Thai-Danish Trade News - January 2003

Danish Th o.

{ January 2003 -"b.L_ry

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Thai-Danish Trade News is published and distributed to selected Thai and Scandinavian business executives and officials with an interest in Thai-Danish relations by Danish-Thai Chamber ot Commerce, Foyal Danish Embassy and Scand-Media Corp., Ltd.

@ Danisi-TlEi Ghambel of Commerce 1402/2'l4th Fl , Glas Haus 25 Road, North Klongtoey, Wattana, Bangkok 10'110 Tel : (66) 0 2661 7762 Faxi (66) 0 2661 7764-5 E-mail: contact@ dancham orlh

Tom Sorensen Presldent

1 Sukhumvit

Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce

You be the judge!

PrGidont Mr, Tom Sorensen

Tel.: (66) 0 16567497 E-mail: toms@loxinfo co,th

Uice-PGident Mr Axel Blom Scandinavian Airlines System Tel,: (66) 0 2260 6252 Fax: (66) 0 2260 6269 E-mail: del.blom@sas se

lloasurul

Mr Soren Presmann Presmann (Thailand) Co, Ltd Tel.: (66) 0 2962 1151 Fax: (66) O29621152 E-mail: soren@presmann co th Pregnmme Comitlm Mr. Prasansak Suwanpotipra Danfoss (Thailand) Ltd. Tel : (66) 0 2379 9800 Fax: (66) 0 2379 9801 E-mail: prasansak@ danloss,com FoEign Chambe6 Gmdinating Gommlttoc Mr Preben Hjortlund Schmidt BioN,ledTech (Thailand) Ltd Tel.: (66) 0 2643 1330-9 Fax: (66) 0 2643 1340 E-mail: preben @schmidtthailand com Mcmbe6hlp Cmitt6 (Chaiman) lvlr Peter Linnemann Maersk Bangkok Branch Tel : (66) 0 2752 9000 Fil: (66) 0 2751 9575-8 E-mail: thamng@maersk com

he web site www.dancham.or.th i of the Danish - Thai Ch members I I comprehensive access to informat ness in and with Thailand."

lltT

page amongst offers the most hen doing busi-

This was how we saw the future, the vision, when we more than two years ago set out to create the Chamber web site. Are we there yet I wonder? From the web statistics we know that 9,400 pages have been viewed so far, that some 1,000 visits per month are made and thatT2k of the visitors are from Thailand followed bv 11% from Denmark.

The purpose of the web site? This is how the mission statement looks like: "The Danish - Thai Chamber of Commerce web site provides and suppotls its members with a por.tal to the world wide web and through that electronic access to up-to-date news and information on matters concerning business and trade between Thailand and Denmark."

In other words this is the web site you should not miss. lt is the site of comprehensive and

useful information when doing business in and with Thailand. Just check out this features available on www.dancham.or.th :

ilsmbolship Gommlttee Mr, Vitoon Le{ort VL Intertrade Co , Ltd Tel ; (66) 0 2541 6043-7 Fd: (66) 0 2541 5786 E-mail: vitoon @ likeitcollection com

(chaiman) Mr Jorgen lb Hedes Sun Paratech Co , Ltd.

PB Gommittee

(035) 221 010-8 Fax; (035) 221 019 E-mail: floorings@access inet co th PB Committec

ML Allan Jensen APV (Thailand) Ltd Tel : (66) 0 2367 5341 -6 Fax: (66) 0 2367 501 9 E-mail: ajensen@apvco uk

Otticlo Floyal Danish Embassy Tel : (66) 0 2213 201 2#17 Fax: (66) o 2213 1752

Present Your Gompany All members are encouraged to let the Chamber office know their latest news such as new appointments, promotions, product launches, office moves, sales results, awards received etc. To send your news and photos, email contact@dancham.or.th

Legal Information All members receive legal information by snail mail but newsletters are also available on the web site. Check the menu "Business in Thailand"

Coming Events A brief listing of the next important events coming up. Made for you.

Ex

ExHliw

Directol ML John Svengren Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce Tel : (66) 0 2661 7762 Faxi (66) 0 2661 7765 E-mail: contact@ dancham olth

Mini lnterviews Introducing one member after the other. You will always find the current one on the opening page but can still find all previous interviews under Members. Look for the signature [Read Mini Interviewl.

Real Time Information Up to date rate of exchange, the Bath to USD, DKK and Euro respectively. The SET index.

Before leaving for the airpofi check if the flight is on time, just click on Arrival and you are online with the Airooft Authoritv.

Royal Danish Embasy Commercial Section, 10 Soi Attakatn Prasit Sathorn Tai, Bangkok 10500 Thailand Tel : (66) 0 221 3 2021 -5 Faxr (66) 0 22 3 1 752 Ms llne Hylleberg Commercial Counsellor, Head of Section l\,4r Attakorn Saropala, Senior Comm Officer Ms Srisuda Vilyalai, comm Ofiicer 1

Glaphlc Pmdrciion & ttladcllng Scand-MediaCorp Ltd 4/41-42 Moo 3, Thanyakarn Village, Ramintra Soi 14, Bangkok 1 0230 Tel : (66) 0 2943 7t 66-8 Fax: (66) 0 2943 71 69 E-mail: scandmedia@ scandmedia com

lmportant Links Easy access to other relevant web sites. Move the mouse over e.g. Business in Thailand, and a world of unique sites opens up. Sites like Board of Investment, Customs Depaftment, Legal Updates, Revenue Depafiment, Kompass and so many more.

Tom Sorensen

President PS. Would you like to set your Home Page to www.dancham.orth ? Just click the Home Page icon (left side) on the www.dancham.orth , confirm by clicking Yes.

3

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Thailand calls on Danish biotech expertise Thailand has called on Danish expertise to assist with its DKK 1.5 billion (USD 210 million) science park north of Bangkok.

Researchers from the big Dan-

Ecco shoes a Royal

gift

ish food ingredient company

er Royal Highness

Chr. Hansen have been asked

Princess Soamsawali

to construct a "wish list" for build-

ing a state of the art biotech laboratory and fermentation olant. Two researchers from the company, Per Stroman og Peter Ssrensen, have now completed the project.

was recently presented with a pair of fashionable and comfoftable Danish ECCO shoes by Mrs. Cristina Helweg Larsen, wife of Danish

Ambassador Ulrik Helweg Larsen. HRH Princess Soam-

sawali received the shoes at a tion at the factory in Ayutthaya. ceremony held at Seacon This year, the expansion is Square organized by Y.W.C.A. scheduled to continue with ECCO shoes last year en- more new shops to open also joyed one of its most exciting outside the Bangkok Metropoyears in Thailand so far with the

lis area.

opening of several exclusive out-

lets and at the same time a significant expansion of the produc-

The equipment inventory they have compiled will cost an estimated DKK 150 million and the Thai authorities are currently considering the proposa..

- Thailand normally earmarks up to DKK 80 million each year for food research, the most important areas being black tiger prawns, chickens, sugar cane and rice. The new science park is located 70 km nofth of Bang-

kok and covers an area of aoproximately 32 hectares.

Foreign

investors focus on Denmark More than 30% of the 420 largest non-stock quoted companies in Denmark are foreign owned.

The 420 comoanies collectively provide 116,000 jobs in Denmark, and generate an annual turnover of DKK 257 billion (USD 36 billion)with a combined equity of DKK 47 billion (USD 6.6 billion).

Meanwhile, Copenhagen Stock Exchange has revealed that foreign investors hold 26"k

of the shares in companies traded on the Danish bourse.

Major players include US pension funds, UK investment funds and Swedish private investors.

Declining number of Scandinavians in Thailand he number of foreigners

529 Norwegians, 311 Finns,

from Denmark living in Thailand declined last

1282 Swedes and 783 Danes.

The year before, the numbers

end to all visa trouble and excludes them from the list of foreigners employed by the com-

year along with the other Scandinavian foreigners when comoared to 2001.

