OCT 2014
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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.
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Thai Swedish Chamber 25 Years
Viking Wheelers’ 10th Anniversary
Date: 25 October 2014 Where: The Landmark Bangkok
Date: October 25, 2014 @ 09:00 – 16:00 Venue: Admirals Pub and Restaurant
The Thai Swedish Chamber of Commerce invites its members to a Gala Night Party to celebrate the 25 years anniversary of the Chamber. The Chamber promises an unforgettable night with superb food & bevarages, exciting entertainment in the Ball Room and an after party in the Huntsman Pub that will get you going for the rest of the night.
Viking Wheelers will celebrate the 10th Anniversary with an Anniversary Ride and luncheon on Saturday 25 October. The day will start with the normal Admirals Bangkachao Invasion followed by a special “nostalgic” buffet luncheon at the Admirals@24. Those who do not want to join the ride in the morning are welcome to join only the luncheon.
Visit from Singapore to Pandora Date: October 17, 2014 Where: Pandora Factory Bangkok / Followed by downtown Bangkok
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
Danish Business Association of Singapore (DABS) has arranged for a limited number of members to visit Pandora’s large factory outside Bangkok. After the visit the guests will join the regular networking evening for members of Danish-Thai Chamber of commerce. This evening will be a unique chance to for DTCC members to meet up with Danish companies in Singapore – maybe even get inspired to arrange a visit for members of DTCC to a Danish company in Singapore. Danish Business Association of Singapore +65 9144 6272 Danish Thai Chamber of Commerce +66 2354 5220
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Daily news and features here: www.scandasia.com
ThaiCraft Fairs at Jasmine City Date: Sat 11 Oct , Sat 15 Nov Time : 10 am - 3 pm Location : Jasmine City Building on ‘L’ Floor Sukhumvit Rd. (at entrance to Soi 23) If you have not visited a ThaiCraft Fair yet, it is about time. At these fairs you will find over 50 craft groups direct from villages nationwide exhibiting their handicraft products at great prices. Getting to Jasmine City is easy by BTS. Go to the Asoke Station, follow signs to EXIT 6 walk across the intersection and down on the north side of the road past the gasoline station. On Soi 23, Jasmine City entrance is on the opposite side about 50 metres to the right.
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Our Star Health Plan provides perfect care for you and your family with premium levels designed to be reasonable and stable. We believe in long-term relationships which is why we focus on prevention. Our Plan offers more care to keep you healthy and happy – and your premiums low. Call our agent on 08 4524 4772 or e-mail to ouragent@thaivivat.co.th Thaivivat – Your Health Manager.
News Brief
Volvo Trucks rolls out plan for expansion across Asia
V
olvo Trucks announced an ambitious plan to expand its Asia operations at the Singapore Productivity Forum 2014. The plan includes substantial investment to upgrade its dealer networks in Thailand and Malaysia, a new representative office in Mongolia and opening of new offices in Myanmar and Pakistan by the end of the year.Volvo Group Trucks_Christophe MARTIN Volvo Trucks, one of the world’s leading heavy truck brands, approaches productivity from the perspective of its customers and offers total transport solutions to the construction, mining, logistics and urban-use sectors. Addressing the audience at the Singapore Productivity Forum 2014, Mr Christophe Martin, President of Volvo Trucks in Asia Oceania, said, ”Our customers rely on us to understand their needs and find the best possible transport solution for their business.To stay close to them,Volvo is investing and expanding in Asia. We made a THB3 billion investment (US$93.5 million) in Thailand growing the dealer network, and similar plans are in place for Malaysia. The company also recently opened a new representative office in Mongolia, and by the end of the year additional offices in Pakistan and Myanmar will follow.”
Innovative Danish dam Tobacco executive uses water to fight flooding to take helm at Pandora
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hen TV-news reports on flooding, the speaker is often accompanied by pictures of armies of people building dams of sandbags to save their homes. This might become images of the past. A Danish company has invented a new type of dam that can potentially save flood plagued countries from the trouble connected with building ineffective and expensive sandbag dams. The concept is relatively simple. A long tube is rolled out and with the help from a few generators pumped full of the water that is to be kept out. The tube then creates a solid barrier. The mobile dam system is called NoFloods and is created by Danish company Environment Solutions. The NoFloods dam is very light and can be handled faster and a lot easier than a dam of sandbags. Environment Solutions compares the two approaches on their website, while 1 kilometer dam of sandbags takes 6940 man hours to build and consists of 150.000 sandbags, 1 kilometer of NoFloods dam can be assembled by four men in a few hours and the necessary equipment can be fitted inside a single truck. 6 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
T
obacco executive Anders Colding Friis to succeed Allan Leighton as new CEO in March 2015. The Board of Directors also recommends that Peder Tuborgh, subject to approval at an extraordinary general meeting to be held in October 2014, succeed current Chairman of the Board of Directors Marcello Bottoli, who, as previously announced, will be stepping down in 2014 due to other professional commitments. Anders Colding Friis, 51, current CEO of Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S, is a Danish citizen and holds an M.Sc. (Business Administration) from Copenhagen Business School and has since 2006 been the Group CEO of Scandinavian Tobacco Group, the world’s largest manufacturer of cigars and pipe tobacco. Founded in 1982 and headquar tered in Copenhagen, Denmark, PANDORA employs more than 9,000 people worldwide of whom approximately 7,000 are located in Gemopolis, Thailand, where the company manufactures its jewellery.
News Brief
October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 7
News Brief
Thai television crew to explore Finnish education
I
n October the television crew behind the Thai TV documentary series “World 360 degree” will be travelling to Finland to make a four-episode series about the Finnish educational system. The show will air in November and its focus is going to be on various points from national development to learning society and effective tools to enhance the quality of education and what the Thai education system can learn from the Finnish. The mini-series will not only be broadcasted, it will be distributed to schools as DVD’s, there will be made a series of newspaper articles and last but not least the material will be part of an educational seminar. Finland is well known for their educational system, earlier this week a learning concept for 6 graders was awarded: Finnish school programme wins innovation award.
Viking Wheelers to mark 10th anniversary
V
iking Wheelers bicycle club has been hosting bike invasions and cycling trips in Thailand for years. 10 years to be accurate, this will be celebrated with a special anniversary ride and a subsequent luncheon on the 25th October. The tour will start in the morning at Admirals on Sukhumvit soi 24, and go to Bangkachao. Afterwards there will be a special “nostalgic” buffet at Admirals. If you skip the bike trip it is possible to join the luncheon. If you are interested in joining the bike club read more about Viking Wheelers at their Facebook page.
Thai Union Frozen Products takes over Norway’s King Oscar
T
hai Union Frozen Products Public Company Limited (TUF), for the second time within a month, announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire 100 percent of the assets and the trademark of the world’s top ten seafood brand*- ‘King Oscar’, originating from Norway with a strong brand heritage of more than 140 years. King Oscar Holding AS is owned by the private equity fund Procuritas Capital Investors IV in the Nordic Region. Closing is subject to required regulatory approvals which are expected in Q4 2014. ‘King Oscar’, number one in premium sardine category in, Norway, USA and Australia posted sales of USD 80 million with EBITDA margin of around 12 percent in 2013. As one of the leading canned fish suppliers in Norway, USA, Poland, Belgium and Australia, King Oscar has an average growth rate of 6 percent per annum for the past five years. With a headquarter in Bergen, Norway, ‘King Oscar’ has two world-class production facilities in Poland (Gniewino) and Norway (Svolvær) with a total combined production capacity of 135 million cans and a workforce of 500 people, producing and selling 90 million cans per year covering 16 markets globally. It is amongst the top ten strongest seafood brands in the world. 8 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
News Brief
Thai students win award at Stockholm Junior Water Prize 2014
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hai students were awarded the ‘Diploma of Excellence’ with USD 3,000 at the ‘Stockholm Junior Water Prize 2014’ organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). Stockholm Junior Water Prize is a way to high-light projects related to water and the environment. Students from over 28 countries participate in the event. Orawan Thasanabenjakul, Natthanicha Jairungsri and Pannawat Peanjad are students from Surapittaya School in Surat Thani province which is located in the south of Thailand. Their project regards the transformation of waste water generated during raw rubber sheet production into valuable bio-plastic called ‘GBC [gelatinous bacterial cellulose].This bio-plastic can be used as material to create handicrafts or other useful products for the local community. The students did their workshop by visiting rubber fields in the south of Thailand. Photo by Stockholm International Water Institute
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19/09/14 13.28 October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 9
News Brief
Lavish Scandinavian Crayfish Party in Bangkok by Lasse Henriksen All photographs by: Disraporn Yatprom
A
bout 160 Scandinavians, their spouses and people employed by Scandinavian companies in Thailand gathered for an impressive feast at this year’s Crayfish Party in Bangkok. Beside the 85kg of crayfish flown in from Sweden, an abundance of imported goods made it possible to eat and drink away any sentimental longing for Scandinavia this Saturday the 20th of September. Scandinavian Society Siam’s Crayfish Party started in a heavycarpeted and flowery lobby at Rembrandt hotel. The sparkling wine was plentiful and apart from the standard beer-nuts and grissinis, small bites of dark bread with pickled herring were distributed by waiters who were circling the lobby while arriving guests were catching up with old friends and mingling with new ones. Even though the night was dominated by an experienced clientele, most age groups, starting in the twenties, were represented and taking part in the festivities. The guests were led from the lobby into a lantern lit dining hall through a thematic arch that was sided by a foam statue of an enlarged crayfish.
A party for well-dressed Vikings The 16 large round tables in the dining hall were packed with food and crayfish eating attire consisting of pointy hats and paper bibs. The sight of grey haired business people in decorated hats and bibs lightened the already friendly mood and matched the joy and silliness of traditional Scandinavian drinking songs and the escalating consumption of aquavit quite well. The voice of Swedish conférencier, Lars Anderson, welcoming the guests quickly drowned in the presence of the Scandinavian delicacies. Even though the food could easily have made up a 3 meal course, salmon, bread baskets, cheeses, salads and crayfish were all served from the beginning as a one-table-buffet the guests could dive into. To flush down the food, every table was equipped with an aquavit bottle in an ice bucket, when someone emptied a bottle there was 4 different varieties of Scandinavian aquavit to replace it.
Dance the night away As tradition has it, the Crayfish Party features a lucky draw. The luckiest guests could go home with a voucher for a two nights stay at a beach resort. Other winners could go home with a vouchers for restaurants a weekend at a golf course or even beer, if they could keep themselves from drinking the bottles at the party. After the last plates were vacuumed the band Peter Driscoll and The Cruisers played hits from the 50’s and 60’s and the dance floor came alive. After a few whirls and twirls the first guests started heading home while the most eager dancers stayed on the parquet floor till the very end of the evening.
Se svensk tv i Thailand! Det bästa från Sveriges Television för dig som semestrar, arbetar eller bor utomlands. Enda sättet att se flera av SVT:s mest populära program utanför Sverige. Är du redan kund? Värva en tittare och få ett USB-minne! Fråga efter SVT World på ditt hotell och fyll i enkäten på vår hemsida och få en gåva som tack. Läs mer på svt.se/svtworld och följ oss på facebook.com/svtworld Teckna abonnemang på www.connova.se eller +46 (0) 141-20 39 10
10 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
News Brief
Nyhavn as a cupboard
N
yhavn, the colourful houses in Copenhagen which attract thousands of tourists every summer, was surprisingly on exhibit at the TFIC Furniture Outlet Fair in Muang Thong Thani held by the end of September. The houses were reproduced in doll house size as cupboards by Parawood Design / Artemis Furniture and exhibited on the stand of the company at the fair. “I took the pictures in Nyhavn myself,” explains Khun Boonyawat Siripatcharawong of Artemis Furniture. “To make it into a piece of furniture, I first selected the four buildings that I like and added the cupboard functionality. Finally I had to adjust the design a bit to be suitable for industrial production,” he added. “They are different from other vintage furniture you may find in the market and quite a few people have stopped by and looked inside the “Skipper Kroen” cupboard. Currently we have no more on stock, but we can deliver within 30 days from the time we get the order,” he said. The stand of Parawood Design / Artemis Furniture also displayed a miniature telephone booth and other reproductions with new functionality. ScandAsia took the opportunity to give Khun Boonyawat Siripatcharawong a picture series of the famous Bryggen houses in Bergen and asked him for a quotation on a custom made miniature of this famous tourist sight. If readers would like a quote on a different building they may contact Khun “Tong” at artemisfurniture@yahoo.com
October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 11
choice of the Thai government [what Thailand’s future will look like]. It’s the choice of the Thai people.” As good friends and partners in trade and development, Denmark would like to see the restoration of democracy, rule of law, human rights and freedom of expression in Thailand as soon as possible. “It is my job as a Danish ambassador to promote Danish interests and values. I try to persuade my Thai partners and friends to consider features of Denmark’s inclusive democratic political system, green economic model and egalitarian social values that have worked very well for us - which might serve as an inspiration for the Thai society.” The ambassador stressed the importance of social equality, which underpins an inclusive democratic political system and sustainable economy, saying he disagrees to the notion that widening income gap is a phase that all developing countries have to go through as they make progress.
