JUN 2015
Danish SOS Agent
meets challenges every day ScandAsia.dk
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Coming Events
Norwegian Summer Party Who: TNCC Where: Red Sky Rooftop Bar, Centara Hotel & Resort When: Thursday 11 June 2015, 18.30
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.
Thai Norwegian Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Summer Par ty on 11 June at the Red Sky Rooftop Bar with its magnificent view
Editor-in-Chief : Gregers A.W. Møller gregers@scandmedia.com
to Norway and not return top Thailand untill August. Cost: 1.000 thb for members, 1.500 thb for guests.
Danish Women and children celebrates Sankt Hans in Bangkok
Please sign up for your own FREE copy: www.scandasia.com Publisher : 211 Soi Prasert Manukitch 29 Prasert Manukitch Road Chorakae Bua, Lad Prao Bangkok 10230, Thailand Tel. +66 2 943 7166-8, Fax: +66 2 943 7169 E-mail: news@scandasia.com
over the Rajaprasong crossing. The purpose is to meet other members to wish eachother a happy summer - as some members will go on vacation
Who: DWN Where: Bangkok When: June 23
Assistant Editor: Joakim Persson Joakim@scandmedia.com
J u n e 2 4 D a n i s h Wo m e n ’s Networ k Thailand is once again celebrating the tradition Sankt Hans in Bangkok. The event is for all members and their children. They meet in the afternoon, eat hotdogs and when darkness falls, they gather around the fire and the witch to sing. According to the tradition, the witches fly to Bloksbjerg in Harzen, Nor thern Germany the same night. Besides being a big tradition in Denmar k, Sankt Hans is celebrated both in England, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Russia and France. However, the day is celebrated mainly in the Nordic
and Baltic countries, where the characteristic bright Nordic night provides the optimal conditions for a beautiful experience. Danish Women’s Network is a society where social interaction is impor tant. There is a strong focus on celebrating Danish traditions like Fastelavn, Sankt Hans and Chr istmas. Besides celebrating the great tr aditions, the association arranges both monthly and yearly events for its members. For more infor mation contact kontakt@dwn-thailand. com
Advertising : Finn Balslev finn@scandmedia.com Joakim Persson Joakim@scandmedia.com Piyanan Kalikanon piyanan@scandmedia.com Nattapat Maesang nattapat@scandmedia.com Graphic Designer : Peerapol Meesuwan Peerapol@scandmedia.com Printing : Inthanon Interprint Co., Ltd.
Daily news and features here: www.scandasia.com
The Dok Krachiao Blossom Festival When: 1 June - 31 August 2015 Where: Pa Hin Ngam National Park, Thep Sathit District, Chaiyaphum The Siam Tulip, or Dok Krachiao, flower comes in to full bloom in the early part of the rainy season from June to August. During these months, the fields of Pa Hin Ngam National Par k in Thep Sathit district and Sai Thong National Par k in Nong Bua Ra Haew district will be blanketed with the exceptional beauty of these pinkish-purple flower s. Ever y year, the Chaiyaphum province in cooperation with the Tourism
Authority of Thailand (TAT) are joining hands to organise a range of fun-filled activities including special sightseeing tours to see the fields of the pinkish Krachiao flower s and the rock garden, music concer ts, trekking tours in the two National Parks and also booths selling local indigenous One-Tambon-One-Products (OTOP) items of Chaiyaphum province.
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News Brief
Pattaya welcomed the Danish Ambassador and said goodbye to their Consul
The Danish Ambassador Mikael Hemniti Winther presents Stig Vagt-Andersen with the Order of the Dannebrog, Knight 1st Class, for his work as Consul in Pattaya.
T
The Danes in Pattaya says goodbye to their Consul Stig Vagt-Andersen after the meeting with the Ambassador.
