ScandAsia Thailand - July 2015

ScandAsia.dk ScandAsia.fi ScandAsia.no ScandAsia.se

JUL

2015

Laila Stuviktakes British helicopter pilots license

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.

Your FREEScandAsia Magazine in Thailand

Please sign up for your own FREE copy: www.scandasia.comPublisher : 211 Soi Prasert Manukitch 29Prasert Manukitch RoadChorakae Bua, Lad PraoBangkok 10230, ThailandTel. +66 2 943 7166-8, Fax: +66 2 943 7169 E-mail: [email protected]

Editor-in-Chief : Gregers A.W. Mø[email protected]

Assistant Editor :Joakim [email protected]

Advertising : Finn Balslev [email protected]

Joakim [email protected]

Piyanan Kalikanon [email protected]

Nattapat [email protected]

Graphic Designer : Peerapol [email protected]

Printing : Inthanon Interprint Co., Ltd.

Daily news and features here:www.scandasia.com

What to do?in july

Try massageby a blind person!

‘Perception Blind Massage’ is a new massage place concept to Bangkok. The place is providing employment for blind or visually impaired therapists, who demonstrate their unique talent for massage therapy as they are able to fully focus on their sense of touch in a way others cannot.

The owner Savija Pannark Korslund, who is from Denmark and Thailand, opened the place in December 2014 along with the popular Cafe & Bar - Dexter, which is located just downstairs.

“I believe that the fact that all our massage therapists are blind or visually impaired really adds a ‘dimension’ to the concept and the treatment itself,” she says.

“It has long been a belief among many Thais that the loss of one sense increase the sensitivity of the others; I believe that to be true. Also the general ambiance and dimmed lighting at Perception helps our guests to relax completely and leave out any distractions”.

‘Perception Blind Massage’ is located at Sathorn 8, on 2nd and 3rd floor above Dexter Café & Bar. Opening hours is Monday-Sunday: 10:00 am-10:00 pm

For more information check out ‘Perception Blind Massage’ on Facebook

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4 ScandAsia.Thailand • July 2015

News Brief

The Swedish community in Thailand had quite a blast on Saturday 6 June 2015 at

Radisson Blue Hotel in Bangkok.The crowd was about 200

persons, including quite many Thais as well.

At the welcome reception area, the guests were first served sparkling wine or beer,before the doors were opened to the ball room.

In the room, there were long tables and free seating, Swedish summer party style. The walls were decorated with Swedish flags and also the table runners were in blue/yellow.

The menu was good, a light fish and scallop salad as star ter, a salmon as main course and a 6 Juni Strawberry cake as dessert.

During dinner Barta, the most known “stand up comedian” in Sweden enter tained us and must say, he was really fun. Barta is half Swedish, half Indian and married to the leader of the political party Moderaterna in Sweden.

After dinner the dancing started to a Swedish DJ. People were in a good mood and all had a good time.

Enjoy the photos!

Swedish Summer Party in Bangkok a great success

July 2015 • ScandAsia.Thailand 5

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News Brief

Danish veteran journalist leaves Asia

Bjarne Wildau Nielsen, a veteran Danish journalist in Asia, celebrated on Saturday 13 June 2015 his 25 year anniversary as an Asia

reporter. A week later, the 70 year old reporter packed three bags and broke up from Cambodia, where he has lived for the past six years, and flew to Bulgaria where he will start a new chapter in his adventurous life.

When Bjarne Wildau first arrived in Asia, his first stop was Bangkok, where he had a long list of articles that his clients had requested him to write. From there he moved to Indonesia, where he married an Indonesian English teacher. Always open for a new adventure, Bjarne suggested that they should go to Denmark - by bicycle. A stop-over in Bangkok on the way became longer than planned and eventually, the trip ended there.

After more than a year in Thailand, Bjarne moved back to Indonesia, but eventually his marriage fell apart and Bjarne left his wife and their two daughters in Jakar ta and moved to Thailand - only to move back to Indonesia again with his new love. Tragically, she died shortly after they had returned to Indonesia, and Bjarne moved to Cambodia, where he settled down and worked for the past six years.

Bjarne Wildau is moving to Bulgaria to be within the EU. That means his Danish pension will no longer be reduced by living outside the EU and at the same time hospitalization, should he one day need that, will be a public service and not a private business as is the case in Cambodia.