Danish Ambassador Mikael H. Winther and his ergonomic, height-adjustable workstation, at which he works standing up most of the time.
Danish Ambassador cautiously optimistic on post-coup Thailand By Thana Poopat
Openness of the country’s economy and society to the rest of the world remains intact despite the current setback to democracy brought on by the military takeover
W
ith the overthrow of democr atically-elected civilian government by the militar y in May this year, Thailand has entered another difficult phase in its political, economic and social development, according to Danish Ambassador to Thailand Mikael H. Winther. But the envoy pointed out that given the country’s resilience and its ability to bounce back from past setbacks, there’s room for optimism. “We, the EU and Denmark, are very concerned about the ongoing situation. You have a democratic government put out of power and a military takeover. That’s a cause for concern. We are worried about human rights, including freedom of speech, voting rights, access to justice and rule of law,” said the ambassador in an interview 12 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
with ScandAsia.“But I also say, because I have been here long enough, there’s a way out for Thailand and the Thai people will find it.” “We follow the situation closely and I myself am optimistic. I have seen for myself during [Thailand’s] other difficult time, the Thai people eventually found the solutions to their problems. And that’s encouraging,” said Ambassador Winther, who had served as first secretary at the embassy in Bangkok during the turbulent years of 1995-98 and witnessed Thailand’s 1997 meltdown that led to East Asia’s financial crisis. He said openness to the world is one of positive attributes of the Thai society. “Now even as we see the current political setback as a matter of great concern, I would say the openness is still there,” the ambassador said. “Openness is a cultural thing. It’s not a matter of
“From our experience, Denmark has demonstrated that you can progress faster with relatively high level of equality. Equality in standard of living, access to education and life opportunities contribute to wealth and happiness,” Ambassador Winther said. “We have proved it. Denmark has consistently been ranked among countries with the highest level of equality and income in the world.” The ambassador said Thailand’s attractiveness for trade and investment in the eye of Danish companies remained undiminished. “Danish companies continue to be interested and invested in Thailand. Thailand’s investment promotion policy has hardly ever changed under successive governments, or even under the military rule,” the ambassador said, describing Thailand’s attitude towards foreign investment as always very welcoming. “Danish companies are very much aware of that. And we continue to encourage Danish businesses to come.” People-to-people contact between Denmark and Thailand remains strong, with more than 170,000 Danish tourists visiting Thailand each year, the ambassador said, adding that also intermarriages between Danish-Thai citizens are becoming more common.
10
pieces
of good advice to Danish residents in Thailand 1
Register at the list of Danes to enable the Embassy to contact you in case of emergency http://um.dk/da/rejse-ogophold/rejse-til-udlandet/danskerliste/
2
Make a health insurance if you want to be sure to get treatment at hospital without it costing you or your relatives a fortune
3
Have a valid visa or residence permit for Thailand. Illegal stay in Thailand is expensive and can get you blacklisted for entering into Thailand for the rest of your life
By Consul Sarah Birgit Carlstedt
4
Get a NemID from Denmark to communicate with the Danish authorities. The NemID can be forwarded to the Embassy’s address. You must collect it personally from the Embassy at a fee of 1,000 THB
5
New passport must be applied for personally at the Embassy or in Denmark
6
When a child is born outside Denmark, it falls under the 22-year rule which means that the Danish citizenship must be confirmed before the age of 22 year. Otherwise your child loses the Danish citizenship
7
Start the process of having your child’s citizenship confirmed by the age of 20. The process takes one and a half year for the Ministry of Justice to finalize
8
Register your marriage with the authorities in Denmark and in Thailand
9
Subscribe to the Travel Advice for Thailand http://um.dk/da/rejse-og-ophold/ rejse-til-udlandet/rejsevejledninger/ thailand/
10
Subscribe to the Embassy’s Face Book https://www.facebook.com/ dkinthailand
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October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 13
Scandinavian
Bakery
By Morten Krogsholm
A retiring baker, a homecoming son and his Swedish Pizza... the Wissmars are not expanding but not for want of trying.
Circumstances have changed so much during the last decade that he no longer sees it as a viable project. “You need funds to set up new outlets in other countries. We don’t have the means to do that on our own, so we would need to lend from a bank. Unfortunately there are others who can do this at much lower interest rates, such as the Chinese who can borrow money for investment in a foreign country at a 0 percent interest rate,” Sune said by way of explaining why he had to let go of the dreams of expansion. No sooner than the dreams has been dashed, Wismars Bakery, located right next to the fountain, Nam Phou, is also downsizing. “We’ve sold part of the property to a local bank, and I’m actually quite satisfied with that. Nam Phou used to be a great location for business, but somehow someone got the fountain renovated in a way, that in my opinion, destroyed its beauty and the attractive surroundings completely,” said Sune, showing me an old postcard of how it used to look.
tiane to ask if he could come back to Laos and help him out. “Daniel went to school here when we moved here and Daniel fell in love with the country and the people. His knowledge of the local language is of course also a huge advantage in terms of living and working here. He is a very valuable asset to our company,” Sune said, adding that his twin brothers were doing just fine in Sweden. “Daniel came here and started helping out in the bakery. Even since he was back, he was always on the lookout for a good pizza, but he couldn’t find any that satisfied his tastebuds. So he decided that he would open a bakery that serves pizzas with a Sweden slant,” he told me. Before my interview with Sune Wissmar I had walked by one of Daniel’s pizza outlets in Vientiane and I was quite intrigued as the sign that reads “Swedish Pizza & Baking”. Never before had I heard of “Swedish Pizza”, so I simply had to ask Sune what a Swedish pizza is and what makes it unique. He explained to me how many Italians had travelled to Sweden in the 70’s to work and many of them had set up pizzerias in Sweden. Their proud tradition of making pizzas had rubbed off on the Swedes, who then proceeded to modify it to suit their taste. “Today in Stockholm I would estimate that there are probably around 10.000 pizzerias. Only 500 of those make bad pizzas. The rest of them are churning out quality pizzas that meet high standards,” he said. But the Swedish variety of pizza have also been modified to fit the tastebuds of the people of Laos. “Our pizzas are less salty than what you would have in Sweden, Laotians do not like their food as salty as we from the western part of the world do,” Daniel Wissmar said. To begin with, the pizzas are mainly sold to backpackers and expats and as time went by and rumours began to spread about the good pizza, the Laotians joined the crowd and now make up a big share of the clientele.The pizzerias also bake specialities, like the Selma that Swedes eats during Shrovetide, which is also Daniel’s favorite. The growing popularity of the pizza-places have also earned its entry in The Lonely Planet.
Swedish pizza
A new generation
D
reams of expansion are put away and the Scandinavian Bakery is downsizing. Swedish Pizzas and a homecoming son will now determine the future of the Wissmar family’s business in Laos and Southeast Asia. When ScandAsia last talked with Sune Wismar, nearly a decade ago, plans for expanding the Scandinavian Baker y to other par ts of Southeast Asia were so meticulously laid out as if they were just about to come true.Those dreams have now been shelved and new ones have been conjured up.
Different circumstances
Daniel, one of his children, nearly completed a business degree when he phoned Sune in Vien14 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
Throughout my talk with Sune Wissmar, he kept reminding me that the company is now being
run by Daniel. It’s the son and his pizzas that represent the future of this family business. Sune Wissmar described himself as being semi-retired though he hasn’t left Vientiane. Sune continues to take 12-hour trips to and from Bangkok to bring in the ingredients for the family’s bakeries while dropping by the office every now and then. But he promised to go back to Sweden and retire there with his wife, but said that that will happen the day Daniel kicks him out on to the curb. It is not hard to understand why it is difficult to let go of something that has been the labor of love and a passion of one’s life for over thirty years. “I’ve been here for so long that I’m one of the grand oldtimers. It seems like yesterday people came to me for advice about setting up businesses here and what to and what not to do. But those times are over,” Sune said. He described how his role had changed and how his son has grown to become a full partner and is now taking the lead. Sune Wissmar has complete faith in his son’s ability to bring the family business to the next level, but at the moment he is quite satisfied with sticking around. “We’ve grown to employ over 100 employees and with that the burden to hold regular staff meetings and the responsibility to keep your employees satisfied. On top of that, we also have to compete for competent staff members, which are not easy to find these days,” Sune said, glancing at the office where Daniel was poring over accounting tasks. Whether the Swedish Pizza will remain an obscure specialty only to be found in Laos or whether it will travel across the borders to conquer other Southeast Asian markets, only time will tell. One thing is for certain - Daniel is now fully in charge while Sune is counting down towards a happy retirement back in Sweden.
Meet Peter Åkesson, the blond guy who came from Sweden and ended up in Bangkok doing what he loves the most!
Riding instructor I n 1990, Peter wanted to go and visit his best friend, who had moved to Australia, but instead of flying directly from Sweden to Australia, The decided to make a stop over in Bangkok. That was Peters first time in Asia and what he saw, in just a very short time, made him happy and curious to learn and see more of Thailand. He shor tened his stay in Australia and went back to Thailand. He felt there was something very special with this country, it gave him “a happy feeling”. Back in Sweden, Peter signed up for a class in Thai language. He learned it quickly, because as he says “it was more fun to learn Thai than English and German that I took in school. I was well motivated as I wanted so badly to go back to Thailand”. When he was able to speak a little Thai he went back to Asia. He travelled around in the region and explored most of the countries and loved what he saw. He realized he needed to get a job in Thailand, but how?
16 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
Peter doesn’t believe much in coincidences, he believes more in destiny and in God, and both destiny and God meant him well. While back in Sweden, one day he was walking around in a small town, and saw a young Thai woman on the street. He immediately wanted to tr y out his Thai knowledge and approached her saying “Sawadee khrap”. This was the beginning of a close friendship. Peter was introduced to her parents and he told them about his feelings for Thailand and that his dream was to find a job in Thailand. He told them he only really knew how to teach horseback riding. By coincidence, a friend of the parents came on a visit from Bangkok and heard about Peter’s dream to get a job in Thailand. “Let me talk to the Polo Club when I return home” the man said and so he did. Peter couldn’t believe it, could life be so good to him? The connection was made, Peter went back to Bangkok, paid a visit to the beautiful, hundred years old Polo club and got hired. Asking Peter how many pupils and riding les-
By Agneta Bekassy / Photos Daniel Herron
and actor sons he today has on an average day, he answers “on an average day I usually have 6 classes and most private ones, and I also ride 4 horses a day and get paid for it. The club offers a variety of paddocks and in the two stores stable are both private horses and horses belonging to the club. This is a total of 80 horses at the club. When he had been working at the Polo club for about two months, a Swedish ride instructor, Helena Gabrielsson, got hired. Helena Gabrielsson is today owner of the Equestrian Paradise in Nakhonnayok. “Helena was much in to jumping, so we were a good team,” Peter explains.
Thai film acting When Peter started his career in Bangkok, he thought he would be staying for maybe a year. Today 22 years later, he is still here and loves his job and Thailand. In 1995 one day, a guy walked into the Polo club, looking for a “foreign” man who could ride for a TV commercial. Peter was not thinking
twice, he immediately accepted the job and that was his first commercial work, followed by many more. There is kind of an actor and also a singer hidden in Peter. He signed up with a few agencies for TV commercials, modeling and acting, among them, the famous Thai Kantana TV production company. He has been acting in 16 different soap operas and in 1996 he was sent to France to act. “That was so different from my life as a riding instructor” Peter says.
