SEP 2012
Thailand
Action Man ScandAsia.dk
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Beach
Condominium
Rayong -160 km from BKK 44 m2 sea view furnished 850.000 Baht 88 m2 2 bedroom 1.950.000 Rent monthly from 10.000 Baht New renovated building Bar-restaurant-big pool-WiFi 10 km long peaceful beach 14 km east of Rayong city 7% rent guarantee for investors www.sea-sand-suncondominium.info
Luxury Retirement Hous or condominium
New beach village house 2 story + top roof terrace
for rent or buy
Ban Pa, 165 km from Bangkok
Completely new retirement resort, Condominium or house 165 from Bangkok, by 10 km long peaceful clean beach, care center, activities, restaurant 24 hour security, 15 km from Rayong Bangkok hospital. 1 bedroom condominium 1.895.000 2 bedroom condominium 3.595.000 House 2 bedroom incl garden 2.695.000
2 bedroom 2 bathroom, 220 m from 10 km long beach in luxury resort. 3 pools, Restaurant, Tennis, Spa & wellness centerSecurity and good maintenance. New project, construction starts 1.10-2012 Price from 2.8 to 3.2 mill. Last 3 units left. www.orientalbeachgarden.info
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Oriental Thai
Beach Pool Villa Complete luxury Thai style new villa, completed in December 2012. Inclusive interior luxury decoration, garden and swimming pool. 3 bedroom incl 1 guest house, 3 bathroom, living room and big kitchen. Built in luxury safe beach resort with all facilities incl tennis, 2 common pools, pool bar, restaurant, reception, big luxury Spa & Wellness center, good for retirees and families. Direct entrance to the resort from the beach. Mae Rumpeung Beach, Ban Pa Rayong, 165 km from bkk. Pris complet only 8 mill bath. www.orientalbeach.info www.vipresort.info
Luxury Beach
Land in luxury Beach residence
Condominium, new
Mae Rumpeung Beach, Ban Pa 165 km from airport, east seaboard 1 bedroom luxury incl furniture, ready to move in or rent out 1.795.000 bath In resort with big spa & wellness center, 2 Pools, Pool Bar, Restaurant, Reception, Meeting room, Garden space, WiFi Tennis, Children Playground. Rent guarantee of 2 or 5 years 7% return Rent daily, weekly or monthly. Guaranteed rental return 7% 5 years. www.tropicalapartment.info www.tropicalcare.info
Panya Resort condominium Bang Saen, Sriracha In beautiful green surroundings, 90 km from Bangkok with 27+18 hole golf court, 700 m from Sukumvit and 850 m to the ocean. Exceptional condominium for experts and retirement 2. floor new, not furnished 2 bed 2 bath 2 balcony 136 m2 2.195.000 3. floor new renovated, decorated 145 m2 2 bedroom 3.195.000 www.vipreal.info
165 km from Bangkok Land for building residence or holiday house,105 sqv or 210 sqv, in luxury project. Mae Rumpeung Beach, Ban Pa, Rayong Including 2 pools, restaurant, reception, meeting facility, big Spa & Wellness center, tennis, petanque, child playground, and more. 10 km long beach, 24 hour security Price only 1.995.000 Including new house from 3.995.000 www.vipreal.info, www.vipresort.info
Grand Condo Cha-Am
Exceptional offer directly at the beach 174 m2 big, 2 bedroom, luxury furnished, 200 degree panoramic sea view tower unit on 27th floor with 28 m2 big barbecue balcony. Wood and marble floor, Teak wood furniture, kitchen incl dishwasher and washing machine. Price before 12 mill, most be sold now only 8.5 mill www.vipreal.info, www.vipresort.info
or email to vipreal.info�@gmail.com or d�jbn@hotmail.com or visit www.vipreal.info For English, Scandinavian or German
Opinion
Thainess
T Your FREE ScandAsia Magazine in Thailand ScandAsia is the only magazine that covers all the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish residents in Thailand. We also publish a ScandAsia magazine in China, Singapore and the rest of South East Asia.
Please sign up for your own FREE copy: www.scandasia.com Publisher : 211 Soi Prasert Manukit 29 Prasert Manukit Road Chorakae Bua, Lad Prao Bangkok 10230, Thailand Tel. +66 2 943 7166-8, Fax: +66 2 943 7169 E-mail: news@scandasia.com Editor-in-Chief : Gregers A.W. Møller gregers@scandmedia.com Assistant Editor: Wachiraporn Janrut wachiraporn@scandmedia.com Advertising : Finn Balslev finn@scandmedia.com Piyanan Kalikanon piyanan@scandmedia.com Nattapat Maesang nattapat@scandmedia.com Graphic Designer : Supphathada Numamnuay supphathada@scandmedia.com
he concept of Thainess is being used and discussed in various media, often under the headline: ‘Foreigners don’t understand Thainess’, or ‘Foreigners are not able to reach the core of Thainess’. Meanwhile, what this seemingly supernatural core consists of remains unanswered; there does not seem to be a common definition among the contributors. After 12 years in the country I confess that I don’t understand this specific ‘Thainess’, I see a palette with many colours. Sometimes we have to push things a bit in order to move the thinking out of the box and not get trapped in ideology.Therefore, are there realities behind the Mantra?
The melting pot The Thai population is a mixture of ethnicities. More than 25% are Thai by birth but Chinese by ethnicity, heritage and cultural patterns that they exercise in their daily lives.They can hardly be the ones defining genuine Thainess. Some of my ‘Chinese’ sources believe that ethnic Thais, often of dark complexion, are simple, rustic folks who cannot think more than two moves ahead; that they belong to their own culture and tradition, taking one day at a time, not worrying too much. My ethnic Thai sources tell me that the Chinese families are engulfed in hoarding up money; using all sorts of chemicals to make their skin even whiter and forgetting to live while they can. Then you have the Thais of Laotian origin, preferring to speak Laotian; they are looked down upon by the rest – it is always reassuring to have scapegoats. We all have prejudices and annoyances about ‘the others’ of course, but the universal and almost supernatural ‘Thainess’ is a trifle difficult to recognize in this.
Our Lady in the tree Supernatural – that’s another reason why Westerners will never fully understand Thainess. At a private university I know well there is a tree, a big Banyan tree. Many colored ribbons are draped around this esteemed tree and others are hanging from the branches. Students, mostly of Chinese origin, pay respect to it, wishing for better results at exams and occasionally there is a procession led by the Rector followed by all the academics, they also honour and pay respect to this animistic wonder of nature. In the tree resides the spiritual lady called Nang Mai, she expects worshipping and respect, otherwise she will harm and hurt people around her. Visiting Western academics either get angry or laugh when they hear the story and are confronted with the tree. A visiting German scholar used just one word when he spotted the tree: ‘Quatsch’ (nonsense, or rubbish, but stronger).Well, this German didn’t have much sense of humour. But nevertheless; as a Western academic you cannot acknowledge something that is without ‘weights and measures’. Then my neighbor, a gentle man, and Thai. He repairs cars and is known as an outstanding diagnostician. Without sophisticated tools he finds the problem fast and repairs the cheapest way. They would be proud of him in Stuttgart! Every morning his family is visited by the monk, he drones and is given generous alms for his bowl. But just before the monk arrives my neighbor goes to his Spirit House also offering to the spirits of the house and land–at surface level and to those living underground. Maybe this combination of offers and blessings is what makes him an excellent repairman and such a friendly character, but to put that in a definition would be a bit hazardous. I can only agree. For us Westerners, rigid and square headed as we are, it is not possible to give a valid definition of a concept that includes spirits and ghosts – and peaceful old Banyan trees. Therefore: Forget that talk about exclusive Thainess, it belongs to ‘The Department for Beliefs’. Thais are not a homogenous mass, Thailand is a melting pot and the spirits are maybe among us. Why not enjoy the fantastic elasticity among people. All sorts of happenings are taking place, exiting and filled with surprises, enjoy them.
