Thai-Danish Trade News

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Santa Fe (Thailand) Co., Ltd. #207 Soi Saeng Uthai, Sukhumvit Soi 50 Road, Kwang Prakanong, Khet Klongtoey, Bangkok 10250, Thailand

Tel: (66) 2742 9890-2 Fax: (66) 2741 4089 Email: santafe @ kscT.th.com Website: www.santaferelo.com

Contact Erik 01 618 8382 for a Free Quotation E-mail: erik@santafe.co.th

CHINA.HONGKONG.INDONESIA.JAPAN.MALAYSIA.PHILIPPINES.SINGAPORE.THAILAND

Thai-Danish Trade News is publlshed and

distributed to selected Thai and Scandinavian

business executives and officials wiih an interest in

Thai-Danish relations by Danish-Thai Chamber of

Commerce, Royal Danish Embassy and

Scand-Media Corp., Ltd.

!!

Dsrish-lhai Chamber ol Commelc€

140212 14tn Fl , Glas Haus

1 Sukhumvit 25 Foad, North Klongloey,

Wattana, Bangkok l 01 1 0

Tel : (66) 0 2661 7762 Fax: (66) 0 2661 7764-5

E-mail: contact@ dancham olth

Tom Sorensen

Presidenl

Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce

Prcsldent

lVr Tom Sorensen

Tel:(66)016567497

E-mail: toms@dancham orth

Ulco-P16ident

Mr. Axel Blom

Scandinavian Airlines System

Tel : (66) 0 2260 6252 Fd: (66) o 2260 6269

E-mail: del blom@sas se

lleasurel

Mr Soren Presmann

Presmann (Thailand) Co, Ltd

Tel.: (66) 02962 1151 Fd: (66)02962'1152

E-mail: soren@presmann co th

Progmmm Commlltco

Mr Prasansak Suwanpotipra

Danfoss (Thailand) Ltd

Tel : (66) 0 2379 9800 Fax: (66) 0 2379 9801

E-mail: prasansak@danloss com

Forelgn Chambc|s Goodinating Gommlttee

l\4r Preben Hjortlund

Schmidt BioMedTech (Thailand) Ltd.

Tel : (66) 0 2643 1330-9 Fax: (66) 0 2643 1340

E-mail: preben @ schmidtthailand.com

MembeEhlD Commitle (Chaiman)

Mr Peter Linnemann

Maersk Bangkok Branch

Tel : (66) 0 2752 9000 Faxr (66) 0 2751 9575-8

E-mail: thamng@maersk com

irombcFhip Gommittee

lvlr, Vitoon Lefort

VL Intertrade Co , Ltd

Tel.: (66) 0 2541 6043-7 Fax: (66) 0 2541 5786

E-mail: vitoon @ likeitcollection com

PR Gonmlttee (Chaiman)

l\i1r Jorgen lb Hedes

Sun Paratech Co , Ltd

(035) 221 010-8 Fax: (035) 22'l 019

E-mail: f loorings @access.inet,co.th

PR Gommitloc

Mr Allan Jensen

APV (Thailand) Ltd

Tel,: (66) 0 2367 5341-6 Fax: (66) 0 2367 5019

E-mail: ajensen@apv co uk

Ex olficio

Royal Danish Embassy

Tel : (66) 0 2213 2012 #17 FaK (66) 0 2213 1752

Exmutivo Di|aclol

Mr John Svengren


Tel ; (66) 0 2661 7762FaK (66) 0 2661 7765

E-mail: contact@ dancham orth

Royal ltanlsh Embassy

Commercial Section 1 0 Soi Attakarn Prasit

Sathorn Tai, Bangkok 10500 Thailand

Tel | (66) 0 2213 2021-5 Fax: (66) 0 2213 1752

lvls Tine Hylleberg

Commercial Counsellor, Hoad of Socllor

l\,4r Attakorn Saropals, Senlor Comm Olll0or

lvls Stisuda Vllyalal, Comm Olllcol

ot many have realized that the Christmas holidays are once again just around

the corner. By the time you read this, however, you have probably seen the

first special editions of your favourite newspaper suggesting what to do in

December or what to buy for your loved ones. Maybe even enjoyed the Jingle Bells in

the supermarket realizing what you have been missing. lt is time to think about using

the last of your budget, corporate tax returns, staff bonus, year end pany at the office

or maybe the thoughts are on gifts, home-leave and Danish Christmas lunch...

