ScandAsia Thailand - April 2017

APR 2017

International Schools theme BUSINESS

PEOPLE

COMMUNITY

LIFESTYLE

Celemi’s Power of Learning

Eric Hallin is TSCC’s new President

Scandinavian Society Siam Garden Party

Building pillars of hospitality excellence

17 APR 20

Events

SWEA trip to Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles e ls them Schoo tional Interna UNITY COMM

ESS BUSIN er Pow Celemi’sning of Lear

PEOPLE

n Eric Halli is TSCC’s ident new Pres

ian Scandinav Siam Society Party Garden

YLE LIFEST s pillar Building itality of hosp e excellenc

Where: Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, Phra Lan Rd, Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Khet Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Maha Nakhon When: 26 April, 10:00

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- , Fax: +66 2 943 7169 E-mail: news@scandasia.com Editor-in-Chief : Gregers A.W. Møller gregers@scandmedia.com

Swedish Women’s Educational Association plans a trip to visit an exhibition celebrating Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on Wednesday 26 April 2017.

In honour of the auspicious occasion of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit’s 7th cycle birthday anniversary on August 12, 2016, the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles will mount Fit For A Queen, a new exhibition that focuses on the 22-year-long working relationship between Her Majesty and French couturier Pierre Balmain.

The exhibition offers visitors the chance to view more than 30 of Her Majesty’s most

Easter Lunch with SWEA Bangkok Where: Restaurant Cajutan, Sukhumvit Road, soi 18 When: 22 April, 19:00 - 00:00 Celebrating the Easter holidays Swedish Women’s Educational Association in Bangkok will have an Easter Lunch at the Swedish Restaurant Cajutan on Sukhumvit soi 18 where a lovely buffet will be served.

The lunch is held on Saturday 22 April 2017 and starts at 19:00 and cost 695 THB per person, beverages are included.

RSVP Sunday 16 April 2017.

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

stylish daytime, cocktail, and evening dresses, plus related accessories and several pieces of the luggage custom-made by Louis Vuitton for Their Majesties, most never before displayed.

Design sketches and embroidery swatches lent

by Balmain S.A. and the House of Lesage in Paris will help illuminate the design and creation processes. The exhibition is further enriched by period footage and photographs.

The exhibition is at Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, The Grand Palace and SWEA will meet at the entrance at 10:00.

RSVP before 25 April 2017.

ZabaiGolf at Sherwin William Cup Where: The Vintage Club, 549,549/1-4 Moo 3 Panviti Rd. Klongdan Bangbor Samutprakarn When: 22 April ZabaiGolf, a group of Scandinavian golfers in Thailand, are attending the Sherwin William Cup on Saturday 22 April 2017.

Sponsored by Sherwin William, ZabaiGolf will be at the cup, which is held at the Vintage Club, located an hour away from Bangkok.

Any member of Scandinavian Society Siam can also join ZabaiGolf. Read more on www. zabaigolf.com

April 2017

ScandAsia Community 4

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TSCC Monthly Networking with Securitas Scandinavian Society Siam’s Garden Party Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce AGM

Mr. Christopher Stafford COO of 137 Pillars Hotels & Resorts

18 International Schools theme

ScandAsia Business

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11 Pandora

New manufacturing facility in Lamphun

Ms. Barbro Andersson Spearheading Celemi’s ‘Power of Learning’ in SEA

12 Dancham AGM

6

New DTCC President to be elected

13 Embassy of Sweden and IKEA Promoted paternity leave in Thailand

16 dtac accelerate

dtac’s CEO Lars Norling launches Batch 5

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Mr. Daniel Kvarnemo Swedish teacher at NIST One-Stop Shop for all your editing, design, printing and digital printing needs

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Community

TSCC Monthly Networking with Securitas Text and photos: Joakim Persson

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n Thursday 2 March 2017 the ThaiSwedish Chamber of Commerce, sponsored by Securitas, held its Monthly Networking event at the five-star hotel St. Regis on Ratchadamri Road in Bangkok.

At the event the many guests – including H.E. Sweden’s Ambassador to Thailand Mr Staffan Herrström, Swedish university students, business leaders as well asother TSCC members gathered at the intimate and refined Decanter – St. Regis’ outlet where connoisseurs can savour the pleasures of New and Old World wines.

Securitas’ Countr y President Mr Daniel Holtsjö introduced the security company’s new StaySafe innovative smartphone app and cloud-based monitoring solution, which provides personal protection for lone workers anywhere in the world.

Ambassador Herrström also held a speech in which he praised Swedish innovations and international companies and their importance for Sweden’s continued success as an exporting nation.

The fact that guests lingered until nearly 10 pm was stamp of approval for another great social and business event for TSCC in Bangkok.

4 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 5

Community

Danish Embassy Bangkok hosted a great Garden Party

By Gregers Møller

T

he Royal Danish Embassy in Bangkok hosted Saturday 25 March 2017 the annual Garden Party organised by Scandinavian Society Siam. Around 80 SSS members and their friends had a great evening in the capable hands of Danny California and his band which showed an impressive versatility from entertaining with jazz during the dinner to letting it all loose with Rock’n Roll for the dance afterwards.

The Scandinavians knew as usual how to have a good time and started the dancing even in-between the main course and the desert.

Thordur Adalsteinsson was the key par ty organiser who welcomed the guests and thanked Danish Ambassador Uffe Wolffhechel for his hospitality in allowing us to use the court yard of the embassy. Later, SSS Chairman Lars Andersson also thanked him and gave him a gift from the close to 100 year old society.

Thordur Adalsteinsson also took the oppor tunity to announce the newly created Icelandic business association and presented two honorary memberships to Mark Viravan, son of Icelandic Honorary Consulate General in Bangkok and Consul Poul Weber, who in his speech mentioned that this year incidentally also marks the forty year anniversary of his honorary membership of Scandinavian Society Siam.

6 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

Eric Hallin New TSCC President

S

wedish hotelier Mr. Eric Hallin is the new President of Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce following a brief meeting by the newly Board of Governors after the AGM on Thursday 30 March 2017 at Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit in Bangkok.

The AGM also showed that the Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce is now financially stable with money in the bank and a comfortable profit margin.

“We are not here to create a profit, but we must be profitable in order to survive,” as outgoing President Jan Eriksson put it when going through the financial report during the Annual General Meeting on 30 March 2017.

In 2016, the revenue of the TSCC went up 2 percent, but cost went down 13 percent, equity went up 63 percent. The Chamber exceeded its own budget for 2016 many times over and ended up with a bank holding of 388 percent over that

Community

of the previous year.

The strain on the economy of the Chamber started a few years back with the payment of lay-off compensation to a former staff. Among the factors contributing to the progress is the positive membership development. The current membership now stands at 65 members and the forecast for 2017 is to add another five new members to that figure.

The TSCC President for the past four years, Mr. Jan Eriksson, took the opportunity to resign and instead, the Board of Directors elected Mr. Eric Hallin as TSCC President. Also, two new members were elected for the Board, Mr. Janeric Hogane, and Mr. Roy Andersson A record number of over 80 members participated in the AGM and the following dinner with Guest Speaker Mr. Korn Chatikavanij talking about challenges for Thailand in the struggle to achieve the so-called Thailand 4.0 economic situation.

April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 7

Community

Swedes in Thai hospitality:

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By Joakim Persson wo Swedes are currently deeply involved in conceptualising the ingredients that are to form pillars of hospitality excellence for a Thaiowned luxur y boutique brand in Thailand.The man steering and heavily influencing this creation process is no other than the wellknown and highly regarded Swedish hotelier Christopher Stafford. And the Chief Operating Officer (COO) has now brought on board also a seasoned chef, the well-travelled Peter Marx, to be at the helm of the kitchens and also overseeing the group’s restaurant concepts.

And in raising the bar further for Thailand’s luxury hospitality in the process, the brand’s second hotel 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok is opening its doors in April as their most urgent task at hand.

Timeless quality yet modern and temporary in design; exquisite cuisine and dining outlets for connoisseurs; truly luxurious interiors and service; and something really special for the mind, body and soul (as spa concept) – are all examples of the ingredients that form part of the formula in creating true excellence within hospitality, courtesy of 137 Pillars Hotels & Resorts.

There are in addition other features such as ‘Louie the London Cab’, a classic car equipped 8 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

with a champagne bar in the back, transporting guests to an from Bangkok Sukhumvit road soi 39’s many surrounding lifestyle attractions.

And within only a few years from now you will be able to savour their passionately curated results at no less than three of Thailand’s most recognised and popular destinations; namely in Chiang Mai, Bangkok and on Phuket, where a third property (The 137 Pillars Estate Phuket) is under development on the untouched north peninsula of Phuket’s well-known Kata Beach.

Before letting Christopher and Peter elaborate on their work in progress, a quick retrospect on their respective achievements feels appropriate.

Christopher is synonymous with the Thai hotel brand Anantara, that today has gone international. He headed the Anantara Resort Group from 2000-2007, opening 6 properties for the group.

“My biggest achievement to date was the adaptation of Anantara first to Thailand and perhaps more critically establishing our first international venture in the Maldives - that was a game changer for Minor Group at the time,“ he tells ScandAsia.

More recently he was the Vice President of Hotel Operations for South East Asia for SilverNeedle Hospitality.

Peter Marx, meanwhile, most recently comes from the Straits-colonial inspired new Bintan island resort The Sanchaya (outside Singapore) where he was the pre-opening Executive Chef and Culinary Artiste. In his international chefs career Peter, described as a gourmet nomad, has managed to visit 57 countries across three continents, with extensive experience in Europe, Southeast Asia and the South Pacific Islands. Peter has many adventures to far-flung places to tell about, if you get a chance to speak to him.

He started at very young age working with German Michelin Star chefs in L’Escargot and Coq Blanc in Stockholm (famous restaurants in Sweden).

He came “early” to Australia in the 1980’s and worked for the two Ritz Carlton properties and a number of Hatted Restaurants (Australia’s equivalent to Michelin Star). Back then Australia didn’t have so much of the high quality products and produce that today is sought-after globally.

And European fine dining was not exactly established.

“There I arrive from Swedish Michelin star restaurants and started cooking such food, but no one understood what was going on,” Peter says, referring to his inroads on the scene. He then went more instead for Mediterranean cuisine and

Building pillars of excellence Australasian cuisine, the latter described by Peter as fusion food; mixing Asian with Western.

He was fortunate to work there with many Italian chefs among the Italian immigrants, in a period that clearly has shaped Peter Marx’s concept into what it has become today. He opened the famous Italian Forum in Leichard as Group Executive Chef in Sydney, overseeing the concepts of Italian cuisine in four restaurants, which became multiple award winners for Best Italian Cuisine, and remain a benchmark for gastronomic Italian cuisine lovers.

So there, among Italians in Sydney a Swede was excelling in the kitchens, and there his background in French cuisine came to good use: “I improved the Italian cooking by bringing in some finesse.”

After a long period in Australia his travels brought him out into the Pacific Ocean and adventures on Fiji and the Solomon Islands, to explore exotic cultures, ingredients and cuisine.

He has also successfully opened and operated restaurants in Vietnam. And now in his new role as Group Director of Culinary with 137 Pillars Hotels & Resorts he represents a style described as a light, modern expression of French Mediterranean with a Southeast Asian influence.

His dishes are innovative with a classic foundation

and artistic style; colourful to the eye, light on the palette and a feast for the senses.

The Swedish chef is now first and foremost shaping the cuisine of 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok’s stirring outlets that combined with his creative approach make the promise of some really interesting dining experiences.