The future In Sweden, horseback riding is a typical female spor t, but here in Thailand a lot of boys and men are riders. Peter is more of a dressage rider and has been riding in several competitions. Peter lit up when he talked about how he rides to classical music. The club has the most fantastic sound system he says. He has his own horse named Zaccheus, a beautiful brown horse that used to be a racing horse, but now being
trained to become a dressage horse. He also rides his students’ horses and at our visit, another very good looking horse, Felix, was chosen to pose for our photos. I finish the interview by asking Peter about his dreams and goals for the future. Peter laughs and says, “ I am so happy and blessed, I am paid for doing what I love the most. But … I would love to travel more and explore new destinations. I have star ted to explore the Middle East. In my job, I also have to travel to Scandinavia, mostly to Denmark, to buy horses for my clients, so what more can I ask for?” I am wondering how this good looking, fit young man can have remained a bachelor, so I have to ask. Peter burst into laughing and said “ I love my single life, my horses, my travelling, there is no time for marriage right now, but you never know…”
October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 17
Young Norwegians
help Thai kids with cleft lips
By Lars Pinnerup
The Brekke-brothers Haakon, 21, Martin, 18, Anders, 17 are among the founders of Kids Action for Kids. The NGO finds money to help Thai children born with cleft lips get an operation and a better life.
C
hildren born with cleft lip or cleft palate are likely to face respiratory problems and difficulties eating and drinking food if their condition is not surgically treated. Later, dental problems, speech impairment, and hearing problems are some of the other consequences that come with the untreated condition. Not to mention the stigmatization from other kids in school - or in the neighborhood. Each year in Thailand, one out of 500 children are born with face deformities, cleft lips and/or cleft palates. Depending on the severity of the condition, treatment for these conditions cost between 15-25,000 baht, an economic burden not all families are strong enough to carry.
Norwegian Life changers This is where a group of Norwegian kids come into the picture. Together they have formed the NGO, Kids Action for Kids, raising money to help pay for operations for less well-off kids in Thailand suffering from facial deformities, cleft lips or cleft palates. Scandasia met up with some of the founders of Kids Action for Kids, the Brekke brothers; Haa18 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
kon, 21, Martin, 18, Anders, 17, and their mother Torgunn Aas Reggestad, in Bangkok to hear more about their charity work and their future plans for their “kids” NGO.
Operations make a difference The operations really make a difference, not only to the child with the condition, but also to the entire family. Before the operation, one of the children we have helped could not be left alone. His condition gave him respiratory problems and problems with eating. His mother had to stay with him the whole day, even at school. She had to sit next to him during lunch and mash the food for him to be able to eat it, and prevent him from choking on his food. The boy was also socially stigmatized at school. Now, after the operation, other kids are not bullying him, he even makes friends and he breathes, eats and plays like any other kid now, Martin Brekke explains with a large -leaning towards shy - smile that reaches from one ear to the other. And that is exactly why we do this, the feeling of us making a positive difference in other peoples lives - It is all worth it, Haakon Brekke contributes.
Not to mention, the Brekke brothers admit that running an NGO by their own has taught them many valuable lessons on everything from management to marketing, fundraising, accounting, writing and giving speeches and much more.
Kids helping kids Kids Action for Kids, the NGO, started by the Haakon, Martin and Anders Brekke, their cousins Maren and Julia Friberg and their respective mothers, has since its start in 2009 helped raise money for more than 500, less fortunate kids in Thailand. The NGO is run by the kids and youth with guidance and help from parents and generous adults, all donations are spent solely on operations - nothing else, and all expenses to run the NGO comes out of the board’s own pockets. Being privileged, coming from Norway and living the lives we live, we feel it is our responsibility to help those less fortunate and in that way pay something back to the country we have lived in for over ten years and that has received us so welcomingly”, Haakon Brekke explains. The Brekke family moved to Thailand more than 11 years ago, when their father Sigve Brekke transferred to Thailand to take on a leading role in DTAC and later Telenor’s Asian division.
We feel it is our responsibility to help those less fortunate and in that way pay something back to the country we have lived in for over ten years and that has received us so welcomingly
With a little help from their friends Kids Action for Kids collaborates closely on the project with Operation Smile Thailand which takes care of the medical side, and Dtac which matches the amount raised by KAFK. “The organization is very happy to have Dtac as a local partner, as they provide certainty that the money raised goes to the cause, and they function as a local anchor throughout Thailand”, Martin Brekke elaborates. And, the hard work to raise money to help other less fortunate children has paid off. So far, more than 500 children in Thailand have been helped to get the life changing operation. One surgery that exemplifies how life-changing a surgery like this can be, is when the volunteer doctors had a little extra time and operated on a 60 year old man, who, when asked, that since he had been living with his condition all his life, why he wanted to undergo the surgery now, replied that he had never kissed anyone, and with the operation, he would be able to try that for the first time in his life”. That answer left no doubts in the minds of the volunteers involved, and the senior man is now able to chase down his first kiss.
Two operations for a haircut Kids Action for Kids raise the money needed through various fundraising activities such as a Christmas bazaar, lotteries, and other charity events. We like to make the fundraising fun and original”, Anders Brekke says, and elaborates; One kid with long hair announced he would have it cut short if he could collect 50,000 Thai baht for the cause, and that he did. Other examples are; Anders, Martin and friends have arranged two fun charity triathlons while wearing skirts, eating Big Mac meals and doing other obstacles on the way, flea markets at a school in Norway and talent shows organized and arranged by kids wanting to contribute to the cause.
Youngest in charge While Haakon and Martin Brekke have left the safe comforts of their Bangkok home to further their studies in New York, Anders Brekke still has to finish his studies at International School Bangkok. It is therefore only a logical and natural process that Martin Brekke has passed the chairman cape to his younger brother Anders. Haakon and Martin will continue as members of the board and will in the future focus on spreading awareness about their organization’s work and setting up fundraising activities in USA. For the new chairman new challenges await. In the future the NGO will also raise money for operations for kids outside Thailand.
Myanmar is next Kids Action for Kids has now started planning their first mission in Myanmar together with Operation Smile Thailand. There is reason to believe the number of children born with facial deformities, cleft lips or cleft palates are quite similar to the numbers in Thailand. This is one of the challenges welcomed by new chairman of the board, Anders Brekke; We plan to conduct our first mission in Myanmar in March 2015. But before that many things have to be coordinated”, Anders Brekke says and elaborates; Operation Smile is sending
a team of medical professionals to see what the standards of operational equipment are, what the local level of medical expertise is and locate facilities to conduct the operations at. We have also, with great help from the Norwegian Embassy, established support from local Myanmar authorities to provide help to children with cleft lips and cleft palate. Before Scandasia left the Norwegian life changers, they asked us to provide a link to their website and facebook page (www.kidsactionforkids.org and https://www.facebook.com/kidsactionforkids) in our article and to tell our readers, that all donations to their cause was welcome, no matter how small or LARGE they might be. October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 19
Distant Uncle leaves youyou Millions? Distant Uncle leaves Millions? Here are a few key reasons why we should all write a proper Will: • To ensure the surviving spouse/partner receive everything, particularly where children are involved. • Unmarried partners or common-law habitees have no automatic right of inheritance. • The deceased may want to benefit a favorite charity or other people who are unrelated by blood. • You may consider age 18 is too young for children to inherit and thus need trusts set up. • A significant Inheritance Tax bill may arise as a result of intestacy and can be avoided with a Will. It’s an awful subject to open, not the sort of cheery thing we like to read in magazines but something that needs to be thrust out there into the public arena; because if you die without leaving a Will, (intestate) the legal consequences can be disastrous, particularly if you have a lot of assets. Generally if you die without leaving a Will there are ‘default’ rules which determine who inherits the assets in your estate. The deceased if described as intestate may be either: 1. Wholly intestate, where there is no Will at all, or if the Will has been revoked or is invalid for some reason e.g. because of incapacity or failure to comply with the necessary signing formalities/laws; or 2. Partially intestate, where the Will fails to deal with the whole estate, with assets that are not covered according to the intestacy rules. This could arise where a named beneficiary has died before the deceased and there is no suitable substitute provision in the Will. Sadly, lots of people fail to make a Will, possibly on the grounds of expense or perhaps because they do not understand the consequences of what will happen without one. Domicile is an important factor when it comes to identifying which law applies to the deceased estate when a person dies intestate. Notwithstanding the potential tax implications in certain jurisdictions, different countries have distinct laws within their legal system to determine their appropriate intestate succession rules. 20 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
The administration of an estate can take longer and therefore result in higher fees, particularly if remote family members need to be traced as a result of intestacy. This all takes time and cost and ultimately delays the distribution of the estate assets. Parents can specify the guardians in their Wills who should be responsible for bringing up the children while they are under the age of 18. The intestacy rules do not identify guardians for children and so where there is no Will, someone may need to apply to the Court to be appointed. Making a Will is neither difficult nor expensive and in the event of your death will stipulate how you wish to distribute your assets to those you intend to benefit. Naturally, care should always be taken in the preparation of such a document, hence legal advice should be sought, but peace of mind will be achieved by taking such a valued step. For more information and advice, call us now on +66(0)2 653 1608 or email to timothylock@fsplatinum.com
Are the Vultures Circling? Prepare your family for the unexpected. Wills are not just for people who own property or have lots of money. Making a will removes the doubts and difficulties that can arise when there is no evidence of the deceased person’s wishes. Even if you don’t have a lot of money or you don’t own a house, you may want to leave other valuable or sentimental items such as art works, coins, jewelry, antiques, letters, or photographs to particular people.
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PFS Financial Services 2105, 21st Floor, Two Pacific Place, 142 Sukhumvit Road, KlongToey, Bangkok 10110, Thailand T: +662 653 1971 | F: +662 653 1976 | E: enquiriesthailand@fsplatinum.com October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 21
A brighter future
for immigrant children in Sabah plantations In 1991 Torben Venning and a group of Danish teachers launched a modest project to provide basic education for 70 children of immigrant plantation workers in Sabah, Malaysia. Since then the number of children enrolled in their schools has risen to 13000. By Kristian KrĂźger Lauritzen
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n the eastern par t of Malaysia, in Sabah, Borneo, oil palm plantations covers a massive swathes of land in the region, and these companies are the biggest employers. Most of the plantation workers are immigrants, and under strict Malaysian laws, no immigrant workers are allowed to have a family or bring up children while being employed in the country. Such unrealistic and unenforceable restriction results in a lot of immigrant children being born on Malaysian soil without official documentation regarding their nationality. Only children born to Malaysian citizens can be enrolled in state schools, leaving a huge number of children without access to education. Since 1991 the NGO, Humana Child Aid Society, has been providing basic education for a growing number of immigrant children, the majority of which are from Indonesia. Starting out with seed funds from a Dutch NGO, Humana has grown by leaps and bounds. Today the organization has become more or less self-financed. 51-year-old Dane, Torben Venning, Executive Director of Humana Child Aid Society, was one of founders of the school projects back in 1991. “We were a small group of Danes, most of us teachers by profession, who came out here. We soon found out that all those children running around were not going to school. It seemed obvious to us what needed to be done. But with an estimated 50000 immigrant children outside 22 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
We were a small group of Danes, most of us teachers by profession, who came out here. We soon found out that all those children running around were not going to school. It seemed obvious to us what needed to be done.
the Malaysian school system, it was fair to say that there were a lot to be done,” he recalled. Torben Venning has a BA in anthropology from Denmark, and had taught for many years at independent schools. When Humana Child Aid Society star ted out almost twenty five years ago with local NGO counterparts in Lahad Datu in the eastern part of Sabah, they were able to enroll some 70 immigrant children to their network of schools. Today there are more than 13000 receiving education in 135 learning centres in Sabah. “We began teaching the children without any formal permission. After some time, Malaysia’s Ministry of Education heard about our activities, and an official delegation came for inspection. That turned out well, they recognized the benefits, and we got the green light to carry on with our school network offering a full curriculum, “ Torben Venning said.
Strict immigrant labour rules From a Scandinavian perspective, it would seem obvious that every child, regardless of nationality, should have access to schooling. In Malaysia, it is a different story. In a multicultural country such as this, there are millions of illegal and legal immigrants, particularly from poorer neighbouring countries, like Indonesia and the Philippines. In an effort to keep the number of immigrants at manageable level, the government issued strict rules on non-Malaysians. “When you are an immigrant plantation worker in Malaysia, the official rules forbid you to marry and/or have children. Of course the reality is that these people are getting married and are having children - which is basically what people do, “ Torben Venning stressed. The plantation workers typically lives in longhouses located inside the oil palm plantations in village settings, with the majority from Sulawesi, Indonesia. Without access to school the children are likely to become child labourers at an early age. The Malaysian government officially acknowledges the need for school under the principle “Education for All”, but leaves it solely to NGO’s to provide schooling for non-Malaysians.
