ScandAsia Singapore - May 2014

MAY 2014

Singapore

Telenor aims for the sky in Myanmar ScandAsia.dk

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Coming Events

EU Film Festival The 24th Europe Union Film Festival will kick off on 15th of May in Singapore at Shaw Lido cinema and will end on the 25th. Among the movies screened are the Danish movie “The Hunt”, the Norwegian “Kon-Tiki”, the Swedish “The Ice Dragon” and the Finnish “Things We Do For Love”. The festival features movies from all over Europe.

For more information go to www.euff.sg

Norway’s National Day Norway’s National Day will be celebrated in the Fort Canning Park on the 17th of May. The Embassy, NBAS, Norskskolen and the Norwegian Seamen’s Church invites every Norwegian to come celebrate an join the parade. The event begins at 10.45 AM and the price is SGD 50 for adults and 30 for children. This includes a buffet from the Hilton. There will also be traditional 17 May entertainment at the event.

Your FREE ScandAsia Magazine in Singapore ScandAsia is the only magazine that covers all the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish residents in Singapore.

We also publish a ScandAsia magazine in China, Thailand, and the rest of South East Asia.

Please sign up for your own FREE copy: www.scandasia.com Publisher : 211 Soi Prasert Manukitch 29 Prasert Manukitch Road Chorakae Bua, Lad Prao Bangkok 10230, Thailand Tel. +66 2 943 7166-8, Fax: +66 2 943 7169 E-mail: news@scandasia.com Editor-in-Chief : Gregers A.W. Møller gregers@scandmedia.com

Upcomming A Cappella On Saturday the 24th of May you have a unique opportunity to experience an intimate a cappella concert. Directed

by Danish Tine Fris Vocal Edge will wow you by combining a cappella with electronic music. It will take place from 3.30PM – 7.30PM. Tickets are available at SGD 25.

For more information check out www.a-cappella.org.sg or email contact@a-cappella.org.sg

Managing Editor: Thana Poopat thana@scandmedia.com Advertising : Frank Leong frank@scandmedia.com Finn Balslev finn@scandmedia.com Piyanan Kalikanon piyanan@scandmedia.com Nattapat Maesang nattapat@scandmedia.com Graphic Designer : Supphathada Numamnuay supphathada@scandmedia.com Distribution : Wanvisa Rattanaburi wanvisa@scandmedia.com Printing : Advance Printing Services Co., Ltd.

Daily news and features here: www.scandasia.com

Past Events

Easter trip to Rawa

D

uring Easter the Norwegian Seamen’s church and the Swedish church invited the congregation on a paradise trip to the island Rawa in Malaysia. The trip was meant to bring people together and enjoy each other’s good company. There was plenty of time for fun and games such as football, diving and morning gymnastics, but the messages of Easter were also preached and praised.

ScanBizBar

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t was all about networking at the ScanBizBar held by the Danish Business Association on the 3rd of April at the same venue as last ScanBizBar, Amara Element on Tras Street. Neste Oil sponsored the event on Thursday evening and provided the participants with some finger food and two rounds of drinks to the first fifty people who arrived. The event was open to all members and friends of FBC, SBAS, DABS and NBAS.

SWA Spirit Medium

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WA held a rather spiritual event on the 15th of April when they first went to fill their stomachs with delicious and healthy Singaporean snacks and traditional cooking before they went on to fill their souls. It was an event, which offered insight into a rather mysterious, interesting, fascinating and for many unknown world of the Spirit Medium. The participants got to witness how a medium went into trance to communicate with the Gods and seek advice. Some might even have had their fortunes told.

4 ScandAsia.Singapore • May 2014

Past Events

Queen’s Birthday

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er Majesty Queen Margrethe II’s birthday was celebrated in full when the Danish Ambassador hosted a party for around 250 people at her residence. And for the very first time there was an official participation from the Singapore government. The party’s special guest of honor Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gave a few words at the occasion.

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May 2014 • ScandAsia.Singapore 5

News Brief

Norwegian State Secretary visits Singapore

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tate Secretary Ms. Dilek Ayhan of the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries marked the opening of the Sustainable Marine Transportation Conference 2014 with a key note speech and met with trainees from Norwegian maritime companies during her visit.

The State Secretary also met with MPA and EDB and attended a yard tour at Keppel Offshore and Marine. A main theme of the visit was how Norway and Singapore can co-operate to further enhance their maritime competence and stay ahead as leading maritime nations.

