scandasia thailand - july 2014

Thai tourists discover Scandinavia

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JUL

2014

Nordic Young Professionals plan once again to work the net at the Harlem Shakers in the basement of Eight Thonglor Building with a networking event there on 14 August. Harlem Shakers is targetting young people who enjoy industrial décor, graffiti and a hip hop soundtrack. Rumors have it they serve a “Rich Kids of BKK” sandwich which is a Fresh Lobster and Caviar sandwich at 850 baht.

For more information, contact:Nordic Young Professionalsc/o www.dancham.or.th

Date: 14 August, 2014, 18.30Venue: Harlem Shakers, Eight Thonglor Buiilding, Bangkok

NYP night at Harlem Sharkers

night!

ScandAsia is the only magazine that covers all the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish residents in Thailand.

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Coming Events

4 ScandAsia.Thailand • July 2014

Past Events

SweCham Midsummer Party

Savor the flavors

The Scandinavian Food Festival took place at Westin Grande Sukhumvit recently, lasting for two weeks, and ScandAsia tagged along for the opening.

The VIP guests of the pre-opening evening were the Norwegian Ambassador H.E. Ms. Katja Christina Nordgaard and the Danish Ambassador couple Mrs Ratanawadee and H.E. Mr. Mikael Hemniti Winther. Celebrity Chef Mathias Olsson from Sweden was introduced by Charles Jack, General Manager of Westin Grande Sukhumvit. Together with Peter Zimmermann, the Executive Chef at Westin Grande Sukhumvit, Chef Mathias Olsson was in charge of the Scandinavian Food Festival. Talking to ScandAsia, Chef Mathias Olsson confided that things had been a bit hectic the last few hours in the kitchen. A major part of the imported food had been delayed on the last leg from Hong Kong to0 Bangkok and the boxes only arrived one and a half hour before the pre-opening, causing some understandable panic in the kitchen. However, when the guests started trickling in around six o’clock everything was under control. The meatballs with lingonsylt were there, Janssons temptations, four kinds of special cheese, indigenous knackbrod, lots of salmon, and a mean looking grilled gädda – pike in English – to mention just a few of the many genuine Scandinavian dishes. On the desert table there were cream filled semlor and even Bulow Lakrids to the great delight of the chosen few who know how to appreciate that delicacy. And it was all gone in no time, Chef Mathias Olsson noticed with delight. The many Thai guests at the reception were all highly experimental and had bravely ventured into even the more exotic dishes like the grilled pike. But don’t worry, there will be new and fresh delicacies waiting for you when you get there.

Thai – Swedish Chamber of Commerce held together with a number of sponsors one of the biggest event of the year ‘Midsummer 2014’ on 14 June 2014. As

it was held to welcome summertime the Swedish way, Rembrandt Hotel had agreed with TSCC to open the forth floor of the hotel where ‘Da Vinci Restaurant’ is located to set up tables, chairs and parade of traditional Swedish cuisines such as salmon, herrings, boiled potatoes with dills, salads, berries, breads, etc. The outdoor pool area was used to set up a maypole and a corner for making midsummer garlands ‘krans’ for children. The event started by welcoming remarks from Jan Eriksson, President of TSCC. Then the buffet opened at around 12.45 hrs which attracted all guests to collect fine foods and deserts. All members and friends enjoyed the event judging from the lively conversations and songs while the kids played around, mainly in their kids corner. A significant moment was the lucky draw to which many tickets had been sold by the staff. All prizes were generously sponsored by both members and non-members: Bella Villa Cabana Pattaya, Center for Change Management (CCM), Hard Rock Cafe Bangkok, Katalina ‘Swimwear’ Collection, Oriflame, Phunawa Resort, Splash Jungle Water Park, Landmark hotel, Rembrandt hotel and Husqvarna. The first prize winner recieved voucher for 2 night stay at Phunawa Resort together with Splash Jungle Water Park in Phuket.

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Past Events

Dual citizenship a victory for expat Danes, naturalized Danish citizens

“The Hunt” screening and exclusive networking event

The Royal Danish Embassy in Bangkok hosted on 10 June a very different event along with an exclusive screening of the Danish award-

winning film, ‘The Hunt’ at Paragon Cineplex in Bang-kok. Tickets to the event were sold as an opportunity for Danish companies to sponsor their own handful of key staff members or key customers or suppliers to offer them something unique and truly Danish. At the same time, Facebook friends of the Danish Embassy were able to participate in a competition which gave them the chance to win two tickets worth THB 2,000 a piece, and gain access to this VIP event as well. The event was also possible because generous sponsorship had been donated by PANDORA, Paragon Cineplex, and ECCO. Apart from the film, the food was also very Danish. It turned out that delicacies were delivered by Dorthe and Henrik Tvilling from The Crystal Cafe. Introducing the film, ambassador Mikael Hemniti Winther mentioned the midsummer party hosted the weekend before in the garden of the embassy. A Danish midsummer party invariably includes a symbolic burning of a witch on the stake. The movie we were about to see was also about a witch hunt, but not just a symbolic one. On that note the audience went into the extremely luxuriously decorated movie theaters which was beyond anything that this writer has ever seen. As the plot unfolded, one human mistake after the other spiraled the situation out of control and left the audience gasping for someone to snap out of the nightmare. Then just as we thought the nightmare was over - it was not.

The Danish Parliament’s June 4 vote to pass a bill to allow dual citizenship is expected to benefit tens of thousands of Danish

expats worldwide who will be able to retain Dan-ish citizenship even after they became citizens of another country. On the flipside, foreigners living and working or those married to Danish spouses in Denmark will now also be able to seek Danish citizenship without being asked to renounce the nationality of their native countries. “The legislation on dual citizenship is of great importance to many people as it is largely concerned with national identity and belonging. These things means a lot in a globalized world,” Karen Haekkerup, Denmark’s justice minister, said in a statement released on June 4. The minister pointed out that many people today choose to settle in foreign countries, but still retain a strong attachment to their country of origin. “We should not force people to choose between allegiances.”

