ScandAsia Thailand - November 2015

NOV 2015

Theme: Senior living ScandAsia.dk

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Coming Events

SWEA Bangkok’s 15th Anniversary Gala Event Where: Pacific City Club, Two Pacific Place, 142 Sukhumvit Road, 30th Floor When: Saturday 21 November 18:00 - 24:00

Copyright: Goodluz @123rf.com

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

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

Please sign up for your own FREE copy: www.scandasia.com Publisher : 211 Soi Prasert Manukitch 29 Prasert Manukitch Road Chorakae Bua, Lad Prao Bangkok 10230, Thailand Tel. +66 2 943 7166-8, Fax: +66 2 943 7169 E-mail: news@scandasia.com Editor-in-Chief : Gregers A.W. Møller gregers@scandmedia.com

The Swedish Women’s network is now 15 years old, and it requires a beautiful gala event.The anniversary will be celebrated with a big party. To join the party please send an e-mail to: SweaBKK15@gmail.com and address how many people you wish to bring.

There is an option for choosing a vegetarian menu for the event.

First course: Pressed organic foie gras terrine with confit chicken Main course: Local dry aged pakchong striploin, cooked for 16 hours The vegetarian menu will consist of: First course: Wild mushroom and piedmont hazelnut paté Main course: 12 month aged Acquerello White tomato risotto with parmesan Price: 2,500TBH

DTCC Christmas Lunch 2015 Where: Royal Danish Embassy, 10 Sathorn Soi 1, South Sathorn Road, Bangkok When: Friday 27 November, 12:00 - 17:30 The Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce proudly invites to their biggest, most-anticipated event of the year: the traditional Danish Christmas Lunch.

The feast will take place at the Royal Danish Embassy from 12-5.30 pm.The Danish Christmas Lunch is a great social celebration held in familiar and beautiful Danish surroundings at the Danish Ambassador’s residence. The traditional Danish Christmas lunch buffet includes a wide selection of well-prepared tasteful dishes. The 33 delicious dishes include all good from the sea (caviar, smoked salmon, herring), mouth-watering roast beef, homemade liver pate, roast duck just to mention a few. Additionally, you will be served cool snaps (aquavit), and a free flow of beer and soft drinks.

Price: THB 1,950 net for DanCham members, THB 2,450 net for Non-members

Assistant Editor: Joakim Persson Joakim@scandmedia.com

Norwegian Christmas Lunch 2015

Advertising : Finn Balslev finn@scandmedia.com Joakim Persson Joakim@scandmedia.com Piyanan Kalikanon piyanan@scandmedia.com

Where: The garden of the Norwegian Ambassador’s residence at 74 Sukhumvit soi 38.

When: Sunday 29 November, 11:30 - 19:00

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

TFCC Pre-Christmas Party Where: Centara Grand Hotel, Rama 1 Road, Patumwan, Siam, Bangkok, When: Saturday 28 November, 18:30 - 22:30 The Pre-Christmas Par ty by the Thai-Finnish Chamber of Commerce will be held at Centara Grand Hotel in Bangkok.

The Thai-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce is delighted to invite family and friends to a Norwegian Christmas Lunch at the Ambassador’s residence. There will be a Christmas tree, a Christmas workshop, and traditional Norwegian Christmas Buffet. And; no Norwegian Christmas Lunch without Santa Claus! He will also be there to greet and give presents to all the children.

Email: secretary@norcham.com

News Brief

EABC 2015 Business Confidence Survey shows optimism in Thailand

T

he European Association for Business and Commerce (EABC) on 25 September 2015 hosted the launch event for its Business Confidence Survey 2015.

The main objective of this Survey is to explore the European business confidence in the Thai economy

as well as to investigate their view on current trade-and-investmentrelated issues, especially the issues of EU – Thailand FTA and the GSP cancellation. The result shows that the European business community is still optimistic and confidence in Thailand while EU – Thailand

FTA renegotiation is necessar y and will be more effective with the complement of regulatory reforms that accommodate favourable trade and investment climate.

Mr Rolf-Dieter Daniel, President of EABC, presented the result of the survey, which shows the optimistic perspective of European business community toward Thailand’s economy;believing that the economy will improve in the next two years.

Similarly, the respondent companies also trusted that their business performance should improve along with the economic trend, with the main driver of an increase in customer base and market demand.

However, the concern is posted on government plans or regulators that may hamper ease of doing business in the country; thus, affect decisions for foreign investment expansion.

The Sur vey is conducted by the EABC (a European Trade

Organization), in collaboration with a Consor tium of 16 European Chamber s of Commerce and Associations in Thailand and Europe.

It consists of 26 questions, with 5 categories. In total the survey had 127 respondents. It not only keeps the statistic record of European companies operated in Thailand, but also explore their view on current trade and investment topics, which may be at their interest, such as the impact of GSP cancellation and the potential renegotiation of EU –Thailand Free Trade Agreement (FTA). A significant concern was shown from the result of the Survey on the impact of the GSP loss on the export performance, particular in the manufacturing sector. Despite the concern, only few companies have already taken a business plan to adapt to this change.

Exhibition in Copenhagen highlights historical Denmark-Thailand relationship

O

n Monday 19 October 2015 Denmark’s H.R.H. Prince Joachim opened the “Thai Artistry: The Living Heritage” exhibition at ILLUM Depar tment Store in Copenhagen.

Aside from displaying beautiful Thai craftsmanship the exhibition also portrayed the story of the special relationship between Denmark and Thailand, especially the close and cordial relationship between the Royal Families of the two countries over the centuries, which can be dated back since Ayutthaya trading days with merchants from Denmark. The exhibition was an impor tant oppor tunity to create public awareness of the historical relationship, because the bond between Thailand and Denmark is not yet widely known according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand.

“The relation between our two families has always been great and this we should continue to improve,” said H.R.H. Prince Joachim in his opening speech.

The products displayed had been especially created to showcase traditional Thai craftsmanship with modern design and creativity which

is unique and perfect combination.

The transformation of traditional craftworks into a living heritage that has successfully adapted to modern day living is pertinent to the success of conserving Thailand’s precious heritage and fulfilling the aspirations set forth by HM Queen Sirikit of Thailand. This opens the opportunity for such products to access the international market and make known their great potentials, stated the organizer.

These exquisite wor ks come from SUPPORT Ar ts and Crafts International Center of Thailand (SACICT) based on

6 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2015

HM Queen Sirikit of Thailand’s initiative (SUPPORT Foundation – Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementar y Occupations and Related Techniques), which helps preser ve traditional Thai craftsmanship from being forgotten and train rural farmers to acquire such knowledge and skill to earn supplementary incomes.

The SUPPORT Foundation (inaugurated in 1975) helps training traditional craftsmanship to farmers and villagers in order to supplement their family income while preserving ancient arts and craft skills for future generations. Over the years, the

Foundation has been crucial in empowering the rural poor while carr ying forward the precious national heritage of Thailand so it can continue to thrive through time. Today, hundreds of SUPPORT projects can be found in various rural villages all over the country.

The exhibition was organized by the Royal Thai Embassy in cooperation with The SUPPORT Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand (SACICT), The Central Group, ILLUM Department Store and Team Thailand agencies.

News Brief

Running Danes Bangkok invites to New Year Run 2015

B

efore the last day in 2015 runs out, the New Year bells rings around the world and the Queen gives the speech in Denmark.

On this auspicious day, Running Danes Bangkok is organizing their first run: New Year Run. Some 30 happy runners will run in Lumphini Park with start at 06:31 December 31. Yes, AM! The Running Danes Bangkok Community is founded by Susanne Mørch and Birgit Sarah Kondrup-Palmqvist, Running Danes Bangkok started as a small group on Facebook. The group has grown and is now very active in sharing information about upcoming races, showcasing photos from the last attended race and not at least support each other.

“It is an active group on all levels,” says Beate Cecilie Stampe. “Here is room for everyone. Not all members are participating in races yet, but they put photos up from their walks and get a lot of praise from the other members . Personally, I began to run later than Susanne and Birgit, but I have become just as hooked as them. We have supported each other from 0 km to the first 10k races and now we find it is time for us to organize the first race in our group”.