EU election abroad

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he election for the European Parliament is soon to be held all around Europe. Finnish nationals living abroad will be given an advance opportunity to vote at the embassy on 101 Thomson Road, #21-03 United Square between the 14th and 17th of May. All they need to do is show up at the embassy between 10 AM and 4 PM during these four days and present their passport or other official identification.

For further information on whether you are eligible to vote or not visit the embassy or its website – If you are not of Finnish nationality do the same with embassy of your respective country.

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he Danish minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Dan Jørgensen visited Singapore. This was the first time ever that a Danish minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries visited Singapore. The purpose of the visit was to explore new ways for Denmark to export and promote Danish commodities. During his visit he also opened the Danish section at the “Food and Hotel Asia” conference, which is the biggest of its kind in Asia. Denmark was well represented with 22 different companies showing what they had to offer to the Asian market.

The minister also gave a speech at a networking event held at the Danish residence where several companies from the industry was represented and also VIP’s from the Singaporean food section.

News Brief

Carlsberg acquired majority in MayBev

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arlsberg bought 51 percent of the shares in MayBev, the exclusive distributor for Ashai in Singapore, making them the majority shareholder. The deal was confirmed on the 9th of April and will add the Asahi’s namesake beer to the Danish brewery’s portfolio in Singapore.

Volvo goes for market leader

Educational visit from Sweden

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olvo Group Trucks plans to be the market leader in in Asia Oceania. Mr Christophe Martin, President of Volvo Group Trucks in Asia Oceania, announced the ambition recently when announcing that Volvo will now also bring the new FH, FM, FMX, FE and FL models to Asia.

“In Asia Oceania, we are looking at a stable yet highly competitive premium market that we want to lead with our brand Volvo Trucks. We will do this by following a strategy that will bring us closer to the customer, excelling in three key areas: product, service, people.”

An internal study by research agency GfK has shown that Volvo Trucks is the number one in brand image in most of the markets in Asia, in their segment. Also in terms of customer satisfaction Volvo Trucks has gained leading positions, having been ranked number one in Indonesia and Malaysia for instance.

“Attrition rate for customers is very low. Sales gets customers through the door and after-sales keeps the customer. Therefore we need to maintain a comprehensive view on our customers’ business, offering tailor-made solutions, based on their actual needs. We want customers to choose us as the No.1 to own.”

D

irector General of the Swedish National Agency for Education, Anna Ekström led a delegation whose aim was to learn more about Singapore’s education system, but also to share good practice and strategies for the future.

During the visit the delegation met with the Ministry of Education, the National Institute for Education as well as the National Teacher Training Institute and the Academy of Singapore Teachers. The delegation also had the opportunity to visit Nanyang Technological University (NTU). During the meeting at NTU hosted by Mr. Bertil Andersson, higher education in Singapore as well as bilateral collaboration between Singapore and Sweden in the field of education was discussed. The delegation also met with Swedish exchange students studying at NTU.

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EU supports companies entering Asia via Singapore European Commission launches business support programme for EU companies looking to export to South East Asia via Singapore.

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he new EU Business Avenues programme will assist 40 selected EU companies, particularly SMEs, in taking part in one-week business missions to meet relevant counterparts in Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Three business missions to Singapore with an optional 2-day visit to Malaysia or Vietnam will be organised in 2014 and 2015, two in Clean Technologies and one in Interior Design.

All include a bespoke exhibition linked to an existing, well-known sectoral tradefair in Singapore. Other activities include briefings and dedicated conferences, a site visit in Singapore, and official receptions offering further networking opportunities. In addition, the programme offers an attractive package which includes accommodation, logistical services and optional added-value services. All detailed information is available on www.businessavenues.eu.

The first Clean Technologies mission will be held from 27-31 October in Singapore and Malaysia in the context of the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW). An optional business visit to Malaysia is planned for 30-31 October. Interested companies can apply now on www.businessavenues.eu.

EU Business Avenues is a pilot programme expanding the EU Gateway initiative to new markets following its continued success in Japan and South Korea since 1994. It focuses on South East Asia, particularly Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam, where economic growth is strong, and uses Singapore as a hub. The programme complements ongoing Trade negotiations between the EU and South East Asian countries and aims to capitalize on the recently initialled EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Singapore which is expected to enter into force towards the end of 2014, as well as EU trade negotiations with Malaysia and Vietnam.

