone rang, this time with an offer to go to Vietnam for Sida (Swedish government development organisation) Niels immediately said yes.

“It wasn’t a cultural shock to come to Vietnam, but what really was a cultural shock was to work with the Swedes.”

In school Niels was told that Swedish are very formal and kind of nosy, but what he experienced working for Sida was pragmatic, supporting and forthcoming people who always tried to adapt to new ideas.

“It was an absolute pleasure. I can’t recommend enough to work for Sida.”

While his former wife was bored in Khon Kaen, his new wife had a different approach to being a spouse. She couldn’t put her master’s degree in environmental science to use, so she did something completely different: She bought a partnership in an Apsara ballet school in Hanoi and made it a leading ballet school in Vietnam.

When Niels’s contract with Sida expired after three years, he got two offers: A two-year

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Thailand 23

The really nasty type of corruption can be found in Nepal. Here a contract can cost more than 50 percent of a project and no one expects you to deliver according to specification or consider checking the quality.

contract in Vietnam or a two-year contract in Nepal. Because of his wife’s success with her ballet school, he expected that she would prefer to stay in Vietnam, but she surprised him by saying: “Let’s go to Nepal. When will we ever again get a chance to live there?”

Reaching the neediest The project in Nepal became the best program Niels ever participated in. The original two years became five years working with rural renewable energy, providing improved cooking stoves, biomass technology, small hydropower plants and solar home technology for the neediest.

“It was fantastic. Our program delivered and it delivered to the right people and in huge numbers. More than one million households in five years benefited from the program. I was the only foreigner in the project, which I think also proved something.”

The fact that the project had sufficient funding and an organisation that both could and would deliver was, in Niels’ opinion, what made it a success. As it was a multi donor program, or a multi headed monster as Niels calls it with a laugh, it gave him a chance to compare the different nationalities approach to development programs.

“Germans love details; the Norwegians are good and the British are great.”

It was the British attitude: “Go do it, Niels. And if you do wrong the auditors will catch you” that Niels liked.

“That is a level of freedom you should have, and you only get it because those who are providing the support are also long term staff in the country, so they know the circumstances.”

When it comes to the Danish approach Niels is less enthusiastic.

“Being pragmatic is not part the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Huge resources are used on evaluations and reviews, and the teams, which they send out to make those evaluations, are always without any experience in long term implementation.

Trying to explain to them, that compromises are necessary, is difficult as they believe they know all the answers in advance.”

The bad and the really nasty corruption Nepal is one of the most corrupt countries in the world, a fact that Niels and the project had to deal with.

“You can’t work in those countries and avoid corruption, but they were very clever and kept it away from us.”

According to Niels there are two kinds of corruption: A bad one and a really nasty one. As an example on the bad one he mentions Vietnam. In 24 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

Vietnam they have a system, where you have to pay to get a contract. Depending of which ministry is involved, the price will be between 5 to 10 percent of the contract, but you are supposed to deliver and to deliver quality. And they control the delivery.

The really nasty type of corruption can be found in Nepal. Here a contract can cost more than 50 percent of a project and no one expects you to deliver according to specification or consider checking the quality.

“It doesn’t matter if it is a road project or other kind of project, it will be done the same way. Whatever is underneath and not visible will not be delivered.”

Because Niels and the donors had the financial control, he believes that they managed to keep misuse at a minimum.

“Some things were maybe 10 or even 20 percent overpriced and there probably were deals we didn’t know about. But we know that in countries like Nepal, if misuse isn’t happening nothing is happening. The achievement was that we supported huge numbers of poor people with electricity and with improved cooking stoves.”

For Niels it is simple: “If you can’t accept misuse of money, then don’t go to corrupt countries.” That counts for both him and donors and at the end he had to take the consequence of his conviction.

“I experienced that corruption ended up eating my soul, so I had to go”.

Mental surfboard From Nepal Niels went to Bangkok in June 2012.

To a new contract and a new project, but after a few months he decided to quit at the end of the first phase. He was offered some new long term contracts, but has turned the offers down.

The attitude of the upper-class towards poor people in most Asian countries has gotten to him.

“The main reason they don’t bump into poor people with their cars, is that they don’t want to have to wash the car. And when I see humans carrying things so huge and heavy on their bag, it is to me a picture of a society where humans are cheaper than donkeys and a society with absolutely no respect for human lives. When you start to see that, you want to get away and I need a break” So Niels has decided to take his mental surfboard, as he calls it, and see where the waves bring him.

He will start surfing down the Mekong River north of Luang Prabang to Vientiane. Then maybe do some scuba diving and parachuting somewhere in the south and he has an appointment with some old friends about skiing in the French Alps.

“For the first time in 50 years, since I was kicked out of school, I don’t have a job that I have to attend. That is an amazing feeling.”

Life after Dam

Norway’s contribution to Laos’ hydropower Long before a USD 650 million hydropower project in Laos began operating in January, thousands of low-land Lao and ethnic minorities had to relocate their homes to new given villages. But can they attain a sustainable future after the change of location?

By Sippachai Kunnuwong

26 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

(C)THPC/Jim Holmes

Moving out On January 19, 2013, the USD 650 million ThuenHinboun Expansion Project was inaugurated in Borikhamxay and Khammuan provinces, 5 hours south of Vientiane, the Lao capital. The ceremony was marked by the company’s shareholders – energy key players from Laos, Thailand and Norway – along with Lao prominent politicians.

The new hydropower plant was the second mega project the Thuen-Hinboun Power Company (THPC) has carried out in Laos and an expansion of the first-ever cooperation between its government and foreign investors since the cold war.

Just days after the launch, an activist group International Rivers published a report painting an intriguing back side of the event that had not garnered a similar attention from the media.

“The project has displaced over 7,500 people and will affect the livelihoods of tens of thousands more people living downstream,” says Tania Lee, International Rivers’ Lao coordinator in a report from her visit to the affected area in Laos over the past year.

The new project has twice the capacity of the first plant and will, according to Lee, “double the amount of water being diverted into the Hai and Hinboun Rivers, causing extensive flooding and other impacts.”

Its biggest footprint went directly to the people. 4358 persons from 760 households had to move out of their old homes to resettlement villages, provided by the company. They were, however, provided with full compensation of housing, money, electricity, community facilities and necessary goods. A further 4436 persons living along the downstream of the power station who faced extensive flood water were relocated and given compensated budget and other needs.

Also, approximately 4500 persons downstream will be relocated in the next four years. The overall number of resettled and relocated persons is a little over 13,000 when all is completed.

“THPC – which is partly-owned by the Norwegian state-owned company Statkraft – is profiting at the expense of some of Southeast Asia’s poorest people,” Lee said in an interview with a local Thai newspaper.

Laos’ economic tipping point To really examine the costs and benefits of such a project that has run for over a decade, what impact it has created, it helps to go back in time.

From the 1970s to mid-90s, Laos’ economy had remained silent and struggling.

“Back then, the country was so poor and isolated. Only 5 percent of its people had access to electricity,” says Aiden Glendinning, THPC’s communication advisor.

“The only money the government received from abroad was the fees from the airline companies when their aircrafts flew across its territory.”

The Thuen-Hinboun Power Plant, THPC’s first project, operated since 1998, was the first major industrial project in Laos in 30 years. The project was deemed as a tipping point for Lao economy as ninety-five percent of its produced power are being exported to Thailand under a long-term contract, ten percent sold to Laos.

(C)THPC

C

olourfully dressed women of all ages rush around the compound like they are preparing a feast of sorts.

The crinkling sound of plates and forks tells of a meal being prepared.

One lady serves papaya salad on a table full of mouth-watering delicacies – all Lao favorites.

A middle-aged lady from Vientiane is there this afternoon to teach the female villagers - who all come from different tribes - how to process Som Pa, or smelly sour/pickled fish. The women recently formed the Women’s Union and Som Pa is a way to add product-value to the growing number of fish caught near the village, as well as to preserve them.

“You wanna try?,” the trainer asks one villager.

She nods. They swop places and an amateur fish cutting session begins.

This would be unthinkable only two years ago: In one kitchen various ethnic minorities joined together with low-land Lao - the mainstream culture - in a communal environment. The mountaineers used to live in isolation, uphill or along the river and relied on wild food and husbandry. There were little need for money, no access to electricity, and almost no connection to the outside world.