The total number of Scandinavians classified by the Thai immigration authorities as living

were 626 Norwegians, 500

pany they work for.

in Thailand went down from 3654 oersons in 2001 to 2905 persons in 2002, a drop of 20 oercenl.

By year end2002, the immigration police's record showed

Finns, 1437 Swedes and 1091

Three Swedes applied last

Danes.

year for this status which six

The number of Scandinavians applying for permanent

One Norwegian applied and

resident status in Thailand were last year lead by the Danes. By the deadline in December, nine Danes had applied for perma-

nent resident status. Eight

Swedes already have obtained. three Nonregians already have Dermanent resident status. One Finn aplied and one Finn already has this status.

Gregers Mo/ler

Danes already were given the attractive status which puts an

XponCard expanding in Thailand

cards for the bank and financial sector, loyalty cards for chains of multiple stores and department stores. lD cards. authentication cards and membershio cards. The product portfolio in-

The company grew by the end of last year out of itg previous offices on the 23rd floor in the CP Tower on Silom Road and has now moved to its new office on the 15th floor of the Sathorn Thani Building on North Sathorn Road.

At the same time, XponCard has increased its staff with two new key persons on the team, Mr. Janus Kjems Nielsen as Key Account Manager and Ms.

cludes also magnetic strip cards,

Chatuporn Sopitkul as Sales

smart cards and chio cards.

Coordinator.

oonCard International

(Thailand) Ltd. is ex panding its card business in Thailand.

XPonCard's oroducts include SIM cards for the telecom-

munications industry, credit

"Mr. Nielsen is very experienced in the SIM industry and coming f rom a similar position at

XPonCard Denmark A/S while Ms. Sooitkul has considerable project management experience

and comes from a similar oosition at NDC (Thailand). Ltd," says Mr. Bent Bjorlin Hansen, General Area Manager for Xpon-

Card International (Thailand) Ltd.

5

-Y

Danish Pavilion at ProPak 2003 he Royal Danish

Em

Denmark in the top 10

most "global" countries

bassy in Thailand will

The A.T. Kearney/Foreign Policy

again this year organize a Danish oavilion at ProPakAsia 2003, South East Asia's leading annual food processing and packaging.

The show offers four days of business talks with new customers, nursing of old contacts and networking with other Danish companies active in the market.

"We target padicipation of 810 comoanies from Denmark as well as subsidiaries from Thailand," says Commercial Counsellor Mrs. Tine Hylleberg and Agricultural Counsellor Poul Skov-Petersen.

ProPak 2003 takes place on 28th - 31st of May 2003 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok.

"We rely on the general pro-

Switzerland, Sweden and Singa-

motion of the exhibition to relevant target groups to be undertaken by organizers," says Com-

mercial Counsellor Mrs. Tine Hylleberg and Agricultural Coun-

sellor Poul Skov-Petersen.

"However, we will also use our own network to invite any specific target group or people in Thailand as well as the network of our colleagues in the commercial departments of the Royal Danish Embassies in Malaysia and Singapore to invite people outside Thailand which

the participating companies deem relevant," they add.

The Royal Danish Embassy in Thailand has already excellent relations with The Federation of Thai Industries, Board of Trade, and relevant Trade Organizations such as the Thai Packaging Association and others and plans to draw on these contacts to oromote the event.

The Embassy will take care of all coordination with the exhibition organizers. All communication and requests regarding the pavilion will therefore conveniently take place directly with the embassy.

The minimum stand will con-

tain a front desk, a meeting table, three chairs and a power

6

Magazine Globalization Index 2003 released in early January, shows that Denmark is continuing its advance in the league table's too 10.

This yea/s 6th place is two places up on last year and five places up on 2001. For the second year in a row, lreland took the top slot as the world's most "global" country, followed by

oore. nThe US claimed 11th prace.

The Globalization Index socket. Apart from this, there will be a number of shared facilities such as telephone line, Internet access, refrigerator, coffee machine etc.

The embassy can also pro-

vide assistance with communi-

For more information and online sign up, please visit the ProPak invitation on the homepage of the Royal Danish Embassy at http://www.denmarkembassy.or.th/com mercial/

measures economic, social, political, and technological integration in 62 countries representing 85% of the world's population and more than 95% of world economic outout.

propak.htm.

cation with customers who only speak Thai. And for shofter periods of time staff from the embassy will also be able to watch the company's area.

Fact Box

Danish

The number of industry visi-

During the event, a reception will be held in the garden of the

when the Danish Embassy also organized a national

exporters optimistic

ambassador's residence where participating companies may invite oartners and customers at .a small extra cost.

pavilion, the numbers totalled some 15,500.

There were 1,239 international visitors to the exhibition primarily from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philip-

The typical stand will be 9 square meters. The actual cost for each company will be calculated on the number of souare meters actually requested by eacn company.

Another option is to participate only with a company bro-

tors to ProPak has increased

year on year and in 2002,

pines and Vietnam. Among the exhibitor, 114 were local comoanies while 251 were overseas companies from 26 countries.

The exhibit orofile in-

chure at the Embassy's brochure stand at the Pavilion. A

cludes among others:

presentation on CD-Rom to be shown using a projector during the event could also be an oo-

o

tion. This could save time and cost for comoanies with limited resources and budget.

Companies opting for this will receive a post-event report including a list of interested com-

panies from the region for further direct contact.

The cost for this option 5,400 Danish kroner

-

is

equivalent to eight hours of 675 kroner per nour.

food and non food orocess-

ing machinery food and non food packaging machinery o printing & packaging materials o canning & can making o bottling technology o brewery & beverage technology equipment o meat processing & pack-

o

agrng

o

machinery for processing and producing packaging

Danish exporting companies believe in an increase in their export in 2003. ln a survey con-

ducted by the Danish daily Jylland-Posten and PLS Rambo lls Ekspodbarometer, the majority of the companies expected their exports to gradually increase during the year to come.

In the comorehensive survey, the companies were also asked which tax or duty alleviation would in their opinion be of most benefit to their export.

About one third said lower-

ing the general corporate tax level would help most, while 20 percent pointed to a lowering of the mid-level tax in the progres-

sive Danish tax scale and

13

percent said a lowering of the top

level would benefit exporting companies most. "lt's a surprisingly high share of the respondents who point to lowering of the general corporate tax level as most beneficial," says Per Nielsen, Confederation

of Danish lndustries in a comment to the findings.

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Ada Food introduced Lurpak Spreadable natural cheeses where we are stronger. Our Havarti cheese is sold in slices, but it is still genuine, natural yellow cheese which

he introduction of Lurpak

Soreadable butter in South East Asia has significantly expanded Arla Foods markets in Singapore and Hong Kong. In Singapore, where the

consumers otherwise mostly slice themselves," Mr. Henriksen

product was introduced five

exolains.

years ago, the groMh has been 50 percent over the past three years.

The same trend is also seen in Malaysia and the Philippines,

"Sales volume within cheese is still limited, so a broad range

of products is needed to be present in the markets," he adds.

Lars Moller Henriksen joined Arla Foods eight years ago and was in his latest capacity resoonsible forArla Foods markets in Middle East and the Balkans.

His oromotion to head the regional office in KL is his first post-

where the new product has been on the market for about a year In Thailand, the product was

introduced during the second half of last year and also hows promrsrng srgns.

This year, Mr. Lars Moller Henriksen, Arla Food's new Regional Manager based in Kuala Lumpur, will launch the prere it shoduct in China and Taiwan.

"We usually focus on consumer promotions in maior outlets for our products. This way, we reach the most ootential consumers directly," Mr. Henriksen explains.

just 5 years after it's triumphant launch, the product has also been heralded as arguably the most successful new product

introduction ever in the BSM market.

The second most popular product group for Arla Foods in

Asia is cheese, where the

was introduced in the UK, it

strength of Arla Foods is in particular its broad product range.