...talking of which, your Chamber of Commerce is pleased to invite all members for a

free Christmas lunch on Tuesday 4th of December. The Christmas lunch is our usual

yearly social business gathering, that is always attracting a large number of members

and guests. This year it is also the celebration of the Chamber's 10 years anniversary,

an event that was covered in a special report in our most recent issue of Trade News.

lf you have not yet seen an invitation, check our web site www.dancham.or.th or call

the Chamber office on 02-661 7762. Surely you don't wanna miss this year.

Looking at the list of suggestions for presents to the business community, for Christmas

or for next year? Here are two to start with:

1. A fair revision of the Retail Act

The consumers should supposedly be the group taking most advantage of the modern

retail and its competitive environment. Still we are not convinceci that this imoortant

group has been suff iciently consulted and heard in the preparation of the revision.

Consumers are also under-represented on the various committees that shall manage

the Act both in the provinces and on a central level. Consumers should have more

influence on matters that concern them directly, for example on opening hours and the

location of new outlets in their communitv.

2. WTO oermits Thailand to continue investmcnt oromotron incentives

Although the Board of Investment has already abolished its export requirement scheme

sinceAugust 2001, and has not qr;rrrlcd irny benefits (e.9. tax holidays, reduced tax

on import) to new applicants sinco lhcn, the original grace period of some projects

approved before Arrqrrsl 20O l rrorrcthcless extends beyond the last authorized period

agreed to in WTO. Wc w;rrrl lo sce an extension of the subsidy programme being

approvcd by WtO, :;o llr;rt thc 1,400 projects from foreign and Thai investors can

continuc irs lhoy worrr orir;irrally approved by BOl.

Tottt Sorott:;ott

Gnphlc Produollon & Mrd(cllne

Scand-Modlo Co(r I kl

4/41-42 Moo 3, Thonylrkililr VllIrilo,

Fomlntro Sol 14 llilrllkok 1()2ll(J

Tol | (66) 0 2843 7100 tl lrilx: ((ili) 0:,1)4ll /l{lll

E-molI scondnrodlt@ildilrIrrrlLr (r)rrl

INrrRNATToNAL

BaccALAUREATE (IB)

PA HTnLUFSHoLM KosrsKoLE

EN INTERNATIONAL STUDENTEREKSAM

MED DANSKE RZDDER

PRrs pn. AR (zoorlzooz):

Herlufsholm Skole tilbyder

bAde Den danske Studentereksamen

og Den internationale

Studentereksamen

- International Baccalaureate

(IB). Dansk studentereksamen

er tre-irig, mens IB er en

engelsk to-Arig uddannelse,

der aldersmessigt er placeret

salrunen med 2. og3.g.

Som indgang til IB har

skolen en pre-IB klasse, som

svarer tit 1. g matematisk,

hvor undervisningen ogsi er

tilrettelagt pA engelsk.

PRrsru-uac pon INTSRNATIoNAL

BRccereuREArE (IB)rn

GnuNpsrolE oG GYMNASIUM

Kosrnlrv, KR.71.800,-

Kn.31.200,-

Pnr-IB: KR.87.400,-

KoNrerr os - sA SENDER vI IN-

FORMATIONSMATERIALE OM KOST-

SKOLEN OG VORES UDDANNELSER

Klaus Eusebius Jakobsen

rektor

4700 Nastved

Tlf. +45 55 75 35 00 Fax + 45 55 75 35 1.4

IB-fax + 45 55 75 35 15

e-mail adresse : rektorkontor@herlufsholm.dk

Eller rektor privat telefon + 45 55 75 35 25

Bnssc os pA srornN ELLER pA rNrrnNrrrrr:

www.herlufsholm.dk

Royal Scandinavia to

build new factory

oyal Scandinavia (Thailand)

Ltd. in Chiangmai

will by November next

year move into a new factory

owned by the company itself.

The new factory will be built on

a olot of real estate. which the

company has already purchased

in Chiangmai. Today, Royal

Scandinavia (Thailand) works

out of a leased property.

The new factory will have a

total space of app. 4.300 sq.m.

compared to app. 1.700 sq.m.

at the present location. The new

factory will be located near the

present factory which will hopefully

make the move of the operation

smooth. Royal Scandinavia

(Thailand) Co., Ltd. also

prefers to stay in the local area

where the relationshio with the

local authorities and the population

is developed in an atmosphere

of mutual respect.