Those are mainly: Nimitr – presenting exquisite Avantgarde Thai Cuisine with a molecular twist and hint of the west, and Bangkok Trading Post - a Deli and Bistro incorporating the finest traditions of this renowned European concept with high quality Western and Asian ‘Eclectic comfor t cuisine’ (think artisanal breads, jams, coffee, eggs, rice, grains and patisserie with cakes, pastries and pizzas as well as a selection of delicacies from Thailand and the regions).

“Peter is a ver y creative man, with ver y novel ideas that we need in this industry. So he brings something of a completely new approach, compared to what we have seen before. In our industry things should be a bit fresh all the time; going for it a bit more and not sitting still,” Christopher comments about Peter.

Peter, meanwhile , counter s with his assessment of Christopher : “His achievements etc. looked really interesting. And when I met

My biggest achievement to date was the adaptation of Anantara first to Thailand and perhaps more critically establishing our first international venture in the Maldives - that was a game changer for Minor Group at the time

April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 9

Community

him I found him to be a humble man and a calm, peaceful person with very good operational skills.

He is very accommodating, and he has his views and I have mine. And I try to push my view a little bit forward. We need to take some risks sometimes, and Chris is open for it as long as he can see the outcome – which is great; it gives me more freedom to test things.”

Meanwhile Christopher Stafford describes himself as somewhat of an outlier,“an entrepreneur in a way”, who says he has convinced the owners to take the path he put forward; one that will for sure not leave them behind the curve.

“I sold the idea to the owners to build a brand out of 137 Pillars, and we are building in Phuket as well. Bangkok is the strongest of the thee now when it comes to luxury and it will probably expand in Chiang Mai as well, as we have had over 85 per cent occupancy there during five years of operation,” he predicts.

“They are thinking long-term and would rather keep their assets and build a constant revenue through having rentals long term,” says, Christopher. “They are pretty conservative in a way, but at the same time daring by entering luxury with a different approach; they will put in the best things they possibly can.”

As a boutique brand this enables 137 Pillars Hotels & Resorts to be a frontrunner.

“We are a luxury boutique operator that as such seek to provide bespoke products with a 10 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

sense of history, creativity and uniqueness as well as provide services to enable us to achieve the highest revenue per available room as a group in Asia in the luxury segment.”

“As an independent hotel company we want our product and service to become true points of difference as opposed to reward points or other loyalty mechanism. It’s hospitality versus commodity,” he comments with a clear hint to the established five-star scene.

“A room is a room is a room,” he comments in another instance, “so it’s a matter of what you develop around it. We will, for instance, have something we call personal shopper. We know in the hotels we will have 70 per cent occupancy, and we will have some 30-40 wives sitting home while the men are out working. What should they do? We will have someone looking after your interest.”

And this will be someone who is ‘in the know’ and can take guests, based on their interests, to places no one else does.

“Our key focus is practising the ar t of hospitality and passionately curating experiences to guests’ needs.”

137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok, comprises 34 luxurious suites and 179 Residences, where the living experience of these will combine world-class facilities with spacious, well-designed and elegantly furnished homes.

The suites are exquisitely appointed, all with

private dining tables, butler service, maxi bars with private wine cellars, large walk-in wardrobes, beautiful en-suite bathrooms and chic circular 137 Pillars baths complete with built in TV. And spacious balconies are furnished with traditional 137 Pillars House signature rocking chairs etc.

Inherent for this brand is also to truly giving guests a sense of place and privacy not easily available in big city hotels. Christopher elaborates: “Each suite brings to our guests many aspects of home - no room service trolleys a proper dining facility and maxi bar service with adjoining pantry.

Guest suites designed to enable you to invite guests for dinner or meetings.”

The COO also speaks with much passion about the upcoming 137 Pillars Estate Phuket, which will have 51 pool suites and 15 luxury villas – to be reached via private boat transfer!

“Built on original rainforest land we will keep all the trees and design a rain forest spa for which we have hired Mr Roger Moore – not 007, mind you, but a highly experienced wellness consultant who has come to us with an entirely new wellness concept building on the three pillars body, mind and soul and seven different styles of lifestyle.

And Peter is working with him with regards to developing the spa concept concerning cuisine, nutrition and diet.”

From 137 Pillars Hotels & Resorts, Christopher Stafford and Peter Marx exciting things are clearly in the works.

Pandora opens new green crafting facility in Thailand

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ednesday 22 March 2017 was a big day for the Danish jeweller y company Pandora, as they opened their new, highly modernised and green crafting facility in Lamphun near Chiang Mai in Nor thern Thailand. The new state of the art crafting facility opens as par t of Pandora long term growth plan.

The facility is the first in a line of strategic initiatives in Pandora’s efforts to meet increasing demand.

“The site in Lamphun is only the first in a line of strategic initiatives.

Over the next years, we will expand production capacity at our current site in Bangkok further, investing a total of DKK 1.8 billion in the period 2015 to 2019,” says Anders Colding Friis , President and CEO of Pandora.

“Ever y day, consumer s all over the world expect the highest quality from PANDORA. With our dedicated and skilled craftspeople in Thailand, located in Bangkok and now Lamphun, we are ver y well suited to meet future demands from our consumers,” he says.

The new facility, which will eventually employ up to 5,000 people, is introducing new ways of combining effectiveness with Pandora’s indigenous craftsmanship developed by the company’s founder. This enables Pandora to increase effectiveness and better control production costs without compromising quality and the handfinished uniqueness of each piece of jewellery.

Due to its innovative design, the new facility is prepared to facilitate an even more complex production setup, enabling Pandora to pursue its strategy to expand its product range and at the same time improve lead time, meaning the time needed in the process from receiving the order and to the final piece of jewellery leaves the crafting facility.

“Our consumer’s increasing demands and expectations on improved flexibility are met by our new facility in Lamphun, where craftsmanship walks hand in hand with highly effective Leanoriented production principles

Business

creating a state-of-ar t production system” says Senior Vice President Thomas Touborg, responsible for the production in Pandora.

The high standards in the new facility not only mean significant cost- and energy savings, they also ensure that Pandora can fully meet future demands for sustainability from consumers all over the world.

Tetra Pak builds new plant in Rayong, Thailand

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etra Pak has annouced to build a new plant at its Rayong site in Thailand, dedicated to producing closures for carton packaging.

The €24 million investment, which will create around 60 jobs when it opens early in 2018, will be capable of producing more than 3 billion closures every year.

With demand for welldesigned closures on beverage cartons rising all the time, the new facility will provide much-needed local production and essential extra capacity.

“The new production facility will ensure faster deliver y for customer s across the region, offering a broad range of exciting closures that meet consumer

demand for functionality and convenience,” said Michael Zacka, Cluster Vice President, Tetra Pak South Asia, East Asia and Oceania (SAEA&O).

“It’s another sign of the confidence we have in this region, and our commitment to putting our customers’ success at the heart of everything we do.Together with the packaging material factory that we will open in Vietnam in 2019, our fourth in southern Asia alone, our ability to serve customers in this exciting part of the world is growing stronger all the time.”

The new production facility will be located within the company’s existing Straws and Strips Plant in Rayong.

April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 11

Business

New working format of Dancham AGM

Supareark Charlie Chomchan

Secretary General of DTCC, Michael Andersen

ancham - Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce - in 2017 once again experimented with the format of its Annual General Meeting. The old, passive “the board talks - the members listen” format is history, from now on members will take an active part in group discussions with other members sharing similar interests.

The meeting star ted with a question and answer session where leaders of some of the advocacy groups established under the JFCCT - Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce explained the issues they were working with.

Inspired by this input, the members were divided into similar groups, where they discussed issues as diverse as the re-creation of the NYP - Nordic Young Professionals - to tackling the ever-present burden of corruption.

The panel discussion with members of the JFCCT was moderated by Vice President Suparear k Char lie Chomchan. The panel members were Stanley Kang (President JFCCT), Steve Chen (SME), Willem Niemeijer (tourism), and Per Lind (ICT).

After this, the members established five groups: Anti-Corruption, Logistics, Eastern Seaboard, NYP - Nordic Young Professionals and SAP - Senior Advisory Professionals.

The AGM 2017 was opened after a delicious buffet dinner by DTCC President Thomas Nyborg who introduced former President Tom Soerensen as the Moderator of the meeting.

The chairman concluded the AGM was legally called and proceeded with the agenda points of the AGM. The board presentation for 2017 star ted with remembrance of Consul General Joergen Scmidt who passed away in August 2016 after a prolonged illness. Mr. Stig Vagt Andersen spoke fondly of Mr Schmidt, who was the founder and owner of DZ cards. He will be remembered by many for his generous contributions over many years to the DTCC and the Danish community in Thailand in general. The participants stood up in one minute of silence to honor the memory of Joergen Schmidt.

The new Secretary General of the DTCC Mr. Michael Andersen presented the status of the secretariat and admitted that the secretariat had faced several challenges and shortcoming in the past couple of years but is now on track to make the required improvements.

Mr. Simon Scheibel presented the audited Accounts for 2016 which was approved by the members and proceeded to explain the budget for the coming year. His presentation had the

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12 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

Tom Sorensen thanks outgoing President Thomas Nyborg form of an action plan for the period 2017 – 2019 with a budget to support the action plan to be launched this year. The action plan includes more involvement of members, more clear visible member benefits, and upgrade of the office and its staff as well as the website among other activities planned for 2017.

The election of new members of the Board was as usual an exciting point on the agenda.

The biggest surprise in that respect was, that the name of the new President would not be know for several weeks. Acting President Charlie Chomchan explained that the board would use a secret ballot at its first meeting in April to decide on the division of task among its members including who will be the next President.

Four new members joined the board. The election of five new Directors for the Board of Directors of the Chamber was preceded by an introduction of the six candidates standing for election to the five seats available. The election committee worked hard to count the ballots and in a close vote the following candidates were elected: Kristoffer Paludan - Michael Page International, Joachim Schalck - Vestas, Stiig Waever, Praesidio Group, and Frank D. Henriksen - DanThai Machinery. Current Vice President Supareark Charlie Chomchan - Pacific Rim Rich Group, was re-elected as board member and Sune Sucksdorff - Net Protection Concepts International became substitute board member.

The other Board of Directors for the next 12 months are: Frank D. Henriksen, Jesper RiisAntonsen, Santhapat Periera, Simon Scheibel, Sophie Edelgren, Stig Vagt-Andersen and Torben Nybo Jensen.

The fresh 2017 Board will convene in three weeks’ time to select the new President and the new Vice-President of the Chamber and assign responsibilities to the directors.

In his closing remarks, Tom Sorensen thanked outgoing President Thomas Nyborg for his dedication to serving the Chamber for several years and gave him a present as a token of appreciation of the Chamber members.

After the AGM, some members stayed on for a while to discuss the AGM and other community affairs over a drink or a beer. The event was sponsored by Carlsberg, ECCO, Jyske Bank, Novo Nordisk, Pandora & Royal Copenhagen.

Business

Embassy of Sweden and IKEA promote paternity leave in Thailand

Swedish Ambassador to Thailand Mr Staffan Herrström

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aternity leave as a step towards gender equality in Thailand was promoted with an event held in Bangkok jointly by the Embassy of Sweden and Ikea Thailand, held in connection to the HeForShe Arts Week and the Swedish Dads exhibition – an initiative by UN Women to promote gender equality through arts and cultural activities. The Arts Week is held between 8-15March.