"A general trend in this market is the shift in consumer pref-

boosted Arla Foods market con-

erence from the processed,

siderably. With sales of t65M

slice-wrapped kinds of cheese to

When Lurpak Spreadable

ing overseas. He succeeded in

Seotember 2002 Mr. Jens Tamdrup who after six years in KL left for Denmark where his is today working with one of Arla Foods subsidiaries.

"We have a good tradition in Arla Foods that we always go on a "farewell and hello"-round together, so Jens and I managed to meet all our main distributors in the region before he left," Mr. Henriksen savs.

Arla Foods met with Thai distri butors

architects to design Chinese city Aarhus-based architects Msller & Granborg have won an international competition to plan an

entire city on the Silk Road in northern China. The firm, which

worked in close collaboration with the Chinese town planning company Zhonghuatian Plan & Design Research Institute and P.R.C. in Beijing, has netted a USD 80,000 prize and a wealth

of new opportunities. Moller

&

Gronborg will now open an affiliate office in Beijing.

The planned site of the city is on an ancient trading route fringing the Gobi desert, and is an area of considerable historical interest which already attracts 800,000 tourists annually.

Over the next 30 years a vibrant

metropolis with a giant fresh water lake, parks, green areas and model farms will rise from the currently bare and barren landscape, becoming home to a population of 300,000 people.

Denmark's business angels survey The Danish Growth Fund has conducted a survey of Denmark's "business angels", capi-

tal-strong individual investors looking primarily for opportunities in entrepreneurial start-ups and early growth phase compa-

Arla Foods regional

ntes.

A survey of 76 business an-

manager Lars Moller Henriksen met with the company's distributors in

gels revealed that collectively they have around DKK 600 million (USD 78 million) in investment-ready cash.

The Danish GroMh Fund estimates that there are around 1,700 business angels in Denmark, who annually invest up to

Thailand on the occasion

of the Danish-Thai football match on Tuesday 28 January.

Arla Foods' Lurpak brand is one of Denmark' s main football sponsors.

DKK 1.7 billion (USD 220 mil lion) in non-stock quoted comFrom left: Wchien Jarttkasetporn, General manager oJ East West Trading & Agencies Ltd. Part., Lars Mpller Henriksen, Agricultural Counsellor Poul Skov Petersen and Somboon Kunakornkittiphol, Sales Manager for East Wedst Trading.

I

Danish

panres.

The average business angel

is a man in his late 40s with around DKK 20 million (USD 2.6 million) in available capital.

n vt\ s P |TA L']:":,::::::"]i: H?l:l: ::"T1"=.: L-

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9

GPV expanding r again GPV Asia today employs

entered a new area when signing a 10-year contract with the American weaoons manufacturer Raython Electronic System. The value of the contract is 700 mill. Danish kroner and offers an opportunity for the Group to enter the highly demanding area of aerospace technology.

some 2OO people and new talented people are often recruited among trainees from the technical college in Samutprakarn.

PVAsia (Thailand) Co., Ltd. has as of January 1, 2003 taken over production of all hardware for the railway passenger information system of the Danish company Focon Electronic Systems A,/S in

Sonderborg, which is a part of the Mark lV Group, an international transport business with its head office in Canada.

According to Birgit E. Bader, Focon's Purchasing Manager, the main reason for choosing GPV was that the Group could provide a complete solution with production both in Denmark and in Asia: 'The GPV Group is the only player in Denmark with skills in the areas of electronics, mechanics, plastic moulding and foil keypads," she says. "lt is the only player that can provide a complete solution. We were also attracted by the reliability that stems from parallel production in Denmark and the Far East. Outsourcing produc-

tion makes high demands for skills sharing and development, so it is important to choose a paftner who can offer global cost optimisation through e.g. production in the Far East."

For GPV Asia (Thailand) Co., Ltd, the order is yet another mile-

stone in its impressive expansion since the company was first established in Thailand less than

five years ago based on an outsourcing contract with ABB Thailand. The factory was placed within the compound of ABB in Bangpoo Industrial Estate some 40 kilometres from Bangkok and it was from the very start agreed that GPV Asia should as early as possible expand its client base to rely not only on the ABB contracl.

This independence was realized already within the first two years and the factory has since moved to larger premises within

10

According to the contract, GPV will produce components

for dummy missiles used Managing Director Hans Danielsen, GPV Asia (Thailand) Co., Ltd. the ABB compound, where the

layout of the 7,500 square meters production area has since been adjusted several times to accommodate the dvnamic growth.

Today, the company is capable of producing basically everything within the product range of the five Danish factories, and while the production was initially

based on used machinery from GPV in Denmark, the company has today brand new machinery equipped with the latest computer based control system including a complete production line for electronic components.

One of the pleasant experiences has been the ability of the company to attract highly skilled and motivated workers. Managing Director Hans Danielsen told visiting Danish journalist Henrik Houtved in a recent interview for Jern og Maskinindustrien, the leading Danish magazine forthe metalworking industry, that GPV

Asia today employs some 200 people and that new talented

people are often recruited among the trainees, which the

company receives from the nearby technical college in Samutprakarn. "lt's a win-win situation," Hans Danilsen says.

"The machinery at the technical college is generally old. So at our factory the students get a chance to get acquainted with the latesttechnology. And we get a chance to be the first to offer a student a contract if we spot a particular talent."

Last year, the GPV Group

in

simulated attacks by fighter jets and the production of some of the components are likely to be placed in Bangkok.

In recent months, the GPV Grouo has also extended its capacity through the acquisition of two additional factories, according to the newsletter Quartal of the GPV Group. The two new factories are GPV Components AS in Norway and GPV Electronics AG in Switzerland. According to the newsletter it was in both cases simply a question of taking existing working relationships a large step further in the direction of strategic partner-

ships with the emphasis on large-scale outsourcing commis-

sions, the news letter.

W2's lead singer Michael Brandt with the MC oJ the night, Jennfer Sue and dz cards owner and CEO Jorgen Schmidt.

TV-2 in South East Asia The Danish rock band TV-2 kicked off their South East Asia

Christmas 2002 Tour with a great concert in Bangkok on Wednesday 11 December 2002 at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit. Close to four hundred Danes and and Danish related Thais cheered and rocked the night away under the spell of the

charismatic lead singer Steffen Brandt in the Ball Room of the hotel.

The conceft in Bangkok was

GPV Components AS in

a magnificent Christmas gift

Skien, Noruvay, was previously

lrom dz Card's CEO Mr. J?rgen Schmidt to the Danes in Thailand. In Singapore and Malaysia, other local sponsors joined dz Card to make it possible to offer tickets at a very attractive price. In both cities, the event was practically sold out.

one of ABB's component factories with a staff of 90, manufacturing and assembling mechanical components for ABB. The acquisition of this unit appreciably reinforces the GPV Group's capacity for manufacturing large batches. Deliveries to ABB will

continue from the factory in Skien, which commands 9,100 m2 of hi-tech oroduction facilities.

GPV Electronics AG in Mumliswil, Switzerland is joining the Group as result of a longstanding working relationship with the Danish company EskoGraphics A/S. The working rela-

tionship between the GPV Group and Esko-Graphics A/S has undergone development which has resulted in the GPV Group taking over a number of

New

international school in Aarhus Aarhus municipality in Denmark is to ooen a new international school. The new school will be financed by Aarhus municipality with contributions from the busi-

activities. The deal also involves

ness community and higher edu-

the GPV Group taking over a small number of employees in

cational institutions.

In addition, parents will pay

connection with the production of scanners in Denmark.

Gregers Mol/er

a modest monthly sum. The school is scheduled to open this summer.

I

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t1

:7

says Henning.

"Produc-

,

you can raise 7

-

B

chicken per square meter without problems. But in a mod-

ern evap facility some 12-13 chicken can share that samo area."

In high tech chicken farming

farm. Now,

Text and photos: Christer Nilsson

"Had anyone told me that three years ago I would just have brushed it aside as a crazY idea,"

says Henning about his current occuoation.