Text and photos by Louise Bihl Frandsen
4 ScandAsia.Thailand • June 2015
he Danes in Pattaya met the Ambassador Mikael Hemniti Winther with lots of questions, when he visited Café Kronborg Monday 11 May 2015. The meeting followed the announcement earlier this year of the decision to close the Danish Consulate. “We wish to compensate for the closure of the Danish Consulate in Pattaya. And it was my idea to come here today to meet you and talk with you,” the Danish Ambassador said in his opening speech yesterday at Café Kronborg. Over twenty Danes had come to meet the Ambassador and to say goodbye to their Consul Stig Vagt-Andersen, who has been highly appreciated by the Danes living here. “I want to say that it has been very helpful to have Stig and the Consulate here in Pattaya. We will all miss him very much,” said Bjarne Nielsen, owner of Café Kronborg. Bjarne’s statement was followed with applause from the Danish crowd in the café. The Consul himself was quiet during the meeting. Soon after the Ambassador’s opening speech, questions rolled over the white and red tables. The very first referred to the decision of closing the Consulate. “I have read that Stig was not consulted before the decision was taken. It feels like the decision has been taken from above, is that true?” “Yes, that is true. It is a decision taken in the Foreign Ministry. It has not been a democratic decision. The closure is par t of a larger centralization,” Mikael Hemniti Winther explained. Other questions referred to the future quality of citizens services in Pattaya. The closure of the Consulate means that Danes living in Pattaya can no longer get passports issued by sending documents with post to the Danish Embassy in Bangkok. Previously the Danish Consulate in Pattaya issued emergency passports,
but it is now necessary to travel to Bangkok to receive this service. Driving license and extension of driving license can also no longer be provided in Pattaya. It is, however, the Embassy’s intension to bring a geometry suitcase to Pattaya, so that citizens can get passports issued locally. “It is very important for us to provide a good service. If you receive a poor service, let us know. It is our intension to come to Pattaya once a year, depending on the need,” Mikael Hemniti Winter said. There were also questions about the processing time for issue of visas at the Danish Embassy in Bangkok, because some had experienced a longer waiting time than usual when applying. To this the Ambassador explained that there are periods with extra pressure in the visa department, but that the Embassy is extra aware of this, now that the Consulate has been closed. Many of the Danes living in Pattaya have known Stig Vagt-Andersen for more than 20 years and during these years he has build up a strong and local network. “Poor Stig, Poor us. I just want to say thank you for the service that Stig has given us. He always gave the best service,” one of the Danes said and started another applause for the Consul. According to Stig Vagt-Andersen, 25 percent of the Danes living in Pattaya are 75 years or older. Many of them will find it difficult to renew their one-year retirement visas, when they do not have the Consulate in Pattaya to assist them. “It is obvious that there will be some challenges in the future. Furthermore, the closure is a loss for the local relation. It is not possible for the Embassy to remain the same relation to the Danes living in Pattaya in the future,” Stig said.
June 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 5
News Brief
Sigve Brekke new Telenor Group CEO
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elenor Group announced recently that Mr Sigve Brekke, the former CEO of DTAC, currently the Executive Vice President and Head of Telenor Group’s Asia oper ations, has been appointed as its new Group President and Chief Executive Officer. Sigve Brekke joined Telenor in 1999 and has held several executive positions in the company since then. To replace him, Telenor has appointed Mr Morten Sørby as the new Head of Region Asia in Telenor Group, effective 1 June 2015, well ahead of Brekke’s star t date in August 2015. Under Brekke’s leader ship, Telenor has added more than 100 million subscribers in Asia. The value creation from Asia has been significant and the region now represents more than 40 percent of the total enterprise value of Telenor Group. Telenor is well positioned to monetise on the next growth wave - providing internet for all, writes the Norwegian telecommunications giant in a statement.
Sigve Brekke is cur rently responsible for Telenor’s operations in Asia (Executive Vice President and Head of Telenor Group’s Asia operations), a position he has held since 2008. Earlier in his Telenor career he was the Managing Director of its Singapore office. Then a longer stint in Thailand followed as Telenor developed and expanded its operation there. He was co-Chief Executive Officer of Thai mobile operator dtac from 2002 to 2005, and then its CEO from 2005-2008. In September 2014 Sigve was once again back to DTAC; appointed interim CEO Mr. Sigve Brekke as Mr Jon Eddy Abdullah resigned from his position as CEO of dtac. Mr Brekke will succeed Mr. Jon Fredrik Baksaas as Telenor Group’s CEO by 17 August 2015. “Sigve Brekke has a solid trackrecord as the Head of Telenor’s Asia operations and part of Group Management since August 2008. His leading role in our Asian success story combined with his
6 ScandAsia.Thailand • June 2015
vast international experience and leadership capabilities will be of great value as the company continues its profitable growth journey,” said Svein Aaser, Chairman of the Board of Directors in Telenor Group. “It is a great honour to be asked to lead Telenor. Our company’s Norwegian and international success is a result of Telenor Group’s ability to provide digital communication services that are valuable to our customer s. Telenor’s str ategy, including our financial priorities, form a solid platform for value creation for our shareholders and continued growth in Norway, Europe and Asia. We are poised to capture value from the opportunities arising from strong demand for internet services and I look forward to executing our strategy together with our 33,000 employees,” said Sigve Brekke. Jon Fredrik Baksaas steps down after 13 years as the company President and CEO. In September 2014, he extended his tenure for another year, until the end of 2015. In preparation of Baksaas’ retirement, Telenor’s Board of Director s initiated a thorough process with a broad set of internal and external candidates to find his successor. Baksaas will continue as advisor to the Board of Directors until the end of 2016 and will serve as Chairman of GSMA, the global industr y organisation for mobile operators. “Jo n Fre d r ik Baks aas has inter nationalised Telenor and transformed us into a modern, world-class telecom company and widely known consumer brand originating from Norway. I believe Fredrik is one of the most important industr y leader s in Norway in modern times,” said Svein Aaser. Telenor has grown substantially both in ter ms of number of customers, revenue and market value. Telenor is a leading mobile telecom company with mobile operations in 13 mar kets and 192 million mobile subscriptions wor ldwide . Revenues have increased from NOK 49 billion to NOK 107 billion and market capitalisation from NOK 45 billion to NOK 270 billion during Baksaas’ leadership. A significant contributor to this development has been the company’s growth in Asia. “To lead Telenor dur ing a period of rapid growth and major technological changes has been both exciting and rewarding. In Sigve
Mr Sigve Brekke has been appointed as its new Group President and Chief Executive Officer of Telenor.