Expats in DenmarkDanish citizens of Thai descent and Thai expats

living in Denmark in the process of applying for Danish citizenship welcome the new law to come into force in the summer of 2015. Naowarat Stegelmann, 36, a naturalized Danish citizen originally from Thailand, said she was happy that the Danish Parliament had given the green light to dual citizenship, so her children, aged 11 and 8, would not have to choose between Danish and Thai citizenship. Naowarat, who lives in Thisted, Nordjylland, was granted Danish citizenship six years ago after having married her Danish husband and been living and working in Denmark since 2001. She became a single parent and had to quit her job as nutrition assistant to raise her two children when her husband died in early 2008. “I will definitely apply to reclaim Thai citizenship, if possible, when the new Danish law on dual citizenship comes into effect,” she said, adding that she and many of her friends still have strong emotional attachment to Thailand, the country of their birth. But Naowarat and other naturalized Danish citizens from Thailand may find themselves in a legal

limbo as Thailand does not recognize dual citizenship. Morakot Janemathukorn, Minister Counsellor at the Royal Thai Embassy in Copenhagen, speaking to ScandAsia in a telephone interview, said the passage of the proposed law by the Danish Parliament was based on a careful study, and it was finally decided that Denmark’s national interest will be best served if the country allows dual citizenship. “However, Thailand does not officially recognize dual citizenship. The unitary citizenship principle of the Thai Nationality Act has not changed,” the senior diplomat said.

By Thana Poopat

Danish Womens’ Network held on Saturday, June 7, a traditional Danish mid-summer party hosted at the Royal Danish Embassy in Bangkok. The Danish ambassador Mikael H. Winther gave a speech and all 60 grownups and 50

children joined in singing the traditional Danish midsummer song accompanied by the Ambassador on his guitar. As a nice surprice the Ambassador continued singing a few songs while everyone enjoyed traditional Danish food and Danish beer. “True to tradition we started out with heavy rain, but luckily the weather soon changed and it became a beautiful night,” Randi Kling Bording from DNW said. “Danish Womens’ Network were very pleased to welcome so many members and non-members at our event and we thank all for supporting the early, traditional midsummer celebration,” she adds.

July 2014 • ScandAsia.Thailand 7

Past Events

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Haavard Farstad, Private Banker

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Midsummer Party at the Embassy

Past Events

Thai Embassy issues warning to berry pickers

The Thai Embassy in Stockholm has issued a warning to Thai nationals seeking employ-ment as berry pickers in Sweden to avoid

being scammed by unscrupulous job placement agents. Would-be berry pickers are advised to find out about actual working conditions and wages instead of relying on the words of mouth or false promises made by Thai job placement agents.Job placement agents usually charge exortibant fees, up to THB100,000 per head, for the opportunity to work as wild berry pickers in Sweden. The workers are then sent to work under contract for Swedish companies. The majority of Thai berry pickers from poverty-stricken areas in the Northeast. Many had to borrow money to pay the agents in the hope that they would be able to earn a lot more to cover the expenses. But most Thai wild berry pickers do not realize the harsh working/living conditions, including typical working day that starts around 3 am and can drag on until late at night. Each picking season, thousands of Thais are granted temporary visa to work during mid-July to end of September. Their wages depend on the amount of fruits they pick under quota. Although Swedish authorities offer guarantee

for minimum wage of SEK18,975 (THB95,000) per month on condition of a minimum 40-hour work week, many Thais are unaware of the rules, failed to clock up the number of hours required and found themselves unprotected. Thai workers are also charged daily expenses, amounting to SEK8,400 per month for food, transportation, lodging by their Swedish

contractors. To actually make money, the berry pickers have to pick enough to cover and exceed the expenses. Risks include low yields, illnesses and occupational hazards, like getting lost in forest or an encounter with wild bears. Some Thai berry pickers end up not making any money and find themselves hopelessly indebted.

Joining hands against selling people

On 5 June, The Norwegian Ambassador to Thailand visited The Pavena Foundation for women and children on the occasion

of International Day against Human Trafficking. Together with the Ambassadors from Spain and Switzerland she stated Norway’s commitment to work to end the horrific abuses related to all forms of human trafficking. The Pavena Rescue Squad offers the women and children legal preperation in order to secure

needed evidence and witnesses to testify to the legal proceedings against abusers. The Pavena Rescue Squad has a nationwide emergency number (1134) where you can report a case of child labour, child rape, forced detention, prostitution and more.

Danish Ambassador to Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia, Mikael Hemniti Winther, attended the Thailand Business Council

for Sustainable Development Gala on May 19 as keynote speaker and honorary Guest. In his speech, Ambassador Winther explained the Green innovation Movement in Denmark, where recognition of climate change, political commitment, intelligent legislation and innovation have created a green change in Denmark. The ambassador listed the clear green commitment and strategy from the Danish Parliament as a key factor for the successful implementation of intelligent systems for taxation and regulation, subsidies and legislation with environmental standards. This commitment has been carried on through various governments. Ambassador Winther explained that the environmental tax collected is being allocated back into the corporations in the form of subsidies or deductions for environmental-friendly and energy saving improvements: In this way, the companies paid themselves for their improvements – however, they ended up being more efficient, having lower energy costs and being able to better compete in the international environmental market, he said.

Danish envoy outlines Green innovation development


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Past Events

Grand Opening of Danish Fashion Brand Soulland store

The Danish fashion brand Soulland, held their grand opening of the first store outside of Copenhagen, recently, at the upscale Central Embassy Mall in Bangkok.

The red carpet was rolled out for celebrities, socialites and who’s who in the fashion industry, as the internationally acclaimed Danish brand opened its flagship store. Soulland’s design esthetics is rooted in traditional Scandinavian craftsmanship and reinterpreted with a modern flare. House DJ and live music was playing, while canapes was served with free-flowing champagne, for the people that made their appearance. Soulland is the first Scandinavian clothing brand for men to open a flagship store in Asia, and Co-Founder and Creative Director, 28-year-old Silas Adler, was excited about their Bangkok invasion. “It made perfect sense to open here in Bangkok, once we got the opportunity. There is a big focus on fashion and style here, and it is a place where they are very open minded towards adaptation and new players on the field, “ he said. The prices for Soullands gear are set at almost twice as much as in Denmark, which was necessary to position the brand amongst high- end fashion competitors neighbouring Soulland at the Central Embassy mall – Bangkok´s version of Soho in New York, according to Silas Adler. “There is also a very individualistic sense amongst the Thai´s. They are very good at combining their own style, rooted in Thai culture with the different western designs. It makes the level of style very interesting and inspiring.” The Copenhagen style cafe Granola is adjoined to Soullands shop at the Central Embassy mall, as a part of the business concept, so shopping and lounging becomes an integrated concept and lifestyle at the newest Danish-designed fashion outlet in Bangkok.