But here he is.

And the farm, aptlY named Ghor Gai Co Ltd after the first letter in the Thai alphabet- Ghor

It

:t;

';rr',

:; ![enrtittit,

l ry t.t i r: ! (' tt v t tdt;tli t ( t!! i1{: i?. i I r.lttr,; n,t! iit.'!llr:r lnc t.tt

;

o

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L:

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t t

L'u f hr:tlc- !:'t:t'r:ntr: tt.

breaks with no functioning cooling system," says Henning." Bul

if the birds are any older thoY start die from heat chock aftor half an hour without a Proper

1988 as Piping Engineer, he has

worked abroad all the time. In Greenland, UK, US, Sri Lanka,

raising an average of 105 000 chicken, in eight evap long

the Maldives, Sweden and Thailand.

The chicken adventure began

do also run a smaller, 35 000

with a miscalculation.

business that keeps Henning, his Buriram wife Darunee and

Thai ooen-air house to raise

Henning went for a traditional

the 20 odd staff busy allthe time.

Three factors made him take the chicken farmer route: love, a lob offer he didn't like and in-

chicken.

spiration from a SingaPorean

fication farm instead, short

chicken farm entrepreneur.

"The idea came uP when I worked at Nakornthai Steel Mill.

A Singaporean supplier had told chicken farm. My workplace was

named an "evao farm"."

All equipment but the water filled cooling pads, which are manufactured on US license in Thailand are imported. The fans come f rom Holland, the engines

in financial difficulties and

aP-

from Germany and the water

proaching bankruptcy. At that time I got a job offer in the US. But I had been there once and never really liked it so I looked at other ootions. That's when decided to invest in a chicken

system isAmerican. WhY not local or regional machinery?

"We work with livestock. Our equipment must run 24 hours a day. Domestic and Asian manufactured equipment don't last,"

"lt never worked out. So to build a modern

I

decided

evaporated cooling and humidi-

me about his investment in a

days old, can take quite long

cooling system. So you see whY I wont jeopardize the farm and livestock by savings on cheaPor but unreliable equipment. I havo seen other chicken farms thal brought in cheap machinery and went bust later."

Currently, Ghor Gai farm In

Gai means chicken - is a healthY

I

12

it is absolutely critical that your equipment does not break down.

"Young chicken, uP to 25

plains why I ended uP here!

His only qualification to enter the poultry industry is the childhood years in the Danish countryside. "l am used to this kind of life and quite like the solitude and quiet environment here. lt does not bother me at all. But exPerience of chicken farming before this? No, nothing."

Henning Gajhede-Sorensen is no stranger to different cultures either. Since graduation

Becoming chicken farmer in the laid back Thai province of Buriram was never part of Henning Gajhede-Sorensen's career Plan.

"! ctirr.t.;:;tti 1. !it.i:; i.u'tr! r;f lifc irttti tlr.riir: it|:t;lt,:

my wife is from Buriram, and that ex-

houses, on a 20 rai area. They chicken, farm in ChaiYaPum. "ln this area there are aboul three farms of the same or big' ger size as ours." ls there any Danish connection in this venture excePt You? "Not really. Well, some of tho cold storage containers from Pak Chong to the Port como from Maersk, but that is the only Danish connection!" "l had sme negotiations to

obtain financing from lFU. But we never got anywhere. This le a Thai company with a Dane In it. Only Danish owned comPanies qualify," adds Henning.

All chicken from Ghor Gai ls

exported to EU, JaPan, Korea and Singapore.

"They are exported indirectlY through the slaughterhouse we

re Kru e-4&&g_&h$re

use in Pak Chong. That is part

The birds at Ghor Gai are the

of a group that also supply

traditional 'white ltalian' used world wide in chicken farming.

hatched chickens and animal feed to us, so we are one link in a total chicken farming production concept."

As much as possible of the

waste and other by-products from the chicken farm are recycled or sold. The chicken manure is for instance collected and

packed in sacks and sold as fertilizer.

"Farmers in Ubon buy it for fertilizer in sugar cane farms, rubber tree plantations and various vegetable farming projects.

I have played with the idea to treat the chicken manure and create a better fedilizer product.

There are ways to do that, and make more out of the dung, but I have so far not had the time."

Then there is "recycling" of dead chicken. Some birds in a

flock will die in the chicken houses for various natural reasons.

"We just remove the feathers and chop them up. Then we feed them to our fish! | began experimenting this yearwith catfish and now have two ponds on the farm with some 40 000 fish. lf you substitute traditional fish

feed with chicken meat you make substantial savings and in

the end come up with cheaper fish to the consumer. lt is only for the first month of the fish' life

we must feed them with traditional fish feed. After that they can eat chicken meat. We will expand the fish farm to around

Henning says each bird yield an average 5 Baht profit.

But to get there you must run a fault free farm with no glitches.

"These chicken have a lifespan of 49 days from hatching until they reach the slaughterhouse. lf you miss one day of harmonious growth, the birds grow 60 gram per day, you lose money. Livestock are sensitive to many things. Chicken react to

noise, rain and temperature changes. And feeding has to be exact, nottoo much, and nottoo little. And each flock of chicken

is different. You need good, knowledgeable staff to treat the birds with success."

The biggest risk in the production chain, as Henning sees it, is not an outbreak of disease but human error. "lf you keep the house clean, have functional equipment and manage it well there are no real risks. lf you have an outbreak of disease it is always caused by numan error.

Faulty equipment is another risk. That is why I rather pay more for good equipment than

What is your forecast for Ghor Gai during 2003? "lt seems to be pretty good times for chicken farming. We have had problems with new EU regulations being enforced in

2002. Thal disturbed many smaller farmers but we exoerienced fewer problems, as we were well prepared. The EU has a set of standards for chicken, it is a long list of requirements, and

take a cheap option that may not last."

you must meet all of them to be able to trade with the EU. I have many opinions about the new EU regulations, why they have come about, how they treat Thai chicken consignments, the payment terms Thai farmers must take, but I guess we have to live with these EU's rules whatever I or others say," says Henning.

Electricity supply is backed

Are there opportunities for

up with a generator that turns on

more Danish agribusiness entre-

automatically if the power is cut for any reason. And the plastic

preneurs here in lsan?

"Forget it if you don't bother to learn the language and the culture! lt is difficult enough without those factors. But there are plenty of opportunities to utilize the land better. Most of the farm land is laid out as rice farms and

side covers on all chicken houses can be winded down by

hand to let the wind blow in if

250 000 fish during 2003."

Clever usage and successful sales of by-products is likely to helo make the THB 15 - 16 Million chicken farm investment a really good business.

worst comes to worst.

"We also have our own ten wheeler truck to secure deliveries of animal feed and transoort

"Normally the payback period would be 3-4 years but we had

somebody else for that would jeopardize the business. Our

some problems lastyear with a slaughterhouse, which caused a loss. Since we changed to the current slaughterhouse it is business as usual again and we are right on track," says Henning.

chicken consume 18-ton animal feed per day from when they get 35 days old. We cannot afford

of chicken to the slaughterhouse. Being dependent of

1. Everything is used, Even the chicken manure is t'ollected and packed in sacks and sold as .fertilizer.

2. Electricity supply is backed up with a generator that turns on

automatically if the power is cutfor any reason.

used only four months a year and lie idle for the remaining eight months."

"There are some attempts to

to lose one day because of

change this. Some have ventured into watermelon and cauliflower farming in the "off-rice" season but they are not many," says Henning Gajhede-Soren-

somebody else' s fault to de-

sen.

liver."

13

Dumex back on track in Thailand AC Nutrition is now back on track in Thailand fol

lowino six months of in-

tensive marketing activities since the company was last summer forced to withdraw two products from the Thai market.

In a press release issued by EAC in January, the company freely admits that the product recall had a negative impact on a series of other Dumex products.

But according to the release, sales are now developing posi-

tively and the market has regained its trust in most Dumex oroducts.

the same high level of sales we had achieved before the oroduct recall."