Brekke, the Board of Directors has found the perfect candidate to continue Telenor’s growth and value creation. We have worked closely for many years, and his knowledge of the business, customer focus and hands-on management style will ensure a great future for the company,” said Jon Fredrik Baksaas. Replacing Sigve Brekke , Morten Sørby will assume all the responsibilities in overseeing and running Telenor Group’s operations in Asia - and joins Telenor’s Group Executive Management team. A Norwegian national, Mor ten Sørby brings significant operational and strategic mobile telecommunications experience to the role as Head of Region Asia.
Mr. Morten Sørby brings significant operational and strategic mobile telecommunications experience to his new role as Head of Region Asia
News Brief
Strike involving Finnair averted
F
innair’s flights were in mid-May threatened with a strike that would have disrupted the flights to Asia as well although Finnair itself was not a party to the conflict. The strike warning was issued by the Finnish Aviation Union for 19-20 May 2015. The dispute was related to a labour agreement involving a Finnish ground handling company. If executed, the strike would have brought Finnair’s baggage and ground handling services to a complete halt for several hours during peak travel hours on 19-20 May. The strike would thus have disrupted the travel plans of thousands of Finnair customers. Finnair had already offered customers the possibility to change their travel dates to avoid traveling on the possible strike days. “We are happy to see that the negotiating parties have reached an agreement in this dispute, which Finnair was not involved in. I am glad that our customers can now prepare for their flights next week without having to worry about a strike threat impacting their travel plans,” says Ville Iho, Finnair Chief Operating Officer. “We are sorry about the uncertainty this situation may have caused to our customers. Thankfully the strike threat has now been withdrawn.” Finnair operates a very responsive customer ser vice at +358 10 80 40 60 and also ser ves customers on Twitter @FinnairHelps as well as Finnair’s Facebook pages.
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Playgroup every Monday from 2.30pm. to 3.30pm. Ages 8 months to 2 years. June 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 7
Danish SOS Agent meets challenges every day Text & Photo Louise Bihl Frandsen
H
andcuffing a tourist who believed he was Jesus, br inging back injured trekkers from the wilds or handling a tsunami. Michael Schulz has been dealing with a variety of emergencies in his time as SOS agent in Thailand. But especially one type of cases is still the biggest challenge. “I am never nervous, but I am always aware,” Michael Schulz says. He is sitting in his office at Sukhumvit soi 39 in Bangkok. For exactly 20 years now he has been
8 ScandAsia.Thailand • June 2015
the regional manager of SOS International a/s in Thailand. He never had a business plan or a plan for his life for that matter, and yet, his company has become the second biggest SOS office in the world today. “I see the job, talk to people and get ideas from that. I may have had a talent for throwing away bad ideas instead of keep boxing around with them,” he says. A good intuition together with a strong local network is what Michael believes has been the key to the company’s success.
SOS International provides ser vices to Scandinavian insurance companies, but the clients are from all over Europe. They are presented both in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. In 2010 SOS International had around 8,000 cases. Today that number is more than 10,000. Most of the cases are easy to handle, but especially one type of cases is a major challenge.
Jesus without pills Every year, SOS International has more than 200
Very often you experience that hospitals have been carrying out a lot of unnecessary tests and scans to make more money on the patient. Especially if they can see that the patient is insured by a Scandinavian company
of handcuffs from the local police to pick him up and have him admitted. Although, they succeeded to bring the man safe home to Europe, Michael admits that this is one of the more tricky cases. “How do you corporate with a person that does not want to listen?” Mentally ill people, who need assistance from SOS International, are cases the company experiences very often. Besides assisting Jesus, Michael also has had a case with a naked tourist dancing around at Sukhumvit. Since the local hospitals are not really geared for these illnesses, Michael’s best option is to bring them back to Europe. But the service SOS International provides depends on what is included in the specific insurance. “Pre-existing illnesses for example, are not covered by the travel insurance, but can be covered by a health insurance,” he explains.