Humana Child Aid Society presently have more than 300 teachers employed in addition to 109 teachers sent by the Indonesian Government. In-house training and learning by doing, are essential part of the teaching staff recruitment and skill development. Teachers don’t really need to have a degree in education,Torben Venning stressed. “It is important that the ones we hire, have their heart in the right place. Usually they are people who lives in the rural areas, struggling to find work. So we hire some of them, provide them with training, and often they end up becoming very dedicated and great teachers.”
Social responsibility From 1991 to 1999 the schools was funded by Dutch NGO, Humana People to People. That organisation closed down in 1999, so the Sabah school project adopted the name Humana. At that time an essential donation came through a request to the Danish Embassy in Malaysia. “We had asked them, if there were any possibility for financial support from DANIDA(Danish International Development Agency) or anything similar, but the average income in Malaysia is too high to qualify as international aid recipient. Luckily the Danish Ambassador forwarded our funding request to the Finnish Embassy, which had available budget allocated for a project like ours, “ Torben Venning said. The Finnish Embassy were the main donors for the following nine years. In 2012 Humana Child Aid Society received from the EU a donation of 600000 euros to be spent over three years. Humana also receives financial support from Danish businesses such as ØK(East Asiatic Company) and Maersk. Also UNICEF has provided important support and cooperation. In 2013 the Finnish Embassy ceased funding. As of today it is mostly the plantation companies that pay for the day-to-day running of the schools. At long last, they have realised the need for corporate social responsibility. “Good plantation workers are sought after. And as is turns out, the ones that are reliable are also the ones with a family. They are not going anywhere because employment gives them the
financial security they need. So the plantation companies have learned that the schools are not only about charity, but basically is part of good management.”
Eager to learn Torben Venning sees it as quite an exceptional situation, that a private foreign organization gets the opportunity to implement school project in Malaysia. “Our project played an important role in putting a spotlight on the problem that these children exist. Now there is a general understanding that they also deserve education,” he stressed. Since 2011 Humana Child Aid Society has opened up 32 new learning centres for more than 3000 immigrant students and continues to expand. For the immigrant children, the schools, the time they spent in classes provide them with a structure in their lives, and a better future when they grow up. Torben Venning recounted with a smile how visiting teacher-groups from Denmark told him that they were very envious, when they saw how dedicated the children are at the learning centres. There are still immigrant children who are still deprived of schooling in Sabah. Humana Child Aid Society are striving to reach out to as many of them as possible, to make the noble concept of “Education for All” a reality. October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 23
The stateless children of the Bajau Laut people, who lives out on the sea edge along the coastline of Sabah, Malaysia, are beginning to have access to education for the first time thanks to The Society for Education of underprivileged Children.
By Kristian Krüger Lauritzen
Schooling
for sea nomad children
T
he Bajau Laut people, often referred to as sea gypsies, live their lives without any form of official documentation or formal recognition as citizens, even though they have lived in the coastal areas of the East Malaysian state of Sabah for hundreds of years. Since 2011,The NGO, PKPKM - The Society for Education of underprivileged Children in Sabah, has set up learning centers and mobile teaching units for a rapidly growing number of Bajau Laut children in the region. Such admirable undertaking is the first of its kind for a historically marginalized and discriminated people. 50-year-old Filipina, Rosalyn Venning, Project Director of PKPKM, and the main driving force in the work with the children, which started out as a pilot school project for the Bajau Laut back in 2009, stresses that education is essential if this people is to be successfully integrated into the Malaysian society in the future. “There is nobody who pays attention to the Bajau Laut in any way. They deserve respect as people like everybody else. My dream is that the benefits of our school-projects, will one day open 24 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
doors and give the people new opportunities, if and when the government decides to recognize them as citizens,” she said. PKPKM has enrolled almost 1800 immigrants and stateless children for education as of 2014. Around 1200 of them are Bajau Laut. The rest are mainly from the Philippines. In Malaysia, only native children are allowed to enrol at stateschools. That leaves many children without access to education - especially in Sabah with a large immigrant population. The Bajau Laut, also known as “Sama”, are an ethnic minority, consisting of up to 400.000 people, living in the maritime Southeast Asia, stretching from areas in the west coasts of Thailand, Malaysia, the South China Sea, Sulawesi
registered, it is easy for governments to turn a blind eye, Rosalyn Venning said. “When we started out, it was a big struggle to get support. The government now acknowledges that these children need education, but since they are not legally their responsibility, we have to look elsewhere.” PKPKM have an ongoing contact with UNICEF about the needs of the Bajau Laut children, and the Finnish Embassy in Kuala Lumpur has been a key donor, providing grants for running expenses for both centers with classrooms and for mobile teaching units at some of the small islands off the coast at Samporna, Sabah. But the funding was limited due to financial crisis and budgetary constraints.
“They stick firmly to their way of life and culture. They cannot be too far away from the waters for long. They are afraid of cats and dogs, but not of crocodiles or sharks. The children love to tell stories from the oceans, about the fish and the waters.” Rosalyn Venning said. When asked what a Bajau Laut are good at, the children will proudly say swimming and catching fish. The sea-nomads grow up with animistic beliefs. Myths and legends related to the sea, with supernatural beings that can cause illnesses and misfortunes, with a mixture of Islamic influences. The children sometimes wear amulets to protect them from the harmful spirits, and every village has a shaman, who gets called upon to handle emergencies.
and the eastern part of Indonesia and North Borneo, Sabah. In the latter region, their number is estimated at 30.000 to 40.000. The historical origin of Bajau Laut is shrouded in mystery but it is generally agreed by anthropologists that they came from the Sulu Archipelago, a chain of islands in southwestern Philippines, many centuries ago. Throughout history they have been known for their excellent skills in boatbuilding and fishing. Until a few decades ago, their main livelihood came from catching and selling seafood. However, due to Chinese and Korean industrial fishing, they now struggle to make a living as coastal fishermen. Many of the Bajau Laut people found themselves trapped in poverty and destitution. The Bajau Laut typically only speak “Bajaw” which is one branch of the “Sami-Bajaw” languages spoken by the sea nomads and people living in the different areas of Southeast Asia. Getting young Bajau Laut to learn Malay and English is one of the main objectives of PKPKM. in a social environment where most of the parents are illiterate. “The parents are now very happy to see their children in school. At first they were sceptical, they didn’t know what it was all about. Now schoolkids go home and read to their elders,” Rosalyn Venning said, beaming with enthusiasm.
At the island villages, nine PKPKM teachers give lessons in languages, science and mathematics to the Bajau Laut pupils, in shacks with tin roof. A few of the Malaysian palm oil cooperation provide occasional donations as well, such as school materials and boat equipments.The overall budget that the PKPKM has to work with translates to 40 ringit (US$12.5) per child per month, or around 1 percent of the per capita funding for a student in a Scandinavian school. “The Bajau Laut lives in the dark, we have to bring them to the light, “ Rosalyn Venning stressed, adding that when people come out to the islands and meet them and experience their precarious way of life, the much-needed donations will hopefully come.
Connecting with the rest of the world
Funding hard to come by Since the Bajau Laut does not have any proof of either Malaysian, Filipino or Indonesian nationality, it is an ongoing challenge for PKPKM to solicit funding for their education. When they are not
The wanderers of the sea On the islands outside of Semporna, the Bajau Laut people live apart from the rest of the world, in small houses on stilts out in the sea edge. The homes are connected to land and one another by fragile planks and trees. The children learn to swim as soon as they can walk. They become skillful in catching fish, and some of them gets their eardrums burst as teenagers, so they can free-dive more easily. In the past they used to live in self-built boats. Now only a small number of them lives in boats, also a consequence of fishing for a living becoming a thing of the past for them. But the open sea is still considered their comfort zone. Typically for the Bajau Laut, they tend to suffer “landsickness”, if they stay on land for too long.
The Bajau Laut are known as a very mobile people. With no state-papers and no support, they have always been vulnerable to persecution in a region where territorial conflicts, ethnic and religious disputes and piracy have been a fact of life for many years.They are characteristically very family-orientated, sensitive and protective of each other, shielding themselves from the unknown and dangers of the rest of the world. An obstacle that has to be dealt with for Rosalyn Venning and the teachers two years ago when they started introducing schooling for children. “They are very sensitive people.The first time I brought them to class along with other children, they hid under the tables. They had never been together with non-Bajau Laut peoples, so they were scared, “ she recalled. But since 2011, enrolment has only gone up, and the children are enjoying going to school, Rosalyn Venning said. Learning to deal with “outsiders” both the teachers, that comes out of the island villages every day, or the Philippine classmates at the learning centres in Semporna, helps them interact with the outside world on a human level. As part of the PKPKM project, the Bajau Laut students are also learning to keep and protect the rich marine life that surrounds them, in an environmental cooperation with WWF, Malaysia. “But we still need a lot of funding going forward. Every dime is welcome. I will never give up hope for the future of these unique children,” the PKPKM Project Director said. October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 25
Louise Berner left behind the cold in Sweden and the daily struggle against her debilitating joint pains, and came to warmer climes to lead a healthier and more active life in Thailand. Once she had settled down, Louise Berner found herself another struggle - for the soi-dogs. Now she is campaigning to improve conditions for man’s best friend and to stop criminal gangs trying to smuggle those poor creatures to slaughterhouses and the dinner-tables in China.
The Swedish dog-whisperer in Thailand
Text & Photo: Michael Töpffer
I
Louise Berner is the Swedish dog-whisperer in Thailand. She has a unique ability to communicate with the dogs, developed over many years helping the dogs. 26 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
n a cute little house in a narrow back-soi in Jomtien, Chonburi, two hours southeast of Bangkok, Louise Berner, 54, was working on her computer. A small kitten is snoozing in her lap, another on a chair. “The landlord doesn’t allow any dog to enter the premises, but cats are still welcome,” said Louise Berner, in a Swedish dialect that reveals she is from the northern part of Sweden. Perhaps the restriction is there to preserve good neighborliness. As it turned out, Louise Berner is very popular among the street dogs - or soi-dogs - as they are called in Thailand. She knows practically all of them in Jomtien and they know her. After many years working for soi-dogs on the streets of Jomtien, Louise Berner has become a well known character in the area, both among the local population and local government officials. “My first priority is to make sure they have food. Secondly, I check for diseases. If and when I found sick dogs, I would take them to the vet and make sure they get treatment,” explained Louise Berner. Another impor tant task is to sterilize the dogs to try to slow the ever growing population of soi-dogs. The work is done through the organization, Dog and Cat Rescue in Pattaya.The city of Pattaya is the better known place right next to Jomtien. The organization is staffed by Thai and expat volunteers, who all dedicate themselves to ease the hardship of the soi-dogs.
Louise Berner pays a visit to some street-dogs taking shelter in a temple in Chonburi province. She gives them food and checks if they are in good health. “When I first came here in 2010, I immediately saw that the soi-dogs were suffering. I decided to devote myself to the cause of helping them,” she said. “They have fleas and ticks, and crusty eyes. Some have skin diseases that cause them to lose the fur,” Louise Berner explained, adding that her organization works closely with two veterinary clinics in the area. “Normally, I first try to medicate the dogs myself. If that doesn’t help, I take them to the clinic,” she said. In Thailand, soi-dogs are everywhere. Though many people care for them out of pity, complaints are also heard, not least from tourism-related business owners, who regard soi-dogs as a nuisance as they tend to scare off foreign tourists. “Some hotels use rat-poison to kill the dogs in their neighbourhood, while others encourage their staff to throw rocks at them to scare them off ”. Soi-dogs are thus a constant source of conflict between those who want to rid the streets of them, and those who want to care for them. Louise Berner has made it abundantly clear which side she belongs to - and it comes at a price. Some residents in the area have complained about her feeding the dogs they regard as a problem. Despite this, Louise Berner is continuing her struggle in good spirits. It was somewhat a coincidence that Louise Berner came to Thailand. She previously worked as an assistant-nurse in her hometown Luleå, but after she had been diagnosed with muscular osteoarthritis her working career came to an abrupt end. She became a disability pensioner. Constant joint pains that limited her movements compelled her to move to Thailand. “Once I arrived here, I immediately felt much better and I could move around outdoors more freely,” she recalled. Then she quickly realized she needed to fill
Louise Berner seems to have befriended all the street-dogs in Jomtien, where she has been living since 2010.
her time with something worthwhile. Just staying at home would be intolerable. Working with the soi-dogs became her mission. Her financial situation was another contributing factor. Her disability pension was not quite enough to get by in Sweden. In Thailand, the situation is so much different. With her current rent of around THB10 000 per month, there is money left for other things at the end of each month. “Most of my expenses for the work with the soi-dogs, I am paying out of my own pocket. Occasionally, there are some contributions coming in via my Facebook-page,” she said. “A hundred baht is enough for medicines for several dogs, or spaying of a female dog”. After five years in Thailand, she regards herself as a true resident in this country. All her belongings in Sweden have been sold or given away. Only a few boxes are left at her daughter’s house in Sweden. “Today, I count more Thais than Swedes among my friends,” she said, adding that most Thai people are very generous. Part of her mission is to put some of the soidogs, most of them abandoned by their owners, up for adoption by caring families looking for a pet. A number of dogs have been saved and put off the streets this way. She said that generally people of Thailand are very caring towards animals, including dogs - but only as long as everything goes smoothly with the dogs. “If the dogs get old and sick or the owners bought themselves a new puppy, then very often the old and sick dogs are abandoned on the street,” she said. “As Thailand is a predominantly Buddhist country, it’s not acceptable to put a dog down.” Once on the street, the domesticated dogs are picked up by dog-packs and quickly adapt to this hostile environment and change their behavior.