All this changed with the mega hydropower project that washed away their traditional livelihoods. Everything, for better or worse.

The Thuen-Hinboun Expansion Project in full operation since January 2013 “We bring hard currency to Laos. We pay profit taxes, dividends, royalties and the Lao shareholder is sixty percent. 98-99 percent of our staff are Lao nationals,” says Robert Allen, THPC’s general manager.

So far the company, shared by state-owned Electricite du Laos, Statkraft of Norway and Thailand’s GMS Power has contributed more than USD 300 million to the country’s state finance. And with the operation of a new dam, the production capacity will double from 220 MW to 500 MW: an estimation of USD 35 million is expected to be injected into Lao, annually.

Statkraft in Laos Not only an iconic facelift for Lao economy, the first dam was also a boon for a foreign company like Statkraft whose part of business strategy is “to develop, build, and operate hydropower in emerging markets.” Lars Magnus Guther, the company’s corporate communication advisor, indicates that Laos was such a market with a growing energy demand and huge untapped potential for hydropower.

Guther says Statkraft and Swedish Vattenfall were approached by the Lao government and Asian Development Bank (ADB) back in the early90s after Statkraft’s “100 years of hydropower competency” caught their attention. The two companies established a joint venture under Nordic Hydropower and took a 20% stake in THPC. Later, in 2001, Statkraft bought Vattenfall’s share and took over the company.

The Norwegian counterpart provided THPC with technical support, equipment and Operation and Maintenance managers posted at both project camp grounds.

Is it really “Green”?

“Sustainability” and “green economy” are among the banners THPC and Statkraft have been promoting over the years, thanks to their hydropower production that leaves zero waste and is renewable and a long list of supporting schemes aimed at helping the villagers create a long-lasting future.

But a Canadian-born activist Lee says she is rather skeptical about such offerings being at all viable. From her visits to resettlement and relocation sites, Lee states that some of the plans to restore the people’s livelihoods are proved difficult. For example, at one village, there was an attempt to develop fish ponds in the rice fields. Villagers were provided with compensated land and development equipment and training but it ended up a failure as “the valley doesn’t have good soil for dry-season rice farming.”

The loss of fishery is another alarming concern for the villagers who have not been relocated to the new villages. Lee says that stronger water flow wipes away aqua-plants along the river tributaries – what used to be the breeding place for fish – which causes frustration to the villagers who still rely on fishery as THPC’s support hasn’t yet arrived.

“That kind of situation where you have a total loss of food security and the future of people there.

I would challenge how to call that part of the green economy, really.”

Long road to sustainability During a meeting I had with Robert Allen, THPC’s general manager, at the company’s Headquarters in Vientiane, the veteran investment consultant admits he understands that changes come with consequences.

“We don’t deny that we have to move them but the new livelihoods does take an effort in time,” says Allen, adding that new paddy rice field takes 3-4 years to develop into full production. “So along the way we keep supporting the villagers until they achieve it.” The achievement is the income target April 2013 • ScandAsia.Thailand 27

Students of the relocation village Phoumakneng studying in a Lao language class.

per household of USD 1800 for resettled villagers, USD 1450 for relocated persons - 25-40% above the income levels surveyed at the beginning of the project - by diverse livelihoods.

A whole range of activities, from cash crops planting, commercial fisheries to the development of various types of fish ponds, are being introduced to the villagers by Livelihoods staff, part of Social and Environmental Division (SED), a compartment within THPC, which Allen states “report directly to me.” These projects were born to find suitable career choices for each household in a mix of schools, clinics and community infrastructures – “which didn’t exist before” – as well as the village organisation, another crucial task.

“It’s easy to put in an irrigation scheme you see in Thailand and elsewhere. But if you don’t teach the villagers how to manage it, it can be a waste.

So we’re spending a lot of time doing that too,” says Allen.

One example of the managerial buildup that is prevailing and has created quite an income for the villagers can be seen at Ban Keosenkham, located on the valley heading to the reservoir gate, where the Village Fishery Group was established. The villagers, under a supervision of THPC’s Fishery staff and district administration, regulated their own fishing rules.

Destructive fishing equipment is prohibited and fishing licensing has been set up. They also set a selling price with the merchants who travel daily to the village to buy the just-caught products.

“We are now looking into finding a suitable breeding zone for fish in the reservoir so that the number of fish will last for generations to come,” says Xiangkhan, head of the Village Fishery Group.

Allen says these approaches were taken from other community projects that had been successful in the past, in the likes of the United Nations’, World Bank’s, ADB’s and whatnot. “Are we going to have some failures? Yes, but we have to adapt. That’s the attitude we have: we change when things don’t work.”

development that has taken place means many things to many families. A new Hyundai van that is parked in front of one house displays the success of hard work that has been put into developing their first potatoes farming. Mushroom farming is also a hit here: three families even split their roles in cultivating them.

The all-weather roads have led many traders from the city coming in to pick up cash crops to sell. “It has become the main livelihood component for villagers here,” says a local truck driver whose deliveries are for the factories in the city and in Vietnam. He comes to the village during the harvesting seasons and, in a good day, would collect almost two tons of sliced potatoes.

“These villagers are from different tribes. In the beginning, some didn’t want to work because it’s not in their nature, but when they saw the neighbours profiting from the farming, it has encouraged them to do the same,” he says.

The access to electricity is a stark development

The future

One of the Livelihoods staff showing an example of a good cut.

At the resettlement site of Nong Xong, the 28 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

too. They were given free installation of electricity but are responsible for paying their own electricity bills. Irrigation scheme electricity bills are paid by the company or subsidised for varying periods of time.

However critics have doubted how much benefits the project can provide to Laos as a whole, when majority of THPC’s production is being exported to Thailand and the Laotians are buying it back at a higher rate.

“The problem with electricity [in Laos] is that it’s very difficult to transport,” explains Glendenning, suggesting that the country full of natural richness is so vast when compared to its 6 million population. “To build transmission to the north of the country for only a handful hundreds is too expensive.”

On my way back from the project-inspection trip, I visited a middle school at Phoumakneng, the relocation village, a properly built building located on a higher land overlooking the entire village. But a high school across the yard is not of the same standards.

“We got compensated for what we had before. It was our traditional methods of building: to use woods and natural materials,” says the school principal Waan Phrakhunthong.

“I think we’re better off this way. Students from different villages don’t have to walk a long distance to get education anymore. We’re right here.”

Eager to hear what other villagers think of the future that will hold for all of them, I went to talk to the village head Phoumy Phetbounthong.

“Do you think you will be able to live here for a long time?” I asked.

“Oh yes. I will live here. My children, grandchildren will live here. We are stable here,” says Phetbounthong.

Those assuring words do not necessarily guarantee what will come next, but there’s one thing the general manager Allen holds dear in mind.

“Is every villager 100% happy yet? No and that’s going to be a challenge for long-term but the approach is going very well. There are also summaries of what we need to work on – improving soil and livelihoods. But we have to stay until we achieve.”

Let me

take you for

A rough guide to surviving Bangkok city’s taxis

By Samantha Proyrungtong

A

nyone with an inkling of the Bangkok city lifestyle knows that Bangkok’s Taxis are synonymous with the city itself, the funky smells, the dodgy scams, the extorting, the bargaining. But don’t forget the intoxicatingly strange music, the eccentric characters, the humorous miss-communications and the meshing of cultures by the making of new friends, if only momentary ones.

Here is a little Do’s and Don’ts guide to help side swerve your way through any potential taxi potholes and unexpected speed humps which could leave some permanent damage under your Bangkok memories bonnet.

DO: Check the meter is on. It’s one of the most common mistakes to make, usually when suffering the delirium of heat or just being stupidly drunk.

Most expats have trained themselves to glance at the dash and check the meter is happily blinking. If ignored, reaching your destinations may be fraught with arguments contributed by the tripled fee of Mr. Taxi’s imagination. To avoid this, point to the meter and exclaim “meter, meter”, don’t worry about appearing deranged, just be thankful that word is a universal one.

DO: Sway to the Esan Music. There’s a 1 million plus chance if you have to spend time perusing Bangkok’s roads you will have encountered its captain, hailing (pardon the pun), from the Northeast of Thailand, known as “Esan” people.