Deadly waves
doctors and nurses from Scandinavia coming to pick up patients. The most challenging cases, the company deals with, concerns psychosis. Some years ago Michael got a call from a Danish doctor, who happened to be on vacation on the same island where a young tourist had lost his mind. “He was walking around on the Island, burning himself and saying he was Jesus and the emperor of the island,” Michael tells. Michael prepared a team of two nurses with an injection needle and a borrowed pair
Michael did not start from scratch 20 years ago. His former job as tour manager in Thailand since 1980 gave a great network across the country and a good feeling with, how things work. His network has always been helpful in all types of emergency situations, especially the extraordinary ones. December 26, 2004 was one of them. Michael got a call early in the morning from a friend living in Phuket telling him that some waves had hit Patong Beach, and that people had been thrown up onto the land some hundred metres. Michael called SOS in Denmark right after and told them to prepare their crisis team. “Are you sure?” They asked him. “No, but do it anyway,” Michael replied. It was first later that Michael, SOS in Denmark and the rest of the world realized how serious the situation was. In total, 230,000 people were killed in 14 countries when the tsunami hit South East Asia in 2004. SOS International was the first international team to arrive in Phuket that day.
Cost containment On one side, SOS International provides emergency services, which is everything from taking care of a hospital bill to transpor ting people out of a jungle. But another service has become even more important during the years: Cost containment. When Europe became more expensive, and Asia remained cheap: an influx of retirees went to the South to settle down. Along with the influx of retirees and the general growth of European tourists coming to Thailand the prices on treatment and services increased significantly at the private hospitals. “This development has made the Scandinavian insurance companies much more aware of what they pay for today than earlier,” Michael says. To avoid overpricing, Michael travels a lot to negotiate prices with local hospitals, and to avoid overtreatment SOS International looks through the hospital bills before approving them. “Very often you experience that hospitals have been carrying out a lot of unnecessary tests and scans to make more money on the patient. Especially if they can see that the patient is insured by a Scandinavian company”. H owe ve r, S O S I n t e r n a t i o n a l n e ve r compromises the proper and safe treatment of their patients with the cost of treatment.
The unexpected The emergency business changes all the times, but it does not bother Michael at all. “I could easily take 20 year more. I like my job. SOS is one of those companies that develops all the time, which makes my job very exciting,” the 58-year-old Dane says and continues: “I still get these phone calls, where I am standing in the other end of the line and thinking ‘What?’ Every time I am sure I have seen or heard it all, a new case or situation appears”. This year Michael Schulz will not only celebrate 20 years anniversary for SOS International a/s, but also 25 years anniversary for his other company “The Arrivals Company”. June 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 9
The Finns in are back in the The Thai-Finnish Chamber of Commerce (TFCC) has been revamped recently, with a new board and a new Executive Director, By Joakim Persson
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t is safe to say the Thai-Finnish Chamber of Commerce (TFCC) has been revamped recently, with a new competent Board that is now giving this Chamber a needed injection, and also with a brand new Executive Director in Ms Pornpimon Kulchotirat (khun Grace), plus the new Finnish across-the-board teamwork within Team Finland. ScandAsia learns more via Karri Kivelä, speaking as one of the Directors of the Board of TFCC (elected in the fall of 2014), about the new changes. “I’m in charge of Par tnerships for the Chamber,” begins Karri, “I work very closely with the Finnish Embassy, Finpro and Team Finland trying to come up with new ideas how to help our members and par tners to improve their business activities in Thailand and in SEA. I also intend to work very closely with the other Nordic Chambers.” Professionally Karri works for Logonet Group (with operations in Thailand since 1992 as its Asian head office). “Logonet provide technical work wear and promotional products to our international customers worldwide. I work as the Business Development Manager and my most important job is to network with people, plan and execute creative service packages for them and improve their business through product based marketing programs.” 10 ScandAsia.Thailand • June 2015
In addition to Karri, TFCC’s Board consists in another 10 Directors and also one Advisor, all in all constituting a team with vast experience within many different business sectors and positions. Several of its Finnish members possess at least 15 years of experience in Thailand and Asia. Mr Pornpracha Wattanakijsiri was elected as the President of TFCC for the 2 year term 20152016 and he is committed to strive for better and stronger business relationships between Thailand and Finland for the benefit of their members and friends through their vast network of business enterprises and commerce associations, says the TFCC website. TFCC has also invested in recruiting the new Executive Director and a new office. “Khun Grace started in late March this year. She is now running TFCC alone and we are in process of adding one more person to the TFCC office to accompany her. She is a Chulalongkorn graduate and she has been studying and living in Europe and wants to get new contacts and experience in working for TFCC,” says Karri. “Indeed, we have a very good Board at the moment.The leading philosophy in electing Board Directors has been not what the Chamber can do for you but what you can do for the Chamber.We have all the talent needed and a will to create a more active role for the Chamber as part of Team Finland and all their representative organizations within this area. This means concrete actions that