Mr. Singhadej Chu-Amnar t, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour also participated and share experiences and plans on paternity leave in Thailand.

At the event the Swedish Ambassador to Thailand Mr Staffan Herrström said: “Men need to be seen as fathers, treated as fathers, identified as fathers, receive rights as fathers – and of course behave like fathers. Paid parental leave should be available for both fathers and mothers. That became law in Sweden 1974. Later on 90 days out of 480 have been reserved for men – the three Daddy’s months. This has significantly contributed to gender equality.”

In Sweden, parents are entitled to 480 days (16 months) of paid parental leave when a child is born or adopted – one of the world’s most generous parental insurance schemes. Each parent has 3 individual months reserved. The remaining 10 months can be split freely between the parents. Splitting parental leave more equal has several positive effects, not least for women.

After Swedish men star ted to take more

Mr Lars Svensson, Sustainability and Communication Director of IKEA Southeast Asia responsibility for child-rearing, women have seen both their incomes and levels of self-reported happiness increase. Parental leave is also good for men. Men who stay at home with their kids can help foster a better father-child relationship.

Men staying at home also have healthier lifestyles and get to experience more precious moments with their kids.

As Ikea was originated in Sweden, the corporation believes home is the most important place in the world. As co-workers are the heart of its business, Ikea wants them to have a good balance between life at Ikea and life at home with their families. Time at home is especially impor tant for new parents. Employees are provided four months of paid maternity leave.

In 2017 Ikea Southeast Asia is granting all fathers four weeks of paid paternity leave. This benefit puts the company at the forefront for paternity benefits in our markets. We hope this extended paternity leave will support co-workers in their parenthood journey and enable dads to share more responsibilities at home. ”Ikea Southeast Asia takes a proactive approach to gender equality, as we know it offers mutual benefits to society, our co-workers, customers, and suppliers, while providing a return for our business. Today, at Ikea Thailand, 53% of our employees are women, and over 75% of the management are female. Our Bangna store is also led by two women.There are many things we can do to increase women’s empowerment, which

will further contribute to a better society. One important step is to set an example by taking the regional lead in having a practical paternity leave policy in place. This sends out an encouraging signal reinforcing the impor tance of sharing responsibility at home, empowering women in the process while also encouraging men to bond with their children,” said Mr Lars Svensson, Sustainability and Communication Director of IKEA Southeast Asia.

The Swedish Dads exhibition aims to show the positive effects that a generous parental insurance can have both on individuals and on society as a whole. Twenty-five fathers that have chosen to stay at home with their children for at least six months are pictured in the exhibition which have had a tremendous impact and has been published around the world.

“Thai Dads” photo competition was inspired by the “Swedish Dads” photo exhibition. The competition was launched by the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok with support by UN Women Asia-Pacific in order to highlight male role models and create a dialogue on gender equality. Fathers in Thailand sent in photos with their children and a quote describing their role as fathers using the hashtag #ThaiDads. The competition was well received by the public.

Source: Embassy of Sweden, Bangkok. Photos: Dennis Thern April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 13

Business Business acumen

Based on an innovation from back in 1985 by three Swedish consultants, Celemi has evolved into a global operation with a wide portfolio of clients and a network of consultants and partners around the world.

The ‘Power of Learning’ (the natural and spontaneous learning process that occurs when people learn without noticing) lies at the heart of every business simulation or custom solution Celemi creates, based on the purpose to provide business clients with faster, quicker and more compelling methods of bringing about change and increasing business knowledge.

One such skill is Business acumen (the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions): when everyone has developed it the organisation can more easily succeed. It increases the bottom line to build employees’ knowledge of how the company makes money and creates value.

For Celemi it is a central belief that we, as human beings, want to understand the context that we’re in, the big picture – of the organization we work for and the strategy. Celemi’s simulations and learning solutions help this cause and how everyone in a business can make a difference.

Connect to challenges

Learning journeys for businesses:

Celemi T

By Joakim Persson

here are different approaches for companies to drive change and improve their performance. Business simulations and experiential learning (the process of learning through experience) is one established method, with objectives that include: strategic thinking, decisionmaking, problem solving, financial analysis, teamwork and leadership etc.

Scandasia highlights one of the international providers from Sweden, with presence in China 14 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

(Shanghai) and Southeast Asia (Singapore). And no one from Celemi can be better to talk to than the Swede Barbro Andersson, who has built up their presence, first in China and now continuing with Southeast Asia and beyond.

The reason to enter China she says was to be close to ther direct clients but also to be there on site for their partners, Celemi Solution Providers. And there it was important to show that she would stay on for the long term to build the trust.

It’s a learning journey for any company to embark on, explains Barbro Andersson.

“We want clients to have an open dialogue about their needs to enable us to offer the right products and packaging. We package around a business simulation but we not only have one such – this is our strength – as we have developed many different ones.”

‘In the simulation you usually run a company, though there are others with focus on projects. I think it is clearly beneficial when the participants can leave their own company behind to enter with open eyes and allow failure, because then they get the learning aspect as well.”

Hence, the participants develop a deeper understanding of business decisions and their consequences, relating to their businesses.

“As a mentor I connect to the challenges the company is facing and how we can get a link into their organisation. Small parts can be applied onto their company during the simulation, for them to start thinking in the right direction. I guide them onto that path. Then they approach their own company without noticing,” she describes.

Functional teams

A seminar and simulation can be for the executives themselves of the particular business.

“And they may expand to include many more people and ask for a shorter version suitable for all levels to get a clear message through the organization. To suppor t implementing taken decisions.”

Barbro has also run seminars for people on the factory floor together with the management.

For instance a company had cash flow problems, tying up too much working capital and not being aware of it.

“Then one must find the right level not to frighten the workers off. And they discover, in the simulation, that they actually play a role, and at the end of the day I try to collect suggestions for improvement what they could do differently

when returning to work. And I collect all this and write a report.”

“When running the business as a team you get the communication. And you can also notice any dysfunctional team. It may be a person being too strong that makes the others too hesitant to object. Therefore I am very concerned when putting together the teams in order to get them to function properly. And I ask the client in advance if there is anything in particular they want to look into, where I can assist to assess based on certain aspects.”

One simulation calledTango is about managing people and attracting the right type of clients.

“One is not really aware of and what makes a company attractive. One can also discover when putting together a team if one lacks the right competence and also concerning the experience on the precise business one is doing, as well as concerning the personal chemistry. When problems turn up during the journey that needs to be solved it is crucial to have the right people on the team.”

In a simulation the company has four different levels of clogs (problems) that come up during the project.

“And they do not know in advance, and not the mentor either, but we can control to a certain extent. And it should be solved. And if one does that well the customer starts talking about how clever Celemi is: ‘We had these problems and they solved it!’ There are usually many eyeopeners that they must look at.”

‘It is amazing that you can discover this in the simulation,’ was the comment of one Tango simulation participant. ‘And if we do not have the right competence and must decline a customer request, what does then happen?’

Custom-made solutions

Celemi are also heading strongly towards becoming increasingly digital in what they offer: “The digital par t is to strengthen the whole experience and create added value. We can prepare the participants by digital tools so they can be more effective during the seminar.Then of course the follow-up after a seminar is also very important.”

“I want it to be continuous learning – which is what we are driving a lot to generate a large added value around what we are doing.”

“It’s also about that we work close to our customers. If doing everything via the partner network we cannot be sure to get the direct feedback on custom-made solutions. We work with many global companies on our own with completely tailor-made solutions; which is very important.”

Since some business needs are unique Celemi also offer custom solutions where they work with clients to create highly effective, tailor-made learning experiences.

“We can be ver y flexible depending on the customer and their needs; how much they need to partake in the development, because all content we must get from them. We can see different needs that a client may have and meet those. It can be about solutions based on cultural adaptions. We get that via our partner network.

In certain countries one cannot run it in English and then translation is required. “

“Our clients are often geared towards highend as our products are not cheap. But they quickly realise how much value there is in using them and how much one can save through the measures one can take after having gone through a seminar, how one gets return on investment.

And that is very important for me to see that the client gets a ROI on what I have done for them,” states Barbro.

Turn theory into practice

Along the way to achieve business improvement reluctance to change can be a hindrance. “One is comfortable in what one is doing. In Southeast Asia that’s important, and it differs from country to country. In Thailand one may be happy if one has an O.K salary, and is not really looking for more.”

In Singapore the challenge is of different nature: It’s more about that they have attended all these prestigious schools and then think they ought to know things. But the need is here! To bring all theory into practice is very important and many newly graduated from highly ranked schools are poor at that part,” she thinks.

“Scandinavian companies are not specific targets but we have many such companies that

we work with, as we have followed them out in the world.”

“And having Swedish presence is important for Celemi. It’s a big advantage concerning the cultural aspect. To be Swedish is an asset; with many clients things get easier then. One feels safe with us, knowing that we treat proprietary information discretely. “ Barbro gives suppor t to their par tner networ k all over Southeast Asia, as well as countries like India. Indonesia has been challenging for their par tners to be paid by their clients but she thinks that the market is there and has developed well.

“I see good potential. Our partner network should be able to do much more, and The Philippines is a very exciting market now - I am searching for a partner there to learn our simulations. We have exciting clients in the Philippines and I have done seminars there myself for large local companies.” ”In China we are heading more towards assisting large customers directly with support from our partner network. We aim for global roll outs. Our first signed partner in China is still facilitating a lot of seminars, actually the most busy partner we have in Celemi worldwide.”

April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 15

Business

CEO of dtac Mr Lars Norling

Chief Digital Officer at dtac, Mr Andrew Kvålseth

dtac CEO Lars Norling: Accelerator programme

T

Text and photos: Joakim Persson

he importance of start-ups for the business world is of such significance that an accelerator initiative by the Norwegian telecommunications giant Telenor’s Thailand arm dtac, is hot news in 2017. As dtac Accelerate rolled out its Batch 5 (group of start-ups round five) in early March this incubator programme has grown into a very significant initiative – for dtac, for Thailand and beyond.

Start-up accelerators, are fixed-term, cohortbased programs, that include mentorship and educational components and culminate in a public pitch event or demo day. dtac Accelerate is Thailand’s no.1 accelerator hothouse that empowers early-stage start-ups through mentorship and financial support.

On 2 March the CEO of dtac (Telenor’s Thai telecommunications company) Mr Lars Norling personally attended the event when Batch 5 was declared open for applications.

Having already raised the standard of start-up incubators in Thaland – name third best incubator in Southeast Asia – dtac accelerate also aims higher with Batch 5, in search for heavyweight start-ups with global potential, teaming up with a Google Developers, Facebook, and corporate venture capitals (CVC) Muang Thai Life Insurance and Thai Wah. The first thing Lars Norling said when he took 16 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

to the microphone was how exciting the event to launch was to him personally, and in his ending remarks he would be a young entrepreneur so he could himself submit his start-up ides to the programme.

“A thriving digital start-up community is key to drive the digital economy in Thailand to deliver on Thailand 4.0. It is very important for Thailand but it’s also very important for Dtac. We have an ambition to be a leading digital brand in Thailand by 2020 and to achieve this we have worked very hard to digitize our core. We work very hard to take a leading online position when it comes to space and service.”

“But engagement with digital products is of course also very important. And at dtac we have been working now with this accelerator programme since 2013.”

“We have the start-ups, the funding, the office space, mentoring, and the marketing. And so far more than a thousand companies or start-ups have applied to participate. We selected 21 of which most have been very successful.”