“The trip that should have lasted no more than a year became a new life. Now it is time to start a new life altogether again - this time in Bulgaria under somewhat safer conditions,” he writes on his personal blog.

Bjarne Wildau has written several thousand articles for media back in Denmark through the years. He has been a regular contributor to ScandAsia both when the magazine was only a paper product and later, when it beecame a news portal he was for a period News Editor on ScandAsia.com. It is a testimony to Bjarne Wildau’s extreme productivity that to this very day, Bjarne Wildau remains the most productive writer on ScandAsia - ever.

Linda from Finland winsMiss Bikini Fitness in Pattaya

Only one year ago, Finnish Linda Suomela Hemangkorn jumped out of her comfort zone and star ted

to train with heavy weights. Last month, she won gold in the muscle and physique contest Miss Bikini Fitness Competition in Pattaya.

“It was an incredible experience, and I am eager to compete again,” Finnish Linda Suomela Hemangkorn says.

During both of her pregnancies, Linda gained weight. When her two boys started in school last year she decided it was time to focus on her health. She started working out with a personal trainer and saw immediately results when they star ted exercising with heavy weights which she had never done before.

Linda also started paying more attention to her food trying to eat clean most of the time and planning her meals ahead. She got so into the training and lifestyle that she decided to become a cer tified personal trainer to learn more for her own sake and to help others, especially helping other women feel more comfortable using weights.

Linda started working out at True Fitness in Asoke where other bikini contestants also work out. She saw and heard their stories about the competitions and thought to herself that maybe one day she could compete as well.

Linda with her two boys after the competition in Pattaya.

Cancer tool lands Thailand order

ScandiDos from Sweden provides equipment for better radiation treatment of cancer. One of its products, Delta4 Phantom and

Delta4 Discover was recently sold to the first customer in Thailand.

Delta4 Phantom is used in advanced dosimetry and quality assurance of radiation therapy. Delta4 Discover opens the possibility, during treatment, to perform radiation dose ver ification and thus increase the quality and safety of the treatment. ScandiDos mea su remen t s y s t ems and advanced computing program provide doctors, physicists and patient confirmation that the advanced and complicated treatment can be delivered as planned.

“The need to assure the quality of modern radiotherapy is significant and we are seeing great interest from customers to also assure the quality of the actual treatment of the patient. In the same way that we introduced Delta4 Phantom to our customers we have now started to book up demonstrations of Delta4 Discover during the summer and fall so the doctors can see that the technology works,” says CEO Görgen Nilsson.


News Brief

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Nordea Bank S.A, Singapore Branch is part of Nordea Group, the leading financial services group in the Nordic and Baltic Sea regions. Some products and services may, due to local regulations, not be available to individuals resident in certain countries and their availability may depend, among other things, on the investment risk profile of persons in receipt of this publication or on any legislation to which they are subject. Nothing in this publication should be construed as an offer, or the solicitation of an offer, to purchase, subscribe to or sell any investment or product, or to engage in any other transaction or provide any kind of financial or banking service in any jurisdiction where Nordea Bank S.A., Singapore Branch or any of its affiliates do not have the necessary licence. Published by Nordea Bank S.A., R.C.S. Luxembourg No. B 14.157 on behalf of Nordea Bank S.A., Singapore Branch, 3 Anson Rd #20-01, Springleaf Tower, Singapore 079909. www.nordeaprivatebanking.com subject to the supervi-sion of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (www.mas.gov.sg).

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Nuts and candy are the indisputable favorits among tax free goods that travelers from Denmark, Sweden,

Norway and Finland buy, when they are traveling. Norwegians want to pamper themselves

and the pampering starts already before the trip when they order tax free goods online. For the Norwegians, nuts are on the top of the list and on the alcohol side the favorites are Jägermeister, Baileys or cognac.

These and more details are revealed by the taxfree shop Airshoppen which belongs to Vings own airline Thomas Cook Airlines.

So what do the different Nordic people buy when they buy tax free?

Practical solutionVing’s communications director believes, that Airshoppen is popular because the selection of goods is wide and the prices offer real savings and finally it feels like an added service to find the goods being brought to your seat when you board the plane.

Travelers can chose if they like to receive the goods on the way out or on the return flight. Or indeed both.