help Finnish companies to start and run business in SEA as well as doing our best to tell the SEA countries and organisations what business opportunities are available in Finland.“ In this regard Team Finland (TF) should be introduced, as it is a new organisation since early 2013, including a global network around the world which brings together all Finnish authorities, publicly funded organisations (such as ministries, diplomatic missions, Finpro, Tekes, Finnish cultural and science institutions, Finnvera, Finnfund and regional networks led by Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment) and other key parties with ties to Finland. Each team has a work programme and a designated coordinator with information on the network’s local activities and services. The TF network brings together Finland’s operations in the field of external economic relations, the internationalisation of enterprises, foreign investment in Finland and countr y branding – both at home and abroad – with the objective to build a cross-organisational network for deeper cooperation and customer service, driven by common goals. Team Finland here is coordinated form the Embassy of Finland in Bangkok and also includes Finpro, aside TFCC. Commenting on this formation Karri says: “Finpro has gone through many organisational changes and now Mr. Kai Tuorila is their only
he game representative in Thailand. Kai has over 25 years of experience in this area. I’m also very happy that we have an active and creative Finnish Ambassador, H.E. Kirsti Westphalen, who leads our Team Finland organization, where we all aim for the same goal. TFCC signs Partnership agreements with companies and in their benefit programs we tie in also the benefits offered by the whole Team Finland organisation. This is the way a small country’s local representatives can provide a wider selection of partner benefits. We are constantly planning new benefits to our partners and asking them questions how we can help them.” TFCC serves and promotes trade activities between Thailand and Finland and in terms of connecting with the business community back in Finland the Chamber can also play a role. “In Finland there are now companies run by ex-Finpro international consultants who organize tours within Finland briefing Finnish companies how to succeed in international markets. Our Team Finland here in Thailand can then take responsibility to guide these companies when and if they choose to operate in the opening ASEAN markets.” Finpro also offers its services also beyond Thailand in neighbouring countries Cambodia, Lao and Myanmar. “Team Finland operators here focus on some key sectors in the bilateral operations between
Thailand and Finland. Our TFCC Board Director and Ambassador already succeeded with an Education project between Oulu University in Finland and the Greater Bangkok area. In this project Finnish world class education system is presented to Thai teachers and hopefully this will improve the standard of education in Bangkok and later wider in Thailand.” Other key areas where Finland has a lot to give to Thailand fall in the categories life sciences, clean tech, design and architecture. Networking events arranged by TFCC will focus on offering something with differentiation. “We want always to offer something special, as there are so many networking events already organised by other larger Chambers. Again, as many large networking events are crowded with service providers, we try to attract top management decision makers to our selected events. Then again we want to provide our members some very casual monthly pub evenings just to relax and have fun in the Finnish way.” Planning ahead TFCC for its par t will increase its role as a communication organisation, according to Karri Kivelä. “All the money we get in goes to increased communication benefiting our members and partners. The change from last year already can be seen on our new website. We want to post more news, we want to cooperate more with other Chambers, especially with the other Nordic
Chambers. We encourage companies to be in contact with us much more that before as we can save them lots of time and money if they only dared to ask. We can organise events sponsored by any company instead of having them do all the work. We can introduce them to people within our networks. Where are the people who proactively seek information and contacts? Early bird gets the worm.”
June 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 11
Danish Formula One
dreams in Thailand
Thomas with 10-year-old Alexander Shutemov on the racetrack in Pattaya. Thomas uses a lot of time to understand and know his drivers, so he knows exactly how to develop them.
He won 9 Championships – some in Go-Cart others in racing cars. He has his own race team, meanwhile being a trainer in Pattaya.
career, there is still a long way to go.The final steps towards the Formula One are extremely difficult but also completely impossible to manage without the right sponsors to pay the staggering amount of money the races costs. “I use not only many hours on training but also on explaining my drivers’ parents, how to find the right sponsors. Some sponsors want their drivers to be exposed in many media, for others it is more impor tant that the driver is always number one. You have to know exactly what the sponsors want. And it is, in fact, very difficult,” Thomas explains.
No money no drive
Listen!