First run organized by Running Danes Bangkok “Inspired by the very popular New Year run in Denmark, we will, on the last day of this year, organize New Year Run 2015 in the beautiful Lumphini Park where we have planned for a 7.5

run. This first race of Running Danes Bangkok we have limited to 30 participants,” says Beate Cecilie Stampe. “There is no dress code, but there are prizes for the most festive runner in a New Year outfits and runners in the best New Year mood”.

After the race, all participants are invited to join breakfast at the Esmeralda by the pool area with breakfast, coffee, tea, and sparkling wine.

New Year Run 2015 by Running Danes in details Event Date: 31.12.2015 Start Time: 06.31

Distance: 7,5 K Meeting point in the park: To be announced Venue: Race: Lumphini Park, Sparkling Wine & -breakfast: Esmeralda Parking: Sathorn Soi 1, opposite the Danish Embassy Price: 500 Bath including breakfast Contact information: Runningdanes@gmail.com Note: Max 30 runners can join and will be confirmed on first come first serve basis. Sign up is binding and payment is due before the run.

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November 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 7

News Brief

Danes Worldwide event held in Bangkok

By Maria Andreasdottir

W

ednesday 7 October 2015 the garden of the Royal Danish Embassy in Bangkok was filled with over 100 Danes and Danish-related people when Anne-Marie Dalgaard, General Secretary of Danes Worldwide, held a presentation about the common problems and issues that Danes face when moving abroad.

Ambassador Mikael Hemniti Winther ; Mai Ellegaard, local representative of Danes Worldwide; and Klaus Stove, Managing Director of Tropical Focus all welcomed each guest.

“You really don’t think much about the Danish system - until you buy a one way ticket out of Denmark,” Klaus Stove said describing his own case.

“When you have a degree in engineering, you always think about the worst case scenario.

What’s the worst thing that can happen? And where can I get help?” asked Klaus Stove in his speech. His question was familiar to many of the Danish- or Danish-related individuals who attended the event.

Anne-Marie Dalgaard explained the idea of Danes Worldwide and what they can do for the individual Dane og Danish-related individuals.

“We will help you pick the right school for your children. We will inform you about your rights as a Dane. We will find the best doctors and healthcare for you. We have local representatives worldwide who know about issues that Danes care about,” she said.

While issues like retirement, preparation for moving abroad and language instructions were discussed, the guests were eating traditional Danish hotdogs made by Fyn Bakery and snacking on delicious Thai snacks delivered by the Danish Embassy. The hottest issue this evening was about the new passed law about dual citizenship, because apparently grey areas exist that needs to be answered.

The Q&A was well organised; after an answer had been given the inquiring person could later get advice from different experts to different issues among the guests and thereby receiving a more complete answer to whatever question he might have.

The meeting was arranged by Danes Worldwide together with the Royal Danish Embassy, Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce, Scandinavian Society Siam, Danish Women’s Network, Thai-Danish Club, Copenhagen Goodwill Ambassadors.

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www.nyborg-gym.dk · Tlf +45 65 31 02 17 8 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2015

Must pay back 2,1 mio DKK

T

wenty four Danish seniors out of 435 Danish seniors living in Thailand have been asked to pay back a combined 2.1 mio. Danish kroner which they have received in excess of what they were entitled to in public pension, a news article in the Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet revealed earlier this year.

The Danish seniors in Thailand had not declared that they were living with somebody in a partnership. A pensioned Dane living in a partnership is not entitled to the same amount as a pensioned Dane living alone. ”During 2012, 2013 and 2014 we have examined the total of 435 seniors addressed in Thailand. The 24 pensioners have now received a refund claim consisting of 2,1 million Danish kroner in total,” says Ellen Dalsgaard Zdravkovic, deputy director in Udbetaling Danmark (The Cash Payment in Denmark).

The 24 seniors had not informed the authorities about their civil status, but none of the seniors have been reported to the police for criminal fraud. They have only been requested to return the money to the tax authorities in Denmark.

The last couple of years there has been put in place some additional control on payouts abroad due to a new authorisation to the Danish finance act in 2011. ”This means that we can put more focus on payouts to seniors settled outside Denmark, in this case Danes living in Thailand,” says Ellen Dalsgaard Zdravkovic.

According to the article, a few seniors have still not declared anything about their marital status - a thinly veiled threat that should there be Danes out there living in an “undeclared partnership” maybe now would be a good time to declare it.

Comments to the news in ScandAsia from from Nils Folke Persson and Benny Thomsen point out that EkstraBladet should rather look at the fact that Danish seniors living outside the EU already get their pension cut to almost half of what a pensioner in Denmark receives - without anyone being able to explain why this is fair and justifiable.

After 12 years NACA still prefers ScandMedia as their publisher

By Maria Andreasdottir

I

n September 2003 Khun Suchaya, “Pum”, from ScandMedia, the publisher of this magazine, made a call that turned out to be the first step of a so far 12 years long relationship. Here is one of many resulting success stories.

Khun Pum was Graphic Designer but had a good eye for new opportunities.

She had found a potential client; the intergovernmental organisation that promotes rural development through sustainable aquaculture, or just recognized as NACA. NACA was conceived already in 1976 during the FAO-convened Kyoto Conference on Aquaculture - but it was first in 2003 when ScandMedia contacted the organisation that they had their first newsletter in print published.

Simon Wilkinson has been the Coordinator of Communication Programme in NACA since 2001, and he remembers the day he received an e-mail from ScandMedia.

“The timing was perfect. At that time we at NACA were trying to work with another publisher. It looked like our wish to print a newsletter would be an unsuccessful mission, because our current publisher was technically useless. They did not speak English nor did they meet our requirements,” Simon Wilkinson says.

They gave Scand-Media a chance to prove they could serve NACA better. Shortly after, NACA could present its first newsletter in print.

“It was in black and white,” Khun Pum recalls. Three years after, ScandMedia began printing NACA’s newsletters in colour, and also began printing NACA’s own magazine: Aquaculture Asia.

Today, Khun Pum has advanced to the position of Marketing Manager for Scand-Media, and she believes she knows the reason why NACA has been publishing with Scand-Media for more than a decade.

“We meet their needs. We provide high quality service and make sure everything is checked before printed. At the same time, we always deliver the printed material in time. We have never had any delays,” Khun Pum tells.

Marketing Director Patcharee Lae-ya West, agrees.

“We are professionals,” she says passionately.“We serve NACA until the end.”

According to Simon Wilkinson, the secret behind the long relationship is the good communication together with the proactive people from Scand-Media.

Not only are they easy to work with, but they also are very attentive on the details, he says. It seems it is this kind of relationships who will last forever.

“There is no reason to stop working with them. As long as we do print, we want Scand-Media as our publisher” says Simon Wilkinson.

Scand-Media’s founder, Gregers Moller, is obviously pleased with the cooperation with NACA. “It has been an amazing journey together,” says Gregers Moller.

“The technology in printing has gone through major changes over the years that we have been working with NACA. Just imagine: when we first started working together, our suppliers worked with film and camera exposed plates .

Today we do digital print on demand.Whenever we find a new technology that benefits the client, we have asked them to try it out with us.”

This year, 2015, the NACA account reached a total of 1 million Thai Baht in payments to Scand-Media over the combined period of 12 years of cooperation.

November 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 9

News Brief

Royal Thai Pavilion in Ragunda calls for next step

T

he Royal Thai Pavilion in Utanede , Ragunda is amazingly unique: it is the only Royal Thai Pavilion of its kind outside Thailand. Nearly 100 years after the visit by the Thai King Chulalongkorn Rama V in 1897, Thai representatives decided together with Ragunda to honour the King’s visit through erecting a spectacular memorial building right in the Swedish birch tree forest.

The local tourism board has now called for the next step in developing the area further.

Together with representatives from the Thai Embassy in Stockholm, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and other Thai participants, Ragunda Municipality and Tourism Board (Destination Ragundadalen) would like to continue to jointly work together to promote

the relationship between Sweden and Thailand here in Ragunda.