"On top, based on consumer

quantitative research, quite a number of consumers understand and appreciate the company's intention to recall the product in the sense that the company is highly responsible," Mr. Geraets adds.

One product. which the company is careful not to market too aggressively is the Dumex Infant Formula for babies in order not

to stir up a notion that Dumex for commercial reasons is not

"Our most recent oroduct

fully suppofting natural breast-

launches have been very well received by the market," Ger-

feeding. Instead, Dumex is working closely with the medical profession who are recommending the products for their health and nutrition benefits, Mr. Geraets explains.

Resources have, however, over the past six months been invested heavily in the marketing of Dumex products for older

hard Geraets, Managing Direc-

tor of EAC Nutrition's Thai ooerations is quoted.

"We have introduced new flavours in our existing range of products and new ready-to-drink products, and sales ofthese are fully in line with our most optimistic expectations. Generally

Grundfos in the top 10 European

workplaces

cluded a seminar on children's

development during the first three years of life, with a special

address by Dr. Amporn Benjapolpitak, Deputy Director of the lnstitute of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, which is parl of the Thai Ministry of Health.

More than 600 parents and children --twice as many as the previous year - took part in this

event, which was organized in co-operation with the Tops supermarket chain, one of EAC Nutrltion's leading retail customers. The seminar also offered personal advice on child nutrition

and physical and mental development - and there were activities and features for the many children present. "l have no doubt that in the coming year we shall have put the last effects of the 2002 product recall well and truly behind us - on our way to new record sales and satisfactory results," Mr. Geraets says.

children, involving a wide and

speaking, we can see that we

varied range of activities. Major

are slowly but surely returning to

events during the autumn in-

Source: www.eac.dk

Reshuffle in Carlsberg strengthens Asia focus esper Bjorn Madsen has been appointed Senior Vice President of Carlsberg Breweries A/S with

primary responsibility for the Asian activities as of 1 August 2003 and will return to Copenhagen to take uo this new responsibility.

Jesper Bjorn Madsen is currently CEO of Carlsberg Hong Kong Ltd. and Chief Ooera-

tions Officer resoon-

sible for Carlsberg

Asia's activities in Hong Kong, China and Laos.

He joined Carlsberg in 1984 as a lawyer and

was appointed Vice President responsible

14

for the coordination of international activities in 1991. He has

been working in Hong Kong since 1995.

The management structure

Michael luul in Bangkok Mr. Michael luul, outgo-

ing CEO of Carlsberg Asia, was on on Thursday 23 January 2003

guest speaker at a lunch for members of Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce where he

Grundfos has been listed as one

of Europe's 10 best workplaces

in a new survey conducted by

the renowned US business magazine, Fortune.

To compile their listing, Fortune canvassed a wide range of people from journalists and securities analysts to social inveslment researchers and consultants. The top 10 were selected from 60 candidate companies, and each was visited by Fortune

journalists.

Grundfos, whose mission is "a better life and a healthy envi-

ronment", is clearly delighted with the accolade that ranks them alongside the likes of ltaly's

iconic Ferrari, Switzerland's Nestle, French cement company

Lafarge, UK's Bacardi Martini,

Spanish conglomerate Mondragon and Sweden's clothing retailer Hennes & Mauritz.

"We are naturally proud to be

considered worthy of a place in such fine company" said the Grundfos CEO to Danish financial daily newspaper B-rsen.

Grundfos is the world's second-biggest producer of water pumps, has annual revenues of

DKK 10.7 billion (USD 1.5 bil-

of Carlsberg Asia will change as

a result of Jesper Bjorn Madsen's return to Copenhagen.

With immediate effect, Jargen Bornhoft is appointed CEO of Carlsberg Asia and

Thapana

The Danish pump manufacturer

Sirivad-

hanabhakdi takes uo the

position as Deptuty CEO. Jorgen Bsrnhoft is

currently CEO of Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad and Chief Ooerations Off icer responsible for the activities in South East Asia.

It has not yet been

oresented and interesting insight into Carls-

decided who will take

berg's challenge to pen-

over from Jorgen Born-

etrate the Asian beer

hatt in Malaysia and

market.

Jesper Bjorn Madsen in Hong Kong.

lion), and has posted returns before taxes of at least 60/o pd for the past 5 years. The company employs 4,100 at its head-

quarters and manufacturing plant in Bjerringbro, Jutland.

Danish

Growth Fund again ready to invest in lT The Nordic venture company Northzone Ventures, with a DKK

75 million (USD 10.5 million) contribution from the Danish Growth Fund (Vekstfonden), has pooled DKK 370 million (USD 52 million) for investment in early stage lT and telecom comoanies.

The ambition is to pump up the fund to around DKK 750 million (USD 105 million) in a year's time. Norlhzone estimates that roughly a third of this sum will be used to finance Danish start uos. Both Northzone and the Danish Growth Fund are convinced that now is the time to reinvest in lT sector companies, with a view to selling again in 46 years.

Northzone Ventures was established in 1996 and has otfices ' in Oslo, Stockholm and Copen-

hagen. lt is actively engaged in about 20 Scandinavian technology companies. Other investors involved in the new fund include Switzerland's LGT Capital Part-

Ambitious Danish MBA program recruiting in sEA "This program will change the lives and potential futures of diverse young business leaders of the future," says Program Director Mike Hall, Gopenhagen Business School. on't be surorised if in the

future

a

seemingly

unproportional number of top CEOs of major world cor-

porations are all Danish educated.

A new, highly ambitious Danish MBA program is currently hand-picking top moti-

vated future leaders

from

around the globe for its first one-

year program stafting in September 2003.

The new full-time MBA program has been established by Copenhagen Business School and promises to have a leadership impact on the future far beyond little Denmark. The aim is to be the top-ranked MBA pro-

ners and Norway's Argentum

gram in Scandinavia by 2004, and break into the top 10 in Eu-

Fondsforvaltning, Vesta Liv and

rope by 2010.

To promote and

hand-pickthe first 65 students to start on the first one-year program in September 2003, Program Director Mike Hall recently set up an intensive travel schedule for him and other leading personnel of the program to visit 35 cities in 29 countries around the globe.

In South East Asia, the presentations took place during the second half of January 2003 in

Manila, Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

The vision is to put together

a uniquely interesting and dynamic group of young career professionals and groom them for top positions in international companies world wide.

"We are going to compose an incredible and exciting group of people," says Dr. Professor Per Jenster, Associate Dean of the cBS MBA Program.

Diversity in cultural and professional background will be the key, combined with an intensive learning experience to gain a " new cutting-edge master competence of coping with interpersonal skills among different cultures," Mike Halladds.

The typical candidate will be an internationally oriented early career orofessional with a varied academic background, two to three years of relevant work experience, about five years of what educators call leadership relevant experience, in addition to requisite GMAT scores.

The program will include a Leadership Mentoring Scheme, which will match the students with "real life" CEOs and other executives from throughout the Oresund Region. This mentoring

program will provide students with a coach/role model/advocate. Organizations such as Siemens and Novo Nordic have already agreed to provide such mentors. "lf one day if you are going to be a CEO, why not learn from one?" Mike Hall asks.

According to Jenster, a more

conscious effort in MBA orograms to build leadership evolved in the 1980s. The new program's unique selling property is that it develops students' "personal literacy, social literacy, business literacy, and cultural literacy" to help foster leadership,

which also reouires other skills.

For example, listening and

communicating may be "soft skills," but leading businesses without them is hard. CBS educators say. But while such soft interoersonal skills are increas-

ingly needed, many younger professionals lack them, creating "huge leadership problems"

in international business.

Hall

says.

Thus, CBS educators believe that the leadership focus niche will carry the new program

into the first division of MBA schools. But the kind of leadership that graduates will carry with them to the rest of the world is the key.

Rolling out a new internationally focused MBA program is a complex and challenging task,

CBS educators say; one that they believe they are prepared to meet.