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Daily news and features here: www.scandasia.com
Flemming Winther Nielsen is Senior Lecturer (retired) DSH. DK. M.Sc.soc. (Aalborg University). Guest Lecturer UTCC, University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Bangkok. Free lance writer, Bangkok Post. Writer for Scandasia Magazine, Thailand. Member of the Board of Scandinavian Society Siam.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY SCANDINAVIAN SOCIETY
CONTENTS 14
SEPTEMBER 2012
8 Coming Events 9 Past Events 11 ScandAsia News Brief 14 Action Man 16 Young Swedish Students’ Thai Experience 19 Danish Company Hopes for Meaty Profits 20 Danish Touch at Pfizer Thailand 22 The House on India Quay 24 Used PCs for Young Thais 26 Swedes Launch Tex Mex Restaurant on Phuket 28 Inspiration & Promotion 30 Sudoku & Grydestegt Kylling Med Agurkesalat
Interview with Jesper Brahe Nyman, a Danish cameraman best-known as ‘Action Man’ By Dennis Krog
Three young Swedes share their experiences of student life in Thailand By Kirsty Turner
Skov Asia’s business expansion By Wachiraporn Janrut
Interview with Mr. Christian Malherbe, the new country manager of Pfizer Thailand By Wachiraporn Janrut
20
Historical article By Flemming Winther Nielsen
A trip to share used PCs to young Thai students at Immanuel Home in Pibun province By Atla Roger Mydland
Swedish entrepreneurs bring Tex-Mex flavour to Surin beach By Joakim Persson
22 26
Hotel News Update
Whole Chicken in a Pot and Cucumber Salad Recipe By Kim Birkkjaer Lund
Coming Events Green Building & Retrofits Expo Asia 2012 (GBR Expo Asia 2012) Date: 19 – 21 September 2012 Location: Impact Muang Thong Thani, Hall 7 The 2nd International Exhibition and Conference on Green Building & Retrofits will be held in Thailand for the Asia market, showcasing the latest sustainable, environmentally friendly solutions, systems, products, materials, supplies and technology that are adopted for green buildings, green factories and green retrofits. Property investors, owners and operators, as well as architects, designers, builders, suppliers and managers can attend the event to keep up with the green development in the industry. For more information, call 02 833 5210 or visit http://www.greenbuilding-asia.com
So Amazing Chefs 2012 DanCham Breakfast Seminar – ECCO’s Flood Experience Date: 25 September 2012 at 7.30 am – 9.00 am Location: To be advised – See the chamber’s website for updates Mr. René Jessen, Logistics Director at ECCO (Thailand), will present the case of last year, when ECCO’s factory and leather tannery in Saha Rattana Nakorn Industrial Estate, Ayutthaya, suffered catastrophic damage from the devastating flooding. Mr. Jessen will also describe what the experience has meant for the company and how the future of ECCO in Thailand looks like. To sign up, visit http://www.dancham.or.th/
Date: 25- 29 September 2012 Location: Sofitel So Bangkok
Here is a delightful gourmet event that will add excitement to Bangkok’s culinary scene. Sofitel So Bangkok has invited 12 renowned chefs from eight countries to lead a 5-day event that offers cooking classes from the masters plus the opportunity to taste their cuisine at lunches and set-menu dinners. The highlight of the event will be a ‘Culinary Showdown’ on Thursday September 27, where 9 chefs will be at their own individual cooking stations displaying their skills. Guests can get a close-up view of the culinary masters at work while Thai celebrity chefs will judge, to make the event more entertaining. All proceeds from this Culinary Showdown will be donated to the CCF Foundation under the Royal Patronage of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to help needy children. For more information, call 02 624 0000
SSS – Crayfish Party Date: 29 September 2012 Location: the Grand Ballroom of The Rembrandt Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 18 It’s time for the annual crayfish party! Organized by the Scandinavian Society Siam, the party will be held at the Rembrandt hotel again this year. Don’t miss out this traditional evening with delicious crayfish, dinner buffet and much more. For more information, check out ScandAsia’s calendar list at http://scandasia.com/calendarList.php?coun_code=0
8 ScandAsia.Thailand • September 2012
Abhisit Talks at Nordic Chambers Luncheon
M
embers of the Nordic Chamber of Commerce in Thailand together with approximately 500 other business people and entrepreneurs from different industries in Thailand attended a very informative luncheon on Friday 27 July 2012 at the ballroom of Shangri-La Hotel. The luncheon featured former Prime Minister and Democratic Party Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as their honored guest speaker. Mr. AbhisitVejjajiva spoke on the topic “Thai Politics: Friend or Foe of Business?” Mr. Vejjajiva started his speech by stating that there is nowhere in the world where you can completely separate politics from business. “Good politics will be conducive to business while bad politics will be bad for business,” he said. Mr. Vejjajiva’s overall stance in regards to the theme question is, yes - Thai politics has been a friend of business. He explained that during the past 30-40 years Thailand has seen spectacular and continued economic growth and relevance as a business hub despite the country having had 17-18 constitutions. Towards the end of his speech, Mr. Vejjajiva shared some of his personal opinions, including skepticism with the economic policies of the current government such as ‘the too hasty and dramatic minimum wage increases and lack of implementation and concerted action on anti-corruption measures’.
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8/29/11 1:57 PM
Networking Evening with Maersk Line
O
n August 15, 2012, after a long summer break, in which most expats spent their holiday in Scandinavia, the Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce (DanCham) organized their monthly networking event and gathered approximately 70 business people and entrepreneurs. Fourteen students from the Business Academy in Northern Copenhagen also enjoyed the networking experience. Held at The Grand Millennium on SukhumvitSoi 21, the event was sponsored by the international shipping conglomerate Maersk Line, Thailand. Excellent refreshments including hors d’oeuvres were available for guests to enjoy. Vice President of Dancham, Mr. Soren Presmann welcomed the guests and gave an opening speech. The Managing Director of Maersk Lines, Mr. Henrik Jensen, then introduced himself and the company. He also explained why Maersk is keen to support the event. “We see it at as a great opportunity for Scandinavian business people living in Thailand to meet up once a month for professional and social networking,” said Mr. Jensen.