On that particular day, Louise Berner got on her motorbike to visit a nearby temple. A few monks dressed in their traditional safron robes were resting in the shades away from the heat of the afternoon sun. Some geese and chickens wandering about and a monkey chained to a tree. A dozen or so dogs are also dozing off under the trees. These are soi-dogs who have come to seek shelter in the temple from the noisy traffic of the streets. At first, the dogs seemed annoyed by Louise Berner as she approached them, and slowly retreated. But then something happened. As she stooped and started talking smoothly with the dogs and offered them some treats, one by one they slowly came to her. “Some dogs are aggressive, but I have learned how to approach them. Sometimes it takes a few attempts, but I have always succeeded eventually to build trust and to relate to the dogs,” said Louise Berner. She is like a dog-whisperer who can communicate with dogs. The dogs would usually bark and become aggressive at the sight of foreign tourists, but with Louise Berner, they react differently. One of the monks, sitting nearby, told this writer that he was impressed by Louise Berner’s ability to handle some of the unruly dogs. “These dogs can be so aggressive that they scare away many foreign tourists who come to this temple, but this woman seems to be able to talk with the dogs,” the monk said, visibly impressed. Being street-dogs are bad enough, but criminal gangs doing the dog meat trade are making it worse. These gangs drive around in their pickup trucks to catch stray dogs. The dogs are then crammed into small cages and loaded on to large trucks heading for Thailand’s northeastern October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 27
border with Laos. They are then loaded onto boats and transported across the Mekong river, then trucked through Laos to Vietnam and China, where dog-meat is regarded as a delicacy. This is a inhumane trade in dog meat is a growing business. Even though the dog-trade is outlawed in Thailand, Louise Berner has the impression that some members of the local authorities tip off the criminal gangs when the number of soi-dogs grow to a point where people living in the areas become vocal in complaining. “It looks suspicious as if they work in collaboration with those dog meat traders,” she said. But she also revealed that dog-lovers too get information about gangs coming in to catch streets of soi-sogs. “Then we quickly round up the dogs and move them to more secure places, or put collars on them to indicate ownership, she explained. Despite this, large groups of soi-dogs could suddenly vanish overnight. “We know what has happened, but then it would be too late,” she lamented. Many people in Thailand are working hard
to improve the situation of soi-dogs and to give them a better life. Notable among them is PoliceLieutenant Akkaradech Phuthong. He works at a Marine police unit in the northeastern province of Mukdahan. Mukdahan is a notorious transshipment point for dog meat traders to smuggle live dogs from Thailand to Laos. Akkaradech Phuthong said that the criminal gangs involved in the dog meat trade are organized and well equipped. “ They move fast and have contacts with corrupt officials within local authorities,” he said. Every month, an estimated 30 000 live dogs are smuggled from Thailand, through Laos to northern Vietnam and on to China. Eating dog meat is not very common in Thailand, even though some people in a few northeastern provinces do. There is a growing voice against consumption of dog meat in Thailand, but the practice is not yet banned. In China and Vietnam, however, it’s a different story. There, dog-meat is regarded as something that brings warmth in cold winter days. The demand of dog meat far exceeds the supply.
Dogs that are seized from the brutal hands of the smugglers are taken to animal shelters, like this one in Nakhon Phanom in northeastern Thailand. Here the dogs recover and get treatment. They also get sterilized. Later, they are moved to dog centers around the country and put up for adoption.
Police Lieutenant Akkaradech Phuthong at the Marine Police unit in Mukdahan province is on the lookout for dog-smugglers from his 60-year-old patrol boat. He has been part of rescue operations that have saved thousands of dogs.
28 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
That explains why dog meat traders are looking for supply outside these dog-eating countries. That’s where Thailand comes into the picture. As many people in Thailand care for the soidogs and look after them, many of the stray dogs are well-fed and considered suitable supply for the dog meat trade. Akkaradech Phuthong is in charge of a Marine Police unit that is patrolling a section of the Mekong river in Mukdahan in a 60-year-old motorboat. “We raid and make arrest just when the cages filled with live dogs are being loaded on to the smugglers’ boats from the trucks. That’s when criminals are most vulnerable and easy to spot,” he said. “The last time we made arrest, we intercepted a boat crossing the river, loaded with 200 dogs,” he said. Several Thai government agencies are working hard to stop this illegal trade. Sometimes they achieved good results. The dogs that are rescued from the cages end up in the care of the authorities. In neighboring province Nakhon Phanom, some two hours drive from Mukdahan, another Thai official, Chusak Pongpanich, is working hard to save them. He is the chief veterinarian at the province’s main animal shelter. Chusak is the caretaker of all dogs delivered here by the police. “Sometimes we take in hundreds of dogs in a week. They are hungry and suffering from injuries caused by the brutal handling by the dog smugglers or communicable diseases, he said. His first priority is to make sure the dogs can recover. Next step is to sterilize them. When the dogs are well enough to leave, they are transported to official dog-centers around the country where they are put up for adoption as pets. Some of the dogs at the animal shelter are clearly stressed out and agitated, while others are much more calm and curious about visitors who come to take care of them. It’s obvious that some dogs used to be someone’s pet, judging from their good behavior and ability to do simple tricks. “Some of the dogs here used to live indoors with their loving owners, they even have a collar on when they come here,” said Chusak Pongpanich. Together with Police Lieutenant Akkaradech Phuthong, he is one of many unsung heroes in the fight against the brutality of the dog smugglers in Thailand. Meanwhile in Jomtien, Louise Berner left the temple and its dogs and the smiling monks to go home. But on her way, she stopped at an intersection. A young dog approached her, wagging the tail. It’s obvious the dog knew the Swedish woman on the motorbike. The woman got off her bike and opened a plastic bag with some grilled chicken satay, and handed it over to the dog. The dogs quickly ate food and looked happy. Louise Berner radiated warmth and enthusiasm. “I get the opportunity to help and that makes me feel good. I feel that I am doing something important here in Jomtien. My life has a whole new meaning,” said the Swedish dog-whisperer in Thailand.
Leif Öhman, 45, from Hudiksvall, Sweden, lived for four months as a beggar in Thailand’s capital Bangkok. Now he’s back in Hudiksvall, after receiving financial support from friends in Bangkok. “I can write a book about my experience and all I have been through begging in Bangkok”, he says. Text & Photo: Michael Töpffer
Back home
after begging in Bangkok Swede Leif Öhman spent four months begging on the streets after losing his money
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ur ing four months, Swedish national Leif Öhman was begging on the streets of Bangkok, trying to raise money for a ticket back home . His wor k finally paid off, and he returned to Sweden by the end of August. “I can’t wait to go back to Thailand to see my friends,” he tells ScandAsia from his hometown in Sweden. Leif Öhman, 45, explained ScandAsia by email that he now stays at a hospice in his native town Hudiksvall in Northern Sweden. “I could write a book about my experience and all I have been through begging in Bangkok,” he says.
First explanation It was in the beginning of May this year, that Mr Öhman was first seen begging on the streets of Bangkok. Meeting with ScandAsia then, he was sitting at the corner of Soi Ruamrudee and Ploen
Chit Road, with a paper-cup from McDonald’s in front of him. Many passers-by showed a very surprising expression seeing the seemingly healthy and physicially strong farang begging on the street. During the interview, Mr Öhman claimed that he had come to Thailand for medical rehabilitation, but had had an accident during a river-rafting trip in central Thailand, and lost his backpack with all his money, roughly 75000 baht. Without friends to help him, or any parents or relatives in Sweden willing to help, he managed to get to Bangkok, where he ended up begging. He spoke about his struggles on the streets, how he had been beaten up a few times by local motorcycletaxi-gangs. “I have been kicked and assaulted,” he said.
New explanation According to a report in Bangkok Post in the end of August, a worker from the help-organization Mirror Foundation met with Mr Öh-
man on August 13, in order to offer help, but that Mr Öhman declined, and said that he was reluctant to leave as he would then first have to spend time at immigration detention due to overstaying his visa. In this article, Mr Öhmans story was very different. In the article, Mr Öhman claimed he had been swindled off his money by a Thai woman he had met at an earlier trip to Thailand and with whom he had now come to Thailand to settle down with. Many Thais found it surprising that the Swedish embassy didn’t engage more in the case of Mr Öhman, but in a separate interview, staff at the consular section explained that it is not within the role of the embassy to pay people’s tickets, only to help with communication with friends and relatives back home who might be able to help. According to sources, newfound friends in Thailand and readers of Bangkok Post jointly contributed to the price of the airfare back home to Sweden. October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 29
New Swedish priest in China
After 21 years serving as a priest in Kalmar the almost 30 year old dream of living and working in Asia caught up with Anders Johansson and his wife Kerstin Johansson. by Lasse Henriksen
In China the church will have to be largely reliable on volunteers. ”When you operate a church over such vast distances the community becomes more important. We want to have regular services every month and then depending on who is in the congregation and who attends the services, we will see what people need and what we can do,” Anders Johansson says.
An old dream
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nders Johansson, the new Swedish priest in China and Hong Kong is a bit of a spor ts nut, he is an eager cyclist, a crosscountry skier, and when it comes to football he is a loyal supporter Kalmar FF and Arsenal.Together with his wife Kerstin Johansson, who will help with the administration, Anders is ready to take on the challenge of serving Swedish expatriates using the Swedish church in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing to build a strong spirit of community, while commuting the almost 2000 kilometers between the cities. Anders Johansson comes directly from a position as priest in the Kalmar Cathedral, where he had 10 employees working for the church. In Hong Kong it is just him and his wife and even though the cathedral has been exchanged with 30 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
borrowed premises, Anders is looking forward to the challenges and simplicity that comes with the new job. ”You can relax in a big organization were you have funds, staff and a location. Here we have to be creative in another way. We want to make the church a meeting point for people, it should be a place where they feel free to come and share their life’s burden when it is not easy,” Anders says and adds that the church should be a place with space for people going through both good and bad times. But insuring that the church can fulfill its role in the Swedish community will be a challenge, in addition to the absence of employees the commuting between the three cities will make Anders’ priesthood very different from the one he had in Sweden.
Anders and Kerstin shocked their friends when they told them that they were leaving for Hong Kong. Some admired the couple’s decision while other thought they were crazy to leave jobs, friends and family in Sweden. One of their closest friends even missed a night of sleep upon the receiving the news. But what might have seem like an impulsive decision to friends and family was not born of a midlife crisis, but an invitation the couple received after 8 months of volunteering in India in the 1980’s. After volunteering in Goa, India 1986 and 1987 the couple was invited to work for a Christian center in Hong Kong, back then the couple declined since they were still studying, but the dream of working and living in Asia was born and the wish to work abroad followed them through the years. ”Since we had been talking about working abroad for so many years, we did not want to look back on all this talk and say, alright we did not do it,” Anders says before Kerstin cuts in ”and we looked at it and said, okay, what is the worst thing that can happen. Worst case scenario would be finding out that this isn’t something for us, but if that is the case we can always move back when our contract has ended.”
Letting go of the dog and 3 trucks packed with furniture and clothes Selling their SAAB and 150 square meter home of 14 years, was not the toughest part about leaving, as Kerstin puts it, there are lots of cars and houses in Sweden. Putting their dog Tussen, a chihuahuapapillon mix, up for adoption was the hardest part for the family. Though they will miss being around friends and family, the couple are confident that the friendships can survive and hope that mov-
You can relax in a big organisation were you have funds, staff and a location. Here we have to be creative in another way. We want to make the church a meeting point for people, it should be a place where they feel free to come and share their life’s burden when it is not easy.
ing abroad will be an opportunity to evolve on a personal level. “We do not do this to start afresh, we still have our friends and family, it is a way to take a break from ordinary life in Sweden, we see it more like a chance to reevaluate what is important to us,” Anders says. The family have stored 40 cubic meters of belongings in Sweden and have donated 3 lorries full of furniture and clothes for charity. All the family brought with them to Hong Kong was 3 suitcases and 5 cardboard boxes with essentials like sports equipment, games and family photos.