In 2000 he started training his first driver, Sandy Stuvik, who is half Norwegian half Thai. Sandy became the youngest champion in Go-Cart in Thailand and last year he won the Euroformula Open Championship. This year he is driving GP3, which is only few steps away from the Formula One. Sandy is 18. “He was a very good student from an early age. He was very focused on his goal, which was to win the Formula One. And here we are,” Thomas says and gives a proud smile. Although Sandy already has come far in his
Thomas Raldorf only chooses drivers that he sees a great potential in. But what is more important for him is their ability to listen and take in information. If they are not capable of doing so, he does not want to work with them. It is that simple. Last year he started training a new driver; Russian Alexander Shutemov. In an age of 10, he already won his first championship. “I expect great things from Alex. He has what it takes to become an excellent driver, but he needs someone to guide him and help him improve his technique,” Thomas says.
Danish race driver and trainer Thomas Raldorf wants to give his drives the best opportunities to reach the top. He never had that chance himself, when he was young. By Louise Bihl Frandsen
I
t is not only necessary to have talent, it also costs a lot of money to drive race, Thomas Raldorf found out, when he started driving as a young boy. With a fighter mentality and a dream of reaching the Formula One, he took three different jobs to be able to pay the expensive sport. Although Thomas had talent, he never reached that dream. He drove with Danish champions like Jason Watt and Jan Magnussen, who later drove the Formula One, but he himself never had the right contacts or sponsors to support him financially. “It has therefore become very important for me to give my drivers better opportunities to reach the top,” he says. Thomas lived in Thailand for several years. 12 ScandAsia.Thailand • June 2015
Alexander Shutemov at the winners’ podium last year when he won the Thai Championship in Go-Cart. Thomas Raldorf is his trainer.
June 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 13
Agneta’s World
M
axime was founded as a bistro in year 1893 by Maxime Gaillard, a former waiter. It became the most fashionable restaurant in Paris under its next owner Eugene Cornuche. He decorated the restaurant in the “Art Noveau Décor” and made sure that the restaurant always was filled with beautiful women. The restaurant was so famous that the third act of Franz Lehar’s operetta “The Merry Widow” was set there. Who doesn’t remember the song “You’ll find me at Maxim’s” (Sa gar vi till Maxim’s….)
Faucon All photos by Daniel Herron
W
hen you already are at this amazing place, pass by another French institution, the famous Fauchon. In Paris, Fauchon is one of the most fascinating stores there you will find all delicatessen you can dream of. You immediately get hungry just by entering the store. Have a look at the smaller branch here in Bangkok and you will most probably walk away with something extra, delicious in your hands.
14 ScandAsia.Thailand • June 2015
A mini-Maxime in Bangkok
In 1932 M. Octave Vaudable, owner of the restaurant Noel Peters, bought Maxim’s. He started to invite famous and rich people as e.g. Proust and Jean Cocteau. During the 1950’s famous people like Aristoteles Onassis, Maria Callas, The Duke of Windsor and his Wallis Simpson, Barbara Hutton among many others, were often seen guests. In 1970 Brigitte Bardot caused a scandal when she entered the restaurant barefoot. In 1985 Maxim’s also opened in New York. It used to be my favorite lunch place when I visited the Big Apple. It was a perfect restaurant for a woman without escort. Today this famous
restaurant belongs to the fashion designer Pierre Cardin. There are many Maxim’s all over the world today and of course one in Bangkok. If you take a walk to the relatively newly opened, Groove, in Central World, you will find a small Maxim’s and I promise you, the cakes and their chocolates taste wonderful. Have a coffee or a glass of wine and dream about the “Merry Widow”. You want regret it.
Danish streetwear design opens Bangkok store
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he contemporary fashion and lifestyle brand Wood Wood, of Denmark, has arrived to Bangkok for real. The Copenhagen-based streetwear brand joins forces with UnCENSORED and has opened a so called shop-inshop. UnCENSORED is a prominent local retailer in the street luxury segment, and is located within Bangkok’s latest luxury department store EmQuartier Shopping Complex at The Helix Quartier. The Danish brand’s Creative Director and Menswear Designer KarlOskar Olsen designed the Wood Wood store, utilizing a graphic print from the Wood Wood archive and custom fittings. “For the space in UnCENSORED Bangkok we wanted to create something that reflects Wood Wood´s brand philosophy concerning Creativity, Quality and Attitude. The minimalistic approach with white walls and concrete floor is juxtaposed with a strong graphic print from the Wood Wood archives. We wanted to create this contrast while keep¬ing the space simple to let the clothing stand out on the rails,” said Karl-Oskar Olsen. The opening in Bangkok is part of Wood Wood’s international expansion and desire to be present in relevant markets with different shop concepts. UnCENSORED and Wood Wood have been partners for several years and the shop-in-shop came as a natural next-step due to the increasing demand in the market. Wood Wood was founded in 2002. With its own stores in Berlin, Aarhus and Copenhagen as well as an on-line store, Wood Wood is directed by founders Karl-Oskar Olsen and Brian SS Jensen. Best described as ‘Contemporary Streetwear’, its collections are built upon new takes on iconic silhouettes with a sports-fashion approach, staying true to the sub-cultural heritage of the brand. Wood Wood mixes high fashion, sports and streetwear with youth culture, art and music. Always aiming to find the perfect balance between style and functionality, the collections have evolved into tailored and sophisticated expressions, while keeping their playful graphic profile that often revolves around juxtapositions and iconography. With a unique approach to fashion and the outspoken claim Not To Be Trusted, Wood Wood has an ability to continuously evolve and surprise.