Food:Norway: Pittjes Peanuts, Toffifee, Pittjes Mix NutsSweden: Pittjes Peanuts, Pittjes Mix Nuts, Toblerone GoldDenmark: Haribo Matadormix, Fazer Marianne, Toblerone GoldFinland: Toblerone Gold, Skippers Pipes, Fazer Marianne

Beverages:Norway: Jagermeister Bitter, Baileys Liquor, Bache-Gabrielsen Cognac.Sweden: Tullamore Dew Whisky, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Famous Grouse WhiskyDenmark: Fernet-Branca Bitter, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Tullamore Dew WhiskyFinland: Renault Cognac, Otard Cognac, Larsen Cognac

Beauty & Body:Norway: Biotherm Deo Pure, Piz Buin Combo, Biotherm Baume OilSweden: Piz Buin Combo, Hawaian Tropic, Biotherm Baume OilDenmark: Boss Ma Vie, Biotherm Aftersun, Biotherm Deo PureFinland: Boss Ma Vie, Deotherm Deo Pur, Boss Bottled Deostick

When Danes buy MatadormixNorwegians and Swedes go nuts


Rayong born half-Norwegian Laila Vanessa Stuvik spent her Songkran holiday in the south of England completing her British helicopter pilots education. Having trained in the

United Kingdom during her school holidays for the past year, she passed her EASA (CAA) PPLH certification on the first attempt and achieved her pilot wings on the 15th of April, 2015.

Although only 17 years old she now can captain her helicopter worldwide. Miss Stuvik trained and flew several helicopters during her training, such as the new Guimbal G2 helicopter, as well as more traditional training helicopters like the Robinson R-22 and R-44. The young Thai lady were though most impressed when she flew the twin engine Bell 206 Jet Ranger, which she said had “so” much more power. Elite Helicopter School is located at Goodwood Aerodrome in West Sussex in the south of England and also provides charter flights and VIP support for larger events, like the British Grand Prix.

Having finished a grueling pilots training while also doing her first year International Baccalaureate studies at Regents International School in Cholburi, Laila Vanessa Stuvik dreams of studying international finance and business, before getting involved in Thailand aviation business. The

by Sasinee Aoucharoenpuck (Aey)

LailaStuviktakes British helicopter pilots license


high flying Thai girl hopes she can inspire other young Thai girls to pursue higher education and a professional career.

After returning home to Rayong, Thailand Laila Vanessa Stuvik said:

”I thoroughly enjoyed flying and especially enjoy when I am high up in the air all by myself, then I know I am in total control. During my training I really liked the emergency drills, like the auto rotate that every pilot have to learn and master in order to bring the helicopter safely to the ground in case of an unlikely engine failure. That was quite a thrill. Having completed the training I hope to continue to expand my flying capabilities, but first I will focus all my energy on my business studies. Hopefully one day I can combined both my flying interest with the business studies”.

Laila is the younger brother of Sandy Stuvik who is a very successful young racing driver. In a previous interview published in ScandAsia, readers were introduced to a very dedicated young man who sacrificed much of his social life with his friends for a rigorous training scheme.

“My brother’s dedication towards driving has definitely been an inspiration to me, especially seeing his determination through the preparation and racing which can get stressful. It helped me get

through with the flying as it was very demanding and I had to give up a few of my holidays, along with having added work from school - on top of all the work I had from helicopter training.”

“However I loved it so much, and just like my brother, we continued doing what we love and it is definitely worth it,” Laila adds.

Now that she has achieved the immediate goal of getting the helicopter pilot license, Laila has set new goals for herself.

“My foreseeable future plans would include expanding my licence by getting ratings for bigger helicopters, night flying and more qualifications,” she says.

Eventually, she sees that her pilot qualifications could be offered as part of her father’s business. For instance offering off-shore companies transportation of people, like charter flights.

“That would mean I would also have to become a commercial pilot and also learn emergency procedures in order to ensure the safety of my passengers. I would definitely like to become a commercial pilot as flying is something that I really enjoy and could see it become a part of my future career.”

Laila understands that people are curious how the Stuvik family can afford to allow both their children to pursue quite expensive dreams

like racing and helicopter piloting. “We are able to afford both Sandy’s racing

ambitions and my flying ambitions because of many contributors such as Sandy’s sponsors. They help with the costs tremendously for Sandy. As for me, my parents took out a bank loan in order to pay for lots of the flying.”

takes British helicopter pilots license


Agneta’sWorld

As most of us women like to show nice legs we have to use a razor or go for waxing. I have during many, many years chosen to use a razor and do it myself. Today - a bit late,

but never too late - I have realized that it is more convenient and practical to let a professional take care of it. Through a good friend I found Khun Tee who is located in a small room at Absolute Yoga located in Maneeya Building by Chit Lom.