“And now for batch 5 I’m ver y excited, because we see with every batch that we have more applications and also better quality in applications. I think that’s a very good sign when it comes to the start-up community in Thailand.”

In this round the CEO said they would be looking at getting more educational tech, fintech,

but also agricultural tech.

“But any good ideas for tech companies are always welcome to apply to this programme.”

Batch 5 is open for applications until March 31, 2017. dtac accelerate will fund up to 1.5 million baht per team an those selected gets to join a 4-month bootcamp (training camp). They get an opportunity to pitch to local and regional VC’s.

“We have pretty big ambitions with dtac accelerate going forward,” continued the Swedish CEO. “The target in 2020 is that the aggregated value of all accelerated companies should be five billion baht. Currently their value is 2 billion baht but I think this can really be achieved. We also want the start-ups to solve big problems for customers in Thailand. The vision is that at least ten million Thais will be using the services and applications from those digital start-ups. That’s quite a high ambition.” dtac has partnered with the start-ups and launched various promotional campaigns to dtac subscribers, such as product and service packages from Skootar, Fastwork, and GizTix for SME clients; special privileges for dtac Rewards and Blue Member customers from Fabbrigade, Piggipo, and Skootar; discounts for tourists using dtac Happy Tourist SIM to book day trips with TakeMeTour; and free investment seminars by Finnomena for dtac Blue Members customers.

very important And to raise the bar even further the dtac CEO broke the news: “Dtac accelerate’s new super bold ambition is to actually have the first Thailand unicorn from one of the companies that has been through the accelerator programme!

That means 1 billion us dollar in valuation. Of course it is a greater goal but I think one of our companies over time will make it!”

“Also, when you think start-up, don’t just think locally; think Uber, think global. And what we can contribute with, since we are part of the Telenor family, is our presence in 13 markets around the world. We have around 214 million subscribers and what we enable is to open all those thirty markets for marketing of the digital star t-up services. So you can reach 200 million subscribers all over the world!”

Chief Digital Officer at dtac, Mr Andrew Kvålseth, who continued the presentation, was just as enthusiastic: “It’s incredibly exciting to announce batch five of dtac accelerate! It’s hard to believe we have already done this for four years and invested in 21 start-ups. Those four years have been incredible and we’ve had some great success to date. And I think the single reason for that success is that we have been focused exclusively on the customer – what is it the customer wants?”

“A lot of start-ups end up being competitorfocused and ask what other accelerator and

incubators are doing. And I have seen a lot of corporate accelerator programmes around the world that haven’t succeeded. And the major reason for not succeeding is that they ask: ‘What can the start-up do for our company? What can you start-ups help us with? And we have flipped that around to ask: ‘What can Dtac do for the start-ups?’ And actually I think that dtac can do a lot for the start-ups!” he continued.

What dtac do is investing cash directly into star t-ups to develop their product, opens up its subscriber base in Thailand to the accelerate start-ups so that these can put their product in front of 25 million people and help grow the number of users (done in a lot of different ways depending on the specifics), and also have “some of the best mentors in Thailand joining their programme each year”.

“And we’re also bringing in some of the best coaches from Silicon Valley, Thailand and around Asia to help our start-ups on key topics. And finally, our relentless focus on what’s best for the start-ups.”

Batch 5 will provide participating teams with quality training on how to become successful star t-ups and one-on-one mentoring from a team of world-class start-up gurus and successful and renowned entrepreneurs in the Thai start-up industry.

Andrew Kvålseth also pointed to the

incredibly low acceptance rate behind the success of dtac accelerate: “We take around ten, which means the start-ups that join are really the best of the best, and what that means is that the leading VCs around Asia have started using our accelerator programme as a filter and source of deal flow.”

That in itself also helps dtac getting only the best start-up ideas.

“That has led to our incredible results that we’ve had so far. We have had almost seventy per cent of our start-ups getting follow-on funding, which really exceeded our expectations.”

“Since we are getting the best start-ups in Thailand these are the products and services that are attractive to our customer base and it makes it easier for us to do co-marketing campaigns and to promote these, so that’s exactly what we do. Furthermore, Telenor group has now rolled out this model into a total of seven countries.”

It is also being used as a model for Telenor Group to foster start-up spirit among employees by launching ‘Telenor Ignite Incubator’ – a new intrapreneur program that encourages employees to develop ideas for digital products.

Dealstogo, a start-up from Thailand, was one of the winning teams at the demo day of Telenor Ignite Incubator.

April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 17

International Schools

7 Steps to choosing the right school Deciding something as important as your child’s new school might be the toughest part about moving to another country.

By Gregers Moller

C

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

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

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

Local vs International

First choice is if you are looking for a local school or an international school? In most countries in Asia, a local school is an option - although certainly a more challenging option for your child.

If you child is mixed Scandinavian - Asian this may, however, not be so frightening a prospect. And mostly it will have an economic silver lining as local private schools are less costly compared to international schools.

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

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

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

A few suggestions

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

Here are a few suggestions to help you make up your mind: 18 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

First: How far away is the school from your home?

Before spending time looking through school courses, you need to make sure the school is not too far away. Bear in mind that in most big cities, it is the traveling time between your home and the school that matters. How long will it take for your child to get to school and home afterwards?

How will your child be going there?

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

Second: What reputation does the school have?

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

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

Third: How are the courses at the school?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It seems that schools almost competes with each other when it comes to sports, thus many schools will have gymnasiums and sport complexes, which are either new or remodeled.

But maybe your child is more into other activities - computer programming, performing arts?

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

Fifth: Does the school have qualified personnel?

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

How long have they been teaching at the school?

What kind of teaching methods do they prefer?

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

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

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

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

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

Watch your child!

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

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

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

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

April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 19

International Schools

Learning your native Nordic language in Thailand With contribution from Maria Jønsson and Frederik Guy Hoff Sonne

What are the opportunities to maintain or develop the children’s mother tongue? ScandAsia gives you an overview of opportunities to get teaching based on the curriculum of your respective Nordic home country, and where to learn the Nordic languages Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish. This is based on our previous mapping plus updated information.

Swedish School Association holds Swedish courses at NIST, Bangkok

The privileged Swedes

Swedes are by far the most privileged when it comes to school options for their kids. Swedish schools are found in many par ts of Thailand counting Bangkok, Hua Hin, Koh Lanta, Huay Yang, Rayong and Phuket.

Sanuk, Svenska Skolan Thailand, runs three Swedish schools in Hua Hin, on Koh Lanta and in Huay Yang, after establishing their first Swedish school in Thailand on Koh Lanta in 2004. Sanuk offers preschool and primary school classes from 1st to 9th grade. Classes normally consist of small groups of 10 students. They follow Swedish curriculum and classes are conducted in Swedish.

Prices differ but it’s around 120.000 baht a year per student for the preschool and 90.000 baht a year for primary school.

Eastern Swedish School - Svensk skola i Ban Phe, Thailand

ESS offers children from Preschool - Grade 9 to 20 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

attend our vacation school. The children bring their school planning and books from home and our teachers supervise and document the student’s progress and development areas based lgr11. Many of the tasks are integrated into various themes, where Thai society and culture are also included. The school offers a concluding conversation with students and guardians, and send with a detailed summary to the school back home. The experience of a number of Swedish home schools is that the children are doing in school when they return back home again.

ESS’s uniqueness is based on:

Location: It is based in a very quiet and natural area with very little traffic. The beach is about 1 kilometre away, and a sports centre only 500 metres from the school. Also, Ban Phe in Rayong is the area with the least annual rainfall in all of Thailand and the “best beaches between Bangkok and Cambodia”. Here you go Bangkok residents themselves on holiday. From Ban Phe it is only half

an hour by ferry out to the famous holiday island of Koh Samet.

Parental involvement: An impor tant par t of effective learning is the parental interest and involvement. ESS invites parents to discussions on how best to help their children to - and support their children - in a development of both “body and soul”.

Value for money: ESS’ ambition is that the student fees should be among the lowest of the Swedish schools in Thailand, while offering a top class concept with individual focus on both body and mind. ESS has a price plan to makes it worthwhile to stay longer with the school, with the weekly rate reduced up to half for those who has the opportunity to participate throughout the whole school year. ESS wants their students to learn for life.

Finnish-Swedish

ESS also offers a Finnish-Swedish-language interpreter half-day per week, for the tasks that

Fair options for Finns

Birgitta Green of Quality Swedish School

Martin Fredriksson, Eastern Swedish School

Finns may not be as privileged as Swedes when it comes to Schooling opportunities, but they have fairly good options to keep the Suomi smooth.

There are two Finnish schools in Thailand, one in Bangkok and one in Pattaya.

Finnish School Banksu in Bangkok was established in 1997. The school is meant for children who at least use Finnish as their second language at home. Lessons are one hour and are held once a week after normal school days in the premises of the international schools. Lessons are divided into three different age groups and are conducted by Finnish teachers with education background.

In Pattaya the couple Tiiti and Tommi Mäkelä runs the all-day Finnish school Pattaya Suomalainen Koulu. It opened in the autumn of 2010 and counts 30 pupils spread in 7 classes ranging from 6 to 16 year-olds.The school follows a normal school week with lessons everyday from around 9 am to 3 pm. Tiiti and Tommi teaches themselves and the curriculum is almost as in Finland. Price is 195.000 baht a year per pupil.

Finnish-Swedish at ESS: Since ESS (see under Swedish schools) has received requests and the increased interest from Finnish-Swedish speaking families, the school will in the academic year 2017/2018 also offer a Swedish-language interpreter.

Danish Learning Center in Bangkok

require translation/explanations in Finnish and factual texts. It will also do some work with writing and grammar/mother tongue education to the extent that time permits. With continued increase in number of students and demand, the time may be extended. All teaching is otherwise in Swedish with qualified teachers, and the Swedish university/college education.

In Kamala, Phuket, Quality Swedish School, QSS, is found. It opened in August 2010 and Thai authorities licensed QSS as the first school to officially operate as a Swedish primary school in Thailand. The license naturally means that they follow the Swedish curriculum and spoken language is Swedish. QSS provides preschool and primary school teaching. Primary school is divided into two groups covering 1st to 3rd graders and 4th to 9th graders. The price depends on grades and the length of the stay but normal price for preschool is 130.000 baht a year per children and primary school is 150.000 baht.

In Bangkok the Swedish School Association

offers weekly Swedish courses on different levels three days a week. On Mondays they host a class from 6 to 12 year-olds at ISB, while on Fridays they teach 9 to 12 year-olds at KIS and on Saturdays 3 to 14 year-olds can take lectures at NIST. One course counts 15 lectures and is priced at 3000 baht per child and it follows International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, but the content is almost the same and all the material used is developed from the latest Swedish curriculum.

There’s also the oppor tunity to list your kids for distance learning in Swedish that the parents can arrange by themselves and do in their own home. This is offered by the Svenska Distans from the age 3-13 Sofia Distans from the age 6-16.

It differs from each municipality whether you’re able to carr y your Swedish school money with you to Thailand. So check with the municipality that you’re attached to.

A group of Danes in Thailand took the initiative to star t a Danish course with help from the Danes Worldwide organization. On the terms of gathering a minimum of 4 students the Danes Worldwide provides group lessons to Danish children around the world.

The teaching materials are developed by Danes Worldwide for the instruction of Danish children abroad. The materials are topical and motivational, and can be used to teach children with varying Danish skills, but who like to meet and learn together.

Depending on the country, teacher, class size, students’ language skill levels and ages different types of classroom instruction are offered.