The decision Kerstin and Anders have three children, two sons, who already left home to study in Canada and work in Sydney, and a 17 year old daughter Hanna, who moved with them to Hong Kong and had the final saying in whether the family should move or not. ”I was actually sitting with my application the night before the submission deadline, wondering if I should apply or not, when Hanna and one of my sons told me to just send it in and see what happens, it’s not that dangerous,” Anders says and adds that they would not have moved if Hanna wasn’t in on the idea. Hanna was doing her first year at a gymnasium in Sweden, when her parents asked her if she wanted to move to Hong Kong, she accepted the idea and was excited about the possibility of improving her English skills. She is now enrolled at Delia School of Canada in Hong Kong and will finish her last 2 1/2 years of secondary school there. About a month after Anders had sent the job application he was offered the job with Kerstin working an administrative part-time position, after a night of talking it through the couple decided to take job and move to Hong Kong. ”We have been attracted to Asia, and I do not believe there will ever be a perfect moment to move abroad. Maybe it would have been better if Hanna had finished her school and so on, but then something else would probably have come up,” Kerstin says.
A village in the metropolis Even though Hong Kong is a large city, the Swed-
ish community is very small and in some ways Anders’ new job can be compared to the one of a village priest. In Hong Kong and Shanghai the Swedish community only consists of a couple of thousand individuals, while there were 50.000 potential churchgoers in Kalmar. ”When we come here as a family, we come as the priest family. Like Lennart Hamark, the former Swedish priest in China, told me: “You are living in a big city but within this city there are many smaller cities, one of those small cities is the Swedish community,” Anders says. Even though Anders has been a priest for 21 years, moving to Hong Kong is a whole new and different chapter of his priesthood, but challenges and new experiences is what he is seeking. ”We have been talking for several years, about doing something different, maybe moving to Stockholm, just do something to make some sort of change. Our trip to Asia in 1986 made us grow, we learned so much, we changed as persons because of the experiences we had, so I think it is also curiosity to learn new things, the challenges and then of course our craving for adventure is also part of the equation,” Anders says.
Getting Christianity down-to-earth Anders looks at Christianity as a way to reflect on your daily choices and way of life, and in that sense Christianity becomes a ”down-to-earth” thing that has a direct effect on your life and actions. ”Through Jesus the Christian God becomes a human figure, not just a guy in the sky, but a man that shows what it means to be a true human. For me, being a Christian is to find out what Christianity means in everyday life and what Jesus is showing me in the ordinary life I live,” he says, and adds that some might be confident in their faith and some might be in doubt, but that this is a good thing, cause then people can talk to each other and learn from one another. ”My religion is rooted in the confidence, that God is greater than me, I don’t have to save the world, that is up to God. I think this makes me relaxed and allows me to be open toward other peoples interpretation of Christianity,” Anders Johansson says. If everything goes as planned the church’s activities will start at the end of October. Like
former priest Lennart Hamark, Anders is going to Shanghai and Beijing on a monthly basis to do services and prepare young Swedish expats for their confirmation.
There is something about Asia The family is now in Hong Kong and are ready to settle in. Their first impressions are good, the combination of lush mountains and skyscrapers suits the family well, with opportunities for trekking, as Anders puts it ”If it had only shopping malls I would probably die down here”. The family appreciates the cultural diversity of Hong Kong and are ready to venture into the unknown, undeterred by bureaucracy or daily challenges. ”In Sweden everything is very effective, here in Asia it is not always the case, at times it can be frustrating, but sometimes when the systems are not flexible the population learn to be.”
Fact Box • Anders is 51, born in Uppsala and became ordained in 1993 by the age of 30. He has been a priest in Kalmar ever since. • Even thoughAnders’father was a priest,Anders did not feel like he grew up in a priest-family, none of his siblings became priests and before Anders chose to become one, he considered becoming a teacher. • Anders has completed Vasaloppet 3 times, and when in Sweden he watches Kalmar FF on the stadium. • Anders has been married to Kerstin for 30 years in May. • Kerstin is a teacher of 1st to 7th graders and got a leave of absence from her job in Kalmar. • The couple has 3 children: • Simon who is 24 and works as a volunteer for Svenskakyrkan in Sydney. • Rasmus who is 21 and studies economy in Canada. • Hanna who is 17 and has left her Swedish Gymnasium to attend to Delia School of Canada in Hong Kong. October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 31
How to
By Nina Jagota
select the best
The Thai school system operates with three pre-school years before primary school starts. They are called Annuban 1, 2 and 3. Before that, childcare outside the home is either in a nursery or a private arrangement.
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hildren of mixed marriages can easily be enrolled in a local Thai Anuban, but completely foreign children are likely to feel a bit awkward until they manage to catch up on the Thai language. Luckily, the choice of pre-schools and kindergarten for foreign children has increased tremendously in Thailand over the last decade. In these pre-schools Scandinavian children will “only” have to getting used to English as the common spoken language. The process of selecting which pre-school or kindergarten is “best” is obviously difficult. Below we offer some general advice that you may find useful.
Location and fees
Two crucial factors are typically the location of the school and the cost of the school fees. 32 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
So first step is to find out what international kindergartens or pre-schools are available within a reasonable distance from your home. Traveling back and forth between your home and the school will be part of your daily life for years to come. So be honest to yourself and admit that convenience matters! For your child, a short distance to school certainly also offers benefits. No need to be pulled out of bed in the early hours of the day, rushed through breakfast only to sit sleepy in the car for an hour. If you are in Bangkok, remember to count in all the opportunities along Bangkok’s excellent BTS / MRT systems. Distance is no longer just a question of kilometers, but rather a question of time. When you have found four or five nearest options, it is time to look at the school fees. Do not rely only on what is posted on the websites,
it is highly advisable to call the schools and kindergartens that you are considering, and ask them what your real costs will be. Again, it is important to be honest - don’t go shopping for a Benz if all you can really afford is a Toyota. Now you are probably down to two, maybe three options without having exhausted yourself too much.This is important since you will for sure need all your energy for the next crucial step – your visit to the school or kindergarten.
In the process of finding the right school, it is also suggested that the school you are visiting should have a welcoming gesture towards you to encourage your involvement as parental inputs in your child’s class. Every child has a unique background both culturally and sociologically. It is impossible for the school and the teacher to understand and know the children fully if they exclude the parents and family from the child that they are working with in the class.
The classroom teacher
The environment
What should you be looking for exactly at each kindergarten or school visit? Meeting the classroom teacher is a must.Your child will be spending several hours per day under the supervision and care of this person. Notice how she is interacting with the other children in her class - she will be interacting with your child in the same way. Do you hear the other children talking, laughing, singing, asking questions, and expressing their ideas, expressing their preferences and points of view? Do you hear the teacher speaking warmly, kindly, and respectfully to the children? Do you hear the teacher inviting the children to make choices, decisions, and be a part of the activities in progress? The teacher should emphasize on promoting open-ended questions, prompting the children
Another impor tant factor to consider when visiting a kindergarten is the overall environment. A stimulating and creative classroom environment can help children to progress effectively in their development. The learning environments that stimulate children’s physical and social experience could be both outdoor and indoor but there should be rich resources that are flexible and easy to use. The environment should also be filled with activities that stimulate critical thinking skills. For example, the activities and the toys should be inviting to the children as well as providing opportunities for interaction, hands-on play and exploration. The recommended learning environment for children in the early years is learning through play. The kindergarten should have centre play areas such as, easel painting, art table, science, books,
If you are in Bangkok, remember to count in all the opportunities along Bangkok’s excellent BTS / MRT systems. Distance is no longer just a question of kilometers, but rather a question of time.
pre-school or kindergarten for your child? when interacting. This can encourage the children to experience new ideas, and furthermore, enable them to be creative, critical, reflecting to new ideas and enhance their problem solving skills. Overall, the one thing well-qualified teachers do have in common is that they are usually attentive listeners. Children are very expressive, and a teacher with good understanding would be acting upon the children’s verbal and non-verbal cues in the process of constructing an enjoyable learning experience for your child. Smaller classes help. It is significantly easier to give one-on-one attention and be responsive to each child in the room when there are fewer children in a class. At your school visit, you can ask about this ratio in your child’s class. The relationship that you would be having with the teacher once your child enrols in the school should be a strong, trustworthy, respectful and honest relationship.
puzzles, play dough, blocks, and water/sand play. This means that activities should be well organized in clearly defined areas in the classroom, and most importantly, should be accessible to children. Having papers, markers, and blocks on shelves that children can reach would help build their independence. A quiet reading corner and dramatic play area are also important to encourage their concentration, creativity and imagination. A corner as simple as a dramatic play area is more essential than it may seem. Studies have in fact shown that the imaginative play in the form of daily ‘pretend play’ actually improves emotional and behavioural skills, which could lead to improved academic performance later in their schooling years. Outside play should also be a part of a typical day. The outdoor area should be where children can run, climb, walk, explore, and participate in other types of play with their friends. There is a direct correlation between the gross motor skills
practice that children achieve through outdoor physical play to their long-term health.
No “perfect recipe” The perfect recipe for choosing the ‘ideal’ school for your child does not exist. Many parents simply go by their own parental instincts. This is natural, and there is certainly nothing wrong in trusting your own instinct in the process. After all, you should feel comfortable and confident in leaving your child at the school gate in the mornings. However, the few professional tips and suggestions above should give you some ideas about what to look for when making up your mind. Keep in mind the important role you are taking in deciding the right choice for your child’s first school will contribute to your child’s progress toward a crucial foundation and an enjoyable first schooling experience.
October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 33
The Case for Engagement “The longer children engage in meaningful investigation of an idea the deeper their understanding of the topic grows.” Pam Oken-Wright
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hildren are bor n explorer s, inquirers and investigators. They display a fearlessness and creativity that often become restrained as they grow older. Traditional education, r unning against these natur al inclinations, imposed a learning model built on conformity and repetition, one that erroneously applied principles of the Industrial Revolution. Yet modern research into both child development and neuroscience has increasingly suppor ted 34 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
educational standards based in play, discovery and experimentation. Schools of the past expected students to learn the same content at the same pace in the same manner. Motivation existed in extrinsic punishments and grades, and specialization necessarily took a central role as children prepared to enter particular trades.This approach simply doesn’t suit the modern context or our understanding of learning. Students-and young children in par ticular-thrive in less structured
Written by Jared Kuruzovich settings that provide boundaries, but allow a degree of freedom. This open approach to learning enables students to follow their own agendas during play and exploration, meaning that they have the highest level of engagement as they make decisions and follow their own interests. Meanwhile, they are still learning all the foundational skills to prepare them for ongoing learning, including communication skills, social skills, problem solving and even basic curricula knowledge such as math concepts, written language practice and scientific theories. Engaging children in this manner taps into the most fundamental fact of learning: we learn the most when we are internally motivated to do so. By allowing children the freedom to frame their learning through inquiry and play, schools benefit not only from higher student interest and motivation, but also more effective learning. Longitudinal studies of play-based schools indicate that their students attach greater meaning to tasks they freely initiate and ultimately perform higher over the long term. The burden is thus on educators to help children develop a love of learning. Engagement through inquiry and play has proven to be successful in accomplishing this, and we must acknowledge that students learn best when they are free to be children. NIST International School 36 Sukhumvit Soi 15, Wattana, Bangkok 10110 Tel: 02 651 2065 www.nist.ac.th
October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 35
The Early Years at KIS Where it all begins If you open the doors of the Early Years centre at KIS International School, you will find children exploring, questioning, playing, and enjoying their day. It looks simple, but there is a reason behind all that they do.