I would never have found her without having been told by a friend. Khun Tee, a mother of 4 children, has been working as a beauty therapist for more than 15 years. In the beginning she was at MBK, moved later on to Lang Suan and today she is at Chit Lom. I have been visiting her now for several months and I can tell, waxing is not the most pleasant thing, it hurts to be honest. Legs and armpits are, let’s say you can endure that, but if you decide to do a Bikini wax or Brazilian wax, then you have to clench your teeth.

Khun Tee really suffers with you and doesn’t stop asking “is it okay, can you bear it?” Here in the hot climate where you wear bikini and bathing suits a lot, it’s very popular to have a bikini or Brazilian waxing done. You have to think about the expression, Schönheit muss Leiden as you say in German, Skall man vara fin, får man lida pin, in Swedish and free translated into English, beauty must suffer…. so true. I can warmly recommend a visit to Khun Tee. She has all kind of packages and she is also doing a lot of Facial treatments including Neck- and Shoulder massage. Maybe you combine a yoga class, at Absolute Yoga, with a visit to Khun tee. Worth trying.

Hrave you visited yet the relatively newly opened restaurant called Wolf, located on Sukhumvit Road more or less opposite Holiday Inn? This I can tell you, is a very

special restaurant. It’s pure greyish concrete, two levels. The tables are nicely covered with white table clothes and big linen napkins; the wine glasses are elegant and thin. The Bar is lit with a cool blue light that reflects the bottles. There are only a few tables down stairs, but you can also sit at the bar. On a wall, glimpses from movies are shown. Upstairs guests can book for private parties. Occasionally there are dinners where the men wear Tuxedo and the women sexy dresses and horror movies are shown to give you a feeling of visiting Dracula in his castle, very odd but fun….

Almost every night there is something special going on. The prices are very, very reasonable for what you get. What do you say about light fried goose liver with chutney for 600 BHT, not bad or? You can also order Beluga caviar if you are in the mood for an extra exclusive meal (also affordable). The menu offers a huge choice of delicious dishes. I am a big lover of Beef Carpaccio, so I ordered that but could also not resist the goose liver. Believe me, both dishes were to die for. I think if you are a big meat lover, this restaurant will become one of your favorites.

Don’t forget our soups, the owner said who kept me company. Our fish soup and mushroom soup are already legendary.

Not only the restaurant, the interior design and the menu are special, so is also the owner.

Mr. Geoffrey Bond, half British and half French, a man in his best years with a big portions humor and many strings on his bow. He seems to have plenty of irons in the fire and a big appetite when it comes to adventures; food and also women…married a couple of times, capable of staying a near and dear friend to ex-wives, loves to laugh and enjoys every day.

Mr. Bond, yes that’s his last name, could probably very easily play the agent 007; he has got what it takes for that character. Charming, a big wine lover, smart and fun, attributes that makes a man (or woman) irresistible.

Now I suppose I have made you readers very curious and yes, pay a visit to WOLF. I promise you that you will not be disappointed. I could write pages about this place and will do so in an article later on. This is just to give you appetite.

Cheers and bon appetite!

Waxing with

Khun Tee

Wolf Grill & Wine Bar

ParTy@


Talking about facial treatments. Also through a Swedish friend, I discovered the Amaranth Spa on Sukhumvit, soi 19. It’s owned by a Korean woman, who was married to a Swede for

many years. If you book a facial treatment by her, you will get a very enjoyable surprise…. during the facial, you get a massage with hot stones. This feeling is hard to explain, you have to discover it yourself. I would say, it’s maybe as close to heaven, as you will come. That a couple of hot stones can make you feel so good, it’s unbelievable. The treatment goes on for approximately 90 minutes, but you wish it would never end.

During the treatment you will also enjoy some relaxing Spa music or it can also happens, that you hear a hymn, as the owner is Christian. I wish I could spend 90 minutes every day at that place. Try it out when you think you are worth it (read always) and need it. Must also add, that it’s a relatively inexpensive pleasure for what you get. You find the Amaranth Spa at Sukhumvit Soi 19. Look for a very pink sign.