Thai tourists discover Scandinavia

By Thana Poopat

Scandinavia as a tourist destination has experienced steady growth in the past several years among well-heeled Thai travellers who enjoy clean air, excellent food, nice locals as well as distinct and

varied seasonal landscapes. Mongkol Kupresert, managing director of Tourlines Co., Ltd., said Thais with sizeable dis-posable incomes have already visited much of the key destinations in Europe and now they want to explore the Nordic region. The veteran tour operator said typically first-time Thai visitors to Denmark, Norway, Sweden or Finland have already been to major tourist spots, like Italy, Switzerland, France, Germany, Britain and Eastern Europe when they turn their attention to North Europe. "Our clients on average have travelled to Europe at least three times before they even considered Scandinavia," said Mongkol. According to Mongkol who has more than 20 years of experience with outbound tourism to Scandinavia, the region has been and continues to be one of favourite destinations for older high net-worth Thai tourists.

"Varied seasonal landscapes, excellent food, the midnight sun, have always been the main draws for more matured travellers. But in recent years, we have seen young crowds who are very much into activities like snowmobile and dog sledge riding."The age range of Thai visitors was 50-80 years, now it is dropping to 30-45 years. Tourlines, one of the top outbound tour operators to the Nordic countries, sends about 400 tourists to the region in 2013. Mongkol said he expected growth in number of Thai visitors

to Scandinavia to continue in the range of 5-10 percent as has been the case in the past several years. This year, in a single-biggest group of tourists ever from Thailand, Amway Thailand sent 1,950 on a cruise tour of the Nordic/Baltic, covering Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Russia in May. That tour group was part of incentive travel organised by the direct-marketing giant as reward for outstanding sales figures. "Amway Thailand chose Scandinavia/Nordic region for this incentive travel programme because this is one of those fantastic destinations on the top of the list of countries that many Thais would like to visit, particularly the Midnight Sun," said Mr. Waranon Kongpatimakorn, Business Relations Director. The Danish Embassy's visa section reported a sharp spike in visa applications in April with some 100 applications flooding in daily. It was about four times as many as on a normal day in for example November 2013 when about 20-30 applications were received by the visa section each day. “Typically the peak season for visa issuance is from March to August. This year we are extraor-dinarily busy as one of the tourist groups going to Denmark consists of almost 2,000 tourists who will join a cruise tour in Scandinavia out of Copenhagen in May 2014. The visa section has hired extra temporary staff for the busiest time of the peak season to ensure that the processing time of maximum 15 days for issuance of a visa can be maintained.

Record number of Thai tourists going to Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland this year

Thai tourists enjoy the clean, cool Nordic environment. This year, a 1,950-strong Thai tour group organised by Amway (Thailand) Ltd. as part of incentive travel Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Russia’s St. Petersburg. Photo below - courtesy of Amway Thailand’s Facebook fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/amwaythailand - shows the group on board the Celebrity Infinity cruise ship.



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Norwegian

for Burirampro-player ballin’


Former SK Brann football player is keen to make a name for

himself in the Thai Premier League.

By Lars Pinnerup


Pluemjai has ever experienced he also has had to compromise on the positions he is willing to play. Earlier he stubbornly rejected all other positions but the forward role. “In the beginning I found it hard to accept when the coach assigned me to play other posi-tions, like the wing, but I have grown to accept it, and put all my effort into it. I have actually started to appreciate playing the wing. Not only does it teach me other competences, but it also teaches me how a winger thinks, something I can use to better position myself on the pitch when playing up front,” Kittiphong Pluemjai explains. Professional football is cruel and Kittiphong Pluemjai knows that his chance to be in the start-ing line-up might come at the expense of some-one else on the team. “Perhaps another player’s injury is my way into the starting 11, but that is how football works, and I will play my chance no matter how the opportunity arises, even if it means I have to play a position I don’t like,” Kittiphong laughs.

Asian football is underestimatedKittiphong Pluemjai states that many Scandina-vians, including himself earlier, underestimates Asian football. “People don’t believe me when I tell them, but teams from the Japanese League are amazing and they probably play at a higher level there than in the Scandinavian leagues,” Kittiphong Pluem-jai explains and adds, that he would love to be picked by a Japanese team. “The top teams of the Thai Premier League are also really good, and the top three could easi-ly match the top teams in Scandinavia,” Kittiphong Pluemjai says, and denies that playing in the Thai Premier League is damaging to his career. He says he has already learned a lot from training and playing with the Buriram United FC squad. The many experienced football legionaries on the team come from all parts of the world and they make each training session a lesson well learned for the young Norwegian player. “Take for example a player like Carmelo González, who has played in La Liga for 14 years. I study him closely during every training session. His finishing in front of goal is beyond this world. I learn so much from watching and playing with him during training,” Kittiphong Pluemjai says and goes on to describe the style of football played in the Thai Premier League. “It is fast, very aggressive and the technical abilities of the players are by far better than in Norway. One place where they come short though are in the technical aspects of the game, Kittiphong Pluemjai says. “On top of that, the fan culture here is amazing. More people come to the games than back in Nor-way and the fans are singing and cheering through-out the whole game,” says Kittiphong Pluemjai who adds he would not mind seeing a Norwegian flag or two waving at him from the stands. “That would mean a lot to me, if Norwegians showed up in Buriram to give me support and show me some love from back home... yeah, that would be great!” Kittiphong Pluemjai smiles.

The atmosphere is tense this Satur-day evening. The long sworn enemy, Muangthong United FC has made their way to “Thunder Castle” Sta-dium. They are on a mission to try

to steal an away-win from Thai Premier League champions, Buriram United FC. The feud starts outside even before the game starts. The visiting Muangthong United fans are met with an air assault of beer cans and bottles - and the visitors hurl them right back at the locals - making innocent bystanders run for cover. Rivalry runs deep between the two teams and their fans. The result is a massive turnout on this match day. All want to help motivate their team to beat the rivals. The stadium is sold out and more than 32,000 spectators(!) - most of them obviously cheering for Buriram United FC - create a setting easily matching that of the English Premier League. The battle on the pitch is more brutal than beautiful. Tackles are mean and the intentions behind even meaner. The referee is having a hard time control-ling the game, and on a few occasions he is peer pressured by the Buriram supporters to unfairly rule in the home teams favor. Buriram United FC dominates through out the game and Muangth-ong United FC is left with no other option but to rely on solid defending and counter-attacks. Despite the dominance and whole hearted ef-fort, Buriram United FC does not manage to put the ball behind the Muangthong keeper. The clock is ticking and players and fans are growing impatient.