About EU Business Avenues EU Business Avenues to South East Asia is a business support programme, organised and funded by the European Commission. EU Business Avenues aims to strengthen the presence of EU companies in Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. Three business missions are organised during 2014 – 2015 in two sectors, Clean Technologies and Interior Design. EU Business Avenues has been launched in March 2014, following the success of the EU Gateway Programme to Japan and Korea. www.businessavenues.eu

About The EU Gateway Programme The EU Gateway Programme, predecessor of EU Business Avenues to South East Asia, is a business cooperation initiative assisting European SMEs to seize opportunities in Japan and South Korea since 1994.

During the last 7 years (2008 – 2014), the programme organised 30 business missions to Japan and 15 business missions to Korea. As a result, more than 1500 companies from 28 European countries benefited from professional mentoring and individual coaching with 94% of participants expressing their will to enrol again. In financial terms, 97 % of participants reported significant increase in their sales distribution activity and over 40% of EU Gateway’s attendees experienced revenue growth following the business missions.

More information about the programme, participating companies and their success stories can be found on the EU Gateway website: www.eu-gateway.eu 8 ScandAsia.Singapore • May 2014

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Telenor aims for the sky in Myanmar Telenor’s strategy in Myanmar will be a simple mass-market business model with prepay as their core offering.

10 ScandAsia.Singapore • May 2014

ScandAsia talks to Petter Furberg, CEO of Telenor Myanmar about how its operations in Myanmar are coming along.

By Aya Low

where you promise what you intend to do. Twelve companies were shortlisted and two were selected as the winner of the competition That happened in late June when there was no telecom law so there was no law under which they could give out the license. We had to wait until the telecom law was finished.

A final license was awarded in February and that’s when we really could start importing all our equipment.

We have 270 employees now. We are growing every month. Big things like renting sites, towers need to happen.

Based on your previously stated target of launching eight months after being given the license, do you think you will meet it?

We’re quite confident that we will be able to succeed. Bangladesh was the first of the Asian markets

and Myanmar is now our 6th Asian market. Like Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, it is also a Greenfield operation where we start from scratch. In Malaysia and Thailand we invested into a system. We bring all of our previous knowledge and even though it is a country with unique challenges, it is also an Asian market primarily so we should be able to succeed.

We have committed ourselves and promised the government that we would launch at the latest 8 months after our license was awarded which we are on time for.

What are the biggest challenges for you?

There are many unique challenges in this market.

For us it’s setting up the sites. The reason it’s challenging is that you have to go through a lot of steps where you have to rent land, you have to be able to test whether the ground can handle the tower weight, you have to get building permits

I

t’s an exciting time for Telenor. After battling more than 90 companies, Norway’s Telenor, along with Qatar’s Ooredoo won one of the two 15-year telco licenses up for grabs in newly opened Myanmar. They will operate alongside state-owned Myanmar Posts and Telecommunication (MPT) and Yatanarpon Teleport (YTP), which previously held the monopoly. Toted as one of the last Greenfield operations left in the world, this new venture into an almost untouched market with immense potential signals busy times ahead for the company.

Myanmar is one of the largest countries in South East Asia; almost twice the size of Norway.

As a severely underserved market, with mobile penetration at only 10% and a young population, where 45% is younger than 25 years, Myanmar is a heaven-sent for new entrants such as Telenor.

GDP in Myanmar is at around $800-1,000 per capita, which puts it close to Bangladesh. Its infrastructure is underinvested and electricity only reaches 25% of the population. The country’s weak land registry means land grabs are frequent and there continues to be various conflicts among the country’s different ethnic groups. However Myanmar is very rich in natural resources and has huge potential for efficiency improvements.

Telenor brings with it, its extensive experience setting up across different Asian countries, including Bangladesh as far back as 1996, Malaysia in 1999 and Thailand in 2000. Its strategy will be a simple mass-market business model with prepay as their core offering. They have committed to launching their services within eight months from receiving the license, which was officially awarded in February 2014. At launch, they aim to reach around 25,000 points of sales, which will grow with the rollout of their network to around 100,000 top-up points, out of which 70,000 roughly will be selling SIM cards as well.

Since officially setting up in Myanmar just over two months ago how is everything going?

Everything is going quite well. It’s been a process that started 1 year ago. Myanmar invited quite a wide audience of 91 companies in a bidding process which was a combination of beauty contest May 2014 • ScandAsia.Singapore 11

and you have to import the materials. There are so many things that go wrong and so many things that can get delayed. To get this rolling is one of the biggest challenges.