B A G S VÆ R D K O S T S K O L E GYMNASIUM Tættest på København
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June 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 15
25
years with Norwegian
For a quarter of a century, Norwegian Training Center Manila (NTC) have been training the majority of the roughly 25.000 Filipino seafarers that work on Norwegian ships around the planet. With a NOK 30 million investment NTC is preparing to take a step further and train sailors for professions that are now inaccessible through Filipino schools. By Lasse Henriksen
A
t first glance, there seems to be not much Norwegian about the Norwegian Maritime School located in the middle of traffic paralyzed Manila, Philippines. A Norwegian flag is flapping lazily in the wind in front and when you enter, you find only two Norwegians working full time at NTC, the School’s Managing Director Captain Erik Blom and the cadet course leader Captain Jordan Nostvik. But this is where almost all of the Filipino seafarers that are employed on Norwegian ships are being trained. The training center was started 25 years ago by Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (NSA). Ser ving as a seafarer on a Norwegian ships demands a change to a bit more Norwegian mindset. “We try to teach them to share their opinion. It can be a disadvantage that Filipinos generally are avoiding conflicts. They don’t always say what they mean, just ‘yes sir’ or ‘no sir’ instead of sharing their opinion. It’s our wish to change that culture,” Captain Blom says and adds that it is essential that
16 ScandAsia.Thailand • June 2015
the communication is direct and that no-one tries to hide anything, when handling a ship. Every year some 10.000 hopeful Filipinos apply for NTC’s 4 year education to become a maritime officer, the cadet program, only 3,5 percent of the applicants will make the cut. 7-8000 of the applicants will be tested, around 2000 will pass the test and be interviewed by individual shipping companies. In the end only 350 will be accepted to the school, all of them will know which company they will become trainee and eventually be employed by. One of the reasons for the popularity is that students do not only receive a scholarship from NSA, but are also guaranteed a job at the company that takes them in as trainees. Considering the amount seafarers that are passing through the training center every year, the school seems rather small, consisting of three beige buildings that are no higher than a three stories apar tment block and equipped with four meter high pumps, welding stations, a ship simulator the size of a small house and of course
n trained Filipino seafarers more traditional classrooms. At the moment the school offer 80 courses and have programs in everything from cooking to crane operating.The courses in the training center vary in length, from 1 day to 6 months, while the education of the cadets is a 4 year bachelor with one year as a trainee at the company that has chosen to give the student an opportunity through the scholarship program.
Two nations of seafarers Filipinos are sought after as crewmembers on ships around the world. NTC have tried and failed training sailors in Vietnam and China and Captain Blom believes Filipino’s are generally good seafarers and have three main explanations as to why. “First of all they come from an archipelago of 7000 islands, so they are born with saltwater in their veins. Secondly their behavior generally matches Scandinavians well, and then their English skills are very good,” Captain Blom says. But local politics have also played a role as to why other projects have failed. NTC had an experience were the students did good at a school in China, but once they had graduated the Chinese government ordered the cadets, whose education was paid for by Norwegian Companies, to serve on Chinese ships. There are around 100 maritime schools in the Philippines. According to Captain Blom every year some 80.000 students start on a maritime education in the Philippines, of this large number
First of all they come from an archipelago of 7000 islands, so they are born with saltwater in their veins. Secondly their behavior generally matches Scandinavians well, and then their English skills are very good
only 5,400 will get a diploma and in the end around 4000 will get a job. This is one of the reasons why Captain Blom has a bit of pride in his voice announcing that around 80 percent of NTC’s cadets come out with both job and diploma.
Upping the game When NTC opened in 1990 and in the following years star ted the cadet program, they were
setting the benchmark for maritime education in the Philippines. Now in 2015 several schools offer similar programs of the same if not higher quality. To once again become a leading figure among maritime educations in the Philippines NTC are making a NOK 30 million upgrade in 2015. The investment will enable NTC to add educations that are not available anywhere else in the Philippines. This means higher educated Filipinos filling out professions that have traditionally been operated by Norwegians only. “We haven’t had problems with unions in Norway. It is a fight that have been fought long time ago, and people have realized that Filipinos or other foreigners are here to stay. They place the blame political system in Norway rather than the individual sailor,” Captain Blom says. The new courses will mostly focus on advanced offshore related jobs. For instance, at the moment there are no Filipino captains on advanced anchor handling vessels used offshore, but with the upgrade that will be the new reality. “We think this is the way the world is developing, especially with the low oil prices. Shipping firms and oil producers will be even more focused on costs,” Captain Blom says and adds that Norway has a very developed and refined maritime educational system, and NTC’s task is just a question of transferring the competences to the educational facility in the Philippines.
