ScandAsia Thailand - November 2016 by Scandinavian Publishing Co., Ltd.

In Remembrance of His Majesty

NOV 2016

King Bhumibol Adulyadej December 5, 1927 - October 13, 2016

In Remembrance of His Majesty

NOV 2016

King Bhumibol Adulyadej December 5, 1927 - October 13, 2016

Your FREE ScandAsia Magazine in Thailand

Nordic condolences for His Majesty

Bhumibol Adulyadej To the Thai Queen from the Swedish King

His Majesty King Harald of Norway

King Carl XVI Gustaf of the Swedish Royal Court has sent a telegram to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, as follows in a statement from the Royal Court:

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

“Condolences to Queen Sirikit On the occasion of H. M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s death, H. M. The king sent the following telegram of condolence to H. M. Queen Sirikit.

His Majesty King Harald of Norway offers his condolences to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand and the Royal Family on the passing away of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX, of Thailand. His Majesty asks that his deepest sympathy is conveyed to the people of Thailand. The following condolence message is conveyed from His Majesty King Harald of Norway to Thailand’s Queen Sirikit.

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Her Majesty Queen Sirikit BANGKOK

“Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand Bangkok

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The Queen and I have learned with profound regret and sadness of the demise of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

I was saddended to hear about the passing away of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX, of Thailand.

We extend our sincere condolences to you and your family, and to the people of the Kingdom of Thailand.

On behalf of myself and of the people of Norway, I extend my condolences to Your Majesty and to your family, and ask that my deepest sympathy is conveyed to the people of Thailand.

Publisher : 211 Soi Prasert Manukitch 29 Prasert Manukitch Road Chorakae Bua, Lad Prao Bangkok 10230, Thailand Tel. +66 2 943 7166- , Fax: +66 2 943 7169 E-mail: news@scandasia.com Editor-in-Chief : Gregers A.W. Møller gregers@scandmedia.com Managing Editor: Joakim Persson Joakim@scandmedia.com Journalist: Frederik Guy Hoff Sonne 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

Carl Gustaf R Royal Palace, Stockholm 13 October 2016”

Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark earlier today, Friday 14. October 2016, sent her condolence to her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand and the Royal Highnesses on the occasion of the passing away of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. “Your Majesty, Your Royal Highnesses, I was deeply saddened to learn about the demise of your beloved King, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The ties between our families have always been close and Prince Henrik joins me in conveying to you, the Royal family and the people of Thailand our most profound condolences. Margrethe R.”

Harald R”

Embassy of Finland Finland expresses condolences to the people of Thailand The Embassy of Finland expressed already on 13 October is condolences to the Thai people. The message on the website of the Embassy of Finland in Bangkok reads: “Finland expresses sincere condolences to the people of Thailand due to the deeply sad news about the passing of His Majesty The King.”

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November 2016 • ScandAsia.Thailand 3

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November 2016 Nordic condolences for His Majesty

Bhumibol Adulyadej To the Thai Queen from the Swedish King

His Majesty King Harald of Norway

King Carl XVI Gustaf of the Swedish Royal Court has sent a telegram to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, as follows in a statement from the Royal Court: “Condolences to Queen Sirikit On the occasion of H. M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s death, H. M. The king sent the following telegram of condolence to H. M. Queen Sirikit.

Her Majesty Queen Sirikit BANGKOK

“Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand Bangkok

The Queen and I have learned with profound regret and sadness of the demise of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

I was saddended to hear about the passing away of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX, of Thailand.

We extend our sincere condolences to you and your family, and to the people of the Kingdom of Thailand.

On behalf of myself and of the people of Norway, I extend my condolences to Your Majesty and to your family, and ask that my deepest sympathy is conveyed to the people of Thailand.

Carl Gustaf R Royal Palace, Stockholm 13 October 2016”

Senior wellness / Active Aging 12 Medical Checkups 14 Staying healthy during retirement 16 A guide for aging Danes

8 Mr. Uffe Wolffhechel

Denmark’s new Ambassador Couple

Harald R”

The ties between our families have always been close and Prince Henrik joins me in conveying to you, the Royal family and the people of Thailand our most profound condolences. Margrethe R.”

Nordic condolences for His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej

Mrs. Agneta de Bekassy

Agneta’s World travels to and on River Kwai

ScandAsia Business 6 Meet Team Norway event Norway’s team was introduced at a TNCC event in Bangkok

7 Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce directory launched

The Thai-Swedish community paid their respect in the evening on the day His Majesty the King of Thailand passed away

Ms. Birgit Sarah Kondrup-Palmqvist

The Consul’s advice to Danes concerning living in Thailand

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4 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2016

November 2016 â&#x20AC;¢ ScandAsia.Thailand 5

Community

Meet Team Norway event

n 29 September, the ThaiNorwegian Chamber of Commerce (TNCC) hosted the event ‘Meet Team Norway’ to introduce the most important Norwegian Stakeholders in Thailand, including key staff of the Embassy, Innovation Norway and the newly elected Board of Governors of TNCC. The event also included a wonderful performance by a quintet from the Kristiansand Symfoniorkester. Source/photos: courtesy of Thai-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce

6 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2016

Business

Thai-Swedish community pay their respect to His Majesty the King of Thailand

embers and friends of the Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok, Thailand had gathered for the monthly evening networking, held at Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit on Thursday evening 13 October, 2016 when the announcement came of the passing away of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The people who had gathered, the majority a mix of Swedes and Thais, duly paid their respect with a minute of silence at precisely 7.30 p. Prior to this the programme for the evening had already run its course, seeing the introduction to and the official launch of TSCC’s new Member Director y, as well as two highly interesting corporate member presentations. President Mr Jan Eriksson introduced the Directory and its purpose and encouraged members to spread it and to use it in order to more easily get in contact with each other. Following on that two of the Chamber’s most prominent Thailand-located, Swedish businesses held presentations. Janeric K Hogane from The Cabinet, that celebrates 20 years in business in 2016, explained their story in brief concentrating on three words that have been guiding their business: Trust, Quality and Service.

By giving concrete examples Mr Janeric made it very easy to understand their business model, market positioning and the reason for their business success. Quality includes also the people and the delivery and he showed the photo of what a good delivery vehicle should look like. “Giving a good impression is very important, like the first impression one gets when applying or a job.” He said it is also important to protect their customer’s proper ty when doing any job for them. “With our focus on trust, quality and service it is very difficult to be the cheapest but our aim is to be the best.” “We also service each other within the team, so that everyone have access to and get good and correct information.” It is also a matter of having good products and following up well, he highlighted. About competitors he mentioned that Sweden’s Ikea has helped them since arriving to the Thai market: “They give a lot of inspiration to Thai people how to set up and furnish a home. The difference is that from us you can buy what you want,” Janeric compared, saying that this is not the case when shopping at Ikea.

Then CEO of Diakrit, Fredrik Bergman took over for his brief presentation ‘Online home viewing the way it should be’. Headquartered in Bangkok, Diakrit today employs 630, and also has a help desk and international call centre, and which is not about doing cold calls but to represent their clients, said Mr Bergman. He described Diakrit’s ser vices, a global real estate marketing and technology solutions provider, and their new growth markets with the new main owner News corp, a corporation that are owners of many large real estates portals and publications worldwide. Then he offered the audience to test their Virtual Reality experience, assisted by his team members who had joined the networking to guide people into the world of VR real estate. Fredrik Bergman ended by saying that there are many career opportunities at Diakrit for those looking for a job. A lucky draw was also held with prizes provided by The Cabinet.

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November 2016 • ScandAsia.Thailand 7

Business and facilities that we have here.” “Having the sign “Royal Danish Embassy” on the front door is an added value in the Thai context,” he adds. Previously, at a networ king event in September, Uffe Wolffhechel was introduced to the members of Danish Thai Chamber of Commerce. “It was a chance for me to meet a lot of the members in one evening and it gave me an opportunity to express my full support to the Chamber and the broader Danish business community in Thailand,” he says. “I am also very suppor tive of the recent initiative by Danes Worldwide to establish Danish language education i Thailand. The same goes for the current move to establish a Danish Church in Bangkok.” “Activities like these are not arranged by us but we support them fully. Among other things it makes it easier for Danish companies to send out Danish staff to work here even they have families and children.” “When it comes to what we can contribute, we would like to arrange highly visible activities within the core Danish competence sectors like design/creativity, clean industry, sustainable or renewable energy, food processing and health care,” he adds.

Consular Affairs

New Danish Ambassador couple By Gregers Moller

ffe Wolffhechel and his wife Susie A Ruff became 1 September 2016 the new Danish Ambassador couple in Bangkok and Phnom Penh. In October, they were joined by Isabella, who is 21 years and studying International Marketing and Communication in Copenhagen, and Alexander, who is 19 and taking his Danish A-level this year back in Denmark. Having the children visiting them is one of the benefits of being posted to Bangkok. In Uffe Wolffhechel’s previous position as the Danish ambassador in Kabul, Afghanistan, spouses were allowed to come on visits, but not children. On a personal level, what Uffe Wolffhechel appreciates tremendously about the posting in Bangkok, is exactly this feeling of being in a friendly country where he can leave on foot through the front gate of the embassy and go for 8 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2016

a run in Lumpini Park without having to worry about his personal safety.

Commercial Activities On a professional level, moving to Bangkok is great oppor tunity for Uffe Wolffhechel to become more experienced wor king with commercial affairs on a bigger scale than at any of his previous postings. ““This is for me one of the great attractions at this posting,” he says. “I have been working with business issues before, but mostly under atypical conditions like in Pakistan, where Susie also helped writing a business plan after the opening of a PakistaniDanish Business Club,” he explains. “Here in Bangkok, we recently hosted a major event for a Danish company utilizing the conference room of the residence for a seminar. This was to me an indication of the opportunities