So since ear ly summer 2016, Danes Worldwide are arranging Danish lessons in Bangkok.

Danes Wor ldwide Lear ning Center collaborates in Bangkok with NIST International School and offers four different types of courses:

School Danish

Language level: Danish at a primary and lower secondary school level Age: 6-17 years, Price: Starting at DKK 6,850 School Danish Instruction is for children who want to develop their Danish skills at a primary and lower secondar y school level and want the oppor tunity to take the ninth grade final examination in Danish.This exam in Danish is also taken by students in Denmark in connection with the completion of ninth grade. Passing the exam gives the child an official examination certificate that can be used for enrolment in subsequent studies in Denmark.

April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 21

International Schools

School Danish Instruction ensures that the child achieves strong written Danish skills.

Written Danish is typically the most difficult skill to maintain while living abroad.

Since the teaching takes place online, the child will still receive the instruction even if he or she cannot physically attend the session in the classroom.

The assignments are done online and there will be more assignments than what can be completed in class. To achieve a high level of Danish, about 30-45 minutes of homework is to be expected each week.

School Danish Instruction is supported by the Danish Ministry of Education. All students in the School Danish Instruction program receive a diploma documenting their participation and completion of the course.

Group Instruction – School Danish

Age: 6-17 years, DKK 2,575 Group Instruction – School Danish is for children who want to receive instruction in a group and with a teacher in the classroom.

The level of Group Instruction – School Danish approaches the level of Danish in municipal primary and lower secondary schools, but since the class teacher does not have time to correct all written assignments, the child will not achieve the same written skills as in the Online Danish Instruction program.

The group instruction takes place in the class, 22 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

where there will typically be a collective starting time for all of the students, including students enrolled in Online Danish Instruction.

The children achieve strong knowledge of the Danish language and many Danish language skills, enabling them to return to the Danish school system at a later date.

Students in Group Instruction – School Danish also receive a diploma at the end of the school year for completing the course at the Danes Worldwide Learning Center.

Group Instruction: Beginner Danish

Age: 6-17 years, DKK 2,000 Group Instruction – Beginner Danish is for children who do not speak Danish or whose Danish skills are limited. The child may be able to say sentences such as: “Jeg hedder Jakob og bor i Bangkok”, “hvad er klokken?” etc.

Instruction takes place in the classroom and the teacher will provide instruction on various subjects, based on Danes Worldwide’s Danish for Beginners online animation program featuring the Petersen family. Together with the Petersen family, the child learns Danish in a fun and inspiring way. The topics that students will touch on include the seasons, the body, the grocery store and school.

The Danish Embassy also recommends the Danes Worldwide summer school taking place in Denmark, offering Danish lectures and learning about Danish culture.

No Schools for Norway

Thailand is barren land for Norwegian language. There are no Norwegian schools in Thailand and no courses on international schools that teach Norwegian. So what to do?

T h e N o r we g i a n E m b a s s y m e n t i o n s Globalskolen as the best alternative, an online school used by 53 Norwegian children in Thailand at the moment. It is par tly financed by the Norwegian Government and partly by the users.

The teaching is based on Kunnskapsløftet, the Norwegians educational reform, and follows the Norwegian curriculum. It provides material from 1st to 10th grade for 3 different groups; mothertongued Norwegians, multi-linguals that are wellversed in Norwegian but not good enough to follow the curriculum, as well as children who are very basic in Norwegian language and needs assistance from their parents.

However your child has to fulfil some minimum terms to attend Globalskolen. Firstly your child has to have a Norwegian personal number, be at least one year, and must be attending a local or international school in Thailand. Your child must participate in all 15 lectures that form each semester. Prices are as follows; 1 child is 1000 NOK per semester, 2 children costs 750 NOK each, 3 children’s is 500 NOK each and free for 4 or more children.

Join the learning journey

T

he best possible grades and the oppor tunity to progress to a university and career of their choice – a position that all parents want their child to be in at the end of their school career.

These are the outcomes will come into increasing focus as a child grows older, especially as they approach the end of Junior school; a natural decision point in their school career.

With some of the very best IGCSE and A-level results in the region, outranking many of Great Britain’s very best independent schools, and a strong track record of placements to leading universities around the world, it is unsurprising that many families will want to consider Shrewsbur y International School Bangkok as an option for their own child.

However, choosing the right school is about much more than the academic track record.

Families will need assurances that the journey through school they choose will suppor t the their unique needs and interests of their child; that their experience of being at school will be positive and rewarding in itself, full of excitement and enjoyment, and that they leave the school environment not only with a set of grades that matches their academic potential, but also with a set of skills that assures them lifelong success, wherever their interests ultimately take them.

This is why at Shrewsbur y we focus on providing a caring, structured and fully supported journey for our students throughout their time at school – helping them to overcome all of the challenges and transitions that will be presented along the way – and recognising that a move away from familiar surroundings and established friendship groups into a brand new school can be

the most challenging transition of all.

For those changing schools ahead of important public examinations, it is particularly crucial that they settle quickly and do not feel distracted or overwhelmed by the change in scenery at this pivotal moment in their studies.

The most important investment than any school can make is an investment of time and resources to both understand and respond to the individual needs and circumstances of the students in its care. At Shrewsbury we go to great lengths to ensure that every child in our community is given both the opportunities to explore their interests, and the specialist, structured support they need to thrive.

High adult: child ratios inside the classroom, a particularly important consideration for our youngest learners, are complimented by the suppor t of specialist personnel across ever y aspect of learning; from teachers, tutors, Learning Mentors, and dedicated Special Educational Needs and English language specialists. Our school house system and extensive programme of co-curricular activities also ensures that even students who are new to our school gain an instant sense of identity and belonging, and are able to reap the benefits of individual and shared achievements outside the classroom.

Crucially, this structured support is coupled with an increasing emphasis on independence as students progress through the school. We teach our students to think independently, to challenge and discuss rather than be treated as empty vessels to be filled with facts. This approach gives them the life-skills to prepare for and succeed in the next stage in their learning, whether at Shrewsbury or beyond.

Our specially developed tr ansition

programmes ensure that students understand what lies ahead, and that they have the information they need to succeed as they take the next steps in their learning journey: from Early Years to Junior, from Junior to Senior and from IGCSE to A-level.

We pride ourself on helping children make these transitions, irrespective of whether a child is new to the school or whether he/she has been there since the age of 3.

Learning to adopt change is a key component of the experience and an invaluable lesson for life.

Schools across the world have the responsibility to educate their students for careers in industries that have yet to be invented. This requires both the students and the curriculum they study to be flexible and to focus on other higher order skills, analysis and evaluation.

Shrewsbury students learn to master key transferable skills; Communication, Collaboration and Creative problem solving. Our aim is to enable students to think for themselves to develop skills and the attitude to become lifelong learners.

In adopting this approach, the teaching and learning that takes place in Years 7, 8 and 9 lay the foundations for General Certificate of Secondary Education or IGCSE courses for Years 10 and 11, and even for the A-level examinations taken in Years 12 and 13. Public examinations may appear to be a distant consideration for children aged 11 or even younger. However, the knowledge, skills and work habits that are introduced and adopted even at this young age are all part of the preparation, part of the recipe for future success.

To find out more about Shrewsbury International School please call Ilka Hodapp 02 675 1888 ext.

1110 or email admissions@shrewsbury.ac.th www.shrewsbury.ac.th April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 23

International Schools

Swedish teacher: Apps, audiobooks great for improving Swedish

by Nadja Dam Jensen

B

eing a kid of expats you grow up dealing with many languages; the local language which you talk in the streets, the language you speak to your parents at home, and English when you are at school. But at NIST International School in Bangkok, kids can also get Swedish on their school schedule.

“Bli en stjärnläsare!” read orange letters on the soft green wall in the Swedish classroom at NIST. Next to the letters, shelves are filled with many different books and board games, all in Swedish. The open and modern classroom is a learning haven for Swedish children who want to stay in touch with their mother tongue.

For Swedes there are many oppor tunities for kids to keep up with their mother language in Thailand, but NIST is the only school in Bangkok which offers it as part of the regular school day, and where you will get a diploma that can be used when applying to universities in Sweden.

Technology to fit individual needs

The size of the Swedish classes at NIST varies from 11 students in the largest class to one consisting of just a single student. No matter the class size, Daniel Kvarnemo, the Swedish teacher at NIST since August 2016, says he hopes to be able to constantly improve the teaching methods, and likes to spend time finding new exciting materials for his students.

At NIST all of the younger kids have iPads, and the older have laptops which they can work on. Daniel explains that by giving them individual logins, they can, for example, have different texts with questions that allow them to work more independently, and then Daniel can monitor how they are doing from his own computer. The modern technology is also a great way for Daniel to adjust to each individual’s needs.

24 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

“Instead of me putting a text up on the screen, they can go at their own pace. If someone is a good reader they finish fast, and if some need more time then they can do that,” he says.

“I feel like you have to try and base it on the individual’s needs.

Many of them are at the same level, but not all. Some of them have lived all their lives abroad and may not have had access to Swedish schools, so they are struggling a bit more.

That is definitely one of the good things of having smaller groups, so they can sor t of work a little bit more on their pace.”

Sudden growth in interest

This year 33 students are taking Swedish A at NIST International School, which by far beats the previous record of 16 students as the largest number of Swedish students. Daniel says he has no certain explanation for the sudden increase.

“I would like to hope that the school has done a good job and that a positive reputation is building,” he says. “The programme has been running for a few years, and it has become more and more known that it is actually an option here in Bangkok to have your kids sent to school where they can learn Swedish.”

A few of the students have lived in Bangkok their entire lives, but most of them will only be staying for a couple of years, as they follow their parents to various expatriate assignments around the world. As a result, the number of students can often vary from year to year. Still, an increase like this has never been seen before.

Improving Swedish from home

For the many expat kids who are moving around a lot, it might not always be possible to find a school like NIST where you can get Swedish

International School of Bergen

on your schedule. But Daniel says that there are many other ways to help the kids practice their language.

“Join the Swedish School Association if there is one. Otherwise, I think it is mainly about exposure.”

He recommends watching Swedish television shows. If their Swedish is weak, they can maybe add English subtitles. They can also listen to audio books.

“If you are a member of a library back in Sweden you can still access audio books, even when you are in Thailand or other places abroad.

That is a great tool. E-books too are very good material.”

The digital platforms are also a good way for your children to wor k on their mother tongue.

Daniel even uses some in his classes.

Smart devices offer many apps with different educational games and activities.

“Stol,” says a voice from the Smart Board as Daniel shows one of the apps that he likes to use with the smaller kids. It is a memory game where he will have to match the Swedish word to a picture. After a few misleads, Daniel finds the chair to match the sound. A simple and fun way to help expat kids stay in touch with Swedish.

nternational School of Bergen (ISB) is situated on the west coast of Norway and offers an English language learning environment to students between the ages of 3 and 16.

Our mission is to provide an internationally accredited education ser ving the business and Bergen communities.

The educational programme of ISB has been developed to help prepare its students for a successful future. The school is accredited by the Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges in addition to being authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization to offer their Primary Years and Middle Years programmes.