"The MBA program consists of quality faculty teaching qual-

ity MBA content in top-notch academic surroundings. This program will change the lives and potential futures of diverse young business leaders of the future," Hall adds.

Gregers Moller and Scott Berman

15

British education at one of Asia's finest boardins schools

Ms Margit Joya, project leader of the Colourful Cotrntry Carecenter and Chart Thai Party MP Ms Kanjana SilapaArcha helped the children lind their new beds.

Register NOW for the popular and innovative Soods & Adventure Camo and English Summer School

30 March-19 April, 2003 and 6 July-2 August, 2003

Colourful Country opens new dormitory

By Teerapong Yodwanlop

enmark's Colourful Country Foundation on February 3, 2003 ex-

panded its Colourful Country Carecenter with the opening of a newly-furnished dormitory. The 24 hour carecenter is located

within the complex of stateowned Mentally Handicapped

Babies Home in Nontaburi where Colourful Country has for

the past six years been operating a daycare centerfor mentally handicapped babies.

The expansion, comple-

teers and Thai staff from the

nine to three. Besides helping relieve the workloads of the

Depaftment of Social Development and Welfare, Ministry of

state-owned baby home, the Danish daycare center helps

Social Develooment and Human

stimulate the children in daily liv-

Securities.

After the joint ribbon cutting

sary developments. Over the

ence of Danish and Thai volun-

by MP Kanjana and Ms Joya, the

children, assisted by the Danish

and Thai volunteers, quickly found their new beds, which were marked by their picture and

name. On each bed, a teddy bear awaited to befriend and ensure homey dreams.

Colourful Country Care-

mented by recruitment of more Danish and Thai volunteers, al-

center was founded by Ms Joya in 1996 to support the service of the Mentally Handicapped Ba-

lows the care center to offer

bies Home, which now has more

around-the-clock care for f ifteen mentally, some also physically, handicapped children.

The dormitory inauguration was presided over by Chart Thai Party MP Ms Kanjana Silapa-

project leader of the Colourful

than 460 newly-born lo7-yearold mentally handicapped children under the care.

During the past six years, Colourful Country's volunteers, whom each take a 6-month term on the pro.ject, have been taking turns to bring the kids from

Country Carecenter in the pres-

the baby wards for day care f rom

Archa and Ms Margit Joya,

39 Sukhumvit Road, Soi8, Bangkok, Thailand.

Tel: +66 (0) 2653 0017 Fax: +66 (0) 2253 5125

They used to sleep Jbur in one bed - rum tlrct sy.,t have their orNn teddy bear.

ing activities and other necesyears, the center has been taking care of a total of 45 mentally handicapped children.

The new around-the-clock care center gives the kids a homier lifestyle, which could help them adjust better and faster to the real social environment outside the comolex once they return to their own family or go into adoption.

At the moment, the expanded care center has the capability to look after fifteen mentally handicapped children. lt has

a staff of 20 Danish and three Thai volunteers to ensure any local-specific needs and com-

munication are carried out smoothly.

Hjem til Danmark?

Ring +45 33 17 90 00 og bestil'Hjem til Danmark'-

bilen.

E-mail: hotel @stablelodge.com

www.stablelodge.com wwwhertzdk,dk

t6

Denmarks Asbjorn Sennels in a heading contest with Thailand's Manich Noivech during the match shortly before the Danes scored their winning goal in first half injury time.

Danes

proved too strong for Thailand

ww

bhFbanK ch

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enmark won 1-0 its friendly football match on Tuesday 28 January

against Thailand's King's Cup team at Rajamangala Stadium, Hua Mark in Bangkok.

The Danes, led by their World Cup coach Morten Olsen, had the better of the game and scored the only goal in first-half injury time. A long ballfrom Tho-

mas Roll Larsen gave Thomas

Schultz the chance to run through the Thai defence with-

out being challenged and

he

went on to score.

"l don't like losing but I am pleased the way we played," Thailand's head coach Peter Withe said after the match "The Danes were a strong team. They had a well-organized defence and also had a considerable height advantage."

Morten Olsen praised the Thai team and said they were very well organized despite having only had one week's prepa-

Thiabma battle s with Thomas Sennels for control of the ball.

P aitoon

sets us up well for the Carlsberg Cup in Hong Kong which begins this weekend."

Denmark dominated the

"Our players had a problem

Michael Johansen failed to convert a chance in the 7th minute and then with four minutes to go, Denmark won a freekick just outside the area after

with the warm temperature

Datsakorn Thonglao fouled

which they are not used to."

Morten Wieghorst but David

ration.

"l'm glad we managed to score and win the match as it

'!(/'e

match in the second half and out Thailand under pressure for long Deriods.

Rasmussen's effort was cleared by the Thai goal keeper.

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17

Tropicdane r a Danish veteran in Vietnam For Carsten Lehn, communication, patience, mutual respect and sustainable forestry are key elements in running his Trapicdane furniture and interior decoration business in Vietnam

change here and now anyway.

"To me, it has proven more beneficial to try and figure out the very reason behind any malfunction, rather than getting frus-

trated about it," muses the 50 year old Dane.

"The sources of frustration are in abundance if that's what you're looking for, but then you' ll not

get anywhere," he explains.

"Many Danes and other forText and photos: Leif Carlsen

arsten Lehn, CEO of

in not being understood, which

Tropicdane in Ho Chi

is not only a question of the language barrier but in addition very

Minh Citv. doesn't mind talking about his life's work. But if you ask him about what one

should consider when stafting doing business in Vietnam, he hesitates for the first time in our conversation, wanting to give the

Iy s f rth

18

ontics"."

eigners trying to establish a business olatform in South East Asia have exoerienced the frustration

best answer oossible.

For, in business like in any other aspect of life in Vietnam, the pace is relentlessly fast and what matters today, may well be alltogether different tomorrow in this nation struggling to adapt to the market economy of the outside world.

During his more than ten years in business in Vietnam, Carsten Lehn's way of thinking has been to deal with oroblems as they occur, rather than worry about matters that you cannot

much a cultural phenomenon.

Wfrenever you're having a hard time making your Vietnamese

counteroarts or associates adopt to a Western approach, you might stop to think every once in a while to consider whether you could adopt to the Eastern way, and possibly make the two merge." "lt's also very much a question of mutual respect. Once you learn why they are approaching a task in a specific way, then you learn which precautions to take."

"Lots of time and patience is essential. The Vietnamese like

to have meetings about almost everything, and you have to indulge them. The bigger picture is often beyond the

Vietnamese,

Furniture represents 60 percent of However, when in the midTropicdane's turnoven Carsten eighties his jointventure partner Lehn, here seated in the company's passeO away, he set his eyes on showroom,

explains.

so don't expect them to see

it

your way from day one," Carsten Lehn advises novices who want

-

Vietnam.

At that time, the borders between Thailand, Laos and Vietnam were only open for passage in very few places, and visiting Vietnam back in 1989 was not

an easy trip, Carsten Lehn re-

to do business in South East

calls.

Asia.

"A table to you and me and

"You had to show your passport at every bridge you crossed,

other Danes or Westerners

is

and every morning you had to

normally of a decent standard, but not necessarily so for the Vietnamese. I have seen Vietnamese proudly present a table put together from squalid pieces

report to the local police station where you were assigned an interpreter who would follow your every footstep all day long."

Carsten Lehn neverthe less generated a very positive image of the Vietnamese people. "lt's a very smiling people and they received me with open arms. They may be shy, but beneath their shyness you sense

of wood and old rusty nails.

Therefore you have to take time

out and patiently explain why you cannot expect from Westerners to buy such a table. Be very specific as to what you want

precisely. I have seen many

an eagerness to learn and

people give up, solely due to the fact that they failed to communi-

gather knowledge from the outside world."

Tropicdane as such is registered in Hong Kong where there is a small representative office manned by a Finn, whilst the activities of the company are conducted from the VCD-Tropic-

cate exactly what they wanted."