We have decided that all the operators and government will be sharing infrastructure.

We have learnt from other countries that it makes more economical sense if you share the cost of the towers. If you take Thailand for example, every operator has built their own tower and thought it was critical that they protect their own interests. A tower typically costs $100,000 $150,000 and that’s a lot of money. So in Thailand you have three operators building in the same area with the towers sitting next to each other.

In Myanmar, instead of four operators building in the same location, you can have four operators building in different locations. We can then cover the county faster, can make it cheaper and it’s better for the environment. Lower costs means lower prices and drives penetration. Sharing sites makes sense from a business perspective and from a social perspective.

One of the major challenges cited has been regulatory issues involving land. Have you found this a problem and if so how have you overcome it?

We are very careful about that. Particularly with big industrial and mining projects, there have been reports that companies have participated in land grabs. Our situation is very different because we are limited to very small pieces of land. Of course we check the history of the land and in areas where there is limited documentation we check in with the village chief and with the neighbors to ensure that we know who owns it.

We also arrange something that we call community outreach where we arrange meetings with townships, including the government townships and civic groups.

The judicial system is also in its infancy. Have you had any issues with that?

We feel secure. After the telecoms law was introduced, we feel that with the law in place and the license there is a strong protection of our investments.

The country suffers from various ethnic conflicts. Do you think that will affect how you roll out operations and distribution points?

We will provide our products to all areas of Myanmar regardless of ethnicity. We will start with the most populated areas and then progress to the less populated areas. Generally, I think people are positive and I don’t expect any resistance. It is a challenge because it might be more expensive to build up the infrastructure in certain areas.

Are you on target with your ratio of penetration in boosting mobile penetration from 10% to 95% in five years?

The government has high ambitions in the ratio of penetration. If you compare this region to other countries in Asia you can see that the penetration is much lower than what it should be and the reason for this is because the infrastructure and supply is so expensive. I believe if you have a pent-up demand, when the door is open and products become cheaper, it will happen very quickly.

Two things will define how big penetration ratio will be. One is coverage; you start with the cities and then as you expand you can get bigger and bigger. The second thing is infrastructure.

What has been your experience working in the Burmese business environment?

I hadn’t even visited Myanmar before I got the job.

But so far it’s all been positive. People feel that it’s very meaningful to work here because we are

part of something ground-breaking. The fact that it is such a strategic project for the government means there’s a lot of focus and attention from the government.

In a project as big as this, it’s never the case that everything goes according to plan. We have people to fix problems and if we can’t then we find alternatives.

Skilled labor is hard to find in Myanmar after the country’s education system has been closed down for so long. Has recruiting the right people for the company been a challenge?

We’re targeting to be an operation of 1000 people, 100% employed directly by the company and 2000 more people working indirectly. Distribution and a lot of the network functions are outsourced.

Today we have 270 people, roughly 60 of them are expats and the rest locals.

There is a limited pool of skilled labor however despite the fact that we feel we are able to recruit very good people. It’s not fair to say it’s easy as we’re spending a lot of resources and time, recruiting people. We have hired Burmese people who are working abroad in places, such as Singapore.

They have skills because they have been working for international companies and received different types of training and education.

There is not a doubt that the education here needs a huge improvement. People have been deprived of a good education as the universities had been closed for so long.

What lessons have you learnt and take with you from other operations across Asia?

We have done a number of Greenfields and we’re taking the lessons learnt from them and we’re trying not to make the same mistakes they did. More or less, all the people in the top management team have experience in this.

In Myanmar, instead of four operators building mobile phone towers in the same locations, you can have four operators building in different locations.

We can then cover the country faster, can make it cheaper and it’s better for the environment.

12 ScandAsia.Singapore • May 2014

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Sunny Fashion Finnish Businesswoman Henna Sipari launches Constanci Pte Ltd.

By Rita Maria Skog

‘Henna on a recent product sourcing trip in Jaipur, India. A visit to the legendary Gem Palace was a ‘must’.

14 ScandAsia.Singapore • May 2014

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he 28 year old Finnish first-time entrepreneur Henna Sipari shares her passion for fashion. Henna spent seven years in London studying Ancient History, Fashion Branding as well as Marketing, before taking the leap to move to Singapore in 2011.