“Our vision is to take the next step together with Thai participants and the local people to discuss and promote fur ther development of the area around the Thai Pavilion. The close cooperation between the persons living here and our Thai participants, (such as the Association for the memory of King Chulalongkorn (FCM)) is of utmost importance as it is precisely through local knowledge that we can know and keep this history alive,” said Åsa Lind Chong, CEO Destination Ragundadalen.

On Fr iday 23 October 2015 the municipality of Ragunda together with Destination Ragundadalen and FCM honoured King Chulalongkorn by arranging a memorial

Vestas secures huge windmill order from Thailand

10 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2015

ceremony and inviting the public. Persons who had par ticipated from the beginning in the development of the area were par ticularly welcomed to attend the ceremony and following lunch.

“Increased participation can strengthen the local area and the cooperation between not only members of the various organisations but also with the local inhabitants can further meaningful development in the area. I believe that there are a number of people locally who would welcome the invitation to participate through sharing of their knowledge and in combination with Thai participants we can accordingly offer the visitor an experience out of the ordinary,” said Gun Marie Persson, Destination Ragundadalen.

I

n one year windmills from Denmark will rotate in the Southeast Asian wind. Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has received an order of 126 megawatts for a big wind-power project in Thailand.

The order includes 70 V110-1,8 MW windmills which will be delivered, installed and put into ser vice in the Songkla and Nakhon Si Thamarat provinces of Thailand. Placed by Thailand-based Energy Absolute PCL the order also includes a 5 year service-agreement.

The order will be the Vestas’ first large-scale wind park in Thailand and one of Southeast Asia’s largest.

“With our technologically advanced 2 MW variant turbine and our unique tower crane solution, which is well-suited for this project, Vestas can provide Energy Absolute an superior annual energy production and low cost of energy, helping to secure business case cer tainty for their investment,” said Chris Beaufait, President of Vestas Asia Pacific and China.

The wind turbines are expected to be delivered in 2016 with commissioning in the same year.

Vestas ranks among the world’s leading windturbine manufacturers, delivering wind energy in 74 countries worldwide.

News Brief

Two foodlovers encourage Danes to taste Thailand

By Maria Andreasdottir

‘‘D

anish tourists really miss a lot when dining out in Thailand” freelance writer Sofie Lisby says. After 9 years in Bangkok she and her co-writer Christina Lund Sørensen noticed a sad tendency when their Danish friends and family visited. Their guests feared to order anything but Pad Thai and fried noodles.

Thailand is much more than red curr y.

Denmark simply needed a culinary travelguide according to the two female foodlovers. October 2015 the book “Smag på Thailand” (=Taste Thailand) will come to rescue the Danish tasting buds.

I am meeting Sofie Lisby for lunch at a hidden street kitchen in the district of Pathum Wan in Bangkok. Even if it was hard to find it is already crowded with hungry people, but except for the two of us all the guests are Thai.

“A shame”, Sofie mentions when she order Som Tum and Larb Gai. With the new travelguide the two women hope the seats will be filled with foreigners too.

“Food is everything. Every person, region and country has a story to tell about food.We wanted to open up the Danish hear ts and mouths” Sofie Lisby and Christina Lund say. Therefore the two Danish women spent two months in 2014

eating and travelling each and every corner of Thailand. From the high-end restaurants ordering fusionfood to secret jungle spots enjoying dinner on bamboo mats. Their mission was clear: they wanted to explore Thailand by tasting it. They both agree food is one of the most important ways to learn about new culture and Thailand with no exception.

During their foodjourney they only lived by two main rules: they could not write about anything without tasting it first, which has made them step out of their comfortzones to taste

something so exotic as grilled talepods and ants.

They met their limit when a restaurant served raw porkmeat and said no thanks, otherwise they have had an open mind.

The waiter ser ves us fr ied chicken accomplished with sticky rice and papaya salad, and even half of our dinner is not the most healthy choice, Sofie looks lean and fit.

“There’s actually nothing I didn’t like during our journey” Sofie admits. This is why they applied a second main rule: to stay fit and not ending up fat once finished with their book.

The two foodlovers downloaded a fitness-app and have been doing push ups at hotelrooms and squat jumps on parking lots to keep up the balance with eating good food. The Thai food is indeed good, but for the two women it’s not only just because of the taste.

“We love how Thais are proud of their cuisine. We’ve been travelling all around Thailand and no matter what region you’re from, you’re happy and proud when making food. Some of the restaurants or street kitchens we have visited are more than 90 years old, and by good reputation they have managed to survive” they say.

Never ending food story Even if both of them have lived in Thailand for several years they were both surprised to know how little they actually knew about Thai cuisine.

Beside staying fit and daring to eat everything they both agree the biggest challenge was to manage all the pieces of new information into one single book. It was like solving a different puzzle.

“At last we decided to divide the book into different chapters. They consist of knowledge about the cuisines in the different regions, a wide set of portraits from the professional chef to the common housewife, recipes from locals, tips and a mini-parlour when ordering food from a place where no menu is shown and no English is spoken”, they tell.

The food culture are constantly under development. Not only in Thailand, but worldwide.

In recent years food has gained enormous popularity and never has there been shown more food programmes in television or shared so many posts about food on the social media like now.

“Food is an universal thing. It’s a cultural thing everyone understands.We want this book to be a key to open new doors and invite people further into the world of food,” Sofie says.

The book is published in Denmark in October 2015. It is filled with new knowledge and new dishes waiting to be eaten. The food adventure does not stop here. The two ladies are already determined to go on their second foodjourney and hungry for making a follow-up! We are ready to be served!

November 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 11

Last Consul General

of Denmark in Bangkok

A

nders Normann comments in a rare interview with ScandAsia on the history of the Danish Consulate in Bangkok and its recent closure as well as shares highlights from his nearly 20 years representing Denmark in this honorary position. ‘’For all the right reasons Ø.K. have for the last five decades been synonymous with the Danish Consulate in Bangkok,” Anders Normann states referring as a matter of fact to the overwhelming position and role that East Asiatic Company has played in the relationship between the two Kingdoms.

Regarding its closure, it was during the tenure of Danish Ambassador Niels Dyrlund around the turn of the Century, that all fee-generating activities were transferred to the Embassy and for all intent and purposes, the Honorary Consul General’s position therefore became to a large degree ceremonial. So from a strictly operational point of view, it is easy to argue a rationale for the closure, also bearing in mind that the current Ambassador is very well connected in the Thai Society. However, past Ambassadors certainly valued and treasured this extra and no cost human asset.

Speculation has been rife what may be the “real motive” behind the closure of first the Consulate in Pattaya and then in Bangkok as these unexpected decisions appear detrimental to caretaking Danish interests in Thailand. But when asked, Anders Normann with a diplomatic smile abstains from sharing his views, and conclude by saying ‘’it is for 12 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2015

you to guess and for me to know, - done is done’’!

“It is a fact that an important and exciting era has come to an end, and whilst people in the know have questioned the wisdom and indeed the timing of this termination, I look at the positives. I can now with good conscience spend months in Florida and tend to my children and looking forward to enjoy my new apartment in Copenhagen. Let me put on record that I have already informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that they can count on my continued assistance if and when needed, irrespective of the color of my passport!”

Anders Normann points to a situation in the past, where the importance and true value of the Consulate became evident - the Tsunami disaster.

Still today he treasures the personal letter of commendation that he received from the Danish Foreign Minister. However, what stands clearest in his memory is all the Danes who volunteered day and night to be at the airport, bus stations, schools and hospitals to help and bring comfort to Danes in distress.

“It was human compassion which made you proud to be a Dane,” Anders Normann says.

“Numerous Royal visits have of course also added excitement to my 20 years tenure. I remember when I hosted a dinner in honor of Prince Henrik and he ‘’disappeared’’ in my house lift, his security detail was up in arms! Indeed the antique shopping with both the Queen and the Prince as well as hosting the future Royal Couple at my museum on Silom are also some of the highlights.”

The old saying: ‘’All good things come to an

end’’ is true indeed but the closure has certainly not left Anders Normann idle.

“It is conventional wisdom that you retire, certainly when you reach 70, - but I have always held the belief that age is just a number, so I don’t think about it!” says Andsers Normann.