Impatient Norwegian on the benchFrom the Buriram United FC bench, Norwegian Footballer Kittiphong Pluemjai watches in frustration as his team continues failing to score and thereby serve their archenemies a humiliating defeat. As the game is nearing its end Kitthipong Pluemjai sees the chance of him being sent in to make a difference diminish. Buriram is down to 10 men and a forward is substituted for a mid-fielder to secure the draw. As a substitute forward that was not the managerial decision Kittiphong Pluemjai had hoped for. “I feel good enough to play among the start-ing 11 and I am more than ready to go in and prove to the management, the team and the fans that I am worth the signing. Therefore it is hard for me to sit on the bench and watch the game, knowing in my heart that I could have made a difference,” Khittiphong Pluemjai tells ScandAsia Magazine. Buriram United FC and Muangthong United played a draw and Buriram United FC are at the moment disappointingly situated mid-table in the Thai Premier League.

Norwegian with a Thai nameKhittiphong Pluemjai was 6 years old when he moved to Norway with his mother to live with her new husband - and his new stepdad. He says he today feels more Norwegian than Thai, but respects and honors what he has received from both cultures. His Norwegian is better than his

Thai, but being a football legionnaire in his birth country gives him the chance to brush up on his mother tongue, he says. Kittiphong signed with Buriram United FC after a semi-official tryout during a holiday to Thailand. Originally his mother was against him returning to Thailand to work, as she found it too dangerous and economically insecure a move. His Norwegian stepfather disagreed and told Kittiphong Pluemjai to follow his dream – and so he did. “My mother came to see me a couple of months ago, and after seeing the impressive facilities and how professional the club is run, she is a lot more at ease with my decision,” Kittiphong laughs Kittiphong is now five months down his 2 years contract with 2013 Thai Premier League champions Buriram United FC. So far it has only resulted in a few appearances, but if it is up to Kit-tiphong Pluemjai, appearences will be regular. He just needs an open window to prove his worth. Coached by David NielsenHe showed remarkable talent for football already at a young age, and was accepted into SK Brann Football Academy at the age of 15 and spent his youth representing the prestigious Norwegian club. He was later in 2013 persuaded by famous Danish footballer - turned coach, David Nielsen to play under his wings in the Norwegian 2nd division club, Nest Sotra. Despite having to play in the lower leagues, playing under David Nielsen was well worth it, Kittiphong Pluemjai says. “He is a player who has done it all. He is a crazy guy, but also a great inspiration for me. He taught me a lot about motivation and attitude.” And it is no secret that David Nielsen sees a light in the young player. The Dane has earlier commented that he finds it fully deserved that Kittiphong Pluemjai got the chance to turn pro, and that the young Norwegian is an unbelievably fast and a very skilled goal scorer. These are flattering words from a player who himself has played for teams such as FC Copenhagen, Dusseldorf, Wimbledon, Norwich and SK Brann. The talent that Kittiphong Pluemjai possesses has also earlier earned him a one-week trial with English Premier League Club Leicester City. But the high praises do not get to Kittiphong Pluemjai. He is flattered, but remains humble, yet confident in his own abilities.

No time to rest on laurelsRelying on past achievements is of no use to the young Norwegian. Kittiphong is ambitious and determined to take his football career further. But for now, his focus is on securing himself a place among the starting 11 on what many people label as the best football team in Thailand “Competition is fierce and there are many great players competing for the positions up front, where I prefer playing,” says Kittiphong Pluemjai and names former Hull and Arsenal player Jay Simpson as one of the guys he is up against. Forced to accept playing other positionsWith competition being tougher than Kittiphong

IBD: Commonplace symptoms belie more serious health threatAbdominal cramps or diarrhea don’t often point to something serious. But for millions of sufferers around the world, these routine-like symptoms turn out to be a more serious digestive disorder known as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

ost people shrug off the occasional bout of diarrhea or abdominal cramps. After a few unpleasant days, the symptoms will clear up on their own and life will return to

normal. But not always. When symptoms clear up briefly but then

return, or when they persist without relief, this may actually indicate something more serious – a chronic condition affecting millions of people worldwide known as inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD.

To learn more about IBD, we sought the exper-tise of Dr. Sinn Anuras, Bumrungrad’s Group Medical Director and a US-board certified gastro-enterologist and hepatologist. Dr. Sinn has treated many IBD patients during his 30-year medical career.

What is IBD?“We don’t have a specific word in Thai for inflam-matory bowel disease,” says Dr. Sinn. “Several conditions that have similar symptom profiles are grouped together under a category called chronic inflammatory bowel ailments. The category doesn’t include acute bowel inflammation, a condition which is caused by a virus, bacteria or parasite and can be treated successfully with antibiotics.”

The exact cause of IBD isn’t known, but it’s marked by inflammation in either or both the small intestine and the large intestine. IBD is comprised of two main disorders: Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). “Both conditions are more prevalent in western countries and the Middle East,” notes Dr. Sinn. “They’re both prevalent in Asia, but the rate of incidence across the region is lower. As a consequence of this, the general public doesn’t hear much about IBD. Doctors generally won’t have much experience diagnosing and treating IBD, and many may not have been trained to recognize the role that ethnic differences can have in causing symptom variations.”

Here’s a more detailed look at the two main IBD conditions:

Crohn’s disease (CD)Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. While

the GI tract extends all the way from the mouth to the anus, CD typically affects the area from the lower smaller intestine to the upper part of the colon (large intestine).

The inflammation resulting from Crohn’s disease leads to several painful conditions, including:

• Bowel wall abscess: An abscess is a collection of liquefied tissue called pus that forms while the bowel undergoes self-repair. During this process, inflammation triggers the formation of abscesses which may cause a blockage of the intestinal tunnel;

• Fistulas: Fistulas are abnormal openings or

passageways that connect two organs or body cavities (e.g. bladder and vagina) that are not supposed to be connected;

• Intestinal inflammation: Inflammation can lead to the formation of tissue masses in areas inside the small and large intestines.