I

Our students and staff

ENGELSKSPRÅKLIG PRIVATSKOLE FOR BARN OG UNGDOM MELLOM 3 OG 16 ÅR • • • • • •

Få elever i hver klasse Trygt læringsmiljø med god individuell oppfølging God kontakt med foreldre Internasjonalt godkjente og utfordrende læreplaner Utmerkede resultater i internasjonale og norske nasjonalprøver Sentral beliggenhet med bybanestopp rett utenfor døren For mer informasjon: www.isob.no eller post@isob.no

All teacher s hold univer sity degrees and appropriate teaching qualifications. Classes are small.With students and staff representing more than thir ty different nationalities, we pride ourselves in having a welcoming and including community.

ISB was founded in 1975, giving us 40 years of experience as an educational institution.

International School of Bergen Vilhelm Bjerknesvei 15, 5081 Bergen, Norway Phone: +4755306330 Website: www.isob.no E-mail: post@isob.no

April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 25

What is a Prep School?

B

righton College Bangkok’s Prep School, opening in September, will give every pupil a full and exciting school experience, the oppor tunity to achieve more than they thought possible and to develop the intrinsic motivation required to really ‘reach for the stars’.

We aim to deliver outstanding learning opportunities through excellent and innovative teaching, where pupils are encouraged to become reflective learners who can create and develop their own targets. Beyond the classroom, Prep School pupils will be encouraged to explore new disciplines, skills and interests, to give everything a try, and, in doing so, learn to take risks and also to risk failure. It is our belief that we are enabling children to find their passions and those ‘things’ that really makes them tick. This passion will thereafter feed into everything else that they do. Most importantly, at Brighton College Prep School, we ensure that pupils are able to do all of this, knowing that they are in a safe, secure and friendly environment.

Children join the Brighton College Bangkok Prep School in Year 4 where they will continue to have a Class Teacher for the majority of their 26 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

subjects. When they reach Year 5 pupils are ready for something different and, unlike many other schools, specialist teaching is introduced across the curriculum. Children in Year 5 are at the right age to really benefit from this; their thirst for knowledge and love of learning makes them ready for the challenge. An increased level of learning is evident across all subjects as children are stretched and challenged by teachers who are enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable about their chosen subjects.

Also unique to the Prep School system is that, in Year 7, instead of becoming the youngest in the Senior School, pupils begin two years at the top of the Prep School. They become young leaders and role models, gaining enormously from this opportunity. The academic challenge continues as pupils prepare for their first external examinations and sit the Common Entrance (set by the Independent Schools Examination Board, UK). This is excellent training for our pupils, teaching them the fundamentals of exam technique and revision skills while providing a strong foundation for Senior School.

Throughout the Prep School our innovative curriculum includes a strong emphasis on

wellbeing, which is woven into all aspects of school life. It feeds into every single subject we teach and, as such, underpins all we do. Wellbeing at Brighton College focuses on developing constructive, healthy and mindful habits, which in turn lead to creative thinking, resilience, empathy and respect.

Our pupils will be busy; we want them to find out what they really enjoy doing and where their natural talents lie. They will be encouraged to explore new disciplines, to give everything a try, to take risks and to know how it feels to conquer challenges.They learn to prioritise and to manage their time while maximising their own personal achievement in the classroom.

Our expectations are high but children rise to these challenges and thrive on the opportunities that they are awarded. We will celebrate all their successes, big and small, as our pupils grow and develop into motivated, compassionate and confident young people.

For more information about Brighton College Bangkok and to organise a visit please contact Mrs Kim Meaden-Kendrick, Registrar, on +66 (0)2 136 7898 or at admissions@brightoncollege.ac.th

BRIGHTON COLLEGE BANGKOK

Britain’s number one school* expands its Bangkok campus for pupils up to 15 years old SCHOLARSHIPS NOW AVAILABLE

*The Sunday Times (London), 2016

For more information, please contact our Admissions Team: +66 (0)2 136 7898 admissions@brightoncollege.ac.th www.brightoncollege.ac.th Krungthep Kreetha 15/1, Srinakarin-Rama 9 Huamak, Bangkok, 10240

A Child-Centred Setting for Early Years Education

“W

hat we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child,” wrote British author George Bernard Shaw. For our children, learning should be filled with many moments of discovery and joy. A child’s first years in school should lay the foundations that make them lifelong learners, forever curious and open to the ideas around them. Imagination is a powerful tool for future life and learning, and it is vital that we provide students with ample opportunities to develop their imaginations whilst learning with others.

Through its 60 year histor y of British international education in Thailand, Bangkok Patana School has always sought to continuously improve their students’ learning experience at all stages of development. In August 2017, a newly renovated environment for the youngest students will provide even more opportunities for outdoor learning, creative role play and physical development. Some of the highlights of the new spaces are listed below.

Outdoor Learning and Physicality:

Children need an outdoor environment that can provide them with space, both upwards and outwards, and places to explore, experiment, 28 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

discover, be active and healthy and to develop their physical capabilities. The outdoor environment at Bangkok Patana School offers plenty of space and is par ticularly beneficial to those children who learn best through active movement. Ver y young children learn predominately through their sensory and physical experiences, which support brain development and the creation of neural networks. They revel in freedom of movement that is inventive, adventurous and stimulating, while developing their fine and gross motor skills. Outdoor play suppor ts children’s problem-solving skills and nurtures their creativity, as well as providing rich opportunities for their developing imagination, inventiveness and resourcefulness

Connection with Nature:

In the busy, bustling, vibrant and hot city, life can sometimes become very indoor focussed.

Bangkok Patana values the importance of learning without walls and we recognise that young children love the freedom of being outdoors.

Our new early years environment will give children the freedom to connect with nature: mud kitchens, sandpits, water play, climbing frames and bike tracks. Playing and learning outside also helps children to understand and respect nature, the environment and the interdependence of humans, animals, plants, and lifecycles.

A Sensory Experience:

Young children benefit incredibly from a multisensory approach to learning - appealing to all of the senses: taste, smell, touch, sight, hearing and movement. A multi-sensory approach to learning encourages talk as students respond to what they see, hear, smell, touch and taste making learning more memorable, enjoyable and effective. Through textured displays, walkways and different surfaces, children learn and make sense of the world in many different ways – not restricted to only books, paper and pencils and technology.

Quiet Reflection Spaces:

Incorporated into the new learning environment are spaces that offer time out from busy play to sit and wonder. Just like adults, children appreciate quiet, calm time to think and be mindful. Mindfulness practices are beneficial for children for the same reasons they help adults, contributing to reduced stress, improved sleep quality and heightened focus when necessary.

Outdoor and indoor amphitheatres for role-play and expressive arts:

For children, role play is essentially learning through play. Role play is an active, social activity and children use it to reflect on and develop their knowledge of a topic. Through our role play areas, children are able to act out and make sense of real-life situations whilst developing social, language and communication skills. By taking on the role of different story characters, our children are given opportunities to empathise and develop an understanding of different perspectives.

Overall, the new early years learning spaces at Bangkok Patana reflect a very child-centred, natural aesthetic. Students are not over-stimulated through the overuse of colour and clutter. A focus on the natural environment and soothing colours enable children to more easily see the links between each area of learning. Achieving a balance in colour enables children to relax and truly feel at home.

Our guiding statements and values lead us to continuously improve our students’ learning experience at all stages of development.

From August 2017 our new early years learning spaces will further enhance the experience of our youngest students through: More time to inquire through play-based, experiential learning with an extended school day More opportunities for outdoor learning, creative role play and physical development in our inspiring new facilities More early years experts inspiring each child’s learning Scan the QR code or visit www.patana.ac.th/childcentred to find out more about giving your child a strong foundation for the future through our key values and new child-inspired facilities.

Celebrating 60 Years of British International Education

www.patana.ac.th admissions@patana.ac.th Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2200

Bangkok Patana is a not-for-profit, IB World School, accredited by CIS and NEASC

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme: What is Theory of Knowledge?

If you are somewhat familiar with the IB Diploma programme, you will have heard the phrase “Theory of Knowledge”.

What exactly does this mean? What is it?

T

heory of Knowledge, or ToK, is one of the core elements of the IB Diploma and it is a class all IB Diploma students follow. In this course they explore the questions “What is knowledge?”, “How do we know?” and “What does this mean in different cultures or contexts?”.

There’s really nothing complicated, nor mysterious, about Theory of Knowledge (ToK).

It is a very straightforward part of all IB Diploma Programme (DP) learning. ToK is about how we make knowledge, it underpins all other subjects in the DP, and there’s ToK everywhere we look: • A painting by Rothko sells for US$40m at Christie’s in New York, whilst a student in a KIS International School art class produces a very similar piece.

• A DP student chooses a particular university in preference to another because it ‘feels right’ to them.

• KIS Basketball team huddles for team spirit before playing.

This list could go on indefinitely, in each case a way of knowing about the world is being used to produce specific knowledge. In most DP subjects students learn knowledge that has already been produced, in ToK students learn how that knowledge is produced. A few examples: • In Biology students will learn theories of evolution, in ToK they will learn why and how theories of evolution were developed.

30 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

• In Maths students will learn methods for calculating statistics and probability, In ToK they will learn why we often misinterpret probability.

• In Environmental Systems and Societies students will learn the advantages and disadvantages of mitigating climate change.

In ToK they will learn why climate change scientists may disagree on those advantages and disadvantages.

So, why is ToK important ?

There are a number of reasons why ToK is a compulsor y core of the IB Diploma, I will summarise just a few of those reasons here: If we under stand how knowledge is constructed then we have a better understanding of how and why knowledge changes. This understanding is essential for development and positive progress in personal, social and academic spheres.

ToK helps us to better identify, and understand, personal and social biases.This understanding can help us to resolve personal and social conflicts.

By critically analysing the construction of knowledge we develop better critical thinking skills. It’s these critical thinking skills which will help us to develop solutions to many of the personal and global problems that we face.

You may have noticed that there have been some rather heated debates occurring around the world recently, we can include in that list

the recent Presidential Elections in the USA, and the UK’s vote to leave The European Union.

These debates, and the multitude of others that we could list, represent differences in belief, values and aspiration. As such they represent differences in knowledge, they illustrate the differences in what we all (think that we) know about our world. ToK is the study of how knowledge is constructed, as such it is the study of why differences in knowledge exist. ToK can help us to understand how people decide which way to vote, or how to raise their children, whether to care for those in need, and whether to look out for their neighbour.

Therefore, I strongly believe that ToK is not just “bonus points”, it’s not merely an ‘add on’ to the IB Diploma. ToK is the place where DP students connect learned content with the ability to produce a better and more peaceful world. As such, I believe that ToK is absolutely fundamental to not only an IB DP education at KIS and other international schools in Bangkok, but to an IB DP education worldwide.

Obviously students don’t “do ToK” when they come to the ToK class, we’re all doing ToK every moment of the day, we do ToK merely by being conscious.

Daniel Trump, Diploma Programme Coordinator and Theory of Knowledge Teacher KIS International School, Bangkok

nspiring ndividuals At KIS International School all students can shine. The midsize, caring community allows KIS students to be confident and to be appreciated as an individual, with unique dreams and strengths. The school is a full IB school, offering the International Baccalaureate Programmes for all age groups (IB Primary Years Programme, IB Middle Years Programme and IB Diploma), ensuring an academically rigorous curriculum that not only prepares students to be successful at university, but also teaches important life skills.

KIS, it’s all about Knowledge, Inspiration and Spirit.

“With the power of imagination, characters can actually fly off the page” Jun, Grade 11.

Check out the students’ videos to learn more about their passion www.kis.ac.th

Tel: +66 (0) 2274 3444 Email: admissions@kis.ac.th April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 31

Why Arts Education Matters

T

here is a growing trend in schools towards reducing the time available for creative subjects. But if we want our children to do better academically and socially, ar ts education clearly plays a vital role. Indeed, the World Economic Forum has named critical thinking, emotional intelligence and creativity as qualities required for success in the 21st century.