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IS is a full International Baccalaureate school so children in the Early Years learn through the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). The curriculum is structured around Units of Inquiry or ‘transdisciplinary themes’. These themes cover all disciplines (“subjects”) and form the framework that drives the students’ learning. Take for example one of the Units of Inquiry that the Early Years 1 class, where children can start at 2½ years old, is currently focused on. The unit is “Who We Are”. Students are looking into the central idea of how personal characteristics, interests and abilities affect learning and development. During the Unit of Inquiry students are developing a perception of themselves and others as strong, competent and capable individuals who are each unique and special. The play based and hands on approach takes place in an inviting, cozy and safe environment with plenty of resources and with indoor and outdoor spaces. Children are viewed as sophisticated communicators, collaborators and co-constructors in the learning process. They are encouraged to explore their environment and express themselves using multiple languages which may include speaking, 36 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
singing, movement, drawing, painting, writing, building and designing, collage, dramatic play, and music. Emphasis is given to the ‘process’ of learning rather than product creation. There are many opportunities during the day for children to explore the Unit whilst having whole group and small group interactions with each other and adults. So how does inquiry based learning look? The children’s ideas, interests and theories take the lead and teachers engage children meaningfully whilst extending their understanding and skills. For example, during the beginning of the Unit several children were enthusiastically talking about their pets at home. This caused a lot of interest amongst the other children and quickly led into a discussion about each other’s pets and favourite animals. Following this discussion they made a bar graph to show their thinking. Children placed a photo of themselves under their favourite animal and were inquisitive to see the choices of their friends. A student brought in their own pet rabbit to show and share with the rest of the class, which led to them wanting to learn more about rabbits. Another learning centre involved creating an ‘All About Me’ collage poster that reflected each individual child’s favourite people, places and things. These authentic and hands on experiences are valuable tools for learning that empower children to explore, discover, hypothesise, predict, problem solve, construct and document their deepening understandings of the world in which they live. For example, after sharing information about the children’s favourite pets, the maths activity of counting, graphing and sor ting the children’s favourite animals is all part of helping the children learn about themselves and their class mates as well as learning essential mathematics and language skills. The Early Years 1 classroom reflects the holistic way children learn and grow and is set up to provoke inquiry and discovery whilst helping the development of fine and gross motor skills,
socialization, language, reading and math. Through this play based learning children develop the skills to become critical thinkers, life-long learners and active and responsible members of our community. Teachers support children to develop positive attitudes and dispositions such as co-operation, appreciation, curiousity, confidence and independence. The teachers at KIS are particularly strong in the delivery of the IB curriculum, with many teachers qualified to train other teachers. Teachers in the Early Years are native English speaking, experienced and qualified to teach Early Years.They welcome diversity and are committed to providing an environment that fosters warm and respectful relationships where children and their families enjoy a sense of security and belonging. Caring, empathetic and respectful relationships are the core foundation of the KIS community. Children at KIS in the Early Years programme enjoy going to school. Being at a “big school” means that they are well-prepared for a smooth transition from their first experiences in a warm, caring, play-centred environment into the more structured but still familiar grade school classrooms. With KIS’s well established strong reputation and popularity, more families are choosing early entry to avoid being placed on a waiting list. We’d like to invite you to come and see our Early Years center, and find out first hand how your child can experience the excitement of inquiry based learning. By Morna Watson Early Years teacher at KIS International School and Linda Belonje Director of Marketing and Development KIS International School Tel: 02 274 3444 Email: admissions@kis.ac.th www.kis.ac.th
October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 37
38 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 39
Bangkok Patana School’s Foundation Stage:
Building on parents’ expertise as their children’s first educators
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s parents, you are the most successful educators in your children’s lives, using strategies instinctively which impact on your child’s development in their first few years of life. Your children feel the love and care you show for them and have a sense of emotional well being. They respond well to the positive relationships that exist within your family and know that you have a genuine interest in what they do, say and think. You are part of your child’s ‘real-life’ experiences; the walk in the park, a visit to the supermarket, a friend’s birthday party, planting seeds in a pot, playing with bubbles in the bath or maybe tasting something for the first time. Through ‘talk’ you share the sights, sounds and smells. You bring alive the sensory experiences of your children, helping them to make sense of their world. Fascinated, your children ask questions; how many times have you been asked “Why?” As parents we continually give a response to often very tricky questions! As parents, you are able to give your children the opportunity to explore, to play and time to learn.They can begin to try out their own theories and experiment. You are able to let them make mistakes, enabling them to feel that great feeling of success when they eventually achieve their goal! So, when your children join their first educational setting, they are already competent learn40 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
ers. They bring a range of attitudes, skills and knowledge from home to their new learning environment. Working closely in partnership with parents, our Foundation Stage (Nursery, Kindergarten 1 and Kindergarten 2) teachers create environments that offer play-based learning experiences that are sensitive to the needs of young children, enabling them to make connections with what they already know and understand. As a quick aside you may want to ask “What is play-based learning?” It is in fact very straightforward, because for young children, play IS learning 1. Research shows that make-believe games are forerunners to the important capacity for forms of self-regulation including civility and empathy2. When children use toys to make up scenarios or friends, the representation of multiple perspectives occurs naturally. Children who are allowed to learn by playing are shown to experience enhanced cognitive benefits, such as an increase in more complex language usage, and ultimately creativity3. These children also perform better, academically, in the later Primary years than their peers who have not attended play focused preschools4. For children to become actively engaged in learning, they also need to feel at ease, secure and confident. Our teachers are always looking to develop positive relationships with the children
in their care, regarding them too as unique individuals. Children with a high level of well being feel wonderful. With support, they develop selfconfidence, high self-esteem and resilience; great attributes for effective play-based learning. Speech, language and communication skills are the building blocks for their future development. These are some of the prime areas focused on in the Foundation Stage at Bangkok Patana. As children move towards more collaborative play they can practice and develop social skills including those of negotiation, empathy, cooperation and sharing. Learning is an interactive event. Shared childinitiated interests and experiences are fundamental aspects of early partnerships. Our Foundation Stage team look at your child as a ‘whole’, building up a picture of their interests, characteristics and development across all areas of learning.They can then ensure that through a range of rich and playful learning experiences, your children develop as individuals and as learners alongside their peers. But it is to the parents of our young learners that we must say a whole hearted “thank you” for the part you play in your children’s learning journey; you are your children’s first and most enduring educators!
References: 1. Joseph Chilton Pearce (http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=OVBXqJ_u8io) 2. Berk, Mann & Ogan, (2006). ‘Make-Believe Play: Wellspring for Development of Self-Regulation’. Illinois State University 3. Singer & Singer (2005). ‘Imagination and play in the electronic age’. Harvard University Press 4. Marcon (2002). ‘Moving up the Grades: Relationship between Preschool Model and Later School Success’. University of North Florida Bangkok Patana School 647 Lasalle Road (Sukhumvit 107), Bangna, Bangkok 10260 Thailand Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2200 Email: admissions@patana.ac.th www.patana.ac.th
October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 41
Modern Montessori International Modern Montessori International Pre-school (Thailand) is a very unique place, where your child learns by discovery. We follow the British Curriculum based on the Montessori Method of Education for children aged 18 months – 6 years. We provide a programme that caters to the individual needs of each child. The inquiry based and child centred Montessori Method fosters and encourages self-help skills and independence among children. Our curriculum includes Practical Life Exercises, Sensorial Education, Language and Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Phonics, Creative Writing, Music and Movement, Physical Education and Swimming, Field Trips, and After School Activities. Our facilities include fully-equipped Montessori classrooms, swimming pool, playground, indoor gym, library, music room and canteen.
42 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
MMI Pre-School promotions: 30% off registration fee by November 2014; 50% off registration fee for ScandAsia members and 70% off registration fee for Diplomatic families, Embassy staff and members of Thai-Japanese Association.
Modern Montessori International Training Centre (Thailand) offers a Diploma in Montessori Method of Education. This one year programme is designed for parents, teachers and to-be-mothers/fathers who wish to have a firm understanding in child development, Montessori philosophy and effective parenting skills. This internationally recognised diploma is awarded by Modern Montessori International, London. The training covers the following aspects: Montessori Philosophy and Theory, Child development, Curriculum Planning, Practical Life, Sensorial Training, Language, Mathematics and Cultural Subjects.
www.mmithailand.com www.facebook.com/mmipreschool E-mail: admissions@mmithailand.com, training@mmithailand.com
Our Moments at Bangkok Prep Two mothers talk about their experience in settling with their new school
Mrs Joanne MacDougall Aberdeen, Scotland
Mrs Felicity Fox Melbourne, Australia
We are from a relatively small place in Scotland; therefore it was important for our family that our son be educated in a nurturing environment with a close knit community feel. We did not want to lose him in a big school.The number of students per class is suitable for him and his development as he gets to know all the other students and teachers in the Early Years.”
Bangkok Prep still has a relatively small number of students across each year levels which contribute to its intimate environment and holistic education. The school also possesses the ‘close community feeling’ that we were looking for as parents with a great mixture of nationalities and genders represented throughout.”
“We chose Bangkok Prep’s Early Years to meet our son’s interests and curiosity for learning. He loves doing different things in a day, and so the specialty classes and timetable offered at Bangkok Prep truly fulfills his needs.”
“We were looking for a school where our children would get to know everyone in their immediate environment and where students, teachers and parents would get to know our children on a personal level and for us, Bangkok Prep has done just that.
“Mainly, the convenient location, the wide selection of after school activities, the great facilities combined with the community feel makes Bangkok Prep all the more special for us.
for more information please visit www.bkkprep.ac.th or call us at 02-260-7890 the school is located on Sukhumvit 53 (adjacent to thonglor BTS Skytrain)
October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 43
Traill International School Kindergarten Programme
T www.traillschool.ac.th E-mail: enquiries@traillschool.ac.th
44 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
raill International School is one of Bangkok’s oldest and established international schools. The school is accredited by CfBT from the UK and has just completed a new purpose built campus for its kindergarten. Careful thought and attention has gone into the design to create an atmosphere of a warm and homely environment. Traill focuses on the education of the whole child with 48 years of graduates who are accepted to the world’s leading universities. Likewise the kindergarten reflects this with the use of a wide range of facilities that enhance the learning process of the child - ICT labs, swimming pool, library, multi-purpose sports hall and a purpose built bicycle and toy-car track.
The National Curriculum Early Years Foundation program is play based, but allows us to reach high academic standards in a way that is extremely motivational for young pupils. There is a lot of individual attention, with the planning of lessons tailored to meet the needs of each individual child. This is only possible by the school student:teacher ratio of 8:1. However, the key to our success is the high caliber of our experienced teaching staff with extensive knowledge of the National Curriculum of England. The transition from Kindergarten to the Primary School is smooth and easy for the children. Both the Kindergarten student and main-school teacher will have worked together and know each other prior to entry into Year 1 of the Primary School. We expect all children to attain a certain level by the end of each year.The progress of each child is monitored and tracked carefully to ensure this will be maintained. Successful children are happy confident children. Fundamental to this is the par tnership between parent and school. All parents are warmly welcomed to participate in celebration assemblies, sports days, the parent and teacher association, open days, and workshops.
IPC International Kindergarten
N
estled in the heart of Bangkok’s prestigious Asoke district you will find a hidden treasure, one that has been around for over 30 years. This special place has been a fun and safe place for children where they will receive the best early education Thailand has to offer. Come and discover IPC International Kindergarten. IPC is Thailand’s oldest and longest running boutique international nursery and kindergarten to date. Winning multiple awards, IPC is also a parent’s perfect choice to obtain a quality British education for children aged 18 months and
older. IPC has educated over 7,000 children and covered most of the globe by hosting on average 20 different nationalities every year. What started as and still remains a Chirathivat family owned business, was built by a loving mother in search of the perfect school for her own daughter. Over the years IPC now grown to be a gem in the Bangkok community. We are known for our vibrant teaching style and for our 100% acceptance rate into all of the best International schools around the world. More impor tantly, we are also known as a school where children have the most fun whilst learning! From the new IPC mini- lagoon to our Rock Climbing Wall for kids, IPC has created a unique atmosphere where the children’s imaginations can run wild. If you would like to come to visit IPC International Kindergarten, we offer an in-depth tour of our boutique school and a free trial day. Come in and see why IPC is such a lasting favourite with children and parents alike. www.ipcthai.com Email: info@ipcthai.com
October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 45
The Right Age
for joining preschool At what age should a child be enrolled in preschool? When does the child need it?
D
eciding the right age for joining preschool is not easy. Most parents start looking for a preschool by the time the child is two to two anda-half years old. But at times it is found that the child may not be mentally prepared to adapt to the environment away from home before the age of three.
Determining when the child would benefit from preschool stimulation, it is important to see what sort of experience he or she is having at home. Many households already provide a sort of preschool environment at home. They have a wide array of children’s books, a big collection of handson educational toys, an active social atmosphere marked by frequent visits by family and friends who are accompanied by children of similar age groups and the parents have surplus energy to devote a fair amount of time with the kid during the learning and fun sessions. Children who grow up in such an atmosphere do not need an early admission because the home itself provides a good developmental opportunity. On the other hand if the parents lack time are are too tired after work to provide quality time with the child, it is advisable to start the preschool early. Now from a practical approach from the point of view of the child, here are a few concerns that you need to note.