Ulcerative colitis (UC)Ulcerative colitis can be a serious, potentially-fatal

disease that causes inflammation in the wall of the and high fever to fatigue and unexplained weight loss; some patients experience inflammation of the liver, eyes and joints.

Ulcerative colitis usually responds to treatment. “Once the inflammation is brought under control, patients can live a normal life,” notes Dr. Sinn.

Diagnostic challenges Correctly diagnosing IBD is quite difficult thanks to Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis producing many of the same symptoms. “It can be difficult to

spot the difference between the two conditions colon. Symptoms range from bloody defecation based on symptoms alone,” Dr. Sinn explains. “In their early stages, both CD and UC cause abdomi-nal pain and diarrhea. In severe cases, patients may have to defecate more than 10 times a day around the clock, and sometimes interrupting a good night’s sleep. Both diseases can lead to blood in stools, bouts of high fever and loss of weight resulting from the body’s inability to absorb nutrients.”

Dr. Sinn describes the complex process that may be necessary to yield an accurate diagnosis: “A patient’s condition is termed chronic when symptoms continue for more than two weeks and prove unresponsive to medication. Laboratory stool testing may be used to detect the presence of an infection or inflammation. If no infection is found, a colonoscopy and a CT scan may be needed to determine the patient’s condition and the location of the affected area. Laboratory testing of tissue samples from the patient’s intestines may

be needed to confirm the diagnosis and determine the specific disease type.”

Living with IBD means dealing with daily challenges that can greatly affect a patient’s quality of life, especially considering the frequent need to defecate and the resulting loss of blood and impor-tant nutrients. It can certainly affect a patient’s quality of life with complications including anemia. In the case of both CD and UC, when chronic inflammation goes undiagnosed and untreated, patients are at a higher risk for developing colorec-tal cancer.

Treatments for IBDMedication is the primary first-line treatment for the two IBD conditions. “After confirming the diagnosis, a doctor will usually prescribe anti-inflammatory medication,” Dr. Sinn explains. “As the inflammation subsides, symptoms will dissipate and the illness enters a state of remission.

Patients will need to be examined by their doctor at regular intervals. Patient compliance – especially adhering to instructions for taking medication – is the best way to prevent a recurrence of IBD, just as it is for managing other chronic conditions.”

Not all patients are good candidates for medica-tion – notably those with other, co-existing health problems. For these patients, and for those who haven’t responded to treatment with medication, surgery may be the next best option. “Surgery may be recommended for treating ulcerative colitis, since the disease is confined within the colon,” Dr. Sinn explains. “But Crohn’s disease affects both intestines; surgery is generally not recommended

– –

M

Diagnosing IBD can be difficult.

It requires trained and experienced

doctors to recognize the role that

ethnic differences can have in causing

symptom variations.

Crohn’s Disease

Get to know the symptoms of IBD

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis share these commonplace symptoms:• Abdominal cramps that cause pain when pressure is applied;• Diarrhea occurring multiple times per day;• Bloody stools;• Unexplained weight loss;• Constantly feeling tired or fatigued.

It’s easy to confuse inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Beyond their similar names and initials, they produce many of the same symptoms – especially abdominal cramping and frequent diarrhea. But the two are separate, unrelated conditions; IBS affects more people but is much less serious. IBD causes inflammation, but IBS does not.


except where connective tissues have narrowed a patient’s bowel tunnels, which makes it harder for food to pass through the narrower lumen.”

Dedicated IBD ClinicSpecialized knowledge and training are all the more important in light of IBD’s nondescript symptom profile and variability related to patient ethnicity and disease genotype. “More attention is being paid to IBD in Thailand in recent years,” notes Dr. Sinn. “At Bumrungrad, we’ve treated more than 300 new cases of IBD patients, includ-ing Thais and patients coming from Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East. We reached a point where our significant expertise and the growing volume of patients justified having a dedicated IBD Clinic. Patients certainly appreciate the greater convenience, and it has helped raise awareness about IBD.

“Our medical team has extensive IBD training and experience using advanced procedures and technologies, so patients know they’ll enjoy an international standard of care. The specialty clinic is also an important source for data that can be studied and added to the knowledge base among medical professionals in Thailand and overseas.”

While IBD and other chronic diseases can last a lifetime, patients don’t have to give up their hope of enjoying a good quality of life. If you know IBD’s symptoms and take appropriate action when faced with those symptoms, you will be in a much better position to bring the condition under control.

Patients will need to be examined by their doctor at regular intervals. Patient compliance – especially adhering to instructions for taking medication – is the best way to prevent a recurrence of IBD, just as it is for managing other chronic conditions.

Correctly diagnosing IBD is quite difficult

thanks to Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

producing many of the same symptoms.

Dr. Sinn Anuras

IBD or IBS


IBD: Commonplace symptoms belie more serious health threatAbdominal cramps or diarrhea don’t often point to something serious. But for millions of sufferers around the world, these routine-like symptoms turn out to be a more serious digestive disorder known as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

ost people shrug off the occasional bout of diarrhea or abdominal cramps. After a few unpleasant days, the symptoms will clear up on their own and life will return to

normal. But not always. When symptoms clear up briefly but then

return, or when they persist without relief, this may actually indicate something more serious – a chronic condition affecting millions of people worldwide known as inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD.

To learn more about IBD, we sought the exper-tise of Dr. Sinn Anuras, Bumrungrad’s Group Medical Director and a US-board certified gastro-enterologist and hepatologist. Dr. Sinn has treated many IBD patients during his 30-year medical career.

What is IBD?“We don’t have a specific word in Thai for inflam-matory bowel disease,” says Dr. Sinn. “Several conditions that have similar symptom profiles are grouped together under a category called chronic inflammatory bowel ailments. The category doesn’t include acute bowel inflammation, a condition which is caused by a virus, bacteria or parasite and can be treated successfully with antibiotics.”