“I’m actually uncharacteristically busy. My position of Deputy Chairman of Bangkok Nursing Home Association and caretaking my Wellness Center and private museum on Silom Road are exciting challenges, - by the way I hope to eventually negotiate a more suitable home for my extensive private collection which includes the iconic Golden Robe given to Admiral Richelieu

by King Chulalongkorn more than 100 years ago.

Yes, I do hope that it will end up in the old EAC building on Oriental Avenue, - that will be a most gratifying finale to my long EAC career!”

New business initiatives are also being started up.

“I have for years been Executive Board Director of Bruun Rasmussen Auction House in Denmark. It is truly rewarding to partake in developing a business which ‘’came with mother’s milk’’. Bruun Rasmussen has already built a strong and sustainable business platform in Hong Kong within Nordic design, wines and Asian Antiques!

I’m very excited to have been appointed, effective 1st October 2015, to also spear-head and implement the strategic decision to extend the business platform into Thailand, - so here goes my dream of golf in Florida and sitting on the balcony and watching the sailboats on Oeresund!’’

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The end of tax evasion as we know it

“If you haven’t declared money that you have abroad, well now is a good time to do that,” warns Fredrik Lager, General Manager of SEB Private Banking, Singapore.

By Joakim Persson

E

veryone should pay close attention to a new standardized, global system for exchange of financial information that is being implemented across the globe, says Fredrik Lager.

So far, near ly 100 countr ies have committed to the new Common Reporting Standard for automatic exchange of financial information and the Nordic countries are among the early adopters of the system.

If you think this sounds boring, Fredrik Lager can wake you up.

“It’s massive! It is a world-spanning, fully automated reporting system backed by the OECD and expected to be implemented by the early adaptors by September 2017.This means that 2016 information will be exchanged in 2017. As far as Asia is concerned, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Dubai, to name a few, propose to exchange 2017 information in September 2018.”

The Early Adopters Group, including the Nordic countries, makes no secret of the purpose.

“Tax evasion is a global problem and requires a global solution,” the group stated as they adopted the regulation.

“The Common Reporting Standard will provide a steep change in our ability to clamp down on tax evasion, which reduces public revenues and increases the burden on those who pay their taxes.”

Fredrik Lager gives little hope there will be countries left where the system will not be adopted.

“All reputable countries will eventually join this, because no one wants to be outside and be seen as the black sheep which harbours tax evaders,” he predicts.

He gives an example that shows how the system will work: “You are usually tax liable in the country where you live. So, if you live in, say, Spain, with an account in Singapore, any gains or income on that account should be declared in Spain. Under current legislation Singapore and many other countries don’t send out private financial information automatically. Over the

14 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2015

years lots of people have taken advantage of this by not declaring their overseas assets and income in the countries where they are tax liable. The Common Reporting Standard will put an end to this possibility.”

For banks, they will need to determine where they believe the account holder is actually a tax resident, including the the ultimate beneficial owners of private holidng companies.

So, what types of information will be automatically repor ted by banks under the Common Repor ting Standard? The following financial information will be reported: • The account balance; • Interest, dividends, and sales proceeds from financial assets; and • The applicable currency.

“We are achieving something rather fantastic, because the Common Reporting Standard should mean an end to tax avoidance. People can no longer rely on banking secrecy as a shield against the tax authorities. I think it creates a level playing field within the industry and that’s super good!”

“It’s very important for us as a bank to ensure that all of our clients are compliant. ” “I think it’s a trend that compliance and transparency is now the order of the day. So if it is the case that you haven’t declared money which you have abroad, well now is a good time to do that through a self-correction scheme whereby you voluntarily disclose any undeclared capital income to your tax authority.”

“Most countries generally appreciate self corrections and don’t penalise you for submitting one. But if the tax authority catches you first, that’s when you get all the penalties which in many countries could include criminal prosecution for tax evasion. Now is as good a time as any to declare all your capital income because in a few years’ time all the information about these assets will flow straight back to the tax authorities where you live, whether you like it or not.”

November 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 15

Theme:

Senior Living in Thailand Aging in Thailand can be a pleasant and worry-free experience if you take good care of your health and plan a bit ahead.

By Gregers Moller

16 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2015

E

very year, more retired citizens from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland move to Thailand to live their senior years here. The wave star ted in the 1990’s and culminated in the 2000’s but even today - halfway trough 2010’s - there are every year hundreds who join the pioneers.

If anybody knows the exact number, it should be the immigraion bureau of the Royal Thai Police - but they have always keep it to themselves as their private secret.

What we do know is, that the first of the retirees must be near or above 90 years of age - if they are still here.

Surprisingly, only one Scandinavian company has been established in Thailand to professionally serve this market. That was Scandinavian Village which was established in 2003 with suppor t from the Board of Investment. At the time it was predicted, that the need for this kind of serviced housing solutions for the retired Scandinavians would soon outgrow the capacity of Scandinavian Village. A Danish group of architects looked in 2010 into creating a Danish style elderly collective housing solution but the interest faded out.

A valid point made at that time was, that the senior citizens who moved here were the independent kind, the ones who mostly created their own solutions and seldom went for the organized solutions. They were individual travelers - had never bought a packaged group tours in their life.They had saved up prior to their retirement - they didn’t rely solely on the public pension system. At the time when they moved to Thailand, they had found their own way through the myriad of ways that you can buy a house in Thailand that was available and permitted by the authorities at the time they moved here and in their chosen location.

When these kind of pensioners are no longer able to live unassisted, they tend again to find individual solutions to their situation and not look for collective solutions. Some move back to their home country where the elderly care system take them in. It is certainly a poorer life quality, but it is a final solution. The lucky ones have loved ones, who continue to take care of them in their home here in Thailand - carrying them out of bed in the morning, tugging them in at night, changing their diapers when needed.

Housing solutions Children back in the Nordic countries sometimes contact their embassy to ask for a list of possible old peoples homes in Thailand. They know that their parent living in Thailand prefers to stay here and live a dignified old age life under protected and assisted conditions. Each of the embassies have of course a list of such homes that they have heard of, that are local in the sense that they are established by Thai people for mostly Thai elderly people. But whether this list is updated or if there are newer facilities established is anyone’s guess.

In this issue you will find two options por trayed. One is the proven and successful Scandinavian Village - the other is a Thai company, Doctor Health Co., Ltd. which presents two solution in the upper end of the market, that would live up to Nordic expectations in terms of quality in housing and care.

If you know of more suitable elderly homes, you are welcome to share your knowledge in the comments box below this ar tricle on www.scandasia.com

Copyright : Jean-Marie Guyon @123rf.com

Copyright: Budabar@123rf.com

The lucky ones have loved ones, who continue to take care of them in their home here in Thailand - carrying them out of bed in the morning, tugging them in at night, changing their diapers when needed.

Medical care Before we get to the stage, where we need an assisted living solution, we all prefer to stay healthy as long as possible in the homes, we already have established. Here we are far better off in terms of solutions. Two of Thailand’s most prominent hospitals are presented in this issue.

Bumrungrad Hospital with their New Life Healthy Aging Clinic is focused completely on the needs of the seniors while Bangkok Hospital - with its many branches in all the popular tourist spots in Thailand - present the joint and bone department in Hua Hin, which is home to a significant number of the retired Scandinavians in Thailand.

Health doesn’t have to be linked to a hospital and medical treatment.To remain a healthy senior in Thailand, there are many options available.

Exercise indoor and outdoor is facilitated by the wonderful Thai climate. Meditation and mental health training is found at many Thai retreats. The wonderful Thai kitchen that was among the temptations which motivated many of the seniors to come to Thailand in the first place, is also part of keeping a healthy lifestyle in Thailand.

But regular health checks remain crucial in early detection of defects and conditions that usually comes with getting older - like increased blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, cataract, dementia. And with early detection comes the higher possibility of curing the disease - or slowing down the condition.

Dignified departure The predictable end of our lives, that we all try to avoid think too much about, is the subject of another article in this issue.