A dedicated young professional, she worked in IT sales for one of the world’s leading technology companies before the desire to enter the creative and feminine fashion scene took over. The quest to start an online fashion boutique on her own started last September.

“Entrepreneurship may be a free fall,” Henna Sipari says and quoting her father she adds: “The one quality needed is bravery.”

“Having said that, I felt Singapore provides an excellent environment for online start-ups as it offers a secure platform for doing business and is a world-class logistics hub” Henna said.

The Singapore Fashion Market The Singaporeans’ love for fashion, style and design is also evident - something Henna certainly shares with them. Yet she struggled to find easy but chic tropical outfits made of natural fabrics.

That became the business idea.

“I met so many ladies who struggled to find chic outfits made of natural fabrics. The combination of heat and humidity in the tropics can be very tricky. We don’t have specific nationalities in mind when sourcing the products, but many of our customers are bound to be avid travellers, chic globetrotters who need a wardrobe to match the lifestyle.”

“The cuts and fabrics are for women who appreciate easy elegance, enduring style and quality. We aim to steer clear of fashion fads and rather concentrate on pieces you can wear for years to come. While I think many women identify with that statement, our target clientele has passed her mid-twenties and has already formed an idea of her personal style and preferences” she says.

The Supply Network In terms of suppliers, the sourcing of right brands was for Henna by far the biggest obstacle when she first started.

“The travelling quickly became the most enjoyable experience. Whereas we have a few gorgeous local brands, I also wanted to get little gems from across Asia. Currently we have 10 brands sourced from Singapore, India, Bali, Phuket and Cambodia, but also one from the US. Instead of hauling as many brands as possible, I believe each brand has to have that special charm and be a natural fit for the online boutique” she says.

The Definition of Style & Fashion As the clothes and accessories are designed for the tropical climates, all pieces are summery and light.

“The Constanci style is easy chic. We do have a few shawls, scarves and cardigans to protect from the infamous Air Conditioning though! Many of the pieces can be mixed and matched or accessorised for daytime, poolside or the evening.”

The Inspiration There were three major fashion-forefront females that became the drive for Constanci.

“My mother was a fashion designer before settling down and used to travel to Paris Fashion Week when she was young. I just loved hearing those stories as a girl. Later on she set up her own small company.”

“On a larger scale, Diane von Furstenberg is someone I admire enormously - for her talent, values and strength of character. The best dressed woman on the planet would have to be Her Highness Sheikha Mozah of Qatar.”

“While I like admiring grand creations on magazines, there’s a level of practicality that is applied to all the Constanci products. This must have something to do with my Nordic heritage.

Every item needs to be wearable and durable,” Henna explains.

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May 2014 • ScandAsia.Singapore 15

There is no such thing as a free lunch Getting old in Thailand

By Flemming Winther Nielsen

I

try hard to keep quiet. If I engage in the conversation or discussion at this café in Bang Saray, a recent suburb established south of Pattaya, my day will be gone and nothing much achieved. And I almost always keep quiet.

To talk to people absorbed in a negative spiral is hopeless, like preaching moral and optimism with a lifted index finger.

This Swedish fellow present in the café, not older than 55, was plastered with untreated psoriasis on his face, elbows and legs. He drank heavily and after the fourth big Leo Beer and a whiskey he got troublesome and accused all and everybody of all sorts of dirty behavior, all of us being pedophiles etc. He then invited people for a fight, although he could hardly stand on his feet.

A young lady, the owner of the café, first downed a Vodka shot and then disappeared. A few moments later she came back driving her Toyota Camry, then ordering the Swedish old fellow to take the passenger seat; she then drove him home; 15 minutes later entering the café again, another shot of vodka.

There are so many like him, they express their anger and fear differently and not all have violent tendencies. In that sense, beer is better than hard alcohol, but how to hold back the per-

16 ScandAsia.Singapore • May 2014

sonal disgust or distaste, I don’t know.

Down and out What is going on in Bang Saray and to a much bigger extent in Pattaya is sick and sickening, the beer bars, the girls, the children running around late, and the atmosphere of many people being ‘down and out’.

We first visited Bang Saray 12 years ago.

Had food on the pier and slept in one of the little cottages on stilts adjacent to the restaurant.

The Wat overshadowed the scene and everything was peaceful, no bars, only a few local food shops.

Today, Bang Saray is in reality a dumpsite of human wrecks from Scandinavia, very many from Sweden and Norway, the presence of Pattaya nearby is heavily felt.