The exact cause of IBD isn’t known, but it’s marked by inflammation in either or both the small intestine and the large intestine. IBD is comprised of two main disorders: Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). “Both conditions are more prevalent in western countries and the Middle East,” notes Dr. Sinn. “They’re both prevalent in Asia, but the rate of incidence across the region is lower. As a consequence of this, the general public doesn’t hear much about IBD. Doctors generally won’t have much experience diagnosing and treating IBD, and many may not have been trained to recognize the role that ethnic differences can have in causing symptom variations.”

Here’s a more detailed look at the two main IBD conditions:

Crohn’s disease (CD)Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. While

the GI tract extends all the way from the mouth to the anus, CD typically affects the area from the lower smaller intestine to the upper part of the colon (large intestine).

The inflammation resulting from Crohn’s disease leads to several painful conditions, including:

• Bowel wall abscess: An abscess is a collection of liquefied tissue called pus that forms while the bowel undergoes self-repair. During this process, inflammation triggers the formation of abscesses which may cause a blockage of the intestinal tunnel;

• Fistulas: Fistulas are abnormal openings or

passageways that connect two organs or body cavities (e.g. bladder and vagina) that are not supposed to be connected;

• Intestinal inflammation: Inflammation can lead to the formation of tissue masses in areas inside the small and large intestines.

Ulcerative colitis (UC)Ulcerative colitis can be a serious, potentially-fatal

disease that causes inflammation in the wall of the and high fever to fatigue and unexplained weight loss; some patients experience inflammation of the liver, eyes and joints.

Ulcerative colitis usually responds to treatment. “Once the inflammation is brought under control, patients can live a normal life,” notes Dr. Sinn.

Diagnostic challenges Correctly diagnosing IBD is quite difficult thanks to Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis producing many of the same symptoms. “It can be difficult to

spot the difference between the two conditions colon. Symptoms range from bloody defecation based on symptoms alone,” Dr. Sinn explains. “In their early stages, both CD and UC cause abdomi-nal pain and diarrhea. In severe cases, patients may have to defecate more than 10 times a day around the clock, and sometimes interrupting a good night’s sleep. Both diseases can lead to blood in stools, bouts of high fever and loss of weight resulting from the body’s inability to absorb nutrients.”

Dr. Sinn describes the complex process that may be necessary to yield an accurate diagnosis: “A patient’s condition is termed chronic when symptoms continue for more than two weeks and prove unresponsive to medication. Laboratory stool testing may be used to detect the presence of an infection or inflammation. If no infection is found, a colonoscopy and a CT scan may be needed to determine the patient’s condition and the location of the affected area. Laboratory testing of tissue samples from the patient’s intestines may

be needed to confirm the diagnosis and determine the specific disease type.”

Living with IBD means dealing with daily challenges that can greatly affect a patient’s quality of life, especially considering the frequent need to defecate and the resulting loss of blood and impor-tant nutrients. It can certainly affect a patient’s quality of life with complications including anemia. In the case of both CD and UC, when chronic inflammation goes undiagnosed and untreated, patients are at a higher risk for developing colorec-tal cancer.

Treatments for IBDMedication is the primary first-line treatment for the two IBD conditions. “After confirming the diagnosis, a doctor will usually prescribe anti-inflammatory medication,” Dr. Sinn explains. “As the inflammation subsides, symptoms will dissipate and the illness enters a state of remission.

Patients will need to be examined by their doctor at regular intervals. Patient compliance – especially adhering to instructions for taking medication – is the best way to prevent a recurrence of IBD, just as it is for managing other chronic conditions.”

Not all patients are good candidates for medica-tion – notably those with other, co-existing health problems. For these patients, and for those who haven’t responded to treatment with medication, surgery may be the next best option. “Surgery may be recommended for treating ulcerative colitis, since the disease is confined within the colon,” Dr. Sinn explains. “But Crohn’s disease affects both intestines; surgery is generally not recommended

– –

M

Diagnosing IBD can be difficult.

It requires trained and experienced

doctors to recognize the role that

ethnic differences can have in causing

symptom variations.

Crohn’s Disease

Get to know the symptoms of IBD

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis share these commonplace symptoms:• Abdominal cramps that cause pain when pressure is applied;• Diarrhea occurring multiple times per day;• Bloody stools;• Unexplained weight loss;• Constantly feeling tired or fatigued.



except where connective tissues have narrowed a patient’s bowel tunnels, which makes it harder for food to pass through the narrower lumen.”

Dedicated IBD ClinicSpecialized knowledge and training are all the more important in light of IBD’s nondescript symptom profile and variability related to patient ethnicity and disease genotype. “More attention is being paid to IBD in Thailand in recent years,” notes Dr. Sinn. “At Bumrungrad, we’ve treated more than 300 new cases of IBD patients, includ-ing Thais and patients coming from Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East. We reached a point where our significant expertise and the growing volume of patients justified having a dedicated IBD Clinic. Patients certainly appreciate the greater convenience, and it has helped raise awareness about IBD.

“Our medical team has extensive IBD training and experience using advanced procedures and technologies, so patients know they’ll enjoy an international standard of care. The specialty clinic is also an important source for data that can be studied and added to the knowledge base among medical professionals in Thailand and overseas.”

While IBD and other chronic diseases can last a lifetime, patients don’t have to give up their hope of enjoying a good quality of life. If you know IBD’s symptoms and take appropriate action when faced with those symptoms, you will be in a much better position to bring the condition under control.

Patients will need to be examined by their doctor at regular intervals. Patient compliance – especially adhering to instructions for taking medication – is the best way to prevent a recurrence of IBD, just as it is for managing other chronic conditions.

Correctly diagnosing IBD is quite difficult

thanks to Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

producing many of the same symptoms.

Dr. Sinn Anuras

IBD or IBS



ScandAsia has asked two well-known Scandinavian residents in Thailand, who have lived in Bangkok for

more than 20 years, what they think about Bangkok of the past and Bangkok today. What are their favorite restaurants,

shopping malls and things to do!