For many years, Asia One has been assisting the foreign embassies in Thailand with repatriating foreigners, who died in Thailand, back to their home countries. In the beginning, most of these were the result of fatal accidents. But with the increasing number of foreigners who live here not as tourists, but as residents, Asia One has developed a business model that is surprisingly simple: Spend some time while you are alive on planning to leave this world in a way that is not a burden to your loved ones and a way, where you can truly sing along with Frank Sinatra “I did it my way!”

November 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 17

Healthy Aging...

The New Life Healthy Aging Clinic Helps You Enjoy a Fit and Active Retirement Remember the Beach Boys singing “wouldn’t it be nice if we were older”?

Indeed it would.

Thanks to the latest medical advances and a global awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, we are now blessed with longer lifespans than ever before.

As the global population ages, a growing number of retirees are choosing to spend their golden years in warmer or more exotic locations.

For Scandinavians, Southeast Asia is one of the favourite retirement destinations due to its yearround sunshine and relatively low cost of living.

The tropical climate and excellent healthcare facilities in countries like Thailand attract a steadily rising number of Scandinavian retirees every year.

At Thailand’s Bumrungrad International Hospital, The New Life Healthy Aging Clinic has been established to help those who choose to spend their retirement in Southeast Asia enjoy the wonderful gift of long life to the fullest. In addition to providing world class healthcare, the clinic also offers professional counselling and advice on how to stay healthy and active after retirement.

Geriatric Giants: Why older adults need special care While many people are indeed living longer these 18 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2015

days, age brings with it a whole new set of medical conditions and health risks. In addition to being par t of the physiological aging process, these conditions can also be brought on as a side-effect of medication. The term ‘geriatric giants’ refers to a group of age-related conditions than can affect life quality through immobility, instability, incontinence, impaired memory and diminished cognitive function.

For older adults, the advent of osteoporosis combined with increased instability escalates the risk of fractured bones from falls. Chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes also place seniors at increased risk of stroke and hear t disease, leading to reduced mobility. Incontinence is a potentially embarrassing age-related condition that can result from a variety of medical conditions or as a side effect to some medications, while intellectual impairment is another downside of the aging process. All of these conditions require special care and assistance to ensure that a good standard of life quality is maintained. However, there are steps that can help to slow down, reduce or in some cases prevent these conditions from developing.

Nutrition, Medication, and Exercise: 3 steps to healthy aging Nutrition: Proper nutritional intake is the first key step to healthy aging. As we age, healthy eating can be a challenge due to changes in our

senses of smell and taste, or dental or chewing problems. Fur thermore, appetite can become suppressed. However, a balanced diet and proper nutrition are essential for maintaining muscle and bone strength and preserving mood and memory.

To maintain good nutrition habits, The New Life Healthy Aging Clinic recommends: • A balanced diet that includes a variety of foods • Sufficient protein from lean meats, egg whites, fish, beans or nuts • Drinking 1.5 to 2 liters of water each day (coffee, tea, and soft drinks not included) • Enough calcium from dair y products, tofu, fish, cer tain vegetables or calcium supplement pills Medication: Many older adults take up to 6-8 different medications at the same time, which can pose a greater chance of medication side effects, drug interactions and medication errors.

To minimize these risks, The New Life Healthy Aging Clinic recommends that older adults carry a complete list of their medications, including herbal medications and over-the-counter drugs, to show ever y relevant healthcare worker.

Whenever a new medication is prescribed, be sure to ask the prescribing doctor about the purpose of the drug, its potential side effects, and whether it is truly necessary.You should also

Find It Early to Treat It Effectively: The importance of regular health screening

ask your doctor to review all your medications regularly and to discontinue any that are no longer necessary.

Exercise: Physical activity has been proven to increase longevity, reduce the risk of disease, and boost one’s happiness. Older adults should aim to exercise 3-5 times a week of ideally 30 minutes per session. Walking is one of the best exercises as it helps preserve bone density and strength for osteoporosis patients, while exercising the legs can help prevent falls and reduce joint pain. For people with limited mobility, any exercise that keeps the muscles and joints moving can prevent atrophy and reduce muscle stiffness. Exercise intensity should be increased gradually.

Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle Dr Lily Chaisompong from the New Life Healthy Aging Clinic shares some useful and easy-tofollow tips to implement into everyday life for healthy aging: Skin care: Older adults may have problems with dr y skin due to a decline in the skin’s moisturizing mechanism. To avoid symptoms of dryness, flaking skin and itching, it is important to avoid very hot water and reduce time in the shower. Make sure to use mild or moisturizing soaps, cream and/or lotion, and try to avoid scratching.

Oral health: Make sure to schedule regular dental check-ups once a year at least. Brush your teeth twice a day for a minimum of 2 minutes each time. Remember to gently clean the tongue, too.

Use other dental cleaners, for example dental toothpicks, dental floss, and interdental brushes. If using dentures, make sure to clean them properly.

If using removable dentures, make sure to remove and clean them after every meal with a softbristle denture brush and mild dishwashing liquid and then rinse them well. To remove stains and sterilize the dentures, you can place them in water or a denture-soaking solution. Remove the dentures at bedtime and soak them to help them remain moist.

Preventing and managing abdominal bloating or heartburn: Wear comfortable clothes and avoid tight fitting clothes that increase pressure in the abdomen. Physical activity is essential for maintaining good health, but make sure you don’t pressure yourself with hard exercise.

Burp and pass gas without suppressing it. Try to eat your meals slowly, and make sure you chew your food thoroughly before swallowing.

It is also a good idea to reduce the intake of foods that produce gas (for example carbonated drinks, spicy food, onions, nuts and radishes), foods that are difficult to digest, and deep-fried foods. Chewing gum can also cause abdominal bloating.

In addition to the recommendations above, it is impor tant that older adults have their health screened on a regular basis. In almost all cases, the earlier a condition is diagnosed, the more effectively it can be treated or managed.

Dementia is an example of a health issue which cannot be cured, but it is possible to slow down the progression of dementia by performing activities that exercise the brain, such as using creativity, reading, playing, engaging in social activities with loved ones and getting enough physical exercise.

A depar tment of Bumrungrad’s New Life Healthy Aging Clinic, The Health Screening Center has recently designed a number of new health screening packages for older adults.

Developed under the guidance of the center’s Dr Lily Chaisompong, the following packages are adapted to reflect the specific risks facing different age groups and genders: • Holistic male 55-69 • Holistic female 55-69 • Holistic male 70+ • Holistic female 70+

The New Life Healthy Aging Clinic The New Life Healthy Aging Clinic of Bumrungrad International Hospital has been established to provide the highest standard of geriatric care and treatment. Staffed by specialists from every health depar tment, the clinic guarantees the most inclusive care for its patients. However, the clinic specializes in the prevention, treatment and management of common-age-associated conditions such as dementia, depression and osteoporosis.

Located on the 15th floor of Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok, the New Life Healthy Aging Clinic is open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays and from 9am to 7pm on weekends.

November 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 19

Paradise ihome - Phutdamonthon Sai 4 Road

Senior wellness living in Thailand Worry free for senior living in the land of smile

T

Mrs.Homhoul Thiprawd President 20 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2015

hailand is a beautiful country, rich in cultural heritage, lush in natural resources and with the legendary Thai hospitality.

These factors always make Thailand wor th visiting for work as well as leisure and not only for the young and energetic traveler or businessperson but also for people looking for the best place to establish a second home. Seniors looking for the perfect place to live their life after their many years of hard work.

Thousands of senior Scandinavians have over the past ten years moved to Thailand and as they grow older, they have created a need for special housing solutions that cater to the elderly people in a more professional way. One clear indication of this trend is the number of businesses in Thailand offering senior wellness services that has grown rapidly over the past few years.

In this issue we have the chance to visit “Paradise ihome” a big lovely home located in the suburb of Bangkok that supports the living of seniors, patients who need reconvalescence after a hospital treatment and retirees who need the attention of professional caretakers.

Paradise ihome offers a wide ranges of senior living needs such as daily meal ser vices, massage, room clean up, 24 HRs personal assistant, medical treatment, wheelchair ramp, laundry, health care activities, networking, small events, cooking class, tr avel, praying, dancing, or other forms of entertainment.

Another location for senior living in the same group is called “Bangkok Senior Living” located in the east of Bangkok which is only 15 minutes away from the Suvarnabhumi Airpor t.