The move to new and larger

premises will enable Royal

Scandinavia (Thailand) to expand

its current production to

cover also pressing of silver

table ware. Currently, the factory

employs some 200 skilled Thai

silver ware workers. With the

opening of the new factory the

number of employees is exoected

to be increased to 400 -

500 Thai workers.

The expansion plans were

approved at a board meeting in

Chiangmai on Friday 1 November

2002.

Currently, Royal Scandinavia

(Thailand) Ltd. is supported

by a loan of 3 mill DKK

BOI support at risk

I

I

ncentives offered by the

Board of Investment in Thai

I land and the lndustrial Estates

Authority of Thailand may

be cancelled if WTO decides to

turn down an application from

Thailand to extend these exoorl

subsidy schemes until their

scheduled final termination in

201 3.

A WTO order to cancel the

subsidies immediately would affect

not only new applications.

Businesses already receiving

benefits under either of these

two agencies would see these

incentives removed in the worst

scenario over night.

Danish companies currently

working underthe BOI and IEAT

schemes reacted sharply to the

news when it broke late Septem-

Der.

"We are going to move our

supply ship business out of Thailand

immediately, "if

this really

should happen," commented Mr.

Claus Jorgensen, Financial Director

of Mermaid Maritime Ltd.

said.

"We ooerate three offshore

supply ships in the Gulf of Thai-

land established with BOI suooort

and we have established

these operations in Thailand in

confidence that these incentives

would remain in force as we

have been oromised."

Danish-Thai Chamber of

Commerce has together with the

Joint Foreign Chambers

(JFCCT) raised the issue with

the appropriate Government

authorities as an urgent matter.

Thailand has asked WTO for

permission to extend the expon

subsidies to be able to continue

giving privileges to the firms

which have applied for and received

these incentives before

the amendment in 200'l of the

regulation, which phased outthe

available tax incentives and

from the Danish Industrialization

Fund for Developing Countries

(lFU). According to Mr. Poul

Weber, representing IFU on the

Board of Directors of the company,

IFU has approved an expansion

of this loan to 25 mill

DKK related to the expansion

olans.

On Tuesday 24 September,

Mr. Flemming Lindelov, President

and CEO of Royal Scandinavia

A,/S, at a Chamber Dinner

briefed members of Danish Thai

Chamber of Commerce on the

current situation of the orominent

group of companies and the

expansion plans for Thailand.

Gregers Mo//er

Mermaid Maritime has

three supply ships Jbr the

oil and gas installations

in the Gulf of Thailand.

This one was

incorporated with BOI

support in 2000 and thus

still has eight years to go

on the incentives

promised by BOI.

other benefits offered.

Currently, the incentive

promised to each beneficiary

has a time frame. The final year

of BOI supporl will be 2013. The

amount of the incentives, calculating

from the decrease of tariff

reduction rates, are gradually to

be reduced until finally phased

out in the year 2013.

Thailand has argued that an

immediate discontinuation

would create a lack of confidence

in government developmental

plans and endeavors, as

well as not offer the beneficiaries

of the program the noodotl

time for appropriato adjrrll

ments.

Grrtlltus Mttlhu

Environment

promotion in

January

Green City Denmark and the

Royal Danish Embassy in Bangkok

are planning a major export

promotion in Bangkok in January

2003 in the environmental

and energy fields.

"The oromotion will center

on a one day conference and a

match making event at a hotel

in Bangkok," says Mrs. Tine

Hylleberg, Commercial Counsellor

at the Embassy.

Mrs. Hylleberg suggests,

that it could be relevant for some

Danish companies already established

in Thailand to participate

as the event will target participation

by both the private

sector as well as official decision

makers and government agenctes.

Family buys

back Mala

from Rosti

The Sitachitt family, founders of

Mala Chemical Industries in

1961, has bought back all its

shares from Rosti of Denmark

and A.P. Moller. The Sitachitt

family previously held a 49"h

stake in Rosti (Mala), Rosti of

Denmark had49% stake andAP

Moller 2"/". The company is a

leading plastic and melamine

manufacturer. The name has

been changed to Malaplast Co.

Mr. Manu Sitachitt, who remains

managing director of

Malaplast, in an article in Bangkok

Post on Friday 27 September

explained that A.P. Moller

wanted to sell its shares to focus

on its core businesses.

Mr. Manu said