These people are considered lowly people of the Thai race, the working class, the hookers, maids, market dwellers, street sweepers and of course, the taxi drivers. Personally I consider many of them as the underground foundation, the pumping vessel to the city’s heart. I doubt we’d be stranded, homeless and hungry without them but most modern luxuries would not come cheap or readily available and like in every race, there are also cheating scumbags profiting from ignorance but inspired by poverty.

Being the farmers of the land, Esan people have their classic folk music, winding through the city backstreets to the soundtrack of Thai Esan music is epitomic to experiencing Bangkok in her rawest form. Distinguishable by the Thai bamboo flute and nasally yet mesmerizing- bordering on grating voice with plenty of wavering bravado, over the years also morphed into to pop styles with techno beats. Go figure?!

Don’t: Go on the dream tour. You know that friendly English speaking charming taxi guy who presents the tour of a lifetime for only X amount of baht. The tour promises temples, shopping, cultural

30 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

a ride shows, Thai restaurants, animal attractions, even comfortable accommodation or whatever can be squeezed onto the scam itinerary. Basically this tour entails, strange “temples” or “museums” with hefty fees for westerners, gem and gold stores, where staff bully you into buying stones sickeningly over their market value with fake authenticity certificate to boot. The so called “local Thai food” restaurants are overrun with clueless tourists where tasteless seafood is weighed as gold and the bill (in Thai) includes several dubious charges. Or he may take you to the gas station, where the flies and bacteria are also welcome to dine with you.

The cultural shows/entertainment are girly bars, animal attractions are poorly run snake and crocodile farms and accommodation some musty, windowless room in the rabid dog backstreets.

As long as their commission with establishments last, so shall the tourist repelling tours exist.

Just remember the saying, “If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is”.

DO: Take the toll way if you’re in a hurry or simply to avoid stewing in traffic, the rate for toll is clearly displayed in large signs. You may encounter more than one toll, commonly 2 tolls. But if you find yourself at 4 - 5 tolls, then maybe it’s likely you are heading to an International border.

Don’t: Freak out if the taxi takes side routes or laborious U turns or what appears the “long way”.

Bangkok is a Labyrinth of main roads, freeways, side streets, side streets in side streets and dead ends, so don’t be surprised if to get to point B, you need to go through point A, A1, A2 and sometimes A3.

However, always question where you’re going, if instinctively something is amiss. I’ve found that repeating my destination saved me some harrowing and costly trips.

DO: Chat with the taxi, if you are up for it. They love to practice their English and enjoy your in-

sight on Thailand, there’s no harm in humoring a nice driver with a bit of friendly banter or funny sign language to break the language barrier. Plus, Bangkok Taxi drivers have seen a lot and tend to have a wicked sense of humor with “fascinating” stories to retell. They also appreciate your visit and contributing to tourism industry which assists in providing them with jobs, like an anonymous wise man once said, “NO FARANG, NO BOOM BOOM, NO BOOM BOOM, NOBABY”!

Don’t: Throw up in the taxi, first of all it’s mean and secondly you will need to spew up costs for the cleaning fine along with the contents of your stomach. Taxi drivers know the vomit drill, ask for them to slow down, wind down the window and they should wait patiently as you Technicolor coat the outside of the car, in this case, a generous tip is thoroughly advised.

Don’t: Hail taxi’s in the tourist hub areas. Shopping centers and popular night strips will only quote exorbitant prices, use those things called legs to take you closer to a main road/intersection, you should find plenty.

DO: Bring your music player, reading material, other forms of devices. As nice as it is to chat, sometimes you want to zone out, particularly after a long international flight, pop ear buds in and enjoy the bustling scenery to your favorite soundtracks.

Some of the most productive works have been borne from inside taxis, commuting to the office may take hours, use your phone/notebook to finish reports, emails or most urgently required facebook updates! “I’m in a taxi now”.

DO: Pay attention to airport tariffs. They are written (literally) in black and white on a laminated sheet hanging off the front seat. If you really want to be a clever little expat, try taking the escalators/ lift to arrivals, grab the first taxi that drops off pas-

sengers and voila! No taxi tariffs. But be quick as airport traffic assistants know all too well.

DO: Check the backseat, if only I had a baht for every mobile phone, Mp3 player, IPod, wallet, tablet, laptop, handbag etc that disappeared in a Bangkok’s taxi backseat. Yes, I’d be filthy rich.

DO: Respect the taxi domain. Taxi drivers can spend triple shifts working and “living” in their taxis.

So when someone comes in with greasy hands eating fried chicken and dropping crumbs, that’s like walking into their house and urinating on their carpet. Same goes for overt displays of affection, like groping and grinding with your “partner” or drunkenly screaming excitedly, violently banging doors and basically being disrespectful to the place they call their “other” home.

DO: Practice your Thai. There is nothing quite more enjoyable for Thais than a foreigner speaking in their mother tongue. No matter how poor your level of Thai, making an effort to communicate will not only enhance your own skills but give pleasure to a local and very likely the driver will take extreme measures to ensure your trip is a most efficient and enjoyable one. Not to mention, giving directions in Thai makes it hell easier to instruct him.

DO: Carry loads of Change! Expect the driver to complain if you offer a large note, even if he has change he will claim not to, which you are welcome to give but mostly out of principle won’t.

Alternatively ask him to stop at 7/11 to “laek dung”.

This will intensify his mood and likely be treated as a huge inconvenience. However, if your driver is patient and kind then relenting could be your act of kindness for the month or at least a small tip if he allows you a pit-stop, same goes for those emergency trips to the bathroom! And you all know what I mean.

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Thailand 31

Choosing Your School To decide on something as important as your child’s education and well-being might be the toughest part about moving to another country.

By Gregers Moller

32 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

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hoosing a new school when moving has become increasingly difficult for parents. There are more and more schools established all the time, and each institution has its own unique philosophy and attributes. Comparing what they offer with the needs of your child is no simple task.

Most parents probably start out by asking other parents of their own nationality which school they have chosen and why. Then you find out they have chosen different schools and for different reasons and you are back to square one.

There is probably no way around making your own inquiry into each available option.

Local vs International First choice is if you are looking for a local school or an international school? In most countries in Asia, a local school is an option - although certainly a more challenging option for your child. If you child is mixed Scandinavian - Asian this may, however, not be so frightening a prospect. And mostly it will have an economic silver lining as local private schools are less costly compared to international schools.

However, physical punishment has not been abolished in many Asian school systems, so take this into consideration. Talk to the school how they administer physical punishment and ask if they can make an exception for your child if you are not comfortable with this.

If you go for the International school, consider that international students grow up and evolve in a cultural environment that is vastly different to that of your own. Known as Third Culture Kids (TCKs), they often develop a very different attitude to many issues compared to their former friends back home. If you are uncomfortable with this prospect you may prefer to look into the option of choosing a local school or a boarding school back home.

Once this is said, most expat families decide to go for the international school, at least through primary school up to grade 9, where other options may come into play. At this point, not only boarding schools in Scandinavia but also boarding school in Asia may be considered.

A few suggestions So now you have the table filled with brochures of different schools and wonder what to look for.

Here are a few suggestions to help you make up your mind: First: How far away is the school from your home?

Before spending time looking through school courses, you need to make sure the school is not

too far away. Bear in mind that in most big cities, it is the traveling time between your home and the school that matters. How long will it take for your child to get to school and home afterwards?

How will your child be going there?

Especially in cities like Bangkok, you will be challenged by some of the heaviest rush hour traffic in the world.

Second: What reputation does the school have?

Talk to people as much as possible. This is where your first intuition comes handy. Don’t listen to opinions expressed by people who have no children at the school themselves - parents are quick to seek confirmation of their own choice by adopting opinions about the competing schools.

The age of the school is no sure indication either. Nothing guarantees that the reputation of a hundred year old school is better than a one year old school.

Third: How are the courses at the school?

The school’s courses and programs will most likely be listed in the school’s information packages. They will talk about British Curriculum and American Curriculum and - what most Scandinavians these days go for - the IB curriculum.

This is important as you will most likely have to relocate again in a few years.

Find out if the native language and culture of your child is taught as optional learning. It is important for your child to keep his or her ties to your cultural background. It is also important for you.