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10 ScandAsia.Thailand • September 2012
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ScandAsia News Brief ECCO’s New Factory in Saraburi
D
anish shoe manufacturer, Ecco, has confirmed its commitment to Thailand by investing in a new factory in Saraburi province. The move came amid discussions on whether it will maintain operations in Ayutthaya’s flood-prone Saha Rattana Nakorn Industrial Estate. Managing Director of Ecco (Thailand) James Phillips said the new factory in Saraburi is scheduled to be completed in September 2013. The 55-rai plot in Hemaraj Industrial Estate is 5.5 metres above sea level and is fenced in by a dyke that adds an additional three metres of buffering. Ecco’s website says land in Saraburi has never flooded. The location is situated near a major highway, offering accessibility to Bangkok and Ecco’s Ayutthaya operations. Last year, Ecco’s shoe factory and leather tannery in Ayutthaya were inundated as floods washed over seven industrial estates there and in PathumThani province.The disaster affected 35% of Ecco’s global production capacity.
Electrolux Introduces New Gas Hobs
I
f you are a fan of Thai food, you may notice that many of the Thai dishes especially classic stir-fry dishes require strong flames to cook. Finding the perfect hob for cooking Thai food at home can be a challenge as most convenient hobs lack the powerful flames needed. The Swedish brand ‘Electrolux’ has tapped the opportunity and introduced “The Brio and Maxiflame hobs”, noted for their energy efficient and strong flame power, to the Thai market. Electrolux expects both hob ranges will be in strong demand. For more information, contact 02 635 7151-2
September 2012 • ScandAsia.Thailand 11
ScandAsia News Brief
Former Carlsberg Partner ‘ThaiBev’ to Expand Globally
T
hai Beverage Plc is persisting in a bidding war to take over Fraser &Neave Ltd and Asia Pacific Brewery in Singapore. The former Danish brewer Carlsberg’s joint venture partner ‘ThaiBev’ is now entering the international business battlefield. Thai Bev is operated by one of Thailand’s richest business families, the Sirivadhanabhakdis. The family’s patriarch, Mr. Charoen, first entered the Thai beer market in 1995 by setting up a joint venture with Danish brewer Carlsberg, which supplied the technology and expertise to build a brewery. The partnership ended indignantly and the two groups reached an out-of-court settlement a few years ago ThaiBev’s main foreign exposure to date has been its stock market listing in Singapore. A few small whisky distilleries in Scotland are also part of Mr. Charoen’s empire. The company’s decision to expand its business to the global market is an encouraging sign for Thai businesses. There are other Thai companies that are gradually moving beyond home turf, such as Thai Union Frozen Products Plc and Siam Cement Plc. Thai companies are becoming more aggressive as recent data compiled by Bloomberg show. It reported that Thai companies have spent a total of $20.4 billion buying overseas assets since the beginning of 2008.
Collective Action Against Corruption
O
n Tuesday 7 August 2012, members of Nordic Chambers together with other chambers gathered for a breakfast seminar at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok. An overview about the objectives and initiatives of Thailand’s Private Sector’s Collective Action Against Corruption was presented. The main speaker was Dr. Bandid Nijathaworn, President and CEO of the Thai Institute of Directors (IOD). Approximately 36 members participated and were welcomed by Ms. Savija Pannark Korslund, Executive Director of DanCham. The Joint Chambers’ Breakfast Seminar was presented in a collaboration by Franco-Thai Chamber of Commerce, Singapore-Thai Chamber of Commerce, Thai-Finnish Chamber of Commerce, Thai-Hong Kong Trade Association, Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce, Thai-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce, Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce, and DanishThai Chamber of Commerce.
New Face at DanCham T
here’s a fresh face at Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce (DanCham), DitteRosenquist, who started her internship as a Project Coordinator on 6 August 2012. It’s the first time the 24-year-old Dane has come to Asia and she is now enjoying the vibrant city life of Bangkok. Ditte recently completed a BSc in Business, Language and Culture, which is an international education at Copenhagen Business School. She is currently having a break from her studies in order to gain international work experience and new insights about the business environment as well as culture in another country. At DanCham she is in charge of social media management which includes updating Facebook, Linkedin, and the webpage with DanCham’s events and news. She is also responsible for co-organizing various networking events. Ditte’s internship will end in the beginning of February next year. She will probably sign up for a Master’s Degree program in the autumn of 2013. “I haven’t decided which university or which city to study at yet. Who knows, I might stay in Bangkok,” Ditte tells with a smile. Ditte suggests Danes in Bangkok to mark their calendars on October 19, 2012 for the DanCham’s 20th Anniversary. 12 ScandAsia.Thailand • September 2012
A Swedish School is opening in Hua Hin! Hua Hin has for a number of years attracted Scandinavian tourists in general and Sweeds in particular. Apart from the traditional charter tourism in Hua Hin an established part of the city now also is all the villa areas where Swedish and Scandinavian families has invested in a house in order to be able to spend more of their time here. In order to meet up with the growing Scandinavian population and their needs for an education which corresponds with the Swedish curriculum a new Swedish school is being established in the autumn of 2012.
The school in Hua Hin is being set up by Sanuk- the Swedish school of Thailand. Sanuk was the first Swedish school to establish in Thailand already in 2004 on the island of Koh Lanta, a couple of years ago they also established a second school in the tropical paradise of Huay Yang. Sanuk schools offer Scandinavians in general and Swedish families in particular the service of both preschool and school and they also have their own Childclub for tourists visiting Thailand. The schools welcomes families that stay in Thailand for a period between 4 weeks and up to several years. Patrik, one of the school owners says “-The schools follow the Swedish curriculum and only work with educated and experienced teachers in very small groups with no more than up to about 10 children in each class. The quality school service that we offer has been very well received and appreciated by the families in both Koh Lanta and Huay Yang. Since Hua Hin is a very popular area for Swedish families it feels natural for us to establish a school there in order to offer all Scandinavians in the area the service of a high quality education according to the school curriculum from our part of the world. We´ve just finished the recruitment of qualified teachers in Sweden, found a great house for the school to operate in that´s very close to the beach at Soi 9/1 and also hired a Swedish principal to manage the school. So far we´ve also got a lot of positive attention from families planning to come to Hua Hin so I look forward to opening up this school at the 12:th of November.”