It must be mentioned that many of the Scandinavians living on the Eastern Seaboard are former blue-collar workers. Their lives were not filled with creative activities, such as writing stories, playing music, writing poems. They have lived a very practical working life. It is understandable that now they cannot find ways to ‘kill the time’ and the bellies and the consumption grow. We all know that as old farangs we are not allowed to

take up any, no matter how small, practical jobs.

Then the spouse has to make up for much.

Which wheelchair, Sir? Back in Bangkok, my local pharmacy discreetly reminds me of my own situation. One section holds an extensive exhibition of at least 25 different wheelchairs, rollators, walkers with 4 wheels and efficient handbrakes, plus crutches and various other walking aids for the impaired.

The exhibition interests me; when will it be my turn? Which model will be the right one for me, with or without built-in bedpan? Typically none of the wheelchairs are electrical. In the Thai traditional family, they have young children and grandchildren who will push the old folks’ wheelchair. But we, the farangs, often have not.

I have talked with many old Danes and other Scandinavians, mostly Swedes, who also worry.

Not all the time but from time to time. How will the last time be? Will the spouse be loyal and stay on, once you are an ‘old man’ and the sources of income more limited?

Love and romance Personal attraction, love and romantic courting are Western inventions and it is risky if you be-

lieve that the same model is valid here, pragmatism dominate the scene. You might be frustrated and sad to experience that the relationship between the sexes in Thailand is based on family dependencies and on cash, which is why the girl you really like might also be a heavy handed collector. Don’t blame her or her father; this is a cultural and economic heritage. You only have to blame yourself for being a Western fool, seeking romantic company.

I think of my encounters in Bang Saray and wonder if mental loneliness can really be compensated for by being with a spouse maybe 25 years your junior, from a money focused and very different culture, speaking very little English and only one word of Swedish?

Stymied pension Talking rights and economy, the distance between Thailand and Scandinavia is much longer than between any EU country and Denmark. A serious matter regarding Danish ‘Peoples Pension’ is that for inexplicable reasons Danes are only entitled to the basic amount but not the supplements if they live outside the EU. Some creative people worked around this by getting an address in for example Spain; domiciled there you will get the

supplements, but busybodies in the Danish system cried foul.

One somehow humiliating aspect about this is that with only the basic pension, your income is just not high enough to secure a one-year retirement visa. So off you must go to Laos, Cambodia or Burma every third month.

I fail to see why the politicians in their incomprehensible wisdom cannot give the same rights as if you had decided to live the last part of your life in Cyprus.

Problem export There are two very different perspectives with which to look at the obligations and rights of the home countries to interfere with the life of their old citizens while staying, e.g. in Thailand. The first is that people have made their choice and have to live with the consequences. The second is the humanistic Christian one that countries, like the Scandinavian, claiming to be caring welfare societies, must take some sort of responsibility for their ageing fellow countrymen.

Since I have listened to so many life stories from old farangs, stories about neglect, abuse, lack of tender loving care in childhood, I opt for the second view. Often a divorce at home was

the last straw.

On the initiative of The Norwegian Seaman’s Church in Pattaya, a study was carried out, titled: ‘Thai – Norske barn I Fokus’. Here it was concluded that there are severe problems regarding the upbringing of these children, caused obviously by the shortcomings of the parents, the mixed couples, where the man is often so much older than his spouse. The study was heavily criticized, mainly concentrating around: ‘We have no problems, leave us alone’. Easily done, since this preliminary study didn’t have the weight of an academic demand for validity and reliability.

Could we be proactive?

It is often the case that a problem or a dysfunction in a so-called welfare society will be swept under the carpet for a long time. None of the governmental stakeholders will take action. Then a very unhappy case in the circles of e.g. Bang Saray will make the inflammation boil burst.

I would find it more decent if those who carry the responsibilities act before a tragic accident make the calamity obvious for everybody.

And finally: No, I don’t believe that sending people back to the nursing homes in Scandinavia is the solution.

May 2014 • ScandAsia.Singapore 17

Any time soon To the dogs?

Flemming Winther Nielsen’s struggle with getting older ended sadly on Tuesday 21 January 2014.

His funeral took place on Monday 27 January 2014.

In dealing with our ongoing process of aging we have to use all our remaining intellect, skills, strategies and tactics in order not to let go and let the alcohol or the nursing home get the better of us.