Ask questions about the tests and exams which are offered and used as evaluation method.

If your child is already a secondary school student, ask how well the graduating students do in getting accepted into major universities both in your current country, back home and elsewhere overseas.

Fourth: What other activities can the school offer your child?

Besides the fundamental course works, what kind of arts, sports, community service does the school offer? Are there proper facilities to support those activities?

It seems that schools almost compete with each other when it comes to sports, thus many schools will have gymnasiums and sport complexes, which are either new or remodeled. But maybe your child is more into other activities computer programming, performing arts?

Most schools offer after-school/weekend programs as well as field trips and community services. You should be able to freely pick the activities that best suit your child.

Fifth: Does the school have qualified personnel?

This is not as obvious as you may think. The school is most likely private and qualifications for employment are not as strict as for schools back home. What educational degree do they hold?

How long have they been teaching at the school?

What kind of teaching methods do they prefer?

Are they involved in planning and evaluating the curriculum? Will they be giving special attention to each child’s problems or personal needs?

Sixth: What do the current students think of the school?

If it’s possible, talk to some of the existing students. Are they happy there? Do they look motivated to learn? How will the school help your child get started? Do they assign so-called “buddies” (another student from the same country) for new students? Most schools have established student organizations to provide service to students at a personal level. Here, students can get help about studying, working, individual needs and so on.

Seventh: How is the relationship between the school and the parents?

You will obviously not be able to monitor your child in school. The teacher will have to be your eyes and ears. You must be notified of your child’s functionality regardless of grade, and regardless of whether it includes bad behavior or progress your child has made. Make sure that you can get informed as often as possible. You may join a parents’ volunteer program if available.

Some schools may offer activities for the whole family as well.

Watch your child!

Never mind how diligent you do your homework - and maybe the above list is a bit excessive you will never be able to foresee if your child will thrive at the school.

It is therefore important that you make a habit of spending more time than you used to at home talking to your child about how school was today. What they did in class, and what they did outside. Let her or him tell about their new friends. Listen.

All may initially sound fine and uncomplicated, but that may just be a honeymoon period. This is the most important step of them all. If your child develops in any way you find disturbing or even develops signs of discomfort with going to school, you should think twice before you tell your child that “this is life - it is not always pleasant!”.

A change of school at the right time might be the single most important decision to make to put the future of your child on the right track!

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Thailand 33

Bringing Learning To Life

34 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

We’ve probably all asked our children “what did you do at school today?”

Depending on their age, you may have heard everything from an enthusiastic play-by-play to mumbling indifference.

B

ut what if your 11 yearold child told you they were on a barge floating down the Chao Praya River looking at water quality and investigating how local communities struggle to access clean water? And what if your 13 year-old told you they were working with local artists to paint a mural on the 5th floor of the school inspired by urban issues and mathematical probability?

And what if your 15 year-old asked you to sign a permission form because they were going to Cambodia to perform a play to local students that they had written based on research into human trafficking?

We hope you’d be asking, “what didn’t you do at school today?”

NIST International School takes to heart the International Baccalaureate’s insistence on basing curriculum development and delivery on the very latest neurological and pedagogical research. It is this same research which tells us that adolescent minds are able to process, retain, and access information and concepts best when they can make meaningful connections between what they are learning in the classroom and what is happening around them. This is true from very local contexts all the way up to the very biggest of global issues.

And it is especially powerful when we can provide opportunities for students to see that the subjects they take are not islands upon which disconnected learning takes place but are instead vital pieces of an integrated whole.

Whether these opportunities come while bringing science and geography together on a Bangkok river, or when math and the arts combine in a very public space within the school, interdisciplinary teaching and learning will continue to be a pursuit for our Middle Years Programme*, for our practitioners and most importantly for our students.

*NIST International School has recently been recognized for its excellence in interdisciplinary work by being featured in IB World Magazine, and by being asked to be one of a handful of schools worldwide to pilot the new Interdisciplinary Guide and Criteria for the MYP’s Next Chapter Initiative in 2014.

NIST International School 36 Sukhumvit Soi 15, Wattana, Bangkok 10110 www.nist.ac.th

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Thailand 35

T

Starting the learning journey at Bangkok Patana School

he first day at school is the start of a journey. For children in Key Stage 1 at Bangkok Patana School, their learning journey starts with discovering who they are, in a learning environment tailored to each child.

“Our connected curriculum ensures a progression of skills, but this is driven by their personal interests,” explains Jane Monks, Senior Teacher for the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1.

“Our educational philosophy in Key Stage 1 means that we strive to know where each child needs to go with their learning, and we take them there through individual goals and targets. We want them to develop an interest and curiosity about learning, an ability to share this enthusiasm with others, and an enjoyment of school. Our founder wanted the school to nurture a lifelong love of learning in our students, and we aim to do that right from the start.”

Every parent wants their child to be prepared for the wider world when they leave school. Bangkok Patana School students achieve some of the best exam results in the region, thanks to a British curriculum that incorporates the best practices from around the world – but education is about more than good grades.

From the very start of their school experience, even the youngest students at Bangkok Patana are supported to achieve their full potential, whether academically, in the arts, sports, and/or by performing community service. The cultural diversity of the students and staff helps build a caring, supportive environment where everyone’s contribution is valued, and where every child is encouraged to do their best.

“My daughters have friends from many nationalities, with different home lives, festivals and religions, and this has really enriched their lives,” said Susanna Dunachie, who has daughters in Years 1 and 4.

“I think when they eventually leave the school they will do so with self-confidence, with a rounded, international outlook, and with a feeling that the world is their oyster.”

Bangkok Patana School is home to over 2,200 children, catering for students from their first day right through to graduation. Dr Dunachie said that while the size of the school can be daunting at first, this is managed well, with new students paired up with a buddy to help them find their way. The large number of staff means class sizes are small across all Year groups, and that each child benefits from individual attention from teachers and specialists.

“Coming from a UK state school, I was surprised at the amount of individual attention given to each child and their parents – the teachers take a real interest and responsibility, and the student to teacher ratio is amazing,” she said.

“There is a feeling of space across the whole campus – the school doesn’t feel crowded at all. The facilities are outstanding, with three swimming pools, the drama theatre and the libraries, and they are not just there for show – they are successfully integrated in to the curriculum. The Primary Library, for example, is a happy place to visit; the school’s use of the library and the specialist team has reinforced my daughters’ enthusiasm for and love of reading.”

Jane Monks said teachers at the school, the majority of whom are native English speakers, trained in and from the UK, build partnerships with the parents and encourage them to play an active role.

“Parents are welcome to help in the classroom, and we run open mornings and learning expos. We also use three-way conferences where the children share their learning with their parents,” she said.

“Bangkok Patana School teachers care about children as individual learners, and respect them and their views. We recognise the importance of supporting the child’s selfesteem and well-being to allow them to learn effectively.”

36 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

www.patana.ac.th |+66 (0) 2398 0200 | admissions@patana.ac.th | 643 LaSalle Road (Sukhumvit 105), Bangkok

Nurturing young learners to fulfil their individual potential Developing Knowledge and Understanding

Inspiring Creativity

A

t Bangkok Patana we provide the essential rigour of a British curriculum incorporating best practice from other programmes to reflect our international setting.

Our aim is to nurture and develop a lifelong love of learning in our young students.

Encouraging Curiosity

Building Confidence

A

W

t key points within the Primary School we benchmark ourselves against UK schools using National Curriculum Tests. In 2012 over 96% of our Year 2 students achieved their age-related expectation, or above, compared to 87% in the UK.

e also understand the importance of learning outside the classroom.

Extensive opportunities for children to flourish and develop their personal interests are provided through our varied extra-curricular activities programme.

To find out how our child-centred approach to learning and outstanding teaching staff can help your child fulfil their potential from 2 1/2 to 18 years of age, please contact us at admissions@patana.ac.th

www.patana.ac.th |+66 (0) 2398 0200 | 643 LaSalle Road (Sukhumvit 105), Bangna, Bangkok April 2013 • ScandAsia.Thailand 37

Bangkok Patana is an IB World School accredited by CIS and NEASC

LEARNING THROUGH THE ARTS

38 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

The arts are not mere diversions from the important business of education; they are essential resources.