For more information about Sanuk schools please feel free to look at their website www.svenskaskolanthailand.se
Action Man You have probably never seen Danish cameraman Jesper Brahe Nyman. For obvious reasons, he is the man behind the camera. But for people in the industry, he is a wellknown name. The Dane has been shooting TV and film his entire working life. ‘Action Man’ - as friends in the industry affectionately call him - is currently shooting in Thailand, which is also his new home. By Dennis Krog
O
n a secluded islandin the Philippines, a cameraman hasstrapped a camera on his back, and is now climbing up a mountain close to the beach. From there he gets a fantastic shot of the scenery, as the participants for the hit reality show Robinson(Survivor, ed) arrives. Afterwards he climbs down, to shoot the same scene again, only this time from the angle of a crab, crawling on the feet of one of the shows participants. This situation occurred, when the second season of Robinson was being filmed, and the cameraman was Danish Jesper Brahe Nymand. His dedication to getting the perfect shot, has among some of his colleagues in the industry given him the nickname “Action Man”. “I want to give the editors a lot of good footage. If that means strapping a camera on my back, then that is what I do,” says Jesper Brahe Nymand as we meet him, on the set of the Danish reality show Fristet (Tempted,ed) in Hua Hin, where the Dane is the head cameraman. But even though Jesper works hard on getting the shots he wants, he points to a different skill, when he is to elaborate on his strengths as a cameraman. “My real strength is my empathy. I think it is best shown, when I work with documentaries. I love portraying people, but in order to make them feel comfortable around the camera, they need to feel comfortable around me. I think I am good at creating that comfortable atmosphere,” says Jesper Brahe Nymand.
head of Nordisk Film, at the time. Unfortunately he wasn’t at his office, but his secretary allowed me to leave the glass application for him,” says Jesper Brahe Nymand. The journey around the world ended in Thailand, where an accident saw Jesper almost losing a leg. However, a couple of months in cast, saved the leg. This incidentmade his mother call the head of Nordisk film, begging him to hire her son, as she wanted Jesper to come home to Denmark again. “The boss of Nordisk Film asked my mum, if I was the person who had left this huge piece of junk in his office. My mum had to admit that it was, and then he told her, that if I came back and removed it from his office, then I had a job,” Jesper laughs, as he recalls the boss, not being happy seeing his new apprentice arriving on crotches.
The world as his playground After finishing his apprenticeship, Jesper Brahe Nymand stayed with Nordisk film for many years, working as a cameraman. In 1998, after working a few years at another company, he decided to start working as a freelancer. Jesper has never regretted going solo, as he has always had plenty of work. Quickly he became one of the preferred cameramen in the television business, and has worked on well-known programs like; Robinson ekspeditionen (Survivor), Kløvedal I Kina (Klovedal in China),
Wild on tape (National Geographic Channel) to name of few programs from his long resume. The fact that many of the programs are filmed outside Denmark, made the Dane decide to leave his home country and move to Bangkok this year. “Well, I have been coming to Thailand to work, on and off, since 2003. I have worked a lot with Mogens Rasmussen, the host of another popular TV show, called Forsvundne Danskere (Disappeared Danes, ed.), and I have a lot of clients around the world. In that sense Bangkok is a great gateway to the world,” says Jesper Brahe Nymand.
Good start in Thailand In Thailand Jesper Brahe Nymand has teamed up with Scand Media Corp., Ltd, the publishing group behind the ScandAsia magazine and the web portal. “Well, in many ways I am working 100 percent on my own, but I have worked a lot with Gregers Moller, the owner of Scand Media, in the past, and we both enjoy working together, using the strengths and network of each other,” says Jesper, who so far, is pleased with his migration to Thailand. “It has been a fantastic beginning, being selected as the head of the camera crew on Fristet. It’s the largest reality production ever made by a Danish production company outside Denmark, says Jesper Brahe Nymand and smiles.
Working his way forward For the 45-year-old Dane, the career began in 1989, as a runner. Jesper did a good job, and the young Dane was hired to work on different movies as a runner, and sometimes as a camera assistant. Jesper liked the business, but in 1991 he decided to take a break and travel around the world. Before he left, the Dane submitted an application for an apprenticeship at Nordisk Film. “I went on a construction site, and found a really heavy and largepiece of glass. I wrote my application on it, and delivered it to the 14 ScandAsia.Thailand • September 2012
Jesper and his camera crews filming the famous Danish reality show “Tempted” in Hua Hin, Thailand.
I want to give the editors a lot of good footage. If that means strapping a camera on my back, then that is what I do.
September 2012 • ScandAsia.Thailand 15
Young Swedish Stude M Many Swedish students attend university in Thailand. Exactly how many seems to be everybody’s guess, but the number must be substantial. Young foreigners at networking events and other venues turn increasingly out to be Swedes studying in Thailand. By Kirsty Turner
oving from cold Sweden to hot and humid Thailand, how does that work out when you are a young person from Sweden, just out of your teens? How do you cope with the professors speaking English and not Swedish? Is it possible to balance the temptation of partying all the time with serious career here in Thailand - or elsewhere? To find the answer to these and more questions, ScandAsia has interviewed three young students Carl Lindgren, Emma Lundqvist and Oskar Leander - about their Bangkok experience.
Carl Lindgren When Carl Lindgren, 27, first arrived in Bangkok from Stockholm, he needed some getting used to the city, especially the traffic. “When I had just arrived I used
to get stressed out when I was travelling by bus or taxi and I would get stuck in long traffic jams. Later, I adapted to it and feel much calmer,” Carl said. Carl had enrolled at Thammasat University’s Faculty of Economics to complete the final semester of his undergraduate degree in economics. Being part of the student community there has been pleasantly easier and more fun than he expected. Adapting to life as a student in Bangkok was made easier by the other students who soon became friends he usually hung out with. Classes Like many other students, Carl had opted for studying in Thailand because the cost of living here is extremely reasonable, while the standards of education are equal to those in Europe.
Students in Thailand spend more time in class. In Sweden, we are encouraged to spend more time having independent study time outside of the classroom.
Carl Lindgren 16 ScandAsia.Thailand • September 2012
ents’ Thai Experience “Swedish students generally have the freedom to choose where they want to study, with their course being funded by the Swedish government,” he explained. When it comes to education, Carl seemed pleased with the quality of classes at the university and said it was reassuring as most of the professors are international Ph. D holders. All the classes were conducted in English and this was challenging. Although his course was quite challenging, it was very good, he said. He had no trouble following the classes and keeping up with the workload. Also, since majority of the students there were Thai students, he felt it was a good opportunity for him to be exposed to Thai and learn the language. Carl did however note a few differences between Thai and Swedish students. “Students in Thailand spend more time in class. In Sweden, we are encouraged to spend more time having independent study time outside of the classroom,” he said. “Another difference is, in Sweden, classes consist of large groups, sometimes with as many as 200 students in them whereas here, they are broken up into groups small enough so professors are able to pay more attention to the each person,” he continued. Apart from that, he also mentioned that the onsite facilities at the university, especially the cafeterias and coffee shops, are excellent. In his leisure time, one of the things Carl enjoys to do is travelling, and not just travelling around but trying different restaurants and discovering the variety of Thai food while travelling. In addition to that, Carl also goes wakeboarding and takes part in a range of other activities.
six months as he is keen to continue discovering Thailand, the best way possible, student style.