Carsten Lehn first arrived South East Asia back in 1989, when Vietnam first started open-

ing up to the West. lt has not been an easy walk, but the re-

ward is there if you have patience and stamina.

dane Joint Venture Ceramic Factory with 33.000 square

Thailand was his first encounter with Asia. where he en-

meters of production and ware-

gaged in a joint venture business producing dog food from tannery waste that is rich in protein.

hours drive outside of Ho Chi

house facilities, a couple of Minh City.

The production of furniture is

placed in the highlands of the

The activities o7 rh, ,o,^pony

oru

Dak Lak province in a cauple of production plants that produce for Tropicdane exclusively.

Tropicdane is exporting to

conductedfrom the VCD-

approximately 20 countries

Tropicdane Joint Venture Cerumic Factory a couple of hours drive outside of Ho Chi Minh City.

Danish market accounting for 20 psrcent of the turnover.

around thâ&#x201A;Ź globe. Still, with the

n

GPV Asia

-

Dos'blc

i!('d

J nch.nd

hlfirlil

riE

total solutions and sourcing

GPV Asia (Thailand) Co., Ltd. is the headquarters for the GPV Group's activities in Asia and is an important part of the GPV Global Sourcing & Contracting concept.

The company is specialised in high-quality production of Metal parts, Cabinets and Enclosures, High precision machined parts, Wire harnish, Electronic and Mechanical assembly Complete customer solutions.

The GPV Group is a knowledge based technology and outsourcing partner who focus on long term strategic partnerships.

The GPV Group has headquarters in Denmark and several factories in Denmark and other Eurooean countries as well as in Asia.

GPV Asia capabilitiep: Mechanic production: Shearing, CNC punching, CNC Laser cutting, CNC bending, Stamping, Welding, CNC Machining, CNC Turning, CMM measuring, Powder painting, Printing, Electrical wiring and Full assembly of products.

Electronic production: Cable & Wire configuration, Wire harnish, Electronic assembly with automatic SMT line, Autoinsertion and manual lines. lC and FunctionTest. Comolete Electronic and Electro-mechanic assembly.

R&D department with mechanic and electronic engineers.

GPVAsia (Thailand) Co., Ltd. 297 Moo 4, Bangpoo Industrial Estate, Soi 6 Phraksa, Sukhumvit Road, Samutprakarn 10280, Thailand Fax (+66) 2'7092555 l'7092564 Tel. (+66) 27092550 -1 E-mail: jar@gpv-asia.co.th ; Homepage: www.gpv.dk

;

19

Member evening with Jyske Bank yske Bank (Schweiz) will

visit Bangkok on 31st March with an event which

will be hosted by the DanishThai Chamber of Commerce.

The topic of the evening will focus on the core business of the private investment bank, and the audience will in principle be limited to members of the Scandinavian Chambers of Commerce.

rates all over the world taken in consideration, it seems difficult

to find interesting investment possibilities," says Ms Mette Kraushaar.

"A specific topic at the Jyske

Bank event will therefore be geared investments. This is a way of taking advantage of historically low interest rates to gain a higher return on investments,"

Danish export

tation on "Quality of life and love of one's neighbour". Meeting Lone Heftz - who caused more

than one heartache among young men and envy among young women fofty years ago was a great experience for the entire audience.

Members interested in at-

initiative in India The Danish Crown Prince and the Minister for Economic and Business Affairs in early Febru-

ary lead a delegation of 90 people on an export initiative to

tending this yea/s meeting on

New Delhi and Mumbai (for-

31st March or set up a private meeting with one of the invest-

merly Bombay) in India.

A total of 28 companies participated in the event including managers from Arla Foods, Danf oss, Danisco, Grundfos, A.P.M-ller,

At the event, Ms Mette Kraushaar, Mr Michael Mariegaard and Mr Helge Nielsen from Jyske Bank (Schweiz) will give a presentation of the bank, its Private Banking activities and

from Jyske Bank Private Banking in Zurich visited Bangkok was little more than a year ago when they were accompanied

haar, Mr Michael Mariegaard and Mr Helge Nielsen are welcome to contact Danish-Thai

what it can offer international in-

by Lone Hertz. The evening

email: contact@dancham.or.th

Ramb-ll, Radiometer, Rockwool,

VESIOTS.

started with a brief introduction of Jyske Bank, after which Lone Hertz gave a formidable presen-

or Ms Mette Kraushaar by email: kraushaar@jyskebank.ch or by

Vestas and Nordea.

"The equity markets' slow recovery and the falling interest

she exolains.

Last

ti

me the representatives

ment advisers, Ms Mette Kraus-

Chamber

of Commerce

phone: +41 1 368 73 51

Royal Danish Embassy hosted the SSS Garden Party 2003 ome 120

Danis h Amba ssador Ulrik

Danes,

Helweg Larsen and Mrs. Cristina welcomed the gue,st to their garden.

Swedes, Finns and Nor

wegians enjoyed the annual Garden Pafty, which took place Saturday 1st of February in the lovely garden of the DanishAmbassador Mr. Ulrik Helwg-

by

Novo Nordisk, Per Aarsleff, The organizations represented are the Danish Trade Council (Danmarks EksportAd), the Confederation of Danish Industries (Dansk Industri), the Agricultural Council of Denmark (LandbrugsrAdet), HTS and Danske Slagterier.

"The business initiative provides the opportunity to make contact with many Indians that otherwise you would not reach", says the leader of the Danish

Trade Council, Ambassador Birger Riis-J-rgensen.

dinavian touch. The music, which the MC of the night Mr.

"lnitiatives like this can be used to open doors, and enable a number of comoanies to become wiser on India, which has a very complicated market6, he adds.

India represents a huge market of more than 1 billion people and although many are poor, the

Lars Werner had some difficulty

strong financial growth in the

Larsen and his wife Cristina Helweg-Larsen.

The setting was beautiful, the sky clear with shining stars, and the buffet diner had a Scan-

in introducing as its name was "Nameless", invited everybody to the dance floor, with a mixture of evergreens, salsa and more modern tunes.

Many were lucky in the lottery, where the prizes were dinners, beauty treatments, jewellery, weekend stays, massages, a mobile ohone and where the 1st orice was a return ticket to Scandinavia with Finnair All the photos from the night are available on the website of the Scandinavian Sciety Siam, http://www.scandi naviansocietysram.org Gues'ts listenins to the lucky draw conducted

by Lars Werner, Lux Royal, and Kari Aamodt. SAS

20

country has reduced the proporThe luclq winner oJ the Finnair ticket to Europe hugged the lucky SSS chairman Juha Pyykkd.

tion of very poor 'from 40"h to 26% thus contributing to the cre-

ation of a large middle class making demands for imported goods. Denmark's current exports to India total approximately DKK 1.2 billion (USD 175 million) a year.

18,3 million passengers

Per Kastrup had many friends from his lifu long devotion to the Balut game. Here afew of then

through Copenhagen

are seen infront ofhis cffin before his cremation on Sunday, January 19

In the year 2002 Copenhagen Airpoft served 18.3 million passengers, which represents an increase of 0.7% compared to the year 2001.

In the month of December, the total number of passengers

showed an increase of 4.8h compared to the same month in 2001.

In December 2002, the num-

ber of international scheduled passengers increased by 5.2%.

The accumulated figure for the year 2002 shows an increase of 2.9"/" compared to 2001 .

In December 2002, the num-

ber of international chader pas-

sengers increased by 12.7%.

However, the accumulated figure of the year 20O2 shows a decrease of 12.0'/"compared to 2001.

In December 2002, the number of domestic passengers de-

Per Kastrup passed away r. Per Kastrup , one of

men who atthattime sailed with

Kastrup would have only few

the most colourful of the long-time Danish

Maersk Line for eight months and lived in Bangkok for the remaining months of the year. lt was here in Per Kastrup's Co-

months left to live but eventually he survived not only their predictions - but also three of his personal physicians including the late Dr. EinarAmmundsen.