While commercial affairs is the relatively new challenge for Uffe Wolffhechel, the Ambassador’s expertise within consular affairs is likely one of the good reasons why he has been chosen to lead the Danish Embassy in Bangkok. In recent years within the Ministr y for Foreign Affairs, Uffe Wolffhechel has been alternating between dangerous postings abroad (e.g. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bosnia, Venezuela) and more “soft” jobs at home working with human rights issues and as head of the Danish “Borgerservice” - the Consular Affairs division of the ministry. While acknowledging that it may seem like a contrast, Uffe Wolffhechel objects to the implication that consular affairs is “soft” work. “Some consular cases are highly sensitive and it can be a matter of life and death if you make the wrong decision. In that sense, there is no difference between work at dangerous postings and consular affairs are comparable, in both cases there is no room for making mistakes,” he points out There is, however, clearly a need for a high calibre person within consular affairs to head the Danish Embassy in Thailand. This embassy is by far the Danish representation abroad with most consular cases. “It is estimated that per year there are currently 170.000 Danes visiting Thailand. It just takes a fraction of these people to run into problems of one sort or another and we will be very busy,” he says. “The visa service is also busy because of a high number of applications, but this goes smoothly.The consular services is where we meet new challenges all the time,” he adds. Currently, Denmark also has 5 or 6 citizens in prison in Thailand. Theses cases also need supervision.

Being the boss In Bangkok, Uffe Wolffhechel is also the boss of a larger local embassy staff. He acknowledges that as an embassy it is limited how much of a career you will be able to offer local staff. “What we can achieve, however, is to be an attractive stepping stone in a career to work with international organisations,” he explains. “I am never upset when a member of my staff tells me, they have been offered a better job. It shows that having worked with us is seen as a quality guarantee.” Having a bigger staff at the embassy has the added value that the Ambassador gets to know more Thai people who with each their local network can help him better understand Thailand and the issues the Thai people are currently facing.

Accompanying spouse The Danish Ministr y for Foreign Affairs appreciates in general accompanying spouses because they invariably become impor tant sparring par tners for their posted personnel. Susie A Ruff, the accompanying spouse of the new Danish Ambassador to Thailand, aims however to become more than that. Susie has her own business and sees several options for her to expand that in Asia. Her exper tise lies in par ticular within Innovation in Health Care. Recently, she was appointed external lecturer for students studying Master of Science in Innovation in Health Care at Copenhagen Business School in Denmark. This sector is currently in a very exciting development. For example the expanding high speed Internet makes it possible to provide high quality medical ser vices from a central location via internet connections to remote locations. “This is an area, where I might be able to help Asian hospitals develop,” she explains. “Another expertise I offer is to help start-ups and small and medium sized businesses develop and maintain customer focus and focus on their unique product or service. In particular if there is a need to expand this service and internationalize the company.” Susie also wants to contribute to the Public Diplomacy work of the Embassy promoting Denmark. The entrepreneurial spirit in Thailand is immediately inspiring. “I think it is fascinating, the way Thai people show initiative all the time. Just walk down the little sois behind the embassy and you will find people having set up little shops selling this, producing that. The entrepreneurial spirit is constantly there.” Among the things she has already learned to appreciate about Thailand is the tropical climate and the nature. “The way everything is green and lush and grows at an incredible speed is fascinating. I am hoping to find time to explore more of this and get to know more of the smiling and generally happy Thai people.” “The Buddhist belief and the way the Thais smoothly mix in Chinese ancestor worship and animistic spirit houses is also fascinating and something I hope to learn more about.”

Running together Together, the Ambassador couple enjoys running as a sport. They have already found the track around Lumpini Park nearby convenient, but they are also pondering if it would be possible to run on ordinary streets and back alleys to experience another scene of the Bangkok metropolis. Another interest the couple share is plane spotting. This is about identifying aircraft by brand and model in any airport that you as a frequent flyer travels through. “I know this sounds a little weird, but once you get into it, it is quite interesting. We also have an app called Flight Radar that is fascinating,” Susie adds. According to the description of the app, you may simply point your mobile phone at a plane passing in the sky over you and from there get to know where it’s going and when it will arrive, plus info about the kind of aircraft, its current speed and altitude, and a high-res image of the plane. You can even check out what the pilot’s seeing in real-time and 3D! Near the top of their “bucket list” of things to do together in Thailand is also a visit to Chiang Mai. The handicraft tradition that has made both Georg Jensen and now also Pandora establish production facilities there will be among the things to explore. The Ambassador himself has also a personal

interest that is not entirely shared by his wife: “I have an interest in railways. I understand there is a special Danish historical link to the establishing of railways in Thailand and this is something I hope to find time to read more about and explore in real life,” he adds. So far - or as the Ambassador puts it “on this point of the learning scale” - the couple enjoy the versatility of living in Bangkok. “The contr ast is overwhelming,” the Ambassador says. “Bangkok has the highest number of skybars in the world second only to New York and then down below you have this abundance of delicious local street kitchens and everything in between.”