The Bangkok Senior Living is

Bangkok Senior Living - only 15 minutes away from the Suvarnabhumi Airport

decorated with lush green and tropical flower garden to make its guests feel like home. Well equipped with all the necessary facilities and amenities in all the guest rooms.

These two sites will also be equipped with hi-technology exercise equipment impor ted from Finland which can do bodyscan to create personal program to personalize treatment to each guest so they can get the right treatment for their own body.

The group behind these two homes have over 20 years of experience in professional caretaking for elderly people. Nice and reassuring for the inhabitants and their families so they can spend their time free of worries Thailand.

The group is also a dynamic business enterprise open for par tner ship to expand the b u s i n e s s e ve n f u r t h e r. F o r those who interested in senior living program please visit www.doctorhealththailand.com, www.bangkoksenior living.com and www.paradiseihome.com November 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 21

Paradise for Scandinavians

50+

Lots of activities, nice people and excellent service.

This is our wintertime heaven!

B

irgitte and Bjarne Tvilde have lived in several countries in different par ts of the world. When they planned for their lives after retirement, they looked for the perfect living in Asia. A place where most of their substantial wish list would be fulfilled. They found the best fit in the small university town Bangsaen on the coast just south of Bangkok. At Scandinavian Village.

• Planning for your “third phase of life” is quite a delicate task, Bjarne says. Now you want comfor table and enjoyable days, as well as lots of physical training and oppor tunities to see and do what you did not have time for while working. - And it also is impor tant to be surrounded by nice people to mingle with whenever you feel like it, Birgitte adds.

Like Eve in Paradise, Birgitte shares an apple with Bjarne in their paradise.

22 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2015

Both Birgitte and Bjarne are keen golfers. To live within 30 minutes from some 10 excellent golf courses, all with most acceptable green fees, surpasses even their original wish list. And it gives them the opportunity of a couple of nice rounds every week. But golf is only part of their regular physical activities. At Scandinavian Village there are numerous possibilities for physical activities, both individually and in groups. The beautiful pool is

probably the largest in Thailand (130 m) and the Fitness Center offers a wide variety of classes and lots of training inspiration.

Bjarne is also a keen biker, who once or twice every year goes with some of his neighbours for a week long tour covering some 600-700 km somewhere in Thailand. Just for the fun of it!

Birgitte enjoys the full range of social and cultural activities that are offered at Scandinavian Village, as well as the ambitious restaurant on the grounds, that does not only offer a wide range of Thai, international, Scandinavian and special dishes, but also newly baked bread in time for breakfast.

Usually Birgitte and Bjarne have their home at Scandinavian Village as their main base during the Scandinavian winter season, but most of the summer season they spend at their home in Denmark. By this mixture of winters in their Thai paradise, summers in beautiful Denmark and occasional trips to other parts of the world, they feel they have managed to achieve the perfect balance in their “third phase of life”.

Facts Scandinavian Village Members: Prerequisite for becoming a member: Age 50 plus and speak a Scandinavian language.

Ownership: Shares in the company that owns the village including the land and service facilities.

Exclusive right to one of the 96 flats.

Facilities: Own restaurant on the property, probably the largest pool in Thailand (130 m), well equipped Fitnes Center, 2 tennis courts, 2 boule cour ts, massage parlour, nurse and physiotherapist on sight, library, laundry, travel agency, own mini buses, own staff of 40+ for services and maintenance.

Activities: Event program with daily events October to April.

Transports: Regular tour ser vice around the town, airport and golf course transports.

Sightseeing and shopping tours.

More info: www.scandinavianvillage.net where a contact form also is to be found.

Dream fulfilment and life insurance Village several times a year. Mostly they fly out directly after work and are greeted early the next morning by staff at Scandinavian Village, who have looked after their home and flowers while they have been away. Sometimes they go straight to one of the ten golf courses in less than 30 minutes from their Thai paradise.

Maria and Anders at their golf club in Sweden

A

life full of activities and lots of golf, is important to Maria and Anders. We work long days and find golf the perfect way to relax, exercise and mingle, Anders (54) says.This is one of our reasons for having a home at Scandinavian Village. But from a purely economical point of view, we also view it as a sound investment and a part of our life insurance. - Yes, Maria (55) says, but it is also a life insurance by means of giving us a better life at present, as well as when we will retire in some ten years.

Maria and Anders live in a Stockholm suburb and travel to their second home in Scandinavian

• The golf courses around Scandinavian Village are of such different character, that they offer a great variety to the game. And with our special green fee rates, it´s no big deal to play as much as time allows, Anders says.

• Although we are golf fanatics, Maria says, we find it great with all the other activities, which offer us truly active days. And most importantly - the wonderful atmosphere and the great society of members at Scandinavian Village. It´s always great to come here and see all the lovely people, who – in spite of us having been away for quit some time – seem like close friends that we saw just a few days ago!

• Bangsaen is also a nice, genuine Thai town on the sea side, with a university and very few foreigners. We especially appreciate all the sea food restaurants, most of them offering extremely good value for money. And as we are just an hour away from both Bangkok and the airport, there are all the possibilities to pop away for activities elsewhere. All this represents to us dream fulfilment and life insurance, Anders claims.

Facts Bangsaen, Thailand Location: One hour south of Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi Airport on the west coast of eastern Thailand 40 minutes north of Pattaya.

Town: Approximatly 50.000 inhabitants plus 40.000 students at the Burapa University.

Closest beach to Bangkok.

Atmosphere: Midweek: Small, restful town.

Weekends: Fairly quiet although many visitors from Bangkok. Few foreigners.

Food: Many restaurants. Much seafood. Low prices and good value for money.

Beach: Three km of clean, brown sandy beach and okey water.

Price level: Cheaper than general Thai tourist spots.

Golf: Some 10 golf courses within 30 min drive and another 10 within 1 hr drive. Generally low green fees and ver y good value for money.

Other activities: All basic functions. No fancy shopping in town. Limited public tourist activities.

November 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 23

The Back Pain Specialist Bangkok Hospital Hua Hin is currently building up a team of orthopedic specialists under the leadership of Dr. Wittaya Payackapan.

By Gregers Moller

D

r. Wittaya graduated in Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University in 1968, but went on to specialise in the US. He passed the exam as an Orthopaedic Surgeon in 1976 and set up his own clinic in New York. Today after 35 years of being his own master - he is now back in Thailand, leading the Bone and Joint department of Bangkok Hospital Hua Hin Moving back to Thailand was not part of Dr Wittaya’s plan.

“My plan was to retire in the US in 2014.

Actually, I had never even heard of this hospital,” he says bluntly.

What happened next was, that a friend of Dr. Wittaya attended a series of lectures in Bangkok. Here, he was approached by staff from the Bangkok Hospital Hua Hin who were looking for Thai physicians that worked in the US to come back and help them.

“My friend liked the idea very much and called me almost every night until finally in early 2011 he convinced me to at least come and take a look at the hospital,” says Dr. Wittaya.

“I did that and I liked the nice and modern equipment, the X-ray and everything, the MRI 24 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2015

scanner, the CT scanner and all.”

“Then by chance, a few weeks later the CEO of the hospital, Dr Chatree was in New York on business and since we now knew each other, he invited me out for a dinner. The first thing he told me was, that if I would come to work here in Hua Hin, I could order all the best equipment I needed to perform every procedure that I was capable of doing at that time in New York.”

“That was a very attractive proposition. At that time I was not yet ready to retire - it was another 3,5 to 4 years - but now I came back here to Hua Hin and we looked into the details and finalised the deal.

But when you have your own clinic, relocating to Hua Hin is not that easy. It took Dr Wittaya six months to wrap up everything in the US and close his clinic. Selling it was not an option, he says.

“Younger doctors will not take over a clinic and practice alone like I did for over thirty years.

It is too much trouble to run the business, deal with the insurance companies, handle the lawyers, collect the money, and all that takes your focus away from practicing medicine. So I just closed down my clinic,” he says.

In Hua Hin, Dr. Wittaya not only cut the

headache of running his own private clinic, he also got the pleasure of training his own team of younger doctors and all that with the latest and most modern equipment.