Academic performance, skills and confidence of our future innovators

Recent research highlights the link between performing ar ts learning, strong academic performance, and cognitive development.

Students are more likely to do better in academic and social spheres where they are actively engaged with the arts as makers and doers, rather than pure consumers.

The performing arts teach children a range of personal skills that will help them thrive in the modern world and workplace. Creativity, critical thinking, and the ability to collaborate grow, along with self-esteem, discipline and self-confidence.

Moreover, creative processes and products allow students to explore and exhibit their unique identities. Even if they do not pursue the arts as a career, students will apply these key attributes throughout their lives.

The ar ts encourage students to make independent decisions and to be self-critical as 32 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

they create. This is at the heart of all innovation as we shape the future.

Arts education at St. Andrews International School Bangkok

St. Andrews offers students the benefit of unique collaborations with world-leading performing arts conservatory The Juilliard School in New York, and one of the world’s top universities, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

These partnerships contribute to an educational experience second to none.

Workshops, masterclasses and performances in school allow our students to interact with Juilliard’s worldwide network of performers and teaching artists. Students follow an innovative embedded arts curriculum designed by Juilliard that enriches learning and inspires students to succeed on the world stage.

New in 2017, St. Andrews offer s an innovative STEAM (science , technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) curriculum designed by MIT, which inspires students to create and build through hands-on, crossfunctional activities and challenges. Our teachers will receive training each year at MIT from renowned academics, and select students will visit MIT annually to immerse themselves in MIT’s problem-solving culture, tr ying their hands at building robots, bioengineering and coding.

About St. Andrews International School Bangkok and Nord Anglia Education

St. Andrews is an inclusive co-educational British international school for students age 2-18 years. The school will open a state-ofthe-ar t High School facility this summer, conveniently located on Sukhumvit Road between Ekkamai and Phra Khanong BTS stations. The school offers a range of courses designed to offer the right balance of challenge and suppor t so that ever y student makes exceptional progress, culminating in the majority of students following the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB). For more information, visit www.standrews.ac.th, call +662 381 2387 or email admissions@ standrews.ac.th.

Nord Anglia Education is the wor ld’s leading operator of premium international schools, with over 34,000 students at 43 schools throughout the world. We are driven by one unifying philosophy - we are ambitious for our students, our people and our family of schools.

Our schools deliver a high quality education through a personalised approach enhanced with unique global oppor tunities. Visit www.nordangliaeducation.com for more information.

Be ambitious.

St. Andrews students learn from the best.

Our collaborations with The Juilliard School in New York and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) oer unmatched educational experiences that inspire ambition and life-long enthusiasm for learning.

Learn more by visiting our new High School campus between Ekkamai and Phra Khanong BTS. www.standrews.ac.th

April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 33

Baan Donraed Early Childhood Development Project

A

s a lear ning community that believes in enriching lives, NIST is always seeking out ways to impact the local and global communities.

Our students run service projects to empower local farmers and to encourage poachers to stop hunting local wildlife. This year an opportunity arose for our school teachers and academic assistants to undertake some additional service directly impacting the youngest learners in Thailand. The Baan Donraed Project is an innovative early childhood development initiative, based in Surin Province, to upskill and mentor teachers and caretakers from six early childhood centres in the area.

The project has initially focused on transforming the mindset of the teachers and caretakers currently working there, building their capacity to empower the children, stimulate their creativity and imagination, improve their reading and thinking skills, and refine their motor skills development. All the centres in the pilot project 34 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

have made exceptional progress in these areas, and the project has approached NIST to help roll out these opportunities to further centres.

A small team of NIST teachers and academic assistants recently visited one of these centres in Surin for the first time, where spent the day observing the current educational system, as well as getting to know the local teachers and students.

This initial trip was intended to gather further data to determining the scope of the project and forming an effective strategic plan.

Several of our teachers and academic assistants will be involved in training and mentoring staff at the centres both in Surin Province and also remotely back in Bangkok. By having both of our schools’ Thai and foreign staff working together in coordinating this initiative, all parties stand to benefit from the partnership. It also represents an opportunity for NIST to play a direct role in shaping the critically impor tant early years provision in rural areas of Thailand.

Meeting the Challenges of the Next Phase of Education

S

chools are struggling to keep up with a world that has dramatically changed in the last thir ty years, and will only continue to evolve more rapidly in the next few decades. From the advent of artificial intelligence to wealth inequality to the manipulation of our own genetic structure, a wide range of forces have transformed society, pushing many into poverty, conflict and disillusionment.

What role should education play in this future?

How can we prepare our children for a world in which we are not even cer tain that many professions will even exist, a world that challenges them with problems that never previously existed?

NIST International School, like many other top educational institutions around the globe, has purposefully sought out ways to shift its programmes from the traditional educational model to one that enables students to pursue learning that is driven by their own passions, interests and strengths. This includes pathways developed through suppor t and enrichment,

technological integration, unique learning opportunities, and a focus on transferable skills and ethical awareness. While these concepts are most often developed through the International Baccalaureate curriculum and the school’s own programmes, it has also begun rethinking physical spaces to support them.

The school environment is often referred to as the third teacher, yet many schools continue to construct their facilities with standard classrooms and resources. NIST began shifting away from this several years ago as it incorporated current research, student and teacher feedback, and expert consultants into the design process. From the bright multi-purpose spaces in The Hub to the open, engaging Mechai Learning Commons, many of the areas in the school’s buildings now resemble work spaces of cutting-edge companies rather than classrooms.

Over the coming summer, NIST plans to under take an ambitious new project: the renovation of its counselling and learning support

area. Located in the school’s Secondary Building, this floor provides a wide range of ser vices for students, including social and emotional counselling, college and career counselling, and enrichment and support services. In rethinking the layout and structure, NIST imagined a space that would visually showcase the diverse pathways and learning opportunities that its high school students experience on a daily basis.

The new counseling suite aims to support efforts to best serve learners in an increasingly competitive univer sity environment. Top universities no longer focus solely on academic success in the admissions process. They seek out prospective community leaders with a passion for service, multilingual learners who can bridge cultures, and creative problem solvers who take risks. The challenge of developing these traits combined with dropping acceptance rates, often in the single digits - means that schools must focus more on preparing students with a broader range of skill sets, while also cultivating emotional, social and ethical intelligence.

This space will include purpose-built areas for hosting college fairs and welcoming university representatives, as well as engaging with the community by inviting parent speakers, professionals and other experts to bring real-life experience into the school. Beyond the many spaces on this floor that reflect the need for collaborative learning and social development, students will have access to small study pods and larger teaching rooms for the school’s learning support and enrichment programmes. As NIST fur ther investigates different pathways for its students, this will allow the school to partner with universities, NGOs and other organizations in investigating innovative programmes.

By developing its facilities in a manner that parallels and complements its educational approaches, NIST aims to fur ther transform the traditional mold, providing students with a progressive education that instills the skills needed to tackle the challenges of the innovation age. The willingness to invest in this approach has already paid off. Though the normal acceptance period is just beginning for most universities, the upcoming graduates in NIST’s Class of 2017 have already received early acceptances to over 100 universities, including many top-ranked institutions such as Cornell University, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Imperial College London, King’s College London, University of California Los Angeles, University College London, University of Edinburgh, University of Oxford, University of Toronto and Yale - NUS. The call for change has been ar ticulated by universities, entrepreneurs, politicians and educators themselves for decades. It’s time that we all star t paying attention, and rebuild our schools to reflect the realities of a new world.

April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 35

Singapore International School of Bangkok (SISB) The Unique SISB Curriculum in English, Chinese & Thai Languages

F

ounded in 2001, SISB has five campuses in Thailand, which adopt the Singapore and UK curricula as the foundation for teaching and learning. Singapore International School of Bangkok is the first Singapore International School established in Thailand which pioneered the Singapore education curriculum. All five campuses provide a standardised curriculum and consistently deliver high-quality education that many have come to trust of SISB. Through a broad-based and unique multi-lingual curriculum, SISB provides a safe, nur turing and yet challenging learning environment and opportunities to foster students as lifelong learners and future leaders. With more than 1,600 students of over 30 nationalities, and strong teaching and support staff from over 20 countries, the SISB community is inspired by a global outlook and enriched by cultural diversity.

SISB Pracha Uthit is the first International School in Thailand which was formally appointed by the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) in 2006 as the official examination centre for the Singapore International Primary School Examination (iPSLE). The school is also an approved centre cer tified by Cambridge 36 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

International Examinations (CIE) to conduct the IGCSE, AS and A Levels examinations. SISB is also certified by the Ministry of Education of China as a Hanban centre to conduct Chinese proficiency tests for students.

Singapore International School of Bangkok is fully accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS), and the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC), an esteemed recognition for quality international schools worldwide. SISB holds the Basic Independent Award Centre Licence to conduct The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Scheme, the world’s leading youth achievement award programme.

SISB has established itself as a trusted brand for quality education in Thailand and continues to grow as an organisation dedicated to providing world-class education.

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BANGKOK OPENS NEW SISB CAMPUS IN THONBURI

SISB Thonburi is the first Singapore International School to be launched in Thonburi district. The new campus opens for children ages 2 to 12

years old (Nurser y-Kindergar ten to Primar y Level). SISB Thonburi will offer the unique SISB curriculum in English, Chinese and Thai and its facilities will include a 25-metre swimming pool, indoor multi-purpose hall, canteen, library, music room, science lab, arts & crafts room and field, with full completion expected by Academic Year 2017 - 2018.

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BANGKOK OPENS NEW SECONDARY SCHOOL COMPLEX & WORLD-CLASS FACILITIES IN PRACHA UTHIT

The new Secondar y School Complex spans 9.5-rai, which is fully completed, is an extension to the current SISB Pracha Uthit campus. The project features a Sports Complex with extensive facilities including a swimming pool, a 450-seat Auditorium in the Creative Arts & Media Centre (CAMC) for students of all levels, Boarding School which can accommodate up to 400 students and a dedicated Secondary section which will cater for up to 800 more students.

Bangkok Prep

excited to open new Secondary Campus

A

fter the summer, Bangkok Prep (Bangkok International Preparatory & Secondar y School) will be opening its new Secondar y Campus - On Nut (Sukhumvit 77) in August 2017, ready for the new school year.

Progress on the new state-of-the-ar t campus has been remarkably swift since the Groundbreaking Ceremony held on 4th February 2016, when Bangkok Prep Head of School Mrs Valerie Thomas-Peter, alongside representatives of the school’s Primary and Secondary Student Councils, parents and teachers announced the start of construction.

Located close to Sukhumvit 77, in the middle of the prestigious new T77 residential development – and just three BTS stops, or a 15 minute drive from the existing Bangkok Prep Thong Lo campus on Sukhumvit 53 – the new Secondary On Nut Campus will feature stateof-the art learning spaces, an Aquatics Centre with an Olympic-sized swimming pool, an indoor Sports Hall, a 400-seat auditorium, and tennis courts.

“Our new campus reflects the need to expand our facilities to meet the demand of our growing student body”, explained the Head of School Valerie Thomas-Peter. “The facility will enable us to deliver the school’s mission to 38 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

provide a high quality and stimulating learning environment, where students can prepare for life and realise their full potential.”