In my last column, I wrote about the young Spanish chef de cuisine Mr. Jacobo Astray and also mentioned that he and his partner were going to open a TAPAS boot/bar at WWW District, located close to the BTS

station Phra Kanong. At that time when we met, Jacobo said the name would most probably be O’bico = kiss in Spanish, but when I and Daniel (my photographer) paid a visit the other early night, we didn’t find any O’bico, but Broken Eggs…. well, broken eggs might taste good, but I think I would prefer an O’bico. Anyway, the tapas bar is now opened and surrounded by many other small booths offering all kinds of food. We, Daniel and I, had never been to this place before and we were surprised to find such a casual, charming place with so many different booths and even a nice hotel, an ideal place to take the kids for an easy and early meal. Mr. Jacobo offered us a very good toasted piece of bread with, yes of course, what must have been broken eggs, beans and goat cheese, tasted delicious.

Broken Egg @ WWW

Stepping stones to heaven


As a young man, Arne Christensen graduated from Aalborg University in Denmark as production engineer, but he never really got to work in the production.

“I saw the salesmen driving out every day and got tempted of this lifestyle. Another good reason was that I dreamt of driving a Mercedes and thirdly I wanted to be able to pay back my student loans,” Arne Christensen says and laughs.

He got the Mercedes and ever since he has been working in the field – at least until now.

“Today, I am not out meeting clients that often anymore. But the job is full of challenges, and to be honest I like that,” Arne says.

Old-fashioned salesmanArne Christensen was one of the founders of Nordfab Thailand in 1991 – taking care of the sales part. He left the company and worked in other

areas for more than 10 years. Approximately two years ago, the 63-year-old salesman returned and earlier this year he said yes to the position as managing director in the company.

During the years, Arne Christensen has been working in several companies, which has given him a wide range of skills. To become a good salesman, Arne believes it is not always about knowing everything but about playing your cards right.

“I hate those salesmen, who throw everything on the table right away, because they will have nothing left to negotiate with. Always have one card left. And be serious but have a sense of humour at the same time”.

He looks around in the office.“That one is convenient,” Arne is pointing at

the computer in front of him. “But it also destroys a lot. I prefer a personal contact, and I still believe it is the best way to communicate”.

Danish businessman Arne Christensen always preferred to be out among his clients rather than sitting behind the desk. However, earlier this year he said yes to the position as managing director in NORDFAB Thailand.

By Louise Bihl Frandsen

And while others usually bring their computers, when attending a meeting, Arne Christensen brings papers, brochures and drawings.

“I am an old fashioned salesman. Moreover, if electricity crashes, I will still have my drawings, the same does not go for their computers,” Arne laughs.

A shrimp story Although Arne has been connected to Nordfab for many years, it was not the Danish company that got him to Thailand in the first place.

Arne was working both in Denmark and Thailand for the company Carnitech in Aalborg, when he one day came across an article about Thailand exporting big shrimps to Europe.

The export was too expensive, because the amount of frozen water they were transported in weighed too much.

Not long after reading the shrimp story, an email from British Petroleum ticked into his inbox. They intended to star t business in the food industry with the ambition of building the world’s most advanced shrimp factor y in Thailand. And they wanted Carnitech to produce the machines to their production. Carnitech got the order, and Arne moved to Thailand permanently.

“It was a funny coincidence, and now I have been working in Thailand for more than 20 years,” Arne says and smiles.

arneChristensen Managing Director in Nordfab


Nichada & NatakornLake Condominium

After 23 years of planning and construction, the sophisticated N i chada & Na t ako r n Lake Condominium launched official Grand Opening on May 2015. As

the newest development in the prestigious Nichada Thani luxur y gated community, the 22-floor dual towers are state-of-the-ar t buildings with 5-star resor t hospitality. Nichada (N1) & Natakorn (N2) are set to create the new standard for expatriate living in Thailand.

The project has pioneered many new services never seen before in the short-term condominium rental market in Thailand. The first is personalized butler services whereby guests can have dedicated staff organize everything from house keeping to catering for a private party and more. All residents also enjoy landscaping, house keeping and maintenance staff and a dedicated security team working with the latest technology - 24 hours a day. This includes RFID, comprehensive CCTV systems. There are also TV systems so residents can see when guests arrive, as well as smoke and fire alarms, emergency lighting and sprinkler structures.

For More Information: [email protected] 960 4329-31

For More Information:PR : Khun Panchanan Buakod 082 426 5146E-mail : [email protected]

Nichada & Natakor n Lake condominium was launched with a Grand Opening on May 9th 2015. The launch was attended by many of the people who have

played a big role in the two projects, Nichada (N1) & Natakorn (N2) Lake Condominium which are set to create the new standard for expatriate living in Thailand.