Social and health concern It is usually found that a child can enjoy positive peer interaction when they are older than two years old. It is therefore by the age of two that the child becomes a social being. At the initial stage the teacher-child ratio should be 1:3. Often, children living in group care units suffer more frequentlu from infections, especially ear infections. Although the care givers are generally careful with such issues, it is essential that the child is able to take basic care of him or her self, especially regarding putting shared things in their mouth. The child should also be able to say when it needs to go to the toilet. This requires a minimum level of maturity that comes after the child completes two or two anda-half years.
You are not alone You will not be entirely on your own in your evaluation. Most preschools call for an interview with the child. The principal objective of this meeting is to ascertain whether the child behaviour is conducive to their classroom environment. In other words, it is checked if the child has any behavioural problems. This is followed by a meeting with the parents. The purpose is to conduct a background check on the kid and get necessary additional information related to the child.
Aim Even Higher RBIS Rasami British International School provides first rate education for children aged 18 months to 18 years (EYFS, Primary, Secondary) in a safe and nurturing environment with smaller class sizes. Quality education is at the heart of our policy. Academic excellence is balanced with opportunities for personal growth.
Accredited by:
Languages: English, Thai, Chinese and French from Year 1. RBIS RASAMI BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 48/2 Soi Rajavithi 2, Rajavithi Rd., Phayathai, Bangkok 10400 Tel: +66(0)2-644-5291 - 2 Fax :+66(0)2-640-9527 Email: rbis@rbis.ac.th or admissions@rbis.ac.th Website: www. rbis.ac.th 46 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
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October 2014 โ ข ScandAsia.Thailand 47
Visit Laos...
By Morten Krogsholm
before it’s too late
Everything closes at midnight. A sense of calmness settles around you. Gastronomic experiences awaits you and commercialization is on the verge of happening. Welcome to Vientiane, Laos.
T
o many it is known as one of the most chilled-out places on earth. It has a undescribable vibe to it that is so far removed from the hectic everyday life. If you wish to experience this along with its unique selection of cuisines from all over the world, it might be time to pack your suitcase and get to Laos before big businesses move in and change the scenery.
Simply cosy It is all about the vibe. Everything in Vientiane seems to run on a different set of tracks than in the rest of the world - smooth, calm and easygoing. On arriving from the hustle and bustle of the city life, you be struck by the down-tempo vibe that embraces you and you might end up dwelling in it. The Laotian people are friendly and seem to have a lot less mercenary attitude than in some other Asian countries where everything turns into haggling over prices. And surprisingly enough, a lot of people in Vientiane speak English or at least understand what you are trying to communicate. Walking down the streets, it is common to see TukTuk drivers enjoying a bit of relaxation in a hammock that they put up in the back of their vehicles and you instinctively settle in and adopt their laid-back way of life. If you can withstand the heat, it is possible to get anywhere in Vientiane on foot due to its modest size of approximately four square kilometers and a population of just around 800.000. But the compactness of the place also means that there are limited opportunities for 48 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
sightseeing and activities, relatively speaking. Because Vientiane offers both rich cultural experience and creature comforts, with street vendors keen on catering to your every needs for every budget. If you are a big fan of architecture, Laos can offer that as well, such as Pha That Luang, the most impor tant Laotian Buddhist monument, which was originally built in 1566 and restored in the 1930. You will also stumble upon different official government buildings, which always feature big name plates in gold letters both in French and Laotian. The streets are narrow and you will find yourself walking as much on the road as on the pavement as street vendors display and sell their ware right on the pavement, forcing pedestrians on to the road surface. On top of that, it is worth mentioning that traffic is not as bad in Vientiane as in many other Asian cities, so you do not have to fear for your life at all times. And making your way around the narrow streets on foot also
offers added advantage as might actually lead you to some treasured items that may not be available anywhere else in the world. Like in the bookstores, which are a good place to go bargainhunting if you are looking for that special present for yourself or a bookworm friend. First or second editions of some famous books, which would be a complete nightmare to find elsewhere - not to mention the exorbitant price tags to match.These things might just be hidden around the corner somewhere in Vientiane. All of this might be a result of Laos being one the poorest countries and therefore it is in many ways underdeveloped. But you could easily misread the relaxed atmosphere as absence of development, which is not the case.
Under development Vientiane will not turn into Times Square any time soon and probably never will, so you still have time to experience the calm and uniqueness of Vientiane. But you should hurry up. Though being underdeveloped, there are new developments in Laos and the capital Vientiane, that are transforming them into a more modern, westernized look and perhaps also the rhythm of life. For a long period of time, both the capital city and the country have been free of international brands and their franchises, with only Beer Lao being the sole key player as the nation pride, and every shop owner dreaming of having the signature yellow and green Beer Lao logo to be associated with their business. The lack of international franchises has left Laos in the company of few Asian countries without McDonald, KFC and Burger King, among others - which is not altogether a bad thing. But times are changing. Globalization and commercialization have now established a beachhead with chains, such as Swensen ice-cream parlor, The Pizza Company and Dairy Queen, popping up around the city and standing out because of its strict guidelines in regards to the decoration of these modern fastfood outlets. A quick look at McDonald website
also indicates that they are monitoring the market closely with the intention to penetrate the market in the near future. Even the signature morning market, Talat Sao, has had its commercial makeover, going from being a traditional open street market to having a modern shopping mall in one corner and enclosing a part of the traditional market. That resulted in a clash of cultures and some would say an eyesore as the shops inside the extension, which looks very like modern, western architecture, seem not to have fully adapted to its new environment. It looks like the developer simply transplanted traditional street shops inside the new extension as none of the shops seem to have put any effort into decoration of their businesses to fit the modern decors. That why the new center has no shopping mall feel to it. This ongoing modernization in Vientiane and Laos in general suggests that the country is fast becoming a hotspot for foreign investment and it is said that Chinese entrepreneurs are the main driving force, backed by availability of cash and cheap loans.
Treat your tastebuds As a small land-locked country, Laos has to import many things, from groceries to meat used for cooking - but the Laotians obviously know how to cook. The country was a French protectorate in the late 19th Century and it seems as if the proud French food culture and tradition has rubbed off on the Laotian people who accepted it whole-heartedly. The small capital of Vientiane offers a humon-
gous selection of cuisines from all over the world and in contradiction to experience you might have of western food in Southeast Asia the food prepared in Laos is nothing less than excellent rendition, which does justice to the original. Culinary adventure is definitely a must-do if you visit Vientiane as you get a surreal experience of finding yourself in a mini version of Europe. Another upside is that the food, to a cer tain extent, is affordable, though food is actually more expensive in Laos than in most other Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand. This goes for street food as well. One thing that is very cheap
and very good is their sandwiches. Fresh veggies and French baguettes are used and it will only cost you around 20.000 Lation Kip, which is just around 2 Euros. If you have money to spend, you should immerse yourself in one of the many gastronomic experiences the capital serves up. You will be greeted by a wide selection of pizzas made in real wood-fired pizza ovens and though pizza is Italian and many of the pizza places around town are French or Italian, one of the more popular ones is a Swedish pizza bakery, which serves a pizza with banana as topping. At 20 Euros you can get a tasty and tender buffalo steak with a creamy mushroom sauce and pommes. And should you opt for even more lavish feast, you may try out some french delicacies - a tenderloin steak with foie gras and truffle sauce can be had just around the corner. The local Laotians dishes are also wor th tasting as they bear slight resemblance to the food found in other Asian kitchens. They neither ver y spicy nor salty, Laotian cuisine is more influenced by herbs than spices, and there is, of course, the sticky rice. Some Laotians even refer to themselves as the descendants of sticky rice - Luk Khao Niaow. So to sum it all up; If you feel like you could need a break and chill out, while getting A+ food without breaking your bank account and experience a country that has not yet been overrun by modern western chain stores and franchises - a trip to Laos might be a perfect fit for your wellearned vacation
October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 49
มุมภาษาไทย
l
mum pha:să: thai
l
Thai Language Corner
Thai
By Klavs Johansen (thai@maprao.dk)
When it Counts Learning the Thai numbers is easy. Start by practicing the numbers 0-10: ศูนย์ / sŭ:n / ~ 0, หนึ่ง / nùeng / ~ 1, สอง / sŏr:ng / ~ 2, สาม / să:m / ~ 3, สี่ / sì: / ~ 4, ห้า / hâ: / ~ 5, หก / hòk / ~ 6, เจ็ด / jèt / ~ 7, แปด / pàe:t / ~ 8, เก้า / kâ:o / ~ 9, สิบ / sìp / ~ 10. Once you have memorized these numbers, you have the basic building blocks for the whole Thai system of counting. It is wonderfully simple and, hence, may be learned just by example and a minimum of explanation. Let’s try: Eleven is สิบเอ็ด / sìp èt / ~ 11. Twelve to twenty are straight forward, combining the same numbers, as we get: สิบสอง / sìp sŏr:ng / ~ 12 (ten two), สิบสาม / sìp să:m / ~ 13 (ten three), and so on until twenty, which becomes ยี่สิบ / yî: sìp / ~ 20, and then we go again, ยี่สิบเอ็ด / yî: sìp / ~ 21, ยี่สิบสอง / yî: sìp sŏr:ng / ~ 22 (twenty two), and this system repeats when reaching thirty, forty , สามสิบ / să:m sìp / ~ 30 (three ten), สี่สิบ / sì: sìp / ~ 40 (four ten), and up to ninety-nine, which becomes เก้าสิบเก้า / kâ:o sìp kâ:o / ~ 99 (nine ten nine). In conclusion, the numbers 1-99 are pure logic with the minor exceptions of using -เอ็ด / -èt / to denominate 1 in 21, 31, etc., and using the ยี่- / yî:- / in ยี่สิบ / yî: sìp / ~ 20 instead of สอง / sŏr:ng / ~ 2. The words for hundred and thousand are ร้อย / rór:i / ~ 100 and พัน / phan / ~ 1,000, respectively, and we get the following examples: 50 ScandAsia.Thailand • October 2014
หนึ่งร้อย / nùeng rór:i / ~ 100, หนึ่งร้อยหนึ่ง / nùeng rór:i nùeng / ~ 101, หนึ่งพัน / nùeng phan / ~ 1,000, and หนึ่งพันหกร้อยเจ็ดสิบห้า / nùeng phan hòk rór:i jèt sìp hâ: / ~ 1,675.
In contrast to English,Thai features separate words for ten thousand and hundred thousand. They are หมื่น / mùe:n / and แสน / săe:n /, so we get: แปดหมื่น / pàe:t mùe:n / ~ 80,000, สองแสน / sŏr:ng săe:n / ~ 200,000, and เก้าแสนห้าหมื่นยี่สิบเอ็ด / kâ:o săe:n hâ: mùe:n yî: sìp èt / ~ 950,021. Finally, the word for million is ล้าน / lá:n / ~ 1,000,000, and we get: หนึ่งล้านสองแสนสามหมื่นสี่พันห้าร้อยหกสิบเจ็ด / nùeng lá:n sŏr:ng săe:n să:m mùe:n sì: phan hâ: rór:i hòk sìp jèt / ~ 1,234,567. Now you can count in the millions which should do for most of us, however, if you wish, continuing is straight forward as no new words for numbers are introduced this side of a trillion and beyond. In Thai, you usually count something and rarely use the numbers alone. My guess is that the most common thing to count is money, which, as we know, are counted in บาท / bà:t / ~ Baht, e.g.: ห้าร้อยบาท / hâ: rór:i bà:t / ~ 500 Baht. But there is more to counting in Thai than we are used to in English. We say: เบียร์สามขวด / bia să:m khùat / ~ 3 bottles of beer. In both languages, we use ‘bottle’ as the ‘counter’. In Thai, however, we use such a ‘counter’ for all words, which we want to count. In most English language text books on Thai, this ‘counter’ is referred to as a ‘classifier’ and it is just a word, like bottle or Baht, which will vary depending on the noun we are counting. In next month’s column we will take a closer look at some of these classifiers and the way they are used to count in Thai. Until then, I recommend inviting the Thais for a game of bingo, if you have problems memorizing the numbers.
บิงโก / bing ko: / ~ bingo!
201407_MND.pdf 1 30/7/2557 12:26:13
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13/2/2014 10:56:48 PM October 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 51
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