Elliot W Eisner, “The Role of the Arts in Cognition and Curriculum” (2001)

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usic, visual arts, dance, dramaas Elliot W Eisner says, the arts form an essential part of a well balanced education. At KIS International School, the arts are incorporated into the curriculum and are offered as extra-curricular activities as well. Arts at KIS are valued as a means of communication and selfexpression, and as a way for students to develop an understanding of the world around them.

Through creating art and responding to various forms of art, students can immerse themselves in a wide variety of personal and social issues and fulfill their potential as international citizens.

But art isn’t just a way to become a better student. Studying art can be a pathway to a successful career. Design and creativity are fast growing industries, with more new employees in design and arts fields than other fields. A degree

but also as a way of expressing the students’ learning in other subjects. KIS is an International Baccalaureate (IB) school, and through the IB students learn to make connections between what they have learned, including connections to and through art. Grade 4 students, studying ancient civilizations, have looked at how ancient art was used in a historical context. Grade 9 students studied an epic in English in the context of the time it was written. They researched and created a script of the piece in their performing arts class, and then investigated and created masks in their visual art class for the production in Performing Arts. Students studying Performing Arts (Drama) at KIS have the opportunity to take part in all aspects of creating a theatre production, from script writing, to acting, make-up, costumes, set design and sound and light. Creating these types of links gives the students a level of understanding which

progress and gather feedback in a range of ways.

Their goal is to use the Arts to create dialogue.

They hope their paintings, sculptures, songs, poetry, drawings, dances, music and costumes will act as provocations to open discussions about the issues they are expressing.

Our students’ engagements with the arts can be seen through student initiatives, one notable one being the Bangkok International Youth Film Festival. Initiated last year by one of our students who has gone on to study film at university, the festival welcomes entries by young film makers from around the world in a competition which is judged by professionals from the industry. This event is now in its second year and is being run by the Media Studio club at KIS, who hope to build on the success of the first event.

Students also participate and compete against artists from other schools in Thailand in

in the Arts provides a broad foundation for many career choices. KIS students have been accepted with scholarships into prestigious art universities such as San Francisco Art Institute, Savannah Collect of Art and Design and School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

But there are other reasons for involvement with the arts. In a digital age, the arts are valuable in offering students the opportunity for fine motor skills development, keen observation and an alternative means of communication. A student fluent in the arts will have more success at making connections and also develop intra-personal understanding.

The arts, furthermore, provide an outlet for students whose strength is in using their hands or bodies to express ideas more ably than in written form. It’s a different way to be successful.

Throughout their journey at KIS, each child participates in many art activities. Art is integrated into the curriculum and it’s not just seen as a subject in itself (though it is that too, of course),

is more than the sum of the separate parts.

Art at KIS receives special attention every year during “Artigras” week. Artigras is an elaborate week-long celebration of the arts with a focus on the art in the classrooms, guest performers, art appreciation, a community talent show, and an opportunity for students to display their talents on busking day.

Each primary school class will also spend time on the Arts when they discuss “How We Express Ourselves”, one of the units of inquiry in the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) curriculum. Grade 5 at KIS this year is dedicating their group project, called “The Exhibition” to this theme. Through “The Exhibition”, these students, who are in the last year of the PYP, explore real issues with which they feel a connection. Some examples are “sibling rivalry”, “equal opportunity” and “integrating into new communities”. The students then select a form of art which they will use as a vehicle for their expression. During the creative process, the students reflect upon their

the Art Competition and Auction. This event is held to raise funds for underprivileged children, and allows students to gain recognition for their outstanding pieces of visual arts, in a formal exhibition setting.

There are many ways for children to express themselves which go beyond writing essays. Each child should be given the opportunity to try various forms of expression, and to engage with the arts to become well-rounded, creative, international citizens. At KIS students actively partake in a wide range of art forms allowing each student, through their particular talents and thoughts, to be a star and shine.

Linda Belonje, BA Eng, MA Comms Director of Marketing and Development KIS International School, Bangkok linda@kis.ac.th www.kis.ac.th Tel. +66(0) 2274 3444 April 2013 • ScandAsia.Thailand 39

10 years of excellence at

Shrewsbury Inter

40 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

rnational School Anniversary offers moment to celebrate success

O

NE of things that sets Shrewsbury International School apart is the quality and dedication of its staff. So, as the school looks forward to celebrating the 10th Anniversary of its founding it may be no surprise to learn that 50 current staff members started working here on the first day the school opened back in 2003. These 50 exceptional people – teachers, teaching assistants and support staff – are an integral part of the Shrewsbury success story. There are also 123 students who walked with their parents through the gate on that bright September morning who are still here. The youngest are now in Year 7 while the oldest are about to graduate as part of the Class of 2013.

Anniversaries always offer a good moment to look back and reflect. In the 10 years since Shrewsbury International School opened, it has built a formidable reputation for academic excellence and for providing outstanding opportunities for students to secure places at the world’s leading universities. But it hasn’t been all the about the academics. Successes in sport, music and the performing and creative arts have created an archive of memories that will live long in the minds of the Shrewsbury community.

Over the past few months, Shrewsbury has been proud to announce results and success stories that confirm its place at the forefront of South East Asia’s international education. In February, a number of Shrewsbury students received the news that they had been offered much coveted places at the best universities in the United States.

Deputy Head Girl Khanittha Wang, who is from Taiwan and has been at the school for almost the full 10 years, has won a place at the

prestigious Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Golfer Jackie Chulya has accepted an offer from Columbia University in New York to study at the Fu Foundation School of Engineering as well as join the Division 1 women’s golf team, a tremendous honour on both counts.

Artist and mathematician Nut Lapprathana will be continuing his education in the School of Architecture at Syracuse University in upstate New York. Syracuse boasts one of the premier architecture programmes in the US and will put both Nut’s creative and scientific abilities to terrific use.

Earlier in the year three students celebrated the news that they were being offered places at Oxford and Cambridge Universities in the UK. Following in the footsteps of Jane Chakawaret, the first Shrewsbury student to win a place at Oxford University in 2006, are Rit Chaowanagawi and Orr Chinthammit. Rit will study Biological Sciences at Wadham College. One of the larger Oxford Colleges, Wadham is well known for its academic excellence as well as its liberal and progressive community. To be part of its 400-year heritage is exciting for Rit whose interests in genetics, evolution and using science to solve environmental problems have shaped his applications and final choices. Orr has always been resolute in pursuing an education that placed her at the heart of the Life Sciences. With an open offer to study Biochemistry at Oxford University she will be able to achieve not only this, but to also continue as her sporting interests as well her deep commitment to community action.

Pecky Leelathauwanot is destined for the richly resourced, intellectually inspiring Trinity College, Cambridge. She will pursue her passion for Mathematics and Physics; electing to read Engineering.

It has been a tremendous year for the creative arts at Shrewsbury International School too. At 17 in total, this is the largest group of A Level Art & Design students Shrewsbury has ever seen.

Pratt Institute of Art in New York City has extended offers to five students so far, including Shrewsbury Art Scholar Mei Kanamoto, who is from Japan, and plans to pursue her interests in Fine Art and Illustration. Panisa Busayanont, an aspiring fashion designer, has received offers from Parsons, SAIC, and Otis College of Art & Design in Los Angeles.

In the UK, Camberwell University of the Arts London has offered places to Cha Cha Thanakitamnuay for Fine Art, Neung Khunchornyakong for Textiles, and to Beaut Chaimanowong for Illustration. Bung Asavasangsidhi is considering offers to read Fine Art from UAL Central St. Martin’s and Loughborough University.

Mrs Gillian McCaskey, Shrewsbury’s Head of Careers who leads students in their university choices and applications, is thrilled with each individual’s achievement. “Our students’ capacity to perform and compete so successfully in the global academic arena is a testament to the learning environment and their personal drive, interest and enjoyment in the subjects that they have chosen.”

To request a prospectus or to book a school tour please call Ilka Hodapp or Susan Low on 02 675 1888 ext 1110, or send an email to admissions@shrewsbury.ac.th www.shrewsbury.ac.th

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Thailand 41

The impacts of multilingualism

By Frazer Cairns, Head of UWCSEA Dover Campus

Author biography

Frazer Cairns started his career as a management consultant and journalist after graduating from the University of York in the UK. He retrained as a science teacher and subsequently taught in the UK, Indonesia and Switzerland. He is currently the Head of UWCSEA Dover Campus.