The 22-floor dual towers built over a huge lage are state-of-the-ar t buildings with 5-star resort hospitality and the latest development in the prestigious Nichada Thani luxury gated community.

Grand Opening

At the reception (from left) Mr. Richard James Johnson, General Manager Nichada & Natakorn Lake condominium; Mr. Stephen Douglas Sheldon, Project Consultant; Khun Vinita Changrew, Executive Director ; Khun Nichada Changrew, Director ; ACM. Auychai Changrew, Executive Director ; Mr. David Lyman, Project Consultant; Group Captain Sorasak Chanchaleaw, Managing Director ; and Mr. Scott Roman, Customer Relations Department.

Managing Director, Group Captain Sorasak Chanchaleaw.


with many strings

to his bow...!

I was fortunate to have an exclusive and very private interview for ScandAsia with Pär Kågeby, senior consular officer at the Swedish Embassy in Bangkok. This man can’t relax, not at any time of the day. He is on duty 24 hours and his mobile phone is always in front of him for messages.

By Agneta Bekassy

Most of us Scandinavians know Pär. The friendly, charming guy with a huge sense of humor. I have often asked myself, in his position, dealing with most of life’s dark

sides, can he ever relax and leave the problems behind? This was my chance to ask him. But let us first go back and take a look at his fascinating journey until today.

Emergency room nursePär was born in Gothenburg , on the Swedish West coast and went to Järnbrottsskolan. His father was a medical doctor just like several other relatives. Of course, his father wanted him to walk in his foot steps. Pär wasn’t 100% convinced that he would become a dedicated doctor, so he did a compromise with his father and started to study nursing. During his studies, he worked as a telephone operator until he graduated and started to work as a nurse in the emergency room at Södersjukhuset in Stockholm. Pär was 19 when he left Gothenburg for Stockholm. He also worked in the Emergency room at Sabbatsberg’s hospital. As if this wasn’t hard enough, he studied IT and Personal

Administration in his spare time. When Pär was 30 his father passed away, his

mother passed away when Pär was only 21. The family had a summerhouse in Falkenberg, that Pär inherited. He left Stockholm during the summer months to work for the hospital in Halmstad, not very far from Falkenberg and kept on working there during 15 years.

Already at a young age, he was a man with many irons in the fire. He started his own company that took care of computer programming and his company served clients like Stockholm’s County council, Stockholm’s university, Volvo world-wide among many other companies and institutions.

SunOne day he met his soul mate Sun, in Stockholm. Sun is Thai, from North East (Isaan) in Thailand and speaks fluently Swedish after many years in Sweden. Sun studied in Sweden to become an Interior designer. 18 years ago, Pär and Sun went to Thailand together. They settled down in Ploenchit Bangkok and the first 3 years Pär went back and forward between Thailand and Sweden. After having lived in a Ploenchit penthouse for seven years, they decided to move on to Ekamai


need and the relatives back home and UD, the Foreign Ministry.

Pär contacts UD and UD contacts the concerned people in Sweden. He goes to hospitals and visits the Swedes who have suffered from accidents, maybe not able to explain themselves to the hospital staff, people in jail etc. It’s so important that everyone has a good insurance Pär points out. It’s up to everyone to proof that you have the economical possibility to live in Thailand and that you can take care of your daily costs, it’s not a matter for the Embassy.

It’s hard to believe that so many Swedes are living here in misery. During the High Season, November to March, there are many problematic cases, but normally the tourists arriving here during those months have a decent insurance, Pär says. It’s worse the other months; the hot weather contributes to death and sicknesses. Many of the people staying here for a long period don’t have the insurance needed to cover expenses like hospital bills etc.

I asked Pär if he is the only one working with these matters at the Embassy? He said, “ Oh no, Leif is also a consul officer and we have three assistants, one who is Swedish/Thai Khun Chai, and two other Thai persons Khun Bob and Khun Sudarat.”

When you think about that these few persons handles about 30 to 50 calls per day concerning certificates for marriage, controlling that valuable personal attributes are correctly sent home with a coffin or urn, answering all kind of other questions and signing documents on behalf of the Swedish state, (signing is what Pär and Leif are in charge of) then you suddenly understand if you have to wait a bit when visiting the Embassy.

Tough at timesThe Embassy has around 24.500 calls yearly concerning consular questions. The public day normally ends around 4.15 pm, but very often there are official functions to attend after work. Mostly these events go on until 9 pm which means Pär is home around 10 pm, but then it’s time to check for mails again. It happens very often that we also get calls in the middle of the night from UD. I asked a bit naïve, what do they mostly call about at that time?

“Well,” Pär says, “it can be a hotel fire, a suicide and we might have to get dressed quickly and go to the airport as fast as possible to comfort families and relatives, you name it.”

By now you start wondering if these guys have any time for relaxing with friends and practice a sport or hobby. They are the supporters giving people comfort all day and night, but do they get some comfort themselves? Do they have a coach to advice and help them? The answer is NO. Pär says the little group is tight and they are trying to comfort each other as much as they can. Of course it’s hard sometimes and you can suddenly start to cry when you have been dealing with a very tragic case, Pär admits. They are working closely together with many of the hospitals, but Samitivej is considered the so called “confidence hospital”.

Pär and his colleagues also have help from the Swedish church and the social workers, who have been sent here due to the very heavy working situation.

where they had found a nice townhouse.Today, Pär and Sun have moved away from

down town Bangkok. Pär wanted to live at a more peaceful place than the city with all its traffic, noise and pollution. They moved outside, not too far from the Suvarnabumi Airport.

Since the 2004 Tsunami, Pär has been working at the Swedish Embassy. Pär explains that his work is very exacting, so he really needs to rest when once in a while he is off duty, (read: never).

A “normal day”..I asked Pär what a normal day for him looks like. He is an early bird, mostly at work already at 07.10 even if the official working hours at the Swedish Embassy doesn’t start until 07.30. While drinking his obligatory morning coffee, he goes through all the mails that have arrived during the night. I was curious to hear what kind of tasks fill his working hours and he explained about people contacting him with psychological stress/problems, people who are without money, in need of medical treatment and medicine, people who lost a family member, abused people and much more. Pär is the, let us call him the “Spider in the net,” the person between the person in

It can be a hotel fire, a suicide and we might

have to get dressed quickly and go to the airport as

fast as possible to comfort families and relatives,

you name it.


He is very dedicated to his job. I didn’t know that Bangkok is Sweden’s most loaded consular department in the world, but that’s the truth.

Again I came back to my question, do you have time for any hobbies or sports? Pär said he loves and enjoys cooking for friends and indeed, he is a very good cook and hasn’t forgotten how to make our Swedish specialties.

In his house, located in a quiet gated community, he lives with Sun, his nephew and eight dogs, small dogs. The house is nicely decorated with antiques from Sun’s former shop. Here Pär has time to breath, enjoy a drink outside, listen to the birds and maybe meditate…

“Why move back?”My last question before Dan, the photographer, and I left was: “And you have no plans to move back to Sweden?”

Pär gave me a big smile and said: “Why should I? I have no family left in Sweden, my family and friends are here, I’m happy here and I am staying”.

It was dark when we left Pär, Sun and the dogs, to take a taxi back down town. The house was lit up with small lanterns and looked very inviting and cozy. Pär followed us out to the cab and waved good-bye.

Thank you Pär, it was very nice and interesting talking to you and we are happy to know you will stay with us.

We are trying to help the Swedes as much as we

can, but we are no fortune tellers and we have no crystal ball that tells us about your overstay, so please inform us so we can handle the case in

a correct way. It’s easy to blame us, but what

can we do? We have our regulations as every other

institution

Serious about overstayI was a bit curious to find out what many of the incarcerated people in Thailand have been doing as they have landed behind bars here. Pär explains that it very often has to do with overstay. If you e.g. lose your passport, you absolutely have to inform the consular that you have “over stay” if you do have it. Every issue, concerning visas, has to be discussed with the Immigration authority Pär points out. He says further “of course, we are trying to help the Swedes as much as we can, but we are no fortune tellers and we have no crystal ball that tells us about your overstay, so please inform us so we can handle the case in a correct way. It’s easy to blame us, but what can we do? We have our regulations as every other institution. Every traveler must be aware of the visa regulation in each country and find out about what kind of Visa that is necessary, it is not the job of the embassy,” something we all have to remember.

Pär was one of the voluntaries, who helped out after the Tsunamiof 2004. He was on his way back to Sweden when a friend, who was at that time, press attaché in Paris, called and asked Pär to help out in the Swedish Embassy in Bangkok. Pär went back to Bangkok, “moved in” at the Embassy, worked on probation for 3 ½ months, got an employment and still today, 11 years later, you will find Pär behind his desk at the Embassy.



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

In the past decade or so, the amount of tools for learning the Thai language, using English as language of instruction, has virtually exploded. Internet sites and blogs, audio and video materials, text books and dictionaries are abundant and one could easily spend a fortune and get absorbed in following the latest trends and obtaining the latest

Thai language teaching materials instead of actually using time acquiring the language. Being selective is highly advisable. This month, we will dedicate the Thai Language Corner to recommend a few of the available tools, both English language based and some tools based on one of the Scandinavian languages. There are many more good tools than those mentioned in the following, so if your favorite is not here, feel free to send us a message on the email above and we might recommend it on ScandAsia on Facebook as a follow-up to this column.

The classic textbooks are “A.U.A. Language Center Thai Course Book 1-3” and “A.U.A. Language Center Thai Course Reading & Writing”. They have helped many foreigners, including the undersigned, reach reasonable levels of Thai, through focus on drilling pronunciation, in particular the tones, and later on reading and writing Thai. They were prepared by the legendary Dr. J. Marvin Brown, an American linguist arriving in Bangkok in the 1950’s. The books, first published in the 1960’s, came with audio tapes for use in language laps and have been the preferred textbooks for teaching Thai at universities in the West ever since. Interestingly, Dr. Brown in his later years renounced the drilling approach to language learning, suggesting instead the approach of Automatic Language Growth (ALG), which focuses on listening rather than trying to speak, thus imitating the way we learned our native language. Today, they teach Thai using this method at A.U.A. in Bangkok (auathai.com) and, if you have the spare time to join classes here, you do not really need to read the rest of this column. Seriously, I wish I had.

In the 1990’s came “Thai for Beginners” by Benjawan Poomsan Becker (Paiboon Publishing). This traditional textbook introduces the Thai writing system from the very beginning, includes audio material and is followed by “Thai for Intermediate Learners” and “Thai for Advanced Readers”. I have previously used this system for teaching Thai to Danes as it provides quick and useful vocabulary and knowledge of the writing system for the casual student, yet also offering an intense introduction to Thai for the more serious student. Benjawan Becker’s books, like those of Dr. Brown, introduce Thai using a transcription system which renders the sounds of standard Thai 1:1,

the minimum requirement for a good textbook. They also both emphasize learning to read and write, if you are serious about Thai. From a Scandinavian perspective, they, and most other materials on the language, require that you go through English, a second language, to learn Thai.

In contrast, recent years have seen some materials made directly with one of the Scandinavian languages as language of instruction. “Thailändsk språkkurs” by Ann-Charlotte Wennerholm includes audio and the series is also available in Danish and Norwegian versions, I believe. In Swedish, we also find “Thai lärobok” by Hans Johansson and Tomas Larsson and, in Danish, we last year got “Grundbog i Thai” by Christian Stampe Jensen. While I cannot claim hands-on experience with any of the Swedish books, I have obtained “Grundbog i Thai” and am pleased to pass on that it is a solid and serious textbook for teaching spoken Thai to Danes. The book also features plenty of useful vocabulary to browse for both the casual and the serious student. Audio is available for free, once you have purchased the book or as an embedded part of the e-book.

Turning to dictionaries, “Thai-dansk ordbog” by Viggo Brun, features transcription, noun classifiers, and an excellent overview of the Thai system of writing. “Dansk-thai ordbog” and “Thai-dansk ordbog” by Donald Shaw and Suphat Sukamolson are impressive works with huge vocabularies that rarely let you search in vain. Today, they are available as apps from Apple Store and, if I am not mistaken, the books also form the basis of Palita and Svein Sivertsen’s “Svensk-thai ordbok”, “Thai-norsk ordbok” and “Norsk-thai ordbok”.

Online, the following services are free:thai-language.com - probably the most comprehensive website about the language, thai2english.com - Thai-English/English-Thai dictionary with transcription,sealang.net/thai/ - Thai-English dictionary with transcription,and many, many more.

Finally, we cannot have a Thai Language Corner without a single word in Thai, so here comes:พจนานุกรม / phótjàna:núkrom / ~ dictionary.Talk to you next month.

Tools for Thai learners

By Klavs Johansen ([email protected])


Documents

ScandAsia Thailand - July 2015