“I have equipment for each procedure we do.

Special equipment for implants, special devices for fractures, for prosthesis - everything. The fracture table alone cost 11 mill. baht. So far I am very happy with the equipment,” he adds.

Dr Wittaya says that a main benefit of working with all this new high-tech equipment is, that the accuracy in the diagnosis of the patient is higher, secondly the more complex operations are simpler to perform with the high-tech equipment - which again means that there is a reduced risk of making a mistakes.

“The technology simply allows us to do a better job and in the long term create a better result,” he sums up.

Pain in the lower back Most of the patients in Dr Wittaya’s department are treated for various fractures, typically sustained from road accidents or from accidents at home.

“Apart from that, we have many patients who come here to be treated for back pain, especially spinal stenosis,” he explains.

Spinal stenosis is a condition giving severe pain, radiation pain, weakness and numbness of the leg. It is caused by a degeneration of the disks, combined often with arthritis of the spine, causing thickening of the bones ligaments. This will cause the compression of the nerve roots which leads to the symptoms.

in Hua Hin Contrary to what many people believe, the hospital is very reluctant to jump to use all the expensive high-end treatment.

“We always start with the most conservative treatment first,” says Dr. Wittaya.

“Even if someone should come to us with severe and acute pain, I would almost always start conservatively, ordering rest, heat, massage, maybe give anti inflammatory medicine, pain killer, some muscle relaxer. This treatment I would follow up with back exercise, sometimes physiotherapy.

After that there will be the option of cortisone injection. Only in case of a severe compression of the nerve roots will we discuss about surgery,” says Dr. Wittaya.

Knee and hip replacements Apart from back surgery, one of Dr. Wittaya’s specialties is knee and hip replacement. He learned that at Massachusetts General Hospital where he was taught by Dr. William H. Harris, a famous Clinical Professor of Orthopedic Surgery.

So far, he has performed several of these operations in Hua Hin, but only on resident foreigners - not foreigners from Europe who fly out to have the operation done in Thailand.

“My guess is, that most Europeans prefer to have it done in their home country by the public health service. Maybe the service is not the same as what we provide but the cost is .. you know, free.”

Dr. Wittaya also doesn’t think a waiting list at hospitals in Europe of up to six month for a knee or a hip replacement is not a big deal.

I have equipment for each procedure we do. Special equipment for implants, special devices for fractures, for prosthesis - everything.

The fracture table alone cost 11 mill. baht. So far I am very happy with the equipment.

“Knee and hip, you can actually wait six month.

It is not like back pain, which can be severe.”

But should someone want to have the operation done in Thailand, it is easy to see the benefits: “The climate is beneficial, the warm weather makes the tissue loose, the muscles function well and it is easier to recover,” he says.

Patients who consider having a knee or hip replacement done in Thailand should estimate spending a minimum of six weeks here before going back to Europe, he adds.

“From operation to transportation it should be at least six weeks. The danger is the possibility of a pulmonary embolism from a blood clot in the leg. Four weeks after the operation is borderline six weeks would be safer when traveling by plane.

But these patients would probably be retirees who have time enough so I don’t think that would be a problem,” he adds.

Hua Hin a bonus For Dr. Wittaya, moving to Hua Hin was an unexpected bonus.

“Before I moved here, I had only been visiting Hua Hin two or three times in my life, I had never lived here. Now I can tell you, this is a pretty good place! Retiring in Hua Hin is not a bad idea at all!”

Another bonus was the many foreign patients, which Dr. Wittaya likes to work with.

“I have noticed that European patients - even they come from so many different countries have a similar understanding, behavior and culture like the American patients, that I am used to working with. Not fully identical - but they are very similar.”

“II feel ver y much at ease dealing with the Europeans. We share the same sense of understanding, the same sense of humor, feeling of friendliness. After so many years in the US, I sometimes have to watch out that I don’t treat the Thai patients the same way. It is kind of like a reversed culture shock for me,” Dr.Wittaya laughs.

For more details of procedures and treatment ScandAsia readers are welcome to call 032-616800 or email huahin@bangkokhospital.com.

November 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 25

Spend an hour to plan your

By Maria Andreasdottir

W

hen you walk inside the bright and peaceful rooms in the Teck Hong Funeralbuilding you are more likely to believe you are wandering inside an exclusive hotel and not the family-run funeral service, AsiaOne Teck Hong Funeral. Although it is a hotel that you only will visit ony once in a lifetime..

“Our new facilities calm people down.

Relations in grief should not be met in dark and gloomy rooms, and we believe it’s more respectful with beautiful interior for the last goodbye,” says Donnie Ekström, Marketing Executive for AsiaOne. Being Thailand’s first and oldest provider of funeral services and international repatriations, AsiaOne Teck Hong Funeral has trough 60 years served foreigners and locals when their loved ones have passed away. Their agelong experience has made the AsiaOne-team specialists and are therefore first choice for all embassies, international insurance companies and multinational corporation when death occurs.

Another main reason why AsiaOne is the most demanded funeral service in Asia is their great English language skills. The company was founded in 1954 and started out as an coffin manufacturer. During the Vietnam war in the 1960’s there was a large influx of foreigner into Thailand, mostly Americans. The company owner Mr Sathien taught himself English, and because of the many dead American soldiers his help

26 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2015

r eternal peace and assistance in foreigners native language was needed. AsiaOne was established and has been helping foreigners, mostly American expats, with funeral services ever since.

Today, Scandinavians has become one of their biggest clients.

“Thailand has become extremely popular the last 15 years.The retired Scandinavian community has grown. Especially Swedes are retiring here ,” says Donnie Ekström and explains.

“Thailand is the one of the most attractive countries in the world for Scandinavians to retire in. Thailand is a very peaceful region, it’s safe and it has become more easier to get the VISA. It’s perfect for retirement.”

But even if many Scandinavians are prepared to live their life happily ever after in Asia, AsiaOne notices Scandinavians are not prepared for the next step.

“It’s a common problem among Scandinavians not thinking about their death. It can be a huge financial burden for their families here and/or abroad and for the embassies in the country they live in,” says managing director Saranya Thurdnampetch.

AsiaOne has developed a concept to solve the increasing problem. Chairman for AsiaOne Hirun Thurdnampetch calls it Pre-paid Funeral Plan.

“We want to educate and enlighten Scandinavians. When a loved one passes away relations should not be handed even more burdens such as wills, paperwork, licenses and

repatriation. The process is long and complicated, and we want to make it as easy as possible; that’s why we came up with this service,” says Hirun Thurdnampetch.

AsiaOne knows death can come as a shock for many. So can all of the financial cost and paperwork accompanied with a funeral do too.

The funeral service company suggests everyone to take an hour off to visit their office and plan for the future and that way avoid any redundant burdens. Their team consists of Scandinavianspeaking staff, so language will not be problem.

Even if it’s possible to have bodies flewn back to their respective homecountries in coffins, the most common thing among Scandinavians is to be cremated and sent back in an urn. How simple it may sounds, it requires a great deal of paperwork and preparations for sending the ashes home. Most of the times there will be two ceremonies; one in Asia before the ashes are shipped with airplane to its homecountry, where another ceremony will take place and the urn will be buried or the ashes be scattered.

Beside taking care of getting the legal licenses, permissions and authorization to ship the ashes, AsiaOne also arrange the ceremony with everything it takes. That is for example: • providing for locations for ceremony, familyroom and lounge • arrangement with priest • cremation • transpor t for ever ything (crematorium, airport etc)

• inform embassy and local authorities about the funeral and/or repatriation • collecting estate of the deceased person and deliver them to right owner • translations • flower decorations • and many, many other things..

AsiaOne is openminded to special requests and over the years they have provided extraordinary services for families wanting different wishes for their loved one’s funeral. The AsiaOne-team agrees that their most noble job is to be there for the grieving family.

“This is a different kind of business, where you are dealing with people in deep sorrow. You have to really care for others to be in this business,” says Donnie Ekström and Saranya Thurdnampetch adds “We can’t help but getting emotionally attached. We see people cry everyday, and we offer our help and hearts for people who need it.

We want to make it less painfull.”