Gajo, L., (2007) Linguistic Knowledge and Subject Knowledge: How Does Bilingualism Contribute to Subject Development? The International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 10(5) pp 563 – 581

D

espite multilingual education dating back to the ancient world in a variety of different cultures, multilingualism was seenuntil relatively recently by many education researchers as an exceptional, even hazardous, phenomenon. Trying to learn through a language other than the language spoken at home (for example learning science in English rather than Danish) was cited as the root of a number of difficulties: cognitive overload, semi-lingualism and language confusion to name but three. Learning through more than one language was, essentially, bad for you.

This point of view obviously has profound implications for international schools, where a potentially large proportion of the community is learning through a language other than their home language. It is not at all unusual for parents sending their children to a school where English is the working language to worry that speaking their home language with their children will at best impede their progress in English and at worst confuse them so that they end up speaking no first language.

Thankfully, modern educational research now sees multilingualism as a potential asset that provides learners with a strategic (and significant) advantage rather than as a cause for concern. As one might perhaps expect, speakers of multiple languages learn further languages more easily—they seem to have a higher metalinguistic awareness (in other words, they show a better understanding of the nature of linguistic structures) and a more analytical approach towards the social and pragmatic functions of language. However, more interestingly, research has suggested that a ‘uniqueness’ exists in the development of multilingual students when compared to their monolingual peers.

Empirical research has shown that multilinguals ‘know things’ that transcend the purely linguistic level according to Laurent Gajo1, a professor at the University of Geneva. In Gajo’s view of learning, the different languages interact and combine to generate, not the simple addition of distinct competences (i.e., not just two monolingual halves welded together), but rather an original, individual, complex competence on which the user may draw. Speaking multiple languages, it seems, makes you better not just at other languages, but also potentially more creative and better at mathematics, science or history.

It is important to say that learning through a language other than your home language is not an easy option or one that will yield instant results. Though

42 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

many children attain basic communicative competence in a language relatively quickly, the more specific language demanded in an educational setting takes longer to acquire; most students will, in fact, initially see a drop in their overall performance as they try to adjust. Much will also depend on personal factors such as motivation, the child’s communicative needs and levels of anxiety. However, in the medium term, the drop is usually compensated for and a multilingual child usually regains their age-appropriate progress. Often times they surpass their monolingual peers.

Going back to the worried parent, should you, then, speak to your child in English at home if it is not their mother language? The research is clear - no. For a child learning in a second language it is vital to maintain their mother tongue. Skills acquired in the first language can be transferred to the second language so, for example, if your child has developed good reading skills in French or Korean, she is likely to be able to apply these skills when reading English. (One useful transferable reading skill is the ability to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words from context.) Similarly, the skills of being able to plan out a piece of writing or develop an argument in a persuasive essay can be applied in the second language once they have been learned in the first.

Many children in international schools plan to return to their home country at some point to continue their education. Students who neglect their mother tongue can often suffer from problems of identity loss or distance from their parents, and from other family members in their home country. Both of these are strong reasons to make sure they do not have gaps in their mother tongue.

Educational research has generated its fair share of false conclusions—playing Bach to your children and having potted plants in the classroom does not necessarily make them better at maths despite the claims made in some studies. It is important to recognise that the range of factors that go together to generate the positive consequences of multilingualism are not as yet fully understood, and that much will depend on the personal factors mentioned above. The choices of the institution (for instance, its language curricula and its teaching methodology) will also have a critical influence on a learner’s willingness, or reluctance, to transfer resources from one context into another. However, what is clear is the importance of the strategic and transferable skills that multilingualism can bring to children as they face a complex and rapidly changing world.

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Thailand 43

Come & Study at Sweden’S Leading boarding SCHooL

Sigtuna Humanistiska Läroverket (SSHL) is Sweden’s leading boarding school, situated in the picturesque village of Sigtuna, 17 minutes from Arlanda airport and just 40 minutes from central Stockholm. The school has approx. a total of 500 day and boarding students.

With a view of Lake Mälaren, the SSHL school campus is a safe and supportive environment where students are prepared to meet the challenges of higher education and the working world.

The school offers a stimulating and challenging learning environment with excellent facilities to support students in performing to the best of their ability.

Classes are small and each student is given an academic tutor who guides them through their time at SSHL. Because SSHL is a small, close-knit community where teachers are actively involved, students have virtually unlimited access to mentors and teachers.

SSHL offerS a range of Study programmeS in botH SwediSH and engLiSH for StudentS between tHe ageS 12 and 19. programmeS taugHt in engLiSH

• IB - The International Baccalaureate programme • The Business and Management Programme • The IB Middle Years Programme – MYP programmeS taugHt in SwediSH

• The Natural Science Programme • The Social Science Programme • The Business and Management Programme boarding Life at SSHL

SSHL’s well-equipped and beautifully situated boarding houses are uniquely placed at the heart of the campus, enabling students to experience the very best of life at the school and all that this entails both in terms of academic support and extra curricular activities.

There are presently ten Boarding Houses: five for girls, five for boys. Each House has 25-30 students between the ages of 12-19. In each House, there are three House Parents in each house, who act as a mentor, an advisor and someone to ensure that the House is a home from home for all students.

A uniquely Swedish school with a strong international profile, SSHL places great emphasis on celebrating and upholding many of the country’s unique traditions to share and promote an understanding of the best of Sweden and Swedish culture. SSHL students learn and experience firsthand how the natural environment is such an important part of Swedish identity with opportunities to participate in activities dependent on the season.

In spring and summer students make the most of the good weather by swimming in the lakes, going orienteering, rowing, having barbecues, etc. In the winter there’s cross country skiing, skating on the lakes, ice fishing and other opportunities such as making use of our own slalom ski slope.

Summer CourSeS

During the summer SSHL organizes summer courses in Swedish and English.

Come & ViSit uS

The only way to experience SSHL, with its unique blend of Swedish and international culture, academic excellence and student care is to see the outstanding facilities, meet our friendly students and staff, by coming to visit the school.

To arrange a visit, please contact us by filling out the form you will find on our website at sshl.se/visit. For information about applying to SSHL, please visit sshl.se/apply.

Box 508 193 28 Sigtuna +46 (0)8-592 571 00 info@sshl.se sshl.se

Nyborg Gymnasium has stx, hf, IB and boarding school

A

Danish upper-secondary school environment with an international agenda.

Nyborg Gymnasium addresses the growing internationalisation with programmes, study streams and a boarding school, which makes the ‘international’ the order of the day.

The students at Nyborg Gymnasium have an eye open onto the world, and they are fully capable of exploring this in school. This happens, for example, if they are students in the study stream Going Global, stay at the boarding school with other young people from all over the world, or if they are students in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, where all subjects are taught in English.

Over recent years Nyborg Gymnasium has expanded and rebuilt school facilities to ensure that the framework for the tuition is updated and inspiring. The latest addition to the school is a new building for the sciences, and a special ‘language’ zone. At the boarding school the students have their own rooms, a strong community, and a kitchen, with focus on organic cooking, providing the meals of the day.

Nyborg Gymnasium ….en route to the world

Bergen International School

T

he educational programme of the International School of Bergen (ISB) has been developed to help prepare its students for a successful future, whether that future is in the Hordaland region or outside the borders of Norway. Parents also choose ISB for the English language learning environment, the small class sizes and the challenge of the International Baccalaureate programmes. Our mission is to provide an internationally accredited education which serves the Bergen and business communities.

An education at ISB is recognized as quality far and wide. The school is accredited by the Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and is authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization to offer their Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes.

ISB is committed to the ethos of continual school improvement and strategic planning which are essential features of accredited schools.

Our students and staff ISB provides educational programmes in English to children between the ages of 3 and 18. The students represent more than thirty different nationalities. The teachers all hold university degrees and appropriate teaching qualifications. Class sizes are small with normally 16 – 18 students.

Bergen International School Wilhelm Bjerknesvei 15, 5081 Bergen Phone +47 55 30 63 30 Fax +47 55 30 63 31 Website: www.isob.no E-mail: post@isob.no

International Baccalaureate

- an alternative to the Danish ‘Studentereksamen’ • internationally recognized • gives admission to universities all over the world • taught in English You can stay at Nyborg Gymnasium’s boarding school.