Emma Lundqvist “I love being in Thailand, but being in a country like this, you really learn to appreciate your own country,” said Emma Lundqvist, 26, who is from Småland in Sweden. Emma travelled to Thailand three and a half years ago in search of a new life and a new challenge. Emma had been able to quickly adapt to the lifestyle in Thailand. “I was working as an architect in Sweden in 2008 when the economic crisis hit. I got laid off from my job but I did not want to just sit around so I decided to see it as an opportunity to do something good and exciting,” she explained. “I decided to come to Thailand and volunteer at an orphanage in Singburi for three months. Then I
joined another orphanage in Saraburi for another three months,” she added. During her time in Thailand, Emma fell in love with the country and the people so she decided to get herself enrolled in a Hotel Management course at Bangkok University. She is currently in her third year there. Classes Emma said that studying at the university in Thailand is “very different”. “Some courses are really, really good. Some of the lectures are led by famous people in the world of hotel management, which was really surprising,” she said. Although Emma admitted that there have been both good and bad sides to studying at Bangkok University, she said that she would recommend the experience to people back home.
Emma has spent a lot of time exploring the country. She also regularly returns to visit the first Thai family she stayed with when she volunteered at the orphanage. Although Emma says that some Swedish people may find living in Thailand a bit of a challenge at first, it is something that she thinks is important for personal development. “I have grown so much from being here. The experience is particularly good for Scandinavians who are used to having everything organised in their lives,” she said. “You really realise how fortunate you are to live in Scandinavia, where the country really takes care of you,” she said. Emma admitted that although she feels comfortable with Thai people, Sweden is home. Plans Her plan after she completes her
Emma Lundqvist
I have grown so much from being here. The experience is particularly good for Scandinavians who are used to having everything organised in their lives.
Plans Feeling comfortable with life here, Carl decided to look for a job after completing his semester at Thammasat. He currently works as an Accounts Manager at a Swedish company in Bangkok. Carl said that he is in no hurry to leave Bangkok anytime soon. He expects to stay for at least another September 2012 • ScandAsia.Thailand 17
I love the lifestyle in Bangkok. There’s so much to see and do here. It’s a great place to live and study.
Oskar Leander
degree at university is to return to Sweden and apply for architectural jobs there. She said that although she enjoys being in Thailand, there are certain things she misses about Sweden, such as its excellent social security. Emma also plans to take her long-term boyfriend to Sweden with her. She feels that the standard of living there will be higher for him than it currently is in Thailand, where he works long shifts. “I want to give my boyfriend the opportunity to try a new culture,” she said. Emma’s parents, fortunately, have been very supportive of her decision to live and study in Thailand. Although they obviously miss having her close to them, she said they have seen changes and developments in her over the last three and a half years, and believe that living in Thailand has been good for her. “In the first year you break, and then you rebuild yourself and come out much stronger,” she concluded.
Oskar Leander “I love the lifestyle in Bangkok. There’s so much to see and do here. It’s a great place to live and study.” This is what 27-year-old Oskar
Leander said about coming to Bangkok from Malmö, Sweden. Oskar came as a student to Bangkok nearly four years ago and has never looked back on his decision to do so. Classes He is currently completing the fourth year of his Bachelor’s Degree in Business as a major in International Business Studies at Bangkok’s Assumption University. After completing his studies, he has plans to try and look for a job in Bangkok with a Swedish company. “As Swedish people, we have the opportunity of being able to study anywhere we want. I really don’t know why more people don’t choose to study abroad,” he said. Oskar says the level of education is very much the same everywhere, even the textbooks used are the same,” he said as he recalled comparing notes with his Swedish friends studying the same course back home. “All the classes that are part of my course are taught in English, and although I am the only Swedish student in class, there are many others like me, who come from all over the world,” he added.
18 ScandAsia.Thailand • September 2012
Adapting In adapting to Thai culture, Oskar said that in order to successfully adapt, you need a lot of patience, as there are quite a number of differences in the Land of Smiles as compared to back in the Western home. “It would help if you knew a little about Thai culture and have an understanding of the differences between Thai people and Europeans,” he said. While Oskar certainly feels he made the right decision in choosing to study his field in Thailand and would recommend this path to anyone who is considering, he suggests they apply for the required documents from home, rather than in Thailand itself. “The process of getting an education visa in Thailand can be rather long and complicated. It is much easier to secure an education visa in advance in Sweden,” he explained. “Although there are many things that may be more difficult in Sweden and simpler in Thailand, when it comes to visas and paperwork, there is a lot of red taping here and it is not as simple as just going to one counter in a building and getting a visa,” he continued. Fortunately for Oskar, it was
not as tedious a process to get into a university here as many of them accept foreign students and provide high standard education. Leisure In his leisure hours, Oskar likes spending his time riding through the streets of Bangkok on his racing bike and going on cycling trips through the forest on the other side of the Chao Phraya River with his Swedish friends. He also enjoys hanging out with his friends in Ekkamai and Thong Lor and trying his hand at activities such as Muay Thai boxing. Plans After spending such a significant part of his life in this part of the world, Oskar has fallen in love with its lifestyle and culture and is keen to stay here for as long as possible, hence his decision to work here. He does however admit that it may not be so easy for him to find a job in Thailand, and is open to other possibilities. “I’m just a normal student really,” Oskar says. “The great thing about studying in Thailand is that I can have the sort of lifestyle here that I always dreamed about.”
Danish Company Hopes for Meaty Profits
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The Danish company Skov Asia Ltd. expands in Thailand and elsewhere in the region as farmers need new technology to boost profits on the rapidly growing consumption of meat all over Asia.
oultry products have long been among the top products on Thailand’s export list. The statistics of the Thai Broiler Processing Exporters Association shows that the country’s chicken exports last year grew 6.31 per cent. A total of 462,525 tons of chicken products were exported to the value of 62.15 billion baht. This year, the association expects the exports to increase by 3.78 per cent. That would mean a total of 480,000 tons of Thai chicken products exported to the value of 64.11 billion baht. One Danish company keeping a close eye on this development is SKOV.
By Wachirapon Janrut
Eight years in Thailand Headquartered in Denmark, SKOV has over 40 years’ experience in the meat production industry. It employs over 270 employees worldwide. SKOV Asia Ltd. was established in Bangkok by Mr. Thomas O. Hansen, Managing Director, in 2004. The company supplies Danish climate control technology for farms which, at its most basic, means install-
ing giant air conditioning units - and also installs production monitoring systems in the farm houses so the farmers can see whether or not their farms are operating at their best. SKOV’s clients in Thailand include major farming companies such as Charoen Pokphand Foods, Laem Thong and Better Food. SKOV provides a full-line service in sales, project design, project management, installation and service to customers and partners in the region. The company also develops and provides market systems and components for ventilation systems, livestock house air cleaning and production control to many big animal farms in Asia. Starting out with only four staff working in a small office on Sukhumvit Soi 39, SKOV recently moved its operations to a 260 square metre office on Sukhumvit 71 and now employs 16 full time staff.