June 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 17
มุมภาษาไทย l mum pha:să: thai l Thai Language Corner
Fruits of Thailand
By Klavs Johansen (thai@snakthai.dk)
W
e shall this month sample the fruits of Thailand. ผลไม้ / phŏnlámá:i / is the word for fruits. Next time you are having lunch or dining at a restaurant, surprise yourself and try to order ผลไม้รวม / phŏnlámá:i ruam / ~ assorted fruits, or
ผลไม้ตามฤดู / phŏnlámá:i ta:m ruedu: / ~ fruits of the season.
Then ask the waiter or your Thai companions to give you the names of the fruits served and practice repeating the words.You are likely to find them in what follows here. Common fruits on such a plate of mixed fruits could be
สับปะรด / sàppàrót / ~ pineapple, มะละกอ / málákor: / ~ papaya, ripe and dark orange, ส้มโอ / sôm o: / ~ pomelo, a large citrus fruit, like grapefruit, but sweet, แตงโม / tae:ng mo: / ~ watermelon, ฝรั่ง / fàràng / ~ guava, somewhat larger than an apple and less juicy and
not as sweet, and, finally,
เงาะ / ngór› / ~ rambutan, the small dark and hairy one,
normally 2-4 different sorts with the volume of each sort adjusted to the number of guests. These fruits are peeled and cut into bites before being served and then eaten with a fork or a wooden pick, except เงาะ / ngór› / which will often be half peeled and ready to be eaten whole, the stone elegantly disposed of in a napkin (or eaten too, tastes like a nut). In Thailand, the fruits which are peeled and cut into bites are often served with the possibility to dip in a mixture of sugar น้ำ�ตาล / ná:m ta:n /, salt เกลือ / kluea / and chili powder พริกป่น / phrík pòn /. The latter two ingredients may take a little getting used to for newly arrived farangs, but once that is over, most people wouldn’t want to eat fruits in the tropics in any other way. In the heat and in a food culture otherwise using salt sparingly, your body will appreciate the supplement of salt! Meanwhile, your taste buds are tickled with:
หวาน / wă:n / ~ sweet, เปรี้ยว / prîao / ~ sour, เค็ม / khem / ~ salty, and
18 ScandAsia.Thailand • June 2015
เผ็ด / phèt / ~ hot, spicy, the latter, though, quite moderately in this
connection. Of course you do not have to go to a restaurant to sample these fruits as they are readily available at markets and from street side vendors who will also, whenever relevant, cut them for you and hand them over in a plastic bag complete with wooden picks and a small bag of sugar/salt/chili mixture.
หั่นให้ ได้ไหม / hàn hâi, dâi mái / ~ will you cut it for me? Other common fruits are:
ส้ม / sôm / ~ orange, มะพร้าว / máphrá:o / ~ coconut, กล้วย / klûai / ~ banana, try them roasted กล้วยปิ้ง / klûai pîng /, and มะม่วง / mámûang / ~ mango, which may be eaten either in its
green state or in its ripe, yellow, state. Try the ripe version with sticky rice and coconut cream, ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง / khâ:o nĭao mámûang /, an instant favourite Thai dessert with many foreigners. And the list goes on: มังคุด / mangkhút / ~ mangosteen, which is eaten like the rambutan, ขนุน / khànŭn / ~ jackfruit, a personal favourite with a flavour described as a blend of pineapple, apple, mango and banana, ทุเรียน / thúrian / ~ durian, quite unjustly, I think, infamous for its smell, มะนาว / mána:o / ~ lime, probably best as juice, and, finally, a favourite with many Thais,
มะขาม / mákhă:m / ~ tamarind.
With the exception of tamarind, which is a pod, all the fruits mentioned here may be counted using the word ลูก / lû:k /. So we get:
ส้มสามลูก / sôm să:m lû:k / ~ 3 oranges, มะพร้าวห้าลูก / máphrá:o hâ: lû:k / ~ 5 coconuts, and เอาสับปะรดสองลูก / ao sàppàrót sŏr:ng lû:k / ~ I would like 2 pineapples. ขอให้อร่อย / khŏr: hâi àròri / ~ bon appetite, and remember that
you can ask questions or suggest topics to be treated at the Thai Language Corner by contacting us at the email above.
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June 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 19