Contact us for more information about the programme and the boarding school.

Deadline for applications: 15th of March

Nyborg Gymnasium & Kostskole Skolebakken 13, DK-5800 Nyborg, tlf +45 65 31 02 17 post@nyborg-gym.dk, www.nyborg-gym.dk

EngElskspråklig privatskolE for barn og ungdom mEllom 3 og 18 • • • • • • •

Få elever i hver klasse Trygt læringsmiljø med god individuell oppfølging God kontakt med foreldre Internasjonalt godkjente og utfordrende læreplaner Utmerkede resultater i internasjonale og norske nasjonalprøver Sentral beliggenhet med bybanestopp rett utenfor døren Nyhet– Internasjonal Videregående med godkjenning fra Lånekassen Contact us for more information: Tel 55 30 63 30 eller post@isob.no

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Thailand 45

Sustainability across borders Talent development and internationalization through an exchange project with a partner school in Singapore

I

• Talent and exchange project with the Millenia Institute in Singapore • Common theme is sustainability • Participation in the project is a reward for students across year groups and classes at Nyborg Gymnasium • Students visit each other and stay in private homes • Project is part of the internationalization, which is on the agenda of Nyborg Gymnasium

nternationalization opens the world and brings us closer together across language, culture, education etc. A good example is the common talent and exchange project between the Millennia Institute in Singapore and Nyborg Gymnasium. The common focal point of collaboration is the theme sustainability.

Singapore like Denmark lacks natural resources. Why not inspire each other in ways to solve our challenges? That is what the partner schools, the Millennia Institute in Singapore and Nyborg Gymnasium from Denmark, do.

The theme of cooperation is sustainability- cultural and enhanced talents are side benefits.

• The Millennia Institute is a business school, but we have chosen science as our approach to cooperation. Therefore, it is exciting for both parties to work with sustainability from an environmental, scientific and economic perspective, says Helene Bendorff Kristensen, IB Coordinator at Nyborg Gymnasium.

• Our students receive not only an international horizon, but they will also be able to use their subjects and their English on a professional basis. It provides a vision of a different culture, where you do things in a different way.

International reward for talent • Participation in the project is an academic and cultural reward to those students given the chance thereto. They really learn about other cultures, broaden their horizons, says Helene Bendorff Kristensen: • It is also extremely instructive when students live privately with local students from our Asian partner school. And from a subject content view it is rewarding to deal with the common theme sustainability.

Millennia Institute’s website: http://www.millenniainstitute.moe.edu.sg/

Herlufsholm Skole – The best of both worlds

H

erlufsholm is the oldest and largest boarding school in Denmark. Herlufsholm is located approximately 100 km south of Copenhagen in a beautiful and historic environment with buildings ranging from an 10th Century monastery to new and modern sports and science facilities. During the school year Herlufsholm buzzes with activity with 620 students from all over the world ranging from 12-19 years old.

Many families choose Her-

lufsholm because of its combination of international education and Danish culture. Many international students have one or more parents who aresomehow connected to Denmark, and Herlufsholm is an opportunity for students to explore their heritage, become more familiar with Danish culture, improve Danish language skills, and establish a Danish network.

The educational experience at Herlufsholm is founded a Danish ap-

proach to education with both international curriculums (IGCSE and IB) and the Danish national curriculum.

The youngest international students, 14-16 year olds, take the International Prep with an IGCSE based curriculum. International Preparation class sets the bar high for academic learning, maturity, while providing students with the skills needed for starting in the International Baccalaureate Diploma program, which is designed for 16-19 year olds.

Sommerskole på Herlufsholm - for piger og drenge i alderen 13-15 år

FRA 19. JULI TIL 2. AUGUST 2013 Tilbring 2 sjove og spændende uger i sommerferien på Danmarks ældste kostskole i selskab med 13-15 årige fra hele verden.

Programmet byder på niveauinddelt dansk undervisning, sportslige og kreative aktiviteter samt ekskursioner og oplevelser. Lær om Danmark, mød nye venner og nyd de enestående historiske og smukke rammer som Herlufsholm Skole kan tilbyde.

LÆS MERE PÅ WWW.HERLUFSHOLM.DK 46 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

HERLUFSHOLM SKOLE OG GODS HERLUFSHOLM ALLÉ 170 REKTORKONTOR@HERLUFSHOLM.DK TLF. +45 55 75 35 00

DK - 4700 NÆSTVED

The Sky’s the Limit at Yasothon’s Bang Fai Rocket Festival

By Miklos Bolza

A

s one of the biggest events in Northeastern Thailand, the Bang Fai Festival really puts the tiny town of Yasothon on the map.

Held on the second weekend of May each year, the locals come out in force to host a colourful parade full of local dancing. There is also a rocket competition where the team that launches the highest flying rocket wins a large cash prize.

This festival is held at the end of the hot season, when the land is often crying out for water. The rockets are sent up in an attempt to appease the gods, so that the region will then experience plenty of rain and a bountiful crop.

Music, Dancing and Plenty of Celebration On the first day, stages line the sides of Chaeng Sanit Road blasting out both Thai country music and international pop songs. Each stage is set up by the teams who have entered into the following day’s rocket competition. Here, they revel in the moment, imagining the taste of victory that they hope to receive the next day.

Between these stages runs a very lively parade beginning around 11 a.m. and going until the sun sets at about 7 p.m. The main highlights here are the bang fai floats. Decorated with Buddhist regalia, they represent the launch platforms that the rockets will be placed on the following day. There is even a mock rocket on top of them, including a naga head that sprays water over the watching crowds. This is certainly very welcome in the sweltering heat felt at this time of year.

Throughout the day, visitors can grab something to eat at one of the many street stalls found along the parade route. These serve up treats such as sausages, dumplings, grilled squid, ice cream, and crepes with meringue. There are also various beverages for sale to help you cool down.

Aiming for the Stars Sunday is the day that everyone gears up for, when the rockets are finally brought out and launched.

This, the pinnacle of the Bang Fai Festival, happens at Phaya Thaen Park, found at the southeastern edge of the city. During the day, there are actually two competitions taking place: Bang Fai Saen and Bang Fai Fancy.

Bang Fai Saen involves the largest rockets that are launched with the aim of going as high as possible. These are made from bamboo poles up to 20 m long connected to a 4 m PVC pipe which is packed with a maximum of 120 kg of gunpowder.

The team that reaches the highest altitude will walk away with a nice 30,000 Baht at the end of the day.

For the Bang Fai Fancy competition, smaller rockets are launched after a pre-prepared pyrotechnic display. Points are also added for how the rockets come back to earth, ensuring that the entire flight is as poised and as beautiful as possible. Here, the rockets consist of an 8 m long bamboo tube, 50 cm of PVC pipe and about 4 kg of gunpowder.

48 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

The rockets are launched throughout the day, starting at around 6.30 a.m. and finishing at 4.30 p.m.

Also at Phaya Thaen Park, visitors will find a market where they can purchase local souvenirs, such as t-shirts, musical instruments, VCDs and toys. You can also buy fireworks which have been handmade in Yasothon itself, and these are regularly set off throughout the festival. Finally, there is also plenty to eat, from grilled chicken to fresh coconuts, sold by vendors throughout the park.

Travelling to the Rocket Festival The town of Yasothon is about 530 km northeast of Bangkok, and those interested in getting there can do so in several ways. The most direct is to catch a bus from Bangkok’s Mo Chit 2 Terminal. There are actually many choices available here, but one of the best is to catch one of the Transport Company’s VIP buses. Tickets are 599 Baht per person and the entire overnight journey will take around 9 hours to complete.

While Yasothon itself does not have an airport, you can also fly from Don Muang Airport in Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani with Nok Air, Thai Airways or AirAsia. This is a lot faster, but will involve a transfer from the airport to Ubon’s bus terminal where you can catch a local bus to Yasothon.

Staying in Yasothon Once you get to Yasothon, you will need somewhere to sleep. The Yasothon Orchid Garden Hotel offers double rooms at 600 Baht and twin rooms at 700 Baht per night during the holiday weekend. It is also within walking distance of Chaeng Sanit Street as well as Phaya Thaen Park, so you can easily experience all of the town’s festivities. To get to the hotel from the bus station though, you will need to take a motorbike taxi which will cost you 60 Baht.