Later this year, approximately 450 students, aged 11 to 18 years old, will move from the current campus on Sukhumvit 53 in Thong Lo to the new Secondary School Campus on Sukhumvit 77. Following this, the campus on Sukhumvit 53 will be exclusively dedicated to the Primary School and will continue to cater for children aged 3 to 11 years old.

One of the most striking features about the architecture of the new Secondar y Campus is the shape of the three main buildings. Each has a unique shape, and rather than having a conventional flat roof, is slanted in an opposing direction to the block next to it. The windows on each building are also different shapes to give each block its own character.

Another of the great benefits of the new Secondary Campus at On Nut is the use of breakout areas on each floor in C block (the main teaching block), which the Primary School will also be implementing at their Thong Lo Campus.

This will give teachers the opportunity to increase their provision for group work and student-led learning in general.

Amongst other innovative internal and eyecatching internal features, the spiral staircase

in Block B (Creative Ar ts), is bound to be impressive, and the high levels of glass used on the front of the building will help to give a spacious feel to the impressive facilities inside.

Outdoors, the grounds surrounding the buildings are extremely generous, including a full-size FIFA-specification football pitch, and running track. Students will be able to enjoy an outdoor amphitheatre, likely to prove popular for recreation at break and lunchtimes.

While Bangkok Prep’s Secondary students will undoubtedly enjoy the facilities at the new campus on Sukhumvit 77, the Primary School will also benefit. They will be able to have all of the existing facilities at the Sukhumvit 53 campus for their own use. This includes, amongst other things, an increase in the classroom space, and also exclusive use of what were previously Secondary or shared facilities, including the sports field and auditorium.

For more information about Bangkok Prep, please email admissions@bkkprep.ac.th, or visit www.bkkprep.ac.th. Regular tours of the new Secondary Campus are held twice a week, please sign up at this link: www.bkkprep.ac.th/secondary-campus-tour

Agneta’s World

My favourite

interior design shops Casa Pagoda

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would like to introduce you to a couple of my favourite interior design shops. Bangkok has plenty of elegant shopping malls, but to be honest, very few have a department for furniture and décor. When I was new in Bangkok, I had problems to find a shop where nice table lamps, some small furnishing and décor could be bought!

During my walks through the city I found CASA PAGODA, a beautiful store located on Soi Sukhumvit 45, Sukhumvit Road. Here you can find almost everything, from exclusive furniture, glassware, pillows, lamps, you name it. It’s a big two storied shop and you can look around here for hours. If you get hungry and thirsty after having admired all the beautiful goods, just a few steps away you will find restaurant QUINCE, eatery & bar.

This restaurant is also showing a very unique décor.The first part you see when you walk inside is done in a modern, cool way with lots of concrete. The second part has a more classic decoration, not far from, what we Swede would say “Gustavians’k style”. The menu focuses on light, natural food.

Here you can enjoy a healthy brunch or just sit down for afternoon tea, a strong cup of coffee or why not, sip a glass of Champagne. I happen to know that the owner is Swiss; another foreigner who fell in love with Bangkok and decided to come and stay. Both the restaurant and décor store belong to the same owner.

I was once invited by Swiss friends for brunch at Quince, that’s how I discovered this place.

I can warmly recommend a visit to both the shop and the restaurant. It’s hard to walk out without buying something.

Mobilia

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nother favourite is Mobilia. Its showroom is located on 35/5 Sukhumvit 31 Road. Beautiful furnish and décor! You can walk around and dream; I must admit that it’s not inexpensive in any of these shops, but you cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs…

Also this store has two floors. The elegant and comfortable sofas are very inviting to try and it’s not easy to walk away without taking a short brake, enjoying the soft pillows on the sofas and dream for a while.

40 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

The Monochrome

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also have to mention The Monochrome which has its showroom on 24/1 Sukhumvit Soi 31. It’s a place filled with the most elegant and exclusive objects and furniture. Here the photographer and I were not allowed to take any photos. It’s maybe not the friendliest atmosphere, but still there are many beautiful things to admire.

When you feel like daydreaming, I think a visit to those shops is a great idea. Even if you don’t pursue anything, it’s great just taking a look and get some new ideas.

Chao Phraya’s newcomer among the cruising ships

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omething new for the evening, the famous restaurant Baan Khanitha has launched its first cruise ship baptized as the restaurant Baan Khanitha.

My Swedish friend Anika and I had the great pleasure to be among the guests on its “virgin tour” along the Chao Phraya River. This cruiser is the Queen of the river, elegant and tasteful decorated with a top equipped kitchen there the delicious dishes are prepared from scratch.

She was built in Ayutthaya and designed by a young, creative architect, Khun Narin Lerrtasavathikul (oh, those Thai names…) The dining cruise takes you along the river, and the tour takes approximately 2 ½ hours – enough time to enjoy the exquisite menu and a good wine.

When khun Khanitha decides to do something, she does it with all her heart. She is owner of four restaurants today. The first Baan Khanitha was opened in 1993 on Sukhumvit Soi 23 and the last opened at Asiatique at the same time the night market opened its gates. You embark outside the restaurant at Asiatique and you will disembark at the same place.

There are many ships/cruisers that you can book for dining, but I must say, this djonk has become the Queen of Chao Phraya. If you have visitors, they will be delighted doing this cruise, enjoying delicious Thai food and the beautiful scenery along the river.

Planning a birthday party, a workshop, a small congress or why not a wedding, this is the way to do it. Don’t hesitate, book a dining cruise and explore the best of Bangkok because you are worth it!

April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 41

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

Let’s Talk about

the Weather

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By Klavs Johansen (thai@snakthai.dk) irst, a follow-up on last month’s column on the benefits of learning Lao due to the wider use of Lao dialects in Thailand. If you want to learn more Lao, a good place to start is the “Thai-IsanLao Phrasebook” by Asger Mollerup, a Danish linguist living in Northeastern Thailand. Details are available on the website www.phrasebook.thaiisan-lao.com. As the author points out: Command of Lao also makes visiting Bangkok much more fun!

With this recommendation, let’s turn to the weather. Actually, the Thais don’t traditionally talk as much about the weather as we do in Scandinavia where the ever-changing sky is a favorite small-talk subject. In contrast, the weather is more predictable in Thailand where it is either hot or very hot. Even in the rainy season, it seems you can almost adjust your watch according to the onset of the daily late afternoon showers.

Yes, I am exaggerating a bit, and weather and its consequences are gaining increasing focus in Thailand just like in the rest of the World, probably due to odd weather and the demand for easy and popular stories of the modern media.

Hence, in this month’s column, let’s look at some Thai language for weather and what follows.

The word for weather is อากาศ / a:kà:t / and since this is also the word for air, you can specify that you are talking about the weather by using ลมฟ้าอากาศ / lom fá: a:kà:t /, where ลม / lom / is wind and ฟ้า / fá: / the sky. But, generally, อากาศ / a:kà:t / is the preferred term as in อากาศดี / a:kà:t di: / ~ nice weather, อากาศไม่ดี / a:kà:t mâi di: / ~ bad weather, อากาศแย่ / a:kà:t yâe: / ~ lousy weather, อากาศหนาว / a:kà:t nă:o / ~ cold weather, อากาศร้อน / a:kà:t rór:n / ~ hot weather, อากาศร้ อ นจั ง / a:kà:t rór:n jang / ~ so hot weather,

อากาศร้อนชิบหาย / a:kà:t rór:n chíp hă:i / ~ damn hot weather.

42 ScandAsia.Thailand • April 2017

As the translation suggests, the latter expression is not for anyone, nor for any context, and, for sure, you will not encounter it in the official weather forecasts, however suitable it may seem in this month of April, hottest of the year.

Weather forecast is พยากรณ์อากาศ / pháya: kor:n a:kà:t / or in colloquial language อุตุ / ùtù’ /, which is short for อุตุนิยม / ùtù níyom / ~ meteorology and refers to กรมอุตุนิยมวิทยา / krom ùtù níyom wíttháya: / ~ The Thai Meteorological Department.

Their weather forecast covering the eastern seaboard for a random day in March looked like this:

อุณหภูมิต่ำ�สุด 23-27 องศาเซลเซียส / ùnhàphu:m tàm sùt yî: sìp să:m thŭeng yî: sìp jèt ongsă: sensîat / ~ minimum temperatures from 23 to

We can learn from the key expressions of the forecast:

ความชื้นสัมพัทธ์ / khwa:m chúe:n sămphát / ~ relative humidity, อบอ้าว / òp â:o / ~ sultry, as in ร้อนอบอ้าว / rór:n òp â:o / ~ hot and sultry. มีแดด / mi: dàe:t / ~ sunny, ปลอดโปร่ง / plòr:t prò:ng / ~ clear skies, ฝนตก / fŏn tòk / ~ it’s raining. น้ำ�ท่วม / ná:m thûam / ~ flood, หิมะตก / hìmá’ tòk / ~ it’s snowing, หนาว / nă:o / ~ it’s cold, มีหมอก / mi: mòr:k / ~ it’s foggy, ลมพัด / lom phát / ~ the wind is blowing, พายุ / pha:yú’ / ~ storm.

Lastly, the word ร่ม / rôm / actually means to

มีเมฆบางส่วน กับมีอากาศร้อนในตอนกลางวัน โดยมีฝนฟ้าคะนอง ร้อยละ 10 ของพื้นที่ อุณหภูมิต่ำ�สุด 23-27 องศาเซลเซียส อุณหภูมิสูงสุด 33-37 องศาเซลเซียส ลมตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ ความเร็ว 10-30 กม./ชม. ทะเลมีคลื่นสูงประมาณ 1 เมตร

เมฆ / mê:k / ~ cloud, มีเมฆ / mi: mê:k / ~ cloudy, อากาศร้อนในตอนกลางวัน / a:kà:t rór:n nai tor:n kla:ng wan / ~ hot in the middle of the day!

ฝน / fŏn / ~ rain, ฟ้าคะนอง / fá: khánor:ng / ~ thunder, ฝนฟ้ า คะนอง / fŏn fá khánor:ng / ~

thundershowers.

อุณหภูมิ / ùnhàphu:m / ~ temperature, ต่ำ� / tàm / ~ low, ต่ำ�สุด / tàm sùt / ~ minimum, สูง / sŭ:ng / ~ high, สูงสุด / sŭ:ng sùt / ~ maximum, องศา / ongsă: / ~ degrees, องศาเซลเซียส / ongsă: sensîat / ~ degrees

Celsius, and first part of the sentence is worth writing out and translating, so we see how the words fit together as in

27 degrees Celsius.

Finally, they predict

ลมตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ / lom tàwan òr:k chĭang tâi / ~ southeastern winds at ความเร็ว / khwa:m reo / ~ speed, 10-30 กม./ชม. / sìp thŭeng să:m sìp kìlo: mét tòr: chûa mo:ng / ~ 10-30 km/h.

If you can read a little Thai, it will be good training to try to find these key expressions in the Thai weather forecast above, and even if you don’t, you may try anyway, it could whet your appetite for more as long as you don’t feel compelled to understand all of it.

Let’s continue with a few more useful words and expressions: ความชื้น / khwa:m chúe:n / ~ humidity, the meteorological term being

be shady, but is also the word for umbrella, which in Thailand is used as much to protect against the sun as to protect against the rain: กางร่ม / ka:ng rôm / ~ to open an umbrella, เอาร่มไปเผื่อ / ao rôm pai phùea / ~ bring the umbrella just in case.

See you in the next issue or, in between, at the Thai Language Corner on Facebook!

April 2017 • ScandAsia.Thailand 43