By Flemming Winther Nielsen

18 ScandAsia.Singapore • May 2014

W

hen I am writing about aging I am dealing only with the “normal” process of aging. It is about the lucky ones among us, who only slowly get older and weaker. I have not sufficient knowledge to talk about the maladies such as Alzheimer, Dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Aphasia etc. and then one should rather remain silent.

Stoicism and the Middle Path The old Greek concept of Stoicism as well as the Buddhist teaching of ‘The Middle Path’ both offer excellent tools for us to keep our balance while getting older. They represent the opposite of the consumerism and thrill seeking pleasures so common in the stressful years of our working life - until they finally lose their attraction and we have to find more valuable foundations.

The core of Stoicism is that reason must govern emotion. We must stay cool and not give in to the chaos of emotions with unpredictable consequences. Stoicism thereby helps us to carry the burdens put on our shoulders, losses and sadness, in a calm and reflective manner. ‘The Middle Path’ demand from us that we “stay neutral, upright and centered. Meaning to investigate the core of life with an unbiased attitude”. I can only recommend more reading about these two subjects, but will emphasize that they are not only techniques to be learnt; you can practice them extensively if you have decided to stay proud and upright as long as possible. A supervisor or ‘teacher (ajarn)’ would be an advantage.

Right here we are at the crossroads: It is up to us, as individuals, to decide whether we intent to stay proud and upright or whether we will let ourselves go to the dogs. Easy to say, I know, but I fight every day and so can you.

Going to the dogs will often mean alcohol with all that follows, legs full of arthritic veins, liver problems etc. This country is not geared for old and weak foreigners; it is geared for the healthy and wealthy. Not much network among ourselves; often nobody to take you under the arm.

Going to the dogs in Denmark will usually mean that you accept the room in the nursing home. Here you will experience that decline in your faculties and dementia is around the corner.

You will be under a regime where the nursing home owners - the municipalities - bureaucratic rules design your day and what to do when: There is the duty roster for the staff. Get up time, breakfast time, lunch time, coffee time, dinner time and bed time. Individual deviations are not appreciated and by the end of it, the sooner you develop a light dementia the more practical for the staff.

Through many years of my working life I have visited so many different homes for the elderly but the picture is almost the same. The staff can hardly be blamed since they have been ‘silently’ disciplined into the system. Furthermore it seems that the politicians and leading staff in the municipalities don’t have the intellectual capacity to lift their thinking and decisions up from the 175 years old bureaucratic way to build organizations.

The way we look at others Unfortunately, other people invariably see us through their own filter. In his thesis: ‘Om oplevelsen af andres adfaerd’, Professor, Dr. Psych.

Franz From (1953) points out how our perception of other people’s behavior tends not to have much to do with the truth about that behavior, action, expression. It is only all too easy to apply one of the many stereotypes like: stupid old fool, dirty old man, old clown, old bitch, old witch, old cow, and old crow.

Also from our children we can only expect a filtered experience and not a searching and unbiased mind, the stereotypes tend to win, they are easy, convenient and an easy way out, hence also the ‘Generation Gap’ mentioned in my earlier article on aging published in February. Respect for the individual seems to die with the end of that persons working life. Therefore we will also have to cope with these labels, stigmas also called.

Eventually the cruel joke of the Gap will repeat itself. Our children will, when their children are grown ups, and they themselves are starting old age, from their offspring realize that they are met with the same prejudices as we were.

Chicken Breasts

with rosemary and juniper

C

hicken is also popular in the Nordic countries.

The following dish is mostly special in the use of a white sauce. If you cannot get hold of any juniper berries (=enebaer) they can be left out or you can experiment with some other bitter-sweet ingredient.

Ingredients • 4 boneless chicken breast • 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped • 16 Juniper Berries, dried and ground • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 tsp cornflour • 200ml half fat crème fraîche • 200ml hot vegetable or chicken stock • Brown or white rice • Serve with salad leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Place the chicken in a roasting tin and sprinkle with the rosemary and juniper berries. Season lightly, drizzle over the olive oil and cook for 20 minutes.

2. When the 20 minutes is almost up, mix together the cornflour and the crème fraîche then carefully stir in the hot stock. Pour the mixture over the chicken breasts then return to the oven for a further 15 minutes, making sure the chicken is cooked through, the juices run clear and there is no pink meat.

3. Serve with rice and a simple green salad on the side.

May 2014 • ScandAsia.Singapore 19

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