For an alternative place to stay, the In Town Hotel is found adjacent to Phaya Thaen Park. The price here is 600 Baht per night for both double and twin rooms.

Being on the outskirts of the city, it may be difficult to find something to eat. It also may be a bit noisy as the rocket launches occur quite close by.

Fine Festival Food Eating out in Yasothon is not too difficult, especially with the wide range of street food on offer. For a proper place to sit and dine though, visitors have a number of options. Sadeng Professional is a restaurant/pub with some delicious Thai dishes and a live band that starts at 10 p.m. It can be found in the centre of town.

On Witthaya Thamrong Road sits Wan Waan Restaurant, a popular dining spot for local Thais, and Chai Bakery, a good choice for those looking for something sweet during the day.

Another option is the Rim Chee Riverside Restaurant where you can sit and watch the river roll past while enjoying some great Thai food and a relaxing atmosphere.

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Thailand 49

School Flow League

at Flow House Bangkok

F

low House Bangkok, together with Rip Curl and True you, held its first “Rip Curl School Flow League” competition on 28 February 2013 at Flow House Bangkok on Sukhumvit 26. A total of eight teams of youngsters aged under18 entered the competition, showing off their styles on the waves. The winners of the league went to “Rangers” team, followed by “French Toast Mafia!” and “The Bad Fish” teams.

On top of the fun competition, there were various entertaining activities such as games and special deals on clothes from Rip Curl for riders, families and friends to enjoy.

Bangkok Flow House plans to hold the similar event again on 18 May 2013. For those who are interested, check out facebook.com/flowhousebangkok or call 02 108 5210

BrainHeart & MediLink launches “I AM PROTECTED”

O

n Sunday 24 February 2013, over 70 Swedish people attended “I AM PROTECTED” event at Huay Yang Driving Range & Golf. The event was aimed at creating awareness among the community about the products and services offered for their protection while they are in Thailand.

BrainHeart is Thailand’s pre-eminent professional provider of long-stay services and management consulting services to foreign second home buyers in Thailand and have been certified by BOI within the category Long-stay services.

MediLik provides Third Party Administration (TPA) services to both domestic and international insurance companies with international standard. MediLink is the first company in the country to provide TPA services through Electronic Healthcard.

By joint efforts between BrainHeart and MediLink, the “I AM PROTECTED” has been created.

During the event, there were about 4-6 rounds of presentations to educate the participants. Experts were available for one-to-one consultation to identify the interest and needs of interested participants. Golf lucky shot into the basket was held afterwards where one lucky lady left the event with a smile and a prize of vacation package worth THB 20,000.

50 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

Juicy Mani Smoothie Pedi promotion

At eforea: spa, Hilton Pattaya

H

For more information, call 038 253 000 or visit Hilton.com/eforeaspa.

ilton Pattaya has recently launched new promotion “Juicy Mani Smoothie Pedi” at its spa on Level 17. From 10 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. daily, guests can enjoy a range of healthy juices or smoothies while having their hands and feet soothed and nourished in the luxurious spa retreat surroundings.

A blend of effective antioxidant and detox formulas naturally helps support and protects the body from many negative effects of modern day life. With all ingredients sourced from local produce, these juices and smoothies are great ways to kickstart a new regime or maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Guests will indulge with luxury manicure and pedicure treatments including cuticle sculpting, nail shaping, gentle exfoliation, hydrating mask and effervescence soak to brighten nails and revitalize tired hands and feet. The treatments are finished off with a massage and polish.

With the special promotion, luxury Manicure or pedicure treatments are available from THB 1,200 nett to THB 1,600 nett. eforea: spa at Hilton is a global spa concept created by Hilton Hotels & Resorts, the flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide. The spa solution features an exclusive menu of treatment journeys and innovative design elements, all providing a turnkey spa solution owners can easily implement and customize. Leveraging its global reach and expertise, Hilton pulled the best elements and practices from Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and the Americas to create a unique concept for today’s savvy global travelers.

Regent Phuket Cape Panwa offers summer promotion

F

rom 15 March to 31 October 2013, Regent Phuket Cape Panwa offers value added options in its 105 luxurious rooms, suites and villas. With the special offers, guests can stay in a Pavilion room for THB 6,000 per night, a Suite for THB 8,050 per night or a Pool Villa for THB 12,750 per night. The rates include daily breakfast for two at The Restaurant, complimentary use of iPad and WiFi, selected non-alcoholic mini bar, four pieces of laundry or pressing daily and shuttle service to Phuket Town.

Guests who opt to stay in a Pool Villa can enjoy the added bonus of 24-hour Resort Butler service, complimentary selected alcoholic mini bar and access to the Regent Club, which offers breakfast, coffee and tea as well as evening cocktails.

Regent Phuket Cape Panwa is located in the secluded bay of Cape Panwa in Phuket with a private beach overlooking beautiful Andaman Sea. Nevertheless, it is only 45-minute drive from the International airport, 15 minutes from Phuket Town and 30 minutes from Patong Beach.

Facilities at the resort include two restaurants, the 1,650 sqm Regent Spa, Children’s Club, outdoor infinity pool, and onsite tennis court. Wellness facilities also include complimentary daily yoga, kinetics and Pilates classes. Stand-up paddle board, kayaking, and cycling to Phuket old town and local markets can also be arranged.

Rates for the Opening Offer are subject to taxes and service charge. A minimum of 3 nights stay is required. Terms & Conditions apply.

For more information, contact 0 7620 0800 or visit www.regenthotels.com/phuket

Medium

Danish Ham with Beer

By Anders Holm Nielsen

A

terrific meal when serving a large number of guests. This recipe from Denmark combines the Danish love of pork with the fact that Danish beer is world renowned.

Evil

Serves 10 people Ingredients • 1 ham -- tenderized • ½ teaspoon • dry mustard • 4 tablespoons water • 1 cup brown sugar • 10 bay leaves • 1 liter of beer

Preparation • Remove all but a thin layer of fat from the ham.

• Score the top. Place in a roasting pan.

• Mix mustard, water and sugar to the consistency of prepared mustard.

• Cover the ham with this mixture.

• Stick cloves in the ham surface.

• Fasten the bay leaves to the ham with small skewers or toothpicks broken in half.

• Pour the beer over the ham and bake, uncovered, 30 minutes to the pound in an oven preheated to 220 ºC • Use the liquid in the pan as a sauce for the ham.

Danish Scalloped Potatoes (Creamed Potatoes) Potatoes are a very important ingredient in traditional Danish cooking.

Try this recipe for Danish scalloped potatoes. The potatoes go well with any type of steak or roast (beef, pork, lamb, veal).

Are you done?

Preparation

W

hen you have completed the above puzzles, please send your solution by fax to +66 2 943 7169 or scan and email to puzzles@ scandasia.com. We will make a lucky draw among the correct answers. Five lucky winners will receive a ScandAsia polo shirt.

Name:

___________________________________________________

Age: ________________________

Mobile:

___________________

Address:

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Email:

__________________________________________________

Deadline for submitting your solution is 15 May 2013 54 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2013

Ingredients • 5-6 pounds potatoes • 6 large onions – finely chopped • 4 crushed garlic gloves • Salt • Pepper • Mornay sauce (Béchamel sauce with shredded or grated cheese) • Cream (or milk if you are on a diet)

• Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices.

• Chop the onions • Mix mornay sauce and cream. ¼ of mornay sauce and ¾ of cream • Mix potatoes with onions and place it in an ovenproof dish • Add mix of cream and Mornay sauce so it nearly covers the potatoes.

• Add garlic, salt and pepper and stir lightly.

• Place in preheated oven at 180 degrees.

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Every business has a different story and a different goal. We understand that.

Over many years in this market of unique opportunities, we’ve developed the local knowledge, resources and connections needed to turn ambitions into reality. That’s why we’re one of the most well-established northern European banks in the region. For corporates, financial institutions and private banking clients, we’re ready to listen and cater to your needs – in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore and New Delhi.

Welcome to contact us at Tel: +65 63 57 08 95 singapore@sebprivatebanking.com.sg www.sebgroup.com/privatebanking