Mr. Kastrup became a living

residents in Thailand, passed away on January 1 6, 2003 at the age of 62 at General Hospital in Pattaya. He was cremated on Sunday, January 19 and on the following Sunday his ashes were strewn in the sea off Koh Lan

outside Pattaya where many of his friends have likewise been laid to rest.

penhagen Bar that the first Balut

tournament was held in 1972 and for the next 31 years the whole Balut movement became an important part of his life.

By the end of the 70's, Mr. Kastrup opened one more Copenhagen Bar in Pattaya and eventually closed down his first bar in Klong Toey to live perma-

creased by 3.1% compared to

Before the cremation cer-

December 2001 . For the f ull year

emony, many of his friends gath-

2002 the number of domestic passengers decreased by 7.9"h compared to 2001.

In December 2002, the total number of takeoffs and landings increased by 4.3%, while the tonnage showed an increase of 3.5%. ln the year 2002 the total number of takeoffs and landings decreased by 7.60/", while the tonnage showed a decrease of

ered for a get-together at Cafe Kronborg, owned by one of his closest friends Mr. Bjarne "Nyhavn" Nielsen, for a few glasses of snaps and after the cremation

nently in the seaside resort where also Mr. Bjarne Nielsen had at that time just opened

they returned here again for more snaps, beer and food,

wife passed away. During his last years, Mr. Bjarne Nielsen

5.O7".

sponsored by Bjarne Nielsen, in the true life-style of the memorable Dane.

Mr. Kastrup came to Thailand almost forty years ago. He

Tournament that his ashes were strewn in the sea off Koh Lan. His picture now joins other long time Scandinavian resldents on the walls of the restaurant on Koh Lan.

Eight years ago, Mr. Kastrup's

looked after him both in and out

of hospitals where he was frequently treated for in particular

Klong Toey soon became the centre of the many Danish sea-

ing doctors predicted that Per

in

world. Fittingly, it was in connec-

tion with a Pattaya Open Balut

Caf6 Kronborg.

an increasingly debilitating psoriasis. Shortly after his arrival to Thailand and several times during his many years here, chang-

and his Copenhagen Bar

legend in his time, not least among baluteers around the

B-K Medical (Thalhnd) Ltd. Room 2603,25th Ftoor, Jasmine Internatlontl Tower,

200 Moo4, Chaengwattana Roed, Pakkret, Nonthaburl

1 1

120, Thaltand

re[.: (+56 2) 962 7071 Fax: (+65 2) 962 7075

Vi har Danmarks bedste priser og biludvalg til dig som udlandsdansker.

Ring, fax eller e-mail og fA et godt tilbud pA din feriebil i Danmark.

AVIS

Avis ReservationsCenter Telefon: +45 33 26 80 80 Telefax: +45 33 26 80 81 E-mail: reservation@avis.dk

21

Finnish Nokia new member of the Danish-Thai Ghamber of Commerce hen Nokia (Thailand)

Ltd.

- the Finnish

mobile telephone gisuddenly last year joined the Danish-Thai Chamber of ant

Commerce there had to be a natural explanation.

His name is Kristian Strand.

Originally from Denmark, Kristian Strand had been working with Nokia in Thailand for about

a year before he last year decided to move his family to Thailand as well.

In an interview published on

www.dancham.or.th

-

the web-

site of the Danish-Thai Chamber

of Commerce - Mr. Kristian

ship in the Chamber would be a good way of building a network with Scandinavians and Thais that have valuable experience and knowledge from bilateral issues.

In his professional capacity, Mr. Strand sees his main challenge in Thailand to be able to continuously provide innovative solutions that are appealing and customized to the Thai end-user market One of his first experiences in working in a Thai organization was, according to the interuiew, the impodance of being more

careful in his communication

Nokia's oresence in the Asia Pacific region dates back to the early 1980s and has since expanded considerably in all areas to support customer needs and the industry's growth. Nokia Networks, formerly known as Nokia Telecommunications, f i rst established a sales company in Singapore in 1993, with Nokia Mobile Phones beginning operations a year later.

Nokia Ventures Organization, which explores new business areas, has also been established in the region.

Nokia lnternet Communications, which commenced its regional operations in Singapore in 1999, now has offices in Australia, China, New Zealand, Ja-

Strand explains that prior to his latest transfer to Thailand he has been working in Belgium, Switzerland and Turkey.

Educated a Civil Engineer with a background from Transpoft Network Engineering, he is now well established in the field of Sales & Management related businesses in Tele Communication Network Solutions.

According to the interuiew,

than he was used to in the West.

When sending out messages he would have to carefully include all details, and when receiving

tomer Service Center was es-

R&D centers and activities in Ja-

Mr. Strand mainly joined the

tablished and the following year a Regional Technology Center was established. Today, Nokia Networks is a market leader in

pan and China.

Chamber for social reasons. and

to build up a network among Scandinavian people living and working in Thailand. Being relatively new to Thailand, he decided that a Coroorate Member-

messages he would have to

pan, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan

think and analyze the message

and South Korea. Besides that, Nokia Home Communications

differently from what he was

also has activities in Asia Pacific.

used to before.

Nokia Mobile Phones operates 3 factories in the region, in

Nokia first established a branch office in Thailand in 1989. In 1993 a Regional Cus-

cellular systems with cellular system deliveries to the main operators in Thailand.

Masan, Korea; Beijing and Dongguan in China; and has In Thailand, Nokia is still growing both in the Consumers and Corporate markets where new innovative solutions are constantly developed to meet many different segments and customer needs.

Annual General Meeting 6 March The DTCC AGM is scheduled for Thursday 6th March 2003. lt will not as in the past take place at the ambassador's residence at the Danish Em-

retire from office. In other words at least 3 seats on the Board of Directors will be up for election.

According to the Articles of Association a retiring

bassy grounds, but at the Sheraton Grande

Board Member shall be eligible for re-election.

Sukhumvit, starting 17.30 hours. ln accordance with the Articles of Association at least 1/3 of the currenl Board Members must

At the time of writing no information is available

about who will retire or whether any out-going Board Member will stand for re-election.

BECOME A MEMBER OF THE DANISH.THAI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. to:

Contact Name:

Mail or fax the coupon

Company name:

Commercs 140212l4thFl., Glas Haus 1 Sukhumvit 25 Road, North Klongtoey, Wattana, Bangkok 10110

i

Danish-Thai Chamber of

Address:

Telephone:

Fill in this

fi

22

Fax:

coupon to receivefurther information and

afull applicationformfor membership

t

i I

i

Tel.: (66) 0 2661. 7762 Fax: (66) 0 2661 1164-5 E-mail contact@dancham.or.th

i

"Det gtsr De" Med alle investeringer falger hhb, dramme og forventninger hos den enkelte investor. Det ved vi. Derfor fokuserer vi hos Jyske Bank Private Banking ph, at De altid opleverhajt engagement fra Deres personlige rAdgiver. Vi tager os tid til at sette os ordentligt ind i hver enkelt investors individuelle forhold og forventninger.

Vi tilbyder en omfattende rekke af investeringsverktajer iform af internationale aktiet investeringsforeninger, obligationer samt investeringslAn og aftalekonti. De fAr Deres egen personlige rAdgiver, der vil vejlede Dem i Deres investeringer med udgangspunkt i Deres forhold og forventninger - diskretion er en selvfolge.

Oplev en personlig rAdgivning, der er ligesA unik, som De er. Kontakt mig allerede i dag: Michael Mariegaard, telefon: +41. 1368 7337, e-mail: mariegaard@jyskebank.ch

Private Banklng Jyske Bank (Schweiz), Private Banking, Wasserwerkstrasse 12, Postfach, CH-8035 Zirich,schweiz, telefon: +4'J-. 1368 7373, fax: +41 1368 7379, e-rnail: jyskebank@jyskebank.ch

www.ibpb.com