Plans for expansion in Asia “We do a lot of business in Thailand and other countries in the region. This office is our hub in Asia. We
are also expanding to China and India and might even have offices there later on,” says Mr. Jørgen Holst Therkildsen, Regional Sales Manager. The company’s expansion plans come on the back of an increased demand for poultry products throughout Asia – a demand which SKOV is looking to capitalize on, and a demand which JørgenTherkildsen hopes will see the company become the world’s biggest supplier of technologies in climate control for animal and production monitoring. “Skov thinks globally, acts locally,” reads the promotional blurb in the company’s brochure, and it acts on this promise in Asia by offering local services for each of the 4,000 farm houses the company works with in the region. However, the fast growing market leaves the company with a big challenge in human resources management. “The market is growing so fast that we don’t have enough people to do the business properly, so now we’re looking for new staff to fill the gap,” says Mr. Therkildsen.
We will have the most exciting product launches coming up in the next few years in our anti-cancer treatments portfolio. These will be revolutionary products with a completely new way of treating this terrible disease.
20 ScandAsia.Thailand • September 2012
Danish Touch at Pfizer Thailand
Mr. Christian Malherbe, the new Country Manager of Pfizer Thailand, shares how one of the world’s largest research-based biomedical and pharmaceutical companies pursues its aims of elevating healthcare and well-being of patients in Thailand and throughout the region. By Wachirapon Janrut
“M
y colleagues often hear me say: Let’s do something different. Let’s do something that really matters to patients and to our partners,” says Mr. Christian Malherbe, the new Country Manager of Pfizer Thailand. Mr. Malherbe joined Pfizer more than 13 years ago as a sales representative at Pfizer Denmark. Before moving to Thailand, he spent almost 5 years living and working in Dubai as Regional Director of Operations and Strategy for the Africa and Middle East region. One of most interesting experiences for him was managing Pfizer business for the area called ‘Levant’ which covers four countries - Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq. With his extensive experience in the business, he is keen to merge his insight with local knowledge. “Obviously, I don’t know much about the Thai market yet but I know a lot about the pharmaceutical business and about adding value to patients. I have a great team with experience to support me and, hopefully, I can add to the picture a new and different way of doing business both internally and externally,” says Mr. Malherbe. “In the current business environment, you have to be very innovative in order to have that competitive edge,” adds Mr. Malherbe.
Pfizer Inc. Pfizer Inc., the world’s largest research-based pharmaceutical company established in 1849, is headquartered in New York with major research and development locations in the United States. The company has invented and offered hundreds of medicines to millions of patients around the globe. During the past decade, Viagra seems to be one of the most well-known drugs of the company. However, it is not the only drug behind Pfizer’s success. There
are many others. “Though it is perhaps the most well-known drug of our company, it represents only a small portion of our revenue. We have a very broad portfolio of products which cure most common diseases that you can imagine for example, high cholesterol, arthritis pain, hypertension, cancer, smoking addiction, rheumatoid arthritis, neuropathic pain, infectious, pneumonia and many more.”, says Mr. Malherbe.
Revolutionary Products With its heavy investment in Research & Development, Mr. Malherbe believes that Pfizer provides some significant products which tend to be the best-in-class. He claims that many of Pfizer’s products are the top selling brands and available in most hospitals and quality drug stores across Thailand. “Our product pipeline is very interesting. We will have the most exciting product launches coming up in the next few years in our anticancer treatments portfolio. These will be revolutionary products with a completely new way of treating this terrible disease,” says Mr. Malherbe with excitement. “We are entering a new phase of treatments. Pfizer and its centers around the world are working on this. Now we are able to target the therapy much more accurately. I believe that developments in the pharmaceutical industry in the next 5-10 years will be extremely interesting,” adds Mr. Malherbe.
Pfizer Thailand Pfizer Thailand was established in 1958. The company is the number one pharmaceutical company in Thailand which operates under four business divisions:Biopharmaceuticals, Nutrition, Consumer Healthcare, and Animal Health with over 700 employees. “The company’s mission and vision
is to provide better healthcare to the people of Thailand,” says Mr. Malherbe. Three major groups of their clients are government hospitals (which account for the largest portion), private hospitals and private retail. Among these three, retail market has been the fastest growing over the last few years and seems to keep going with a positive trend. However, managing the biggest pharmaceutical company in Thailand is not without its challenges. “I truly believe that being the biggest pharmaceutical company has some obligations. We need to be at the forefront of searching for a new treatment and passing on new medical knowledge to physicians.” adds Mr. Malherbe. The company has played an active role in supporting local healthcare professionals: a doctor, pharmacists, nurses, etc. on educational activities to enhance their professional skills so that they can provide a better quality of treatment to patients. Outside healthcare community, the company also claims that they work very closely with the Thai government either on regulatory or policy development aspects. “Building trust with our clients is the most important thing to do and to achieve that it is not only about selling good products, we have done lots of things beyond that. And that’s where the Pfizer Foundation comes into the picture,” adds Mr. Malherbe.
Pfizer Thailand Foundation Pfizer Thailand Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to philanthropic programs. Established in 2001, its board members come from academic, medical, and social work fields. Funded by Pfizer, the Foundation has initiated many programs, among them are Scholarship program for medical and pharmacist students, HIV/ AIDS Prevention and Assistance, Thailand’s Cancer Control Efforts, Tsunami
Relief Effort and Young Leadership Program, e-Medical Libraries, The Diflucan Partnership Program and Global Health Fellow Program. Since 2003, the Foundation’s Scholarship program has granted 250 medical and pharmacist students who areacademically-sound but underprivileged in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. “There’s no commercial interest to it. This is one of the things that makes me extremely proud to be working for Pfizer Thailand,” says Mr. Malherbe with a smile.
Danish Approach to Pfizer Thailand “I have a principle that says, ‘It must be fun to go to work’. I thoroughly enjoy my work, though I can be very serious about it. If you are not enjoying yourself at work, you are not engaged. And you have to be engaged to deliver something extraordinary,” states Mr. Malherbe. With his Danish background, Mr. Malherbe brings some Danish touch and leadership culture to Pfizer Thailand. “I’m a very visible country manager. That probably comes from the Danish leadership culture where we traditionally have a very flat organization. My door is always open and everyone can come to speak directly with me. I walk around a lot in the office. I also travel around the country to visit the sales reps who work upcountry. I really enjoy knowing what’s going on in the market and try to keep myself updated by visiting doctors and hospitals as often as possible,” says Mr. Malherbe. According to Mr. Malherbe, Pfizer Thailand has been voted by doctors as the most preferred partner of choice for seven years in a row. “That tells me that people here are very dedicated, professional and they are respected by doctors. My team works very hard. However, work-life balance for me is very important,” says Mr. Malherbe.