By Agneta Bekassy - Photos: Daniel Herron

Mrs Eva Sophonpanich, born in Bangkok by Swedish parentsEva knows Bangkok by heart and she remembers her first school and how they used to have lessons sitting outside by the khlongs, in the middle of Bangkok. She said, in the 1950 the city didn’t have all the high skyscrapers you see now. The tallest buildings at that time were Dusit Thani Hotel and Narai Hotel. There were many more small khlongs (waterways) than today. Bangkok use to be called “the Venice of Asia. “ The streets were bordered with trees and no sky train or underground transit system. She also points out what a difference the developing of Sky Train and MRT have done to the traffic and city life, the whole infrastructure has changed a lot, both for good and for the not so good Eva says.We asked her if she has a favorite restaurant where she goes for lunch alone, or with friends, her answer comes quick: “In this city we have plenty of lovely restaurants e.g. Ariya som Villa at Sukhumvit Soi 1, a genuine restaurant and small hotel that takes you away to the past, serving healthy dishes and with a huge choice of vegetarian dishes, which suits me perfect. If I want something more casual and modern I often chose Kuppa at Sukhumvit soi 16. They serve good Italian food, lovely salads and sandwiches in a modern atmosphere. For dinner I like Rossano’s at Sukhumvit soi 19. That restaurant gives you a feeling of being in Tuscany and the food keeps a very constant, good quality.” Last question, what is your favorite shopping mall in Bangkok? The answer is Central Chidlom.

Mrs Tina ZarlimeeMrs Tina Zarlimee, also Swedish, has been living in Thailand for more than 20 years. Tina is married to a Thai, has a 23 years old son and lives in Hua Hin, but is often in Bangkok where she has a successful travel agency “Nordic Travel” in Sukhumvit soi 20. Tina came to Thailand due to her job. She didn’t know much about Thailand until destiny took her here. Today by looking back, she also points out the differences Bangkok has gone through during the years. “When I first moved into my little town house at Sukhumvit soi 20, the area opposite our house, was kind of a slum area. With cock fighting games every Sunday and lots of motorbikes with black smoke just outside our living room, but today, this area has become exclusive and very popular. To get from one place to another in a taxi took over 2 hours at that time, but I got used to it and learned the Thai way of accepting the situation without getting stressed. The word “stress” did not exist then, just had to follow the lifestyle, which made me feel good. Her feelings about Sky train and MRT are mixed, of course she sees the advantage with these conveyances, but she mourns the lack of old trees along the streets. Tina also has noticed that during the last years, interest by her clients to visit neighboring countries like Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar. Now she has to arrange customized trips for her custom-ers to these countries all year around. I asked her about her favorite restaurants, she also laughs and says: “I have many, many, but if I go myself for a quick bite, I often chose Greyhounds at Emporium or Tong Lee, which is more like a hole in the wall, but with delicious Thai dishes and close to my office. Another very nice place is Kin Lom Chom Saphan by Rama 8 Bridge; from there it is near to the Khao San Road, an interesting road for visitors. I could mention many more, but these are among the preferred ones”. What about shopping malls I ask. “Well, I feel most at home at Central Chidlom, not so found of the big malls and if I have visitors I also like to take them to Asiatique, both for shopping and dinner.” Tina says.

Bangkok viewthen and now


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Hans Wetterberg is the creator of Scandinavian Week, an event full of Scandinavian food and music. Despite a respectable age of 72, he is still going strong with many business projects.


Swedish businessman Hans Wetterberg has a background as colourful as adventurous, spanning 40 years all over the globe. But though officially retired, he keeps on doing what

he loves most: bringing together people in far away countries and offer them tastes and sounds of Scandinavia.

By Michael Töpffer

Scandinavia

It’s all about selling what you know best, and in my case it is Scan-dinavia. These words come from Hans Wetterberg, businessman with over 30 years of experience from Asia.As we meet in the lobby at Bangkok’s Rembrandt-hotel, Swedish jazz-week is ongoing. It is the brain-child of Hans Wetterberg and

a spin-off from Scandinavian Week, another project launched in Kuala Lumpur 26 years ago, where Hans Wetterberg was once sent by his Swedish employer. Since then, Scandinavian Week has morphed into an ongoing event, staging concerts and food happening - gastronomic celebrations as he likes to call it - around the world. “We have been to many places, from Vancouver via Casablanca to Kuwait and China,” he says. But it is Asia that has been the focus of his work. His colourful career started in the Soviet union 1970, after having studied business and graduated from the military academy in Stockholm. He was sent to Moscow as a representative for Swedish company Sweda, selling cash registers. He later he moved to former Yugoslavia working for Atlas Copco. Two years later he had a stint with Swedish publishing house Bonnier selling printing presses in eastern Europe. That was followed by a return to Moscow for Alfa-Laval where he, in times of Soviet-style red-tape, bureaucracy and shortage of everything including office-space, manage to open an office inside the legendary Hotel National. Among many other feats was to introduce commercial ads on vehicles. “We had the Alfa-Laval-logo on our cars. We were the first with this,” he says. But before coming to Asia he had an adventurous time in Guinea-Bissau in Western Africa, doing business in the commercial fishing fleet. This however came to an abrupt end when a military coup unfolded and Hans Wetterberg had to bring his boat to Sweden. “I decided it was too rough for me and took the ship back to Swe-den,” he explains. Eventually he ended up i Kuala Lumpur working for Gadelius and

Electrolux, before becoming engaged in both the property sector and introducing Ikea to the Malaysian market a few years later. Importing Swedish food to the country was something he did even before Ikea took over that role. “No one new about Swedish food. I brought them classics like Kalles Kaviar,” he explains. The music and food trail came as a result of his contacts within the hotel industry. “The manager at Shangri-La hotel Kuala Lumpur came to me and asked about Smörgåsbord, and I told him that was a great idea. It lead to us bringing in Swedish music too,” says Hans Wetterberg. He gathered some musicians from legendary music venue Nalen in Stockholm and asked them to come and play in Malaysia. “They hardly knew where it was, but once they came, it was a truly successful event,” he says. It all grew and slowly spread to other countries in the region. The list of participating musicians got longer. A star like jazz-legend Monica Zetterlund once joined, but in her case it came to an abrupt end when she fell from the stage in Manila. “We sent her off to a vacation in Phuket instead,” Hans Wetterberg says. Despite a respectable age of 72, he is still going strong with many ongoing projects, among them the plan to build a senior retirement home for Scandinavians in Port Dickson, south of Kuala Lumpur. “It’s in the making,” he says. Another project is to prepare the launching of a new Swedish technical product - or service - in Asia. Hans Wetterberg is very mum on details, but claims it’s related to hi-tech research and development. And for those readers who want to take part in related events or-ganized by Hans Wetterberg during the Scandinavian summer-months, join one of many jazz-cruises to the Stockholm archipelago onboard legendary m/s Gustafsberg. “That will be great fun,” says Hans Wetterberg.