Death is inevitable, but many people are not aware of the financial costs of having a person buried in a graveyard on the other side of the world or the many other issues one should commit themselves to accompanied with the already great pain of losing someone. Like the tranquil atmosphere you meet in the Teck Hongbuilding, so should the whole funeral process be according to AsiaOne. That way, everyone will stay in peace.

November 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 27

Agneta’s World Photographer: Daniel Herron

Already November, the time passes too quickly.

In this issue I would like to introduce you to a nice restaurant at the Waterfall Quartier, The EM District Emporium, at BTS Phrom Phong station.

Jones

the Grocer T

he three new EM quartier buildings are a little confusing at first. They are all like a labyrinth to me and I find it hard to find the places I am looking for. Best to ask information unless you know specifically where you are going!

Photographer Daniel and I were out to pay a visit to “Jones the Grocer” and after getting slightly lost we found it.

This restaurant is a modern, open and interesting place. Mr. Bruno Bischopfsberger, the GM, we already knew from his previous working place/restaurant. He has been living in Thailand for 27 years, but was born in beautiful Alsace France.

Speaks French and German, but nowadays he prefers English when he is busy working.

“I might speak German after 9 pm and after a couple of glasses with wine” he jokes. True, every language has to be practiced; it’s so easy to forget, that we all know. Once upon a time he had his

28 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2015

own restaurant here, but for years he has been the busy guy running other people’s places.

“Jones the Grocer” is a franchise owned restaurant and an Australian chain. There is only one restaurant in Thailand, maybe more will come. You also find it in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai etc.

The restaurant has a modern, contemporary style. In Bangkok, the chef de cuisine comes from France; nice young man named Benoit Fossiez. He has been living in Thailand for 6 years and worked at several big resorts. In France he worked for the prestigious restaurants Flaveur Restaurant in Nice, Miekaef and Bael and Tourteaux.

Personally I don’t know these restaurants even though I’ve spent lots of time in Nice on the French Cote d’Azur, but Benoit said they are all top class. I asked what his favorite food is and he quickly replied, the Mediterranean style. (No wonder coming from south of France).

When we visited, at lunchtime, we were warmly greeted by Khun Bruno, while Chef Benoit and staff were busy preparing the most delicious looking dishes. Daniel and I tried each a salad, Caesar’s salad and a Moroccan salad with lenses, chicken etc. Both were so fresh and good.

The signature dishes are the Black Angus strip loin, wagyu beef burger, crab angel hair pasta and selection of cold cuts, also not to forget their breakfast and special eggs Benedict.

If you are a lover of sweets, well the choice is huge and the bakery offers the most fabulous cakes.

You can not only eat lunch or dinner here, you can also shop. There are selections of wine, pasta, pickles, bread, cakes, you just name it. I can warmly recommend a visit to this great place. Should also mention that the prices are affordable.

I

was also looking for another Frenchman M. Jean-Yves Bordier, Maître Fromager Affineur.

A title you don’t see that much.

He has a small, but very unique restaurant on the 4th floor at The Helix Quartier. Here you can buy the most wonderful butter that he makes himself; what about Seaweed butter, Sichuan butter, Yuzu butter, Espelette Pepper butter and salted as well as unsalted butter. The prices are between 220 baht and 375 baht for 250 gram, worth every baht believe me.

I have had the pleasure to try his butter a few times and I have to say, it’s even better than my favorite Swedish butter BREGOTT. You can also buy delicious cheese like Camembert, Sainte Maure, Tomme, le Napoleon Gouda etc. last but not least, the bread, oh la, la la…..these three products together make the perfect marriage, but as we know, three in a marriage is one too much, so only bread and butter make a wonderful couple. If you want to enjoy the “marriage” at home, you can take away.

and cheese

Another

N

ext to this restaurant is another store , or you can say, the restaurant is included in a store called “Another Story”. Here you find many unique and fun things, plates, frames, stationary, clothes, and also a lovely little flower shop called “The Plant house”. I don’t think the choice of flower shops is very big in Bangkok, so when I saw this little one with different arrangements, threats with combination of fruits, flowers, ribbons etc. I fell in love. They also deliver.

There are plenty of interesting shops and restaurants within these three towers. Take your time one day and explore the luxury atmosphere, enjoy beautiful design and decoration. I promise you want regret it.

We went on to a third place but that is “another story………”

November 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 29

มุมภาษาไทย l mum pha:să: thai l Thai Language Corner

การ / ka:n or

ความ / khwa:m ability walking

Sitting

By Klavs Johansen (thai@snakthai.dk)

W

hen teaching Thai, I am often asked about the words การ / ka:n / and ความ / khwa:m /. The fundamental meaning of การ / ka:n / is work, task or affairs, while ความ / khwa:m / fundamentally means essence or content. However, the two words also appear as prefixes in a large number of words, all nouns and describing a concept and as such you encounter them time and again in Thai and using them may be your first step going from beginner›s level towards more advanced Thai.

Sounds cryptic? Look at the examples below and remember that grammar is not a prerequisite for learning Thai (take the example of any Thai child of preschool age who has never heard the word). Hence, we shall keep the grammatical terms to a minimum and, if not helpful, you may skip them altogether and focus on the examples. การ / ka:n / will precede a verb, describing an act, thereby creating a noun, naming the act. Consider the following examples: เรียน / rian / ~ to study, การเรียน / ka:n rian / ~ studying. ตัด / tàt / ~ to cut, การตัด / ka:n tàt / ~ cutting. ใช้ / chá:i / ~ to use, การใช้ / ka:n chá:i / ~ using, usage. ตรวจ / trùat / ~ to check, inspect, การตรวจ / ka:n trùat / ~ checking, inspection. เดิน / doe:n / ~ to walk, การเดิน / ka:n doe:n / ~ walking. สอน / sŏr:n / ~ to teach, การสอน / ka:n sŏr:n / ~ teaching.

Note how การ / ka:n /, by preceding the verb, converts it into a noun with the meaning ‘the act of ’ (studying, cutting, using, etc.) and is generally translated into English using -ing at the end (gerund is the grammatical term). ความ / khwa:m /, on the other hand, will precede a verb or an adjective thereby creating an noun, describing an idea, property or condition. Have a look at the following examples: จริง / jing / ~ to be true, ความจริง / khwa:m jing / ~ truth. รัก / rák / ~ to love, 30 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2015

ความรัก / khwa:m rák / ~ love. สามารถ / să:mâ:t / ~ to be able to, ความสามารถ / khwa:m să:mâ:t / ~ ability, capability. ยาว / ya:o / ~ to be long, ความยาว / khwa:m ya:o / ~ length. กว้าง / kwâ:ng / ~ wide, ความกว้าง / khwa:m kwâ:ng / ~ width. คิด / khít / ~ to think, ความคิด / khwa:m khít / ~ thought, idea, So, while the prefix การ / ka:n / creates a noun to describe ‘the act of ’ doing something, the prefix ความ / khwa:m / creates an abstract noun,

naming some idea, property or condition. This determines which verbs, or, in the case of ความ / khwa:m /, adjectives, they go with. The best way to illustrate the difference is to show some examples which may go with both prefixes: รู้ / rú: / ~ to know, การรู้ / ka:n rú: / ~ knowing, ความรู้ / khwa:m rú: / ~ knowledge. เห็น / hĕn / ~ to see, การเห็น / ka:n hĕn / ~ seeing (the act of seeing), ความเห็น / khwa:m hĕn / ~ opinion (the way of seeing).

Finally, we end by noting that the nouns การ / ka:n / and ความ / khwa:m /, with the fundamental meanings mentioned in the beginning of today’s column, also appear as one half of some compound words, usually compounded with other nouns. Examples are: เมือง / mueang / ~ (city)state, การเมือง / ka:n mueang / ~ politics (affairs of the state). องค์ / ong / ~ body, organ, องค์การ / ong ka:n / ~ organization. ข้อ / khôr: / ~ point, topic, ข้อความ / khôr: khwa:m / ~ message.

แค่นี้ก่อนนะครับ / khâe: ní: kòr:n ná’ khráp / ~ that’s it for now, 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. We are always happy to hear from readers.

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