September 2012 • ScandAsia.Thailand 21
The House on India Quay Asia House was built as the first Headquarters of East Asiatic Company. The building is a statement of the solidity which the EAC wanted to create. By Flemming Winther Nielsen Photos by Claus Gundersen
S
itting on a high solid granite plinth, this house really radiates solidity – and that was undoubtedly also the intention. The House on India Quai in the Freeport of Copenhagen was built in 1898 as the first headquarter of the newly founded East Asiatic Company, and an upstart company of some magnitude will always try to signal that it intends to stay. From his time in Siam, the co-founder of EAC, H.N. Andersen, was most aware of this. At that time the architecture in Denmark was influenced either by Italian Renaissance e.g. the new
banks (straight out of Florence) or by the National Romantic Movement, e.g. The Copenhagen Town Hall. Trends come and go, but Asia House is somewhat unique, a ‘stand alone’ house. That it is symmetric in design is nothing special; what makes it stand out are mainly two factors: The very high quality of materials and craftsmanship and the modest ‘decorations’ in a mix of Romanesque and Gothic style, especially the frontispieces over doors and windows. The hard burned bricks come to their right mainly because of the bond style or pattern used. I believe that the original EAC
22 ScandAsia.Thailand • September 2012
Warehouses on Charoun Krung Road in Bangkok have also been designed by the EAC ‘House Architect’ Gotfred Tvede. Tvede was originally trained as a mason, later he graduated as an architect from The Academy of Fine Arts. Like Andersen, he started ‘bottom-up’, and his sense for craftsmanship never left him. Around the turn of the century his architectural firm was the largest in Denmark and he couldn’t supervise all details of the works of his firm himself. One of his trusted architects Valdemar Schmidt was in daily charge of Asia House and influenced the final drawings.
Wood, hardwood When the heavy door closes behind you, the picture changes dramatically, absolutely no stones any more. Now it is wood, mostly hardwood, everywhere in the house, from the ceiling to the floor and many places in between. Impressive, and again, the highest level of craftsmanship. I don’t think it has been necessary to change or repair the carpentry much during all these years. After the turn of the century EAC expanded rapidly and what was an adequate headquarter when built became crammed and too small. In 1908 the new and very character-
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HN Andersen with his impressive signature below.
istic domicile in Holbergsgade was inaugurated. But in the spring of 1908, shortly before the move a young man named Ernst Mazar de la Garde (son of the postmaster in Ribe) visited. He had applied for a job in the company’s teak forests in Northern Siam and was called for an interview: His observations give a lot of atmosphere.
Eyewitness account When entering the office Ernst Mazar de la Garde immediately saw that “it was much too small to contain the office staff the company already then needed”, nevertheless:
“The office was marked by an unmistakable, impressive dignity, I can almost say distinction. I was interviewed by the Head of Office, later Managing Director, Mr. Madsen Mygdal who was dressed. in a frockcoat; he questioned me for a long time and finally asked whether I was married. I showed him my ring-less finger – That’s good, he said with a smile. The conditions in the teak forests are not suitable for white women. Furthermore the salaries are not big enough for that.” “With an excuse Mr. Madsen Mygdal left me. He walked towards a door, about which I at once got
the impression that it wouldn’t give access to all and everybody. I noticed a certain deference in his attitude, when he knocked the door; and when he carefully and silently opened he delivered a deep bow.” “A moment later he came out and told me that Etatsraaden wanted to see me. A moment later I stepped over the great man’s threshold”. The quotations above are from Mazar de la Garde, Ernst (1945): ‘Among Teak trees and Elephants’. Koebenhavn. My translation. Etatsraad can be intepreted as Titular Counselor of State.
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‘Kromatah’ Former Foreign Minister of Siam and a lifelong friend. The painting hang right outside Andersens office. Andersen developed Oriental Avenue on Kromatahs land and erected various buildings, including EAC Headquarters and many bungalows.
H.N. Andersen’s corner office. One of the first telephones in Denmark belonged to him and the company. The entrance door with windbreak seen from inside the counter. H.N. Andersens own maritime dispensary. The original table of The Board of Directors, EAC. The big counter where all visitors were met. Loading documents and stevedore’s notes. The famous globe that followed EAC to the new Headquarters in Holbergsgade.
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7 September 2012 • ScandAsia.Thailand 23
Used PCs for Young Thais Atle Roger Mydland took a beautiful long detour along the Cambodian Thai border to deliver a car load of used PC’s from the Nordic countries to a home for young Thai students in Pibun in Isaan. Now the work to set up the PC room can begin.
By Atla Roger Mydland
D
evelopment, Renewal and New Knowledge. Those words describe the Immanuel Home, which Norweigan Missionary Society supports in northeast Thailand. Over the last few years, this home has been renovated. A new boarding house for boys has been built - by funds donated from friends in Denmark - and we recently donated 17 PCs, outfitting a large data room. Immanuel Home is a home for academically-promising youth from poor families in the villages. Without this provision, it would be difficult for these young people to receive
further education. They may live at the home from the sixth to the twelfth grade. This year we have 46 students, and one of these graduates was honored as the top student in the district.
Computers from FAIR FAIR is a humanitarian organization in Scandinavia which works to spread education of information technology in developing countries. The organization recycles computer equipment from the Nordic countries for assistance projects to be completed in Africa, Asia and South America. We made contact with FAIR over six months ago. In just a few
days we were accepted. However, we needed to have the appropriate signatures here in Thailand. Computer equipment is not considered trash - neither for the Thnai customs when you import it or for FAIR. They are worried that export of used computers can be considered dumping of industrial waste in third world countries. Fair therefor demands that all parts are reported and monitored. Only after it has reached a predetermined age, it can be delivered to an approved receiver.
A Fantastic Trip With my car filled with 17 jingling computers and 15 monitors securely
facing each other, I began the long journey from Bangkok to Pibun, a little city in northeast Thailand. Normally this trip is 800 km. and takes about nine hours to travel. Even though the delivery of the PCs is my primary mission, I can’t help giving the trip, itself, a priority, photographically speaking. I ask myself: am I in love? So much beauty! Thailand is so much more than beaches and business centers. The car’s GPS system shows the average speed in which the vehicle moves. The beautiful three/four lane highways allow the kilometers to disappear quickly, but there is still not much to see from along these sterile stretches. Normally, driving
Immanuel Home is a home for academicallypromising youth from poor families in the villages. Without this provision, it would be difficult for these young people to receive further education.
All the Baan Immanuel children on the stairs to the new boys dormitory with Astrid Mydtland of the Norwegian Missionary Society to the left 24 ScandAsia.Thailand • September 2012
The new computers were immediately popular.
three hours at an average of 110 km. an hour (the speed limit is 120 km. an hour) is the best idea. I chose a route to travel which was far from being direct: Buriram, Surin and Sisaket, along the Cambodian border and toward the Laos border. This area is known for its many ethnic people groups and great cultures. But I’m told it is a poor area. The car’s computer shows that it’s no longer good to drive over 100 km., but instead, it is better to drive 30 km. an hour for four hours. The path goes from right to left around rice paddies and through narrow village streets. Much of the road is asphalt and full of potholes,
which I can’t drive around. Therefore, I must drive into them, and many of them are deep! All around me I see riches: irrigated green rice paddies, kilometers of fruit trees along the road, and people who have time. I also see fear in people who dread needing to evacuate these areas because of a war over a temple which lies on the border between Thailand and Cambodia. I drive by roadblocks and military controls. They want to know who I am, where I come from, and where I am going. Then they wave me on. “No photographs,” they tell me. I see on the map that I will pass a beautiful national park on the border 1
soon. The road curves gently up over the ridge. Barbed wire fencing appears to dominate the scenery more and more, preventing any pleasant viewing. There on the edge of the mountain is the border between the two “enemies.” Below us, toward the south, Cambodia broadens out with forest and rice paddies as far as the eye can see. “Down there is Cambodia,” I’m told by a soldier who is on watch. Even here in a national park with tourists all around, bunkers are securely monitored.