See: www.scandinavianweek.com

Bringing a taste of

to the world


Elephant Island


Sandy white beaches and coves, high mountain peaks, pristine rain forests and abundance of wildlife and marine life, coral reefs and scenic waterfalls. Koh Chang is one the more sought-after places to enjoy a holiday in Thailand.

By Morten Krogsholm

W ith its size of 217 square ki-lometers, Koh Chang Thai-land’s second biggest island. It is more cultivated than many of the other islands,

though it is still not Phuket or Koh Samui. Nearly anything is available on the island and if you need to tend to the less relaxing sides of your life both 3G and internet connections are at your services at the island paradise. Besides beaches, which you can find on most of Thailand’s islands, Koh Chang also offers some-thing for the more active traveller in you. You can go hiking with Khao Salak Phet which rises 743 meters above sealevel as the island’s highest

peak. Must-see beautiful waterfalls are waiting to be admired. Now that you are there, you could also visit the temple Wat Salak Phet built in the reign of King Rama V, when he visited the island. If hiking is too slow for you, try mountain biking! In the waters around the island, sea canoe-ing is a highly recommended adventurous activ-ity and under the surface spectacular snorkel and diving opportunities await you. Diving facilities are scattered all across the island. Less strenuous is elephant trekking. Imagine yourself experiencing the island from a viewpoint that most do not - from the back of a elephant! If you are a nature lover, there are 61 different bird species to be found on Koh Chang and it is also

home of the Stump-tailed macaque, the Small In-dian Civet and the Small Asian Mongoose. You won’t see them all, but knowing they are there ads to the magical experience of the rainforest. Adventurous in a different sense, you could attend one of the numerous cooking schools on the island and enjoy the taste of your own home cooked Thai dishes.

Both ends of the spectrumDespite Koh Chang being a hot spot for both for-eign and Thai tourists, it has still not reached the same degree of development as Phuket and Koh Samui, keeping it a bit more peaceful and down to earth. You will find a very broad selection of accom-modations to choose from. Whether you have money to spend or is a penny counting backpack-er, you will be able to find something suiting for your budget. Staying at The Chill Resort & Spa is warmly recommended. It is a great place to stay in style when recharging your energies for more adventures in the island. Getting to Koh Chang is easy. All you need to do is get as close to the island as possible, which you can do by plane, bus, or even taxi. A first class VIP coach from Ekkamai in Bangkok to the Trat bus terminal will cost you approximately 420 Baht and from there to the ferry at Laem Ngop 200 Baht. From there you just jump on the ferry or one of the privately operated speedboats. Once on the other side, you can continue with public transport on the island or ask your resort to arrange for your pick up.

Check out great saving deals during July - October 2014Please visit www.thechillresort.com for more detail.

Email: [email protected] Website: www.thechillresort.com

By Klavs Johansen ([email protected])


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

Fighting Illiteracy

With this slightly provocative headline, we will this month strike a blow for learning to write and read Thai – at least a little bit. While some gifted

foreigners have managed to become fluent in Thai without spending time on writing and reading, most people – including those of us less gifted – will do well to invest some time in learning to write and read. The time invested will pay back manifold also on your ability to speak and understand. In-deed, time is all you need and you may start as soon as you have a grasp of the Thai sounds and know a few common words and phrases. Get a Thai children’s text book for the first grade and start writing the letters the old-fashioned way with a pencil, just as you did when learning your ABC. Writing and reading offers you the opportunity to learn a language, not only through the ear, but also through the hand and the eye.

Once started, you will soon discover the immense satisfaction of being able to recognize letters on signs and, better still, decode some of them! From here, your ability to read is likely to progress hand in hand with your ability to speak, the former going from decoding, over spelling out each word, to reading whole words in one go as they jump up from the text and into your eyes, just as when reading these lines in English. As an appetizer, let’s take a few examples of writing you are bound to encounter in Thailand: กม. means km, the abbreviation of kilome-tres, and consists of a ก, pronounced /k/, which happens to be the first letter of the Thai alphabet, and a ม, pronounced /m/. Both are consonants and the consonants are primary in the alphabeti-cal order. The vowels, in contrast, are merely sec-ondary and, when written, appear like satellites around the consonants, that is, before, over, un-der or after the consonant, and, in some cases,

not at all! The position depends on the vowel and the good news is that any given vowel symbol always takes the same position. The word กรุงเทพมหานคร is pronounced /krungthê:p máhă: nákhor:n/ and means Bang-kok Metropolis and you will see it on millions of vehicle license plates in Thailand, right below the numbers. In Thailand, the province of registration is written on the license plates and this one is by far the most common. Do you recognize the ก in first position? You will also see the ม right in the middle of the word. The second letter is ร, pronounced /r/. You will recognize it again as the very last letter of the word, but, as you may recall from our December column, final r’s are pronounced as /n/ in Thai. Note the little 9-like symbol below the first ร. It is the /u/. One highly common word is ถนน/thànŏn/ ~road. You will surely recognize it on all the blue street name signs around town. While easy to recognize, the spelling features the not-so-simple unwritten vowels /a/ and /o/. That means that we only see the consonants, the first being ถ /th/, and the second (and third) being น /n/. Another common street sign is หยุด/ yùt/ ~stop. You will start by recognizing the /u/. Then we have ห /h/, which is silent, a feature which should not discourage Scandinavian readers. Following this, we have a ย /y/ and at the end is a ด /d/. Other widely used words you may try to memorize just as whole words without necessar-ily knowing all the letters are:

ทางเข้า /tha:ng khâo/ ~entranceทางออก /tha:ng òr:k/ ~exitห้ามเข้า /hâ:m khâo/ ~no entry Even more useful are หญิง /yĭng/ ~ladies and ชาย /cha:i/ ~men. Let’s end with a couple of omnipresent com-mercial names:เป๊ปซี ่/pépsî:/ ~Pepsi and โค้ก /khó:k/ ~Coke!

Now, do get that text book and a new world will open up for you!

There are many tools available. This chart of the Thai characters is sorted according to their basic sound. It is part of a App for Android smartphones developed by PasaGoSoft. (http://pasagosoft.webs.com/thaicharacterslite.htm)

scandasia thailand - july 2014

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