Last minute romance Susie and Uffe Wolffhechel started dating after the reception that Susie held in March 2006 when she left the Foreign Ministry to take up a position at Danish Design Center. Uffe Wolffhechel worked at the time in the Danish consular service. “By the time I got there, it was a bit late,” he recalls. “Most of the guests had left already - but that meant we had more time to talk just the two of us. We found out we had a shared passion for Argentina where Susie had worked for some years and I had just been there on vacation. The rest is history.”, he says with a big smile. November 2016 • ScandAsia.Thailand 9

Agneta’s World

“Camping”

on The River Kwai

e all need a respite from Bangkok ever y so often. I decided to take a shor t break and accompany Swedish friends on a trip to the River Kwai. I’ve been living here in Bangkok for many years, and have always heard that a trip to The River Kwai was a perfect weekend retreat. Off we went on a Wednesday morning with our car and driver. From Bangkok, it took us less than three hours to reach our destination Hintok River Camp. This hidden retreat is located on the river and upstream from the many floating raft resorts that line the river. Hintok offers “deluxe canvas tents” featuring air conditioners, beds, fans, refrigerators and last but not least, mini bars - filled with only water….unfortunately! The bathrooms are open air and equipped with the necessar y amenities. I was thinking mosquitoes or rain but saw neither during my stay. All in all, there are 32 canvas tents each 32 sqm. We arrived just in time for lunch and sat on the veranda, overlooking the café-au-laitcoloured river which was flowing quietly by. The vegetation along the riverbanks is

10 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2016

impressive; all shades of green.You could only hear the birds and crickets; really peaceful! This put us all in a vacation mood. The Limestone karsts tower above both sides of the river, reaching 3-400 meters above the banks. After lunch we hired a long tail boat to take us upriver for an hour’s journey.The river is framed on both sides with bamboo groves.We were informed that the river is pollution-free but dangerous during the rainy season regarding fast flows and strong currents that run the entire length of the stream. (The river is about 380 km long and has its source in the Tenasserim Hills and flows through Buri, Si Sawat and Muang.) We noted scores of Kingfishers darting along the river surface looking for a meal. Unfortunately we didn’t see any monkeys, but I’m sure they were hiding somewhere…. As we were winding through the river canyons my girlfriend, who is an opera soprano, burst into song with ‘The hills are alive with the sound of music’, which echoed off the canyon walls and startled our boatman. We passed fishermen casting their nets for the night’s meal. After two hours on the river we made our way back to the resort and were ready for a drink and

dinner. We were offered a BBQ buffet with both Thai and a few international dishes, all included in the price. As there was nothing going on, we had an early evening.We went back to our tents to have a good sleep. It was kind of a challenge to open the zip and get into the, so called, bath room area. The beds were okay and I was happy not having too many mosquitos buzzing around. Next morning we were awakened by the camp rooster, a real early bird and some “bäää” sounds from a sheep and her lamb. After breakfast, we decided to take a long tail boat again, this time down the river and change to a raft.The rafting experience was serene and silent. We passed several floating resorts along the way. If you book during low season, October/ November, you might be the only one on the river. The river rafts, guided by a single boatman, are considerably more difficult to control in fast currents, but they are silent and more comfortable than the long tail boats. We stopped at a nice resort, Resotel Kanglawa, to have a chilled Chang beer before it was time to return to Hintok. After a light lunch, we were ready to leave and pay a visit to the famous Bridge over

The River Kwai. The bridge is an internationally famous site, and part of the Death Railway linking Thailand with Myanmar during the Second World War. It was built by allied prisoners of war (POW) and local labour under Japanese supervision. The River Kwai, pronounced “Kway”, is formally known as the Khwae Noi or Khwae Sai Yok and it rises to the east of Salween in the north-south spine by the Bilanktang range near Burma. Nowadays the bridge functions normally with trains to Nam Tok, crossing a few times daily. It was important for us to pay a visit to this bridge on our way back to Bangkok, but it was kind of a tourist trap. As we did not have much time, we missed out on the war cemetery, war museum and the Muang Singh Historical Park.We also missed Hell Fire Pass, a part of the Death railway cut through the stone mountains during World War Two and a haunting tribute to the many who lost their lives there. Hell Fire pass was so named by the POW’s because, at night, they had to work using fire torches. We arrived back to a quiet and darkened city in mourning as Thailand’s beloved King had passed away that afternoon….Long Live The King. November 2016 • ScandAsia.Thailand 11

Senior wellness / Active Aging

Medical Checkups key to healthy living By Gregers Moller

D Dr. Pannida, a Geriatric Specialist doctor

12 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2016

r. Pannida, a Geriatric Specialist doctor at Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok, recommends that foreigners over 50 years have a health check done annually. But why wait? “Actually I would recommend that people start at the age of 45 or earlier to have regular check up of the basic indicators like blood pressure, diabetes, cancer cells,” Dr. Pannida tells ScandAsia during an interview at the Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok. “Much of what people get as they grow old, we could have diagnosed at a much earlier stage. Inter vention when we see pre-hyper tension, when we see pre-diabetes, at an early stage can often lead to complete recovery and reversal of the disease.” “Osteoporosis is a common problem for people as they grow older. It is impor tant to make an early diagnosis. Women when they get menopause should have a bone density test done.” Even if you are quite healthy, the annual health check up ensures, that we at the hospital have a recent general picture of your current health status in our file if you are admitted with something acute,” Dr. Pannida adds

Vaccinations The yearly checkup is also a great opportunity to get prevention vaccinations like the flu shot. If you have not had it yet, get also a Hepatitis A and B shot but that is not necessary annually. “If you are above 65, I would advise to also take the pneumonia shot. Dengue fever is also something you should be aware of, although I must admit that I actually very seldom see elderly people with dengue,” Dr. Pannida adds

Medicine adjustment Tourists arriving Thailand with a medication prescribed from back home would also do well in visiting their nearest Bangkok Hospital. “Medicines work differently under different climatic and dietar y conditions. The higher temperatures in Thailand makes you dehydrate differently and your different diet and other lifestyle changes could make adjustments of your prescription needed.” “If nothing else, then tweaking your amount of medication can at least make your stay more pleasant,” Dr. Pannida adds..

The typical problems “The most common problem we see is high blood pressure. This comes with higher age. It is simply because the blood vessels become more stiff and

various deposits in the veins obstruct the blood flow and so the pressure rises. Often it is because of the lifestyle.The person may not exercise much and eat too much salty food. It is a good rule to walk every day at least for half an hour or 45 minute a day. And watch your diet. Diabetes is another general first health problem indicated by older people. In the first place, dietary adjustment is enough. Eat less, exercise more, eat more fruit. Then you might reverse it in the beginning. You can continue to eat rice but the amount you eat should be reduced. Also because your metabolism changes with age and you will get fat if you don’t reduce your intake. And again exercise is very important. Declining functions is something all people start experiencing at some point. They develop cataract or star t having hearing impairment. This affects their lives in many ways. Many old persons would like to live independently as long as possible, live in their own house, drive a car, and that sort of thing. Being denied doing these things reduces their quality of life. Developing dementia can be ver y a depressing experience. Luckily, early intervention can delay the process significantly. Learning new

skills like languages, even cooking if you have never cooked before are among the brain exercises that may help postpone the progress of the disease.

High hospital standard Many Nordic visitors to Thailand come with a firm belief that the Thai medical system is inferior to their own, which they regard as the best in the world because it is free for all citizens. Their first experience with any Thai hospital is, that the service level is several notches higher than at home. “In Thailand, you can walk straight in from the street and ask to see a specialist in any particular field,” explains Dr. Pannida, a Geriatric Specialist doctor at Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok. “From what my patients tell me, in the Nordic countries you will first have to go through your regular family doctor and ask if he or she will refer you to a specialist. Then you may have to wait for quite some time before that specialist is available.”’ “During your stay in Thailand, you may for instance develop discomfort urinating. Then you visit the hospital, explain to the receptionist why your are there and you will then be sent straight to the urology specialist. The next surprise is that the medical professional level is quite high.

“We often see that a patient comes to us with one problem and would be happy if we just treated that. But then we investigate a bit deeper and discover an underlying problem behind the symptom.” “In the case mentioned before, it could be an infection in the urinary tract, but the infection could be caused by something more serious worth checking. Or it could be a case of a patient who comes for medication against a frequent headache and we find high blood pressure to be the underlying cause - or even something more serious.”

Fear of getting old There is a fear of getting old which is sad. People should be happy with themselves, accept their old age, not waste too much money on all this anti-aging cream and other cosmetic promising products. “Food supplements might be good, but be critical. We should learn to accept aging as part of life,” says Dr. Pannida. “It is a simple fact that if you want to be aging well, you have to start investing in yourself at an earlier stage. Start in your 30’s by eating healthy, not smoking, moderate drinking. If you are already twice that age, then start now! It is never too late!” November 2016 • ScandAsia.Thailand 13

Senior wellness / Active Aging

The Best is yet to come:

Staying Healthy during Retirement

ontrary to what may be popular belief, retirement does not signal the decline in a vibr ant and productive life, only to be replaced by wheelchairs and nursing homes. In fact, all it takes is just some commitment to strengthening your body and mind to make retirement the best chapter of life. Of course, there are some health concerns that may become more common with aging, but preventative measures like managing one’s stress, eating healthy, and getting plenty of exercise can go a long way toward helping retirees feel and live healthier. As you embark on this new journey, the healthcare professionals at Bumrungrad International’s New Life Healthy Aging Clinic have put together the following tips for staying active, healthy, and happy during retirement. • Get moving. The health benefits of a regular exercise regime can’t be

14 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2016

overstated, as its effects can be beneficial not only for your physical health, but for mental health as well. Strive to complete at least 20 minutes of aerobic activity each day, and at least twice a week add a moderate strength training regime to help build and strengthen your muscles. Simple activities such as taking a walk around your neighborhood, going for a swim, joining a community aerobic exercise class, signing up for a dance class, joining a hiking or bicycling group, can all add up to a fun and effective way to get in your daily recommended exercises without having to spend hours in the gym. • Eat well, drink less alcohol. Along with regular exercise, a diet rich in the nutrients your body needs, and low on the toxins it doesn’t need, can go a long way toward maintaining your best health at any

age. Nutrition doesn’t just affect the waist line; eating healthy has been proven to have a positive effect on mental health and motivation as well. In this regard, it is also important to note that the consumption of alcohol needs to stay moderate and carefully managed. The dangers that come with overconsumption of these substances far outweigh whatever fun could be had in the moment, so always keep in mind the value of a strong and healthy mind and body for long-term happiness. In short, a healthy diet should include: - Variety - Lean protein - Vegetables - Fruits - Water (1.5 to 2 liters daily) - Vitamin and mineral supplements as recommended by your doctor.

• Learn a new skill. Retirement does not mean that we stop developing our cognitive function and stop learning new things altogether. In fact, this is one of the most important times for strengthening the brain by learning new skills in order to boost brain performance and fight against memory loss. • Pay attention to your doctor. Being a good patient involves being a central figure in your own healthcare. If you’re involved and informed about what your health risks could be, and take par t in prevention rather than reacting to illness, the chances of your retirement being spent in hospitals and clinics can be greatly reduced. Instead, take par t in regular check-ups, and listen to your doctor’s recommendations about what to do (or not do) in order to strengthen your health. At Bumrungrad, the New Life Healthy Aging Clinic offers a number of health screening packages that are targeted at addressing the health risks and needs of older adults. The packages include: - Holistic male 55-69 - Holistic female 55-69 - Holistic male 70+ - Holistic female 70+

• Sleep well. It’s hard to overstate the restorative benefits of a restful night’s sleep. Making sure that you are getting your daily recommended seven hours of sleep is just one more way you can make sure that your body and mind have the resources they need to ward off the health risks that can become more common as we age. • Stay engaged. Without the daily routine and built-in social connection of going to work every day, it can be hard to maintain a healthy social connection and therefore fall into isolation. This isolation can then lead to issues such as depression and substance abuse. Make sure that you’re involved in your community by joining groups or organizations that you’re interested in, and make it a point to stay connected to your friends and family. Making your retirement years happy and healthy is fairly easy to achieve, all it takes is approaching this chapter of life with more positivity and willingness to commit a little more time and effort to your physical and mental well-being. Spend more time taking part in activities that benefit your health, and enjoy the golden years; the power is in your hands.

he New Life Healthy Aging Clinic at Bumrungrad International is the right place for older adults who are looking for a holistic approach to healthcare, ranging from primary health and preventive care to more complicated medical cases. The center features a multidisciplinary team led by an experienced geriatrician and supported by a clinical nurse specialist, clinical pharmacist, nutritionist, and physical therapist. Make your appointment at the clinic today, and get star ted on a healthy journey through retirement.

November 2016 • ScandAsia.Thailand 15

Senior wellness / Active Aging

A guide for aging Danes By Maria Jønsson

lot of people choose to move to Thailand to spend their last years abroad. And who can blame them? How festive is November in Denmark, when you in Thailand have the swaying palm trees and the crystal blue water. It is attractive to reside in Thailand, but there are some things you need to consider as you get older. First of all, the safety net back in Denmark is no longer there to depend on when things go wrong. That is the Danish health insurance and what it brings like hospitals, doctors, care and supplies. All that is no longer there to fall back on when you move out from Denmark. You also have to ask yourself: For how long do I want to stay? Will I stay here until I will need the Danish hospital sector? And then, what do I have to come home to? Do I have accommodation, are my finances in control, so that I can actually exist at home? So, yes, it is great to settle down in Thailand if your health is on point and your economy the same. But if one of the two starts to crumble, the joy will most likely disappear. Birgit Sarah Kondrup-Palmqvist, Consul at the Danish Embassy in Bangkok, has some advice for Danes wanting to relocate to Thailand.

16 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2016

The legal stay:Visa To begin with, you have to make sure that you are legal resident in Thailand. Most people arrive on a 90 days’ visa, and then they apply for some kind of residence permit. Most of the times, people apply for a retirement visa, where you first of all have to be aged over 50 years. But there are also some financial requirements - whether you are married or not. The Thai authorities demand married people to have a monthly income of 40,000 THB, and 65,000 THB if you are unmarried. Another possibility is to have 400,000 THB in your bank account if you are married, and 800,000 THB if not. These amounts must have been there for a couple of months before applying for the retirement visa which lasts a year. It can also be a mix of the amounts, i.e. some income and an amount on the bank book. According to Consul Birgit Sarah, not everyone remembers to get their visa in place, because they do not think about the importance of it. “If you get caught in Thailand on overstay, the hammer falls,” she says and explains that getting caught without a valid visa, you will be put in the immigration’s detention. She explains that this a terrible place to end up – you can be up to 100 people in one cell, and the space is so limited that

you can’t even stretch your legs and almost have to spoon the other detainees going to sleep. And also, there is a risk of catching illnesses due to the tight gathering of so many people and the almost non-existent hygienic conditions. “Here, you can sit as long as it lasts before you can present a one-way ticket out of the country. And then, the police will drive you all the way to the airport and walk you all the way inside the airplane,” Birgit Sarah says. Furthermore, you might be blacklisted from entering into Thailand ever again, depending on how long your over-stay is.

Health insurance You may have arrived safe and sound, found a place to live and are ready to start your life in the tropics under the southern sun. But at some point, as we all grow older, one can then not be certain that the good health will come along. In this situation, Birgit Sarah explains that it is very important to have a health insurance. “No health insurance; no treatment – and if you die, you cannot get buried,” she says explaining that this is unless you are willing to pay for the hospital and funeral yourself. Birgit Sarah further explains that if you want to make sure you receive proper care, you often have to find a private hospital. Here, the daily bill can

I think that the majority of the people living abroad still have a connection with their home country – it may well be that you do not want to stay in Denmark whilst being alive, but at least you want to be buried in Denmark when you die.

s in Thailand end costing 50,000 THB, and you have to pay for everything; bed, bed sheets, medicine, care, food and equipment. “If you don’t want to pay for the hospital or your repatriation after your passing, then nothing will happen, unless others are willing to pay for you. If not, you will end up at the hospital without further treatment, and when you die, you will end up as an unwanted corpse,” she says knowing that it is a harsh but true message that needs to be told. Birgit Sarah explains that it is a good idea to get the health insurance in place when you get here and not wait until you are 75 years old or more. If you wait and some minor infirmities start to appear, you may risk that no insurance company want to insure you, and then there is nothing left to do. So, Birgit Sarah advises everyone to take out an insurance which can be done either locally in Thailand or from Denmark.What you need to ask yourself; if I get ill, do I want treatment in Thailand or Denmark? And if you die; whether you want to be buried in Thailand or Denmark. “I think that the majority of the people living abroad still have a connection with their home country – it may well be that you do not want to stay in Denmark whilst being alive, but at least

you want to be buried in Denmark when you die,” Birgit Sarah says.

Keep in touch At the Danish Embassy, they often experience Danes having left home and at the same time burned all their bridges behind them. This can be due to a failed marriage where the children have chosen the other parent, it can be family disputes with the mother and father, and so on. When a Dane is hospitalized in Thailand and in need of economic help, the Embassy asks if there is anyone they can contact who can help them. Often they do, but, according to Birgit Sarah, the people on the other end of the line are not willing to help. “In 90-95% of the cases, we are told: ‘Well, he has burned the bridges behind him – we haven’t seen this person in decades, why would we want to help a person who hasn’t wanted to speak to us in all these years?’” she says explaining that it may be that this situation has repeated itself so many times where family and friends may have helped in the past, but cannot do it anymore. So, do travel to Thailand and settle down here, but it is also important to remember to keep in touch with the people back home. There may be a situation where you will need them badly.

Entering a relationship “It is not good for the man to be alone,” it says in the Bible. And Danes do not only experience bad things moving to Thailand; many of them end up finding a partner here. And this often leads to the Dane buying a house here – but as a foreigner in Thailand, you cannot own your own property.This means that the house often ends up registered in the Thai partner’s name. Birgit Sarah explains that here, you have to be aware that if the relationship breaks, you have no rights concerning the house, even though you are the one who bought it. Another thing concerning relationships is the inheritance.You might have found the love of your life in Thailand and want this person, who often is younger than you, to inherit from you. Here, it is not enough to have been living with this person for a certain number of years, as you will see it other places. In Thailand, they only care about whether you are married or not when it comes to heritage. Furthermore, you also have to be aware of inheritance law. Generally, it is the case that if you have left Denmark and taken up residence in another countr y, then it is this countr y’s succession arrangement that apply. But what you have to be aware of is that you may have life heirs in Denmark in the form of children or a husband November 2016 • ScandAsia.Thailand 17

I think that it would be a good idea to go home. But of course, it is a problem if you are married to a Thai person and want to stay here even when you get old and care-dependant; then it’s something you must decide for yourself.

or wife – if you are still married. These heirs must always inherit according to the law. This can be a percentage which they have to receive, and then you can bequeath what is left. This is why, Birgit Sarah at the Danish Embassy advises Danes to make a will.

Be careful with sensitive information When you have found the love of your life and trust them with your heart and soul, you may be tempted to give them your credit card information. Here, Birgit Sarah explains that you have to be very careful. “If you hand out your password to someone else, then this person can go to the nearest ATM and empty your account,” the Consul says describing that this is something they experience frequently, unfortunately. “This is why,” she says, “you have to be very alert to what you give other people access to. That you don’t just give someone the key to the cash box and say: ‘Please help yourself ’.” According to Birgit Sarah, worst case scenario is that the account is emptied, the partner has gone to a place far away, the money is gone, and there is nothing you can do.

Elderly care? What will happen if you become so old that you no longer can take care of yourself? In Thailand, they do not have elderly care as we do in Denmark, so when facing this situation, it is up to each individual to find their solution. If you have the money, you can buy your way to home care here in Thailand. And if you have a Thai wife or husband, you can put your trust in them to take care of you. Birgit Sarah’s advice in this situation is to go back to Denmark. “I think that it would be a good idea to go home. But of course, it is a problem if you are married to a Thai person and want to stay here 18 ScandAsia.Thailand • November 2016

even when you get old and care-dependant; then it’s something you must decide for yourself,” she says. If the Dane decides to go back to Denmark, Birgit Sarah explains that it is up to him or her to take care of the Thai wife or husband that maybe used to live off the Dane’s pension, but is left behind. Here, the Dane must ask himself if he still wants to, and is able to, provide for his family in Thailand.

Register as a Dane living in Thailand Birgit Sarah stresses the impor tance of being registered as a Dane living in Thailand. This is for the Dane’s own safety, as she mentions different things that can happen in Thailand. This can be political in the form of a riot between different fractions, or it can be a natural disaster in the form of an earthquake in northern Thailand or a tsunami on Phuket. If something like this is to happen, the Embassy will know who to look and care for. At the Embassy, they know that some people do not want to register themselves because they think that the eventual extra supplement they receive to the pension will be noticed by the Danish Social Services. This, Birgit Sarah explains, is not the case. “These people need to know that they commit social fraud which is a really bad idea. But this is their own problem. We don’t go through the list, we don’t have those kinds of resources,” she says. Especially in these times with the Royal succession issue unclear and uncer tainties around a coming general election it is a good idea to register as a Dane living in Thailand. You can register via the Danish Embassy’s website, and you should do it for your own sake, Birgit Sarah adds.

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

ชลบุรี

ถนนวิทยุ

กรุงเทพฯ

นครสวรรค์

หัวหิน

ถนน ข้าวสาร

What’s in a Name! By Klavs Johansen (thai@snakthai.dk)

s was exemplified in the October 2015 column about the Indian connection of the Thai language, Thai place names often consist of words with a Pali or Sanskrit origin. Hence, such place names, while elegant and beautifully sounding, do not carry meaning in colloquial Thai. Just take for one the name of the coastal town of ชลบุรี / chon bùri: / ~ Chonburi, where ชล / chon / is an elegant word for ‹water›, while บุรี / búri: / means ‹city›. Some place names, however, include useful vocabulary from everyday Thai. As such, they are low hanging fruits to pick for anyone wanting to learn Thai. Besides this, knowing the meaning of the place names will help you remember them. This month, we will look at a few examples. While going through them, please also pay attention to their pronunciation in Thai. Several of them are commonly distorted in their Western versions. As usual, get a Thai friend to help you. The capital of Thailand is known outside Thailand as บางกอก / ba:ng kòr:k / ~ Bangkok. Note, though, that the Thai pronunciation differs somehow from the English or Scandinavian pronunciations of the word. In Thailand, the metropole is of course better known as กรุงเทพฯ / krung thê:p / ~ Krungthep, the city of divine beings. บางกอก / ba:ng kòr:k / is the original name of the small village located on the place where the new capital was to be constructed after the fall of Ayutthaya. Already known among Europeans as a

place along the river to Ayutthaya, the name was never really changed in the West. บาง / ba:ng / is perhaps the most frequent component of place names, at least in Central Thailand, as it merely means a ‹settlement along a waterway›. In the greater Bangkok area, we find for example the districts of: บางนา / ba:ng na: / ~ Bang Na, where นา / na: / ~ ricefield, and บางรัก / ba:ng rák / ~ Bang Rak, where รัก / rák / also means ‹love›. Thus, the district office of the latter is a very popular placed to tie the knot. Less charming is บางกะปิ / ba:ng kàpì› / ~ Bang Kapi, where กะปิ / kàpì› / actually means ‹fermented shrimp paste›, a regular ingredient in many Thai dishes, though the place name may have another origin, unknown to this columnist. Other place names in Bangkok are: ประตูน้ำ� / pràtu: ná:m / ~ Pratunam with ประตู / pràtu: / ~ door, gate and น้ำ� / ná:m / ~ water, so Pratunam is a ‹sluice›. สีลม / sĭ: lom / ~ Silom is ‹windmill› with สี / sĭ: / meaning to ‹grind›, ‹scrub› or ‹mill› and ลม / lom / meaning ‹wind›. In the same area we find ศาลาแดง / să:lă: dae:ng / ~ Sala Daeng with ศาลา / să:lă: / ~ pavilion and แดง / dae:ng / ~ red. Not so far from there is ถนนวิทยุ / thánŏn wíttháyú› / ~ Wireless Road, where ถนน / thánŏn / of course is ‹road› and วิทยุ / wíttháyú› / is the common word for ‹radio›. In the backpackers› area of the old Bangkok, we have ถนนข้าวสาร / thánŏn khâ:o să:n / ~

Khao San Road, where ข้าวสาร / khâ:o să:n / ~ husked rice, presumably an indication of the former business of the road. Moving outside Bangkok, เชียงใหม่ / chiang mài / ~ Chiang Mai means ‹new city›. เชียง / chiang / is an old northern Thai name for ‹city›, other examples being เชียงราย / chiang ra:i / ~ Chiang Rai and เชียงแสน / chiang săe:n / ~ Chiang Saen, while ใหม่ / mài / is plain Thai for ‹new›. In the name of the old town of นครสวรรค์ / nákhor:n sàwăn / ~ Nakhon Sawan, สวรรค์ / sàwăn / is the common Thai name for ‹heaven›. Going south of Bangkok, we reach เพชรบุรี / phét bùri: / ~ Phetchburi, recognizing บุรี / bùri: / and noting that เพชร / phét / means ‹diamond›. A little further south, we arrive at the seaside resort of หัวหิน / hŭa hĭn / ~ Hua Hin, where หัว / hŭa / is ‹head› and หิน / hĭn / is ‹stone› or ‹rock›, a place name that must be obvious to anyone who has seen the large rocks at the northern end of the famous beach. Let›s end our tour of place names in the south where the name of the island เกาะเต่า / kòr› tào / ~ Ko Tao is composed of เกาะ / kòr› / ~ island and เต่า / tào / ~ turtle, and we get Turtle Island. Do you have more examples of Thai place names, fully or partly consisting of words from everyday Thai? If so, do share them with us at the Thai Language Corner on Facebook! See you there, and see you here again in the next issue! November 2016 • ScandAsia.Thailand 19

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