Mission completed After a little over 1,000 kilometers,
I arrive in Pibun. We unload. Noi, the leader of the boarding school, is there. Oh yes, the computers are a few years old, but they are still very useable. The staff is impressed with the LCD monitors. We discuss how to use the software and how they should be maintained. We also discussed the PC system so that the young people won’t just sit and play games. This will be a big challenge for the staff to enforce). We want to say a big ‘Thank You!’ to FAIR for the PCs. At the same time we’d like to call upon any good computer volunteers. We could always use the help from more people.
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Arrival at the Baan Immanuel with the PC’s in the back of the car. “Down there is Cambodia,” a soldier who watches the neighbor from the bungalow told me. This country is just so beautiful!
September 2012 • ScandAsia.Thailand 25
Swedes Launch Tex Mex Restaurant on Phuket By Joakim Persson
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hree partners Daniel Isberg, Peter Hjert and Pontus Hagen recently launched the new restaurant concept Texas Steak House with their first outlet in Surin, Phuket by inviting a large crowd of guests. Both Pontus (with previous comprehensive restaurant experience) and Peter (owner of Surin Gate Hotel etc.) have over ten years experience of running businesses on Phuket, while Daniel Isberg landed on the island in 2011 to set up Surin Gate Kitchen. The Swedes will offer Tex Mex (with Californian influences), e.g. steaks, burgers etc. Think Fajitas, Quesadillas, BBQ Pork Ribs, Nachos, Fish and Shrimp Tacos to have a good idea of what is on the menu. The idea is to test this for one
26 ScandAsia.Thailand • September 2012
season and if successful, as they hope, the intention is to open more outlets (on Phuket and elsewhere), disclosed chef Daniel who quickly built a reputation on the island with his Surin Gate Kitchen. They are conceptualizing this as a brand with own products etc. American and Mexican flags, framed pictures of Indian chiefs, Western movies on the TV, Frozen Margaritas are all defining ingredients. More décor also to arrive from Texas! The owners want this to become a happening waterhole for both island expand expats and visitors. “The surroundings are excellent and this is precisely what Surin needs,” said Daniel Isberg. 99-baht margaritas are served, and a daily happy hour every day between 5 to 7 pm offers affordable drinks and food.
September 2012 • ScandAsia.Thailand 27
Summer Sensation at
AKARYN Samui
O
For more information, contact Tel: +66 (0) 2514 8112 or visit www.akaryn.com
pening its doors in April this year, the new boutique hotel “AKARYN Samui” is now celebrating its first summer by offering sensational rates from now until 31 October 2012. The package includes a minimum stay of seven nights in a pool suite including return transfers from Samui International Airport and daily gourmet breakfast for two from THB 6,500 / USD 210 per night including all taxes and services. Conveniently located seven minutes from the shopping and nightlife of Cheweng Beach and in walking distance to Choeng Mon Beach on beautiful Hanuman Bay, AKARYN Samui consists of a total of 52 residences. There are 27 regular Pool Suites and 7 Sea View Pool Suites as well as 18 one-bedroom Pool Villas that can be combined into 9 two-bedroom Pool Villas if required. Guests can enjoy delicacies at the resort’s Spanishinspired signature restaurant ‘Ochos’ or at the beachfront ‘Edge Restaurant’ for Thai and international dishes. The 24room service is also available. Private in-residence dining or beachfront dining can also be catered upon request. The special rates for a stay at Sea View Pool Suites is THB 7,700 / USD250 per room night and for a onebedroom Pool Villa is THB 8,500 / USD275 per room night. A two-bedroom Pool Villa is also available at THB 15,400 / USD495 per room night.
Evening Out at
Pathumwan Princess Hotel
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hroughout September, Pathumwan Princess Hotel is offering the nightly Thai Buffet Dinner at CiTi BiSTRo on the Ground floor at THB 890 net person. Prepared by experienced chefs from live cooking stations, many traditionally Thai dishes are on offer. Highlights includeTom Yum Soup and a few surprises. After the Thai cuisine, guests can enjoy delightful Fruity Cheesecakes at t@lobby on the 1st floor of the hotel. The creamy cheesecakes come with various choices of fresh fruit and fruity toppings, including passion fruit, mango, raspberry and peach. The special price is THB 150 per slice.
For more information, contact 02 216-3700
28 ScandAsia.Thailand • September 2012
September 2012 • ScandAsia.Thailand 29
Medium
Grydestegt Kylling Med Agurkesalat
Evil
By Kim Birkkjaer Lund
“A
s the new Intern you have to write this month my favorite national dish,” I was told last week. That message freaked me out. Do I actually have a favorite national dish? I love Balinese smoked duck, and green papaya salad with seafood is another favorite. South Indian Masala Dosa is a great dish for lunch – But a Danish dish? Fortunately I suddenly remembered my mother’s favorite dish: Whole chicken made in a braising pan served with cucumber salad and (preferable) new potatoes. It is, I believe, the best way to cook and serve a chicken. It is easy. Everyone (even I) can do it. And if it is the season for new potatoes in Denmark, it is also the season for strawberries. So finishing the meal by serving strawberries with a touch of sugar and a mix of cream and buttermilk would be my mother’s best bet for a perfect summer dinner, and I agree completely. Ingredients: • One whole Chicken • Parsley • Butter • Salt • Pepper • Chicken stock or water • Cream • Cucumber • Vinegar • Water • Salt • Pepper • Sucker • New potatoes
Are you done?
W
hen you have completed the above puzzles, please send your solution by fax to +66 2 943 7169 or scan and email to puzzles@ scandasia.com. We will make a lucky draw among the correct answers. Five lucky winners will receive a ScandAsia polo shirt. Name:
___________________________________________________
Age: ________________________
Mobile:
___________________
Address:
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
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Email:
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Deadline for submitting your solution is 15 October 2012 30 ScandAsia.Thailand • September 2012
Grydestegt Kylling: Rub the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff it with parsley and seared it in your braising pan in plenty of butter. When it is nice brown on all sides, add some chicken stock or just plain water (don’t get any fancy ideas about adding wine or any thing else). Not too much, only two or three centimeters (you can add more latter if necessary). Let it simmer for at least one hour (depending on size). It is ready, when the juice coming out of the chicken, when sticking it with a knife, is clear and without color. Strain the Chicken out of the liquid. Make the liquid into a nice thick gravy by adding a roux made by butter and flour. Optional you can add some cream to it as well. To make it look right add some caramel food color. Danes like their gravy brown. Cucumber salad: Mix one cup of vinegar with half a cup of water. Add salt, pepper and sugar and bring it to boil. Refrigerate until cold. Slice the cucumber in very thin slices and pour the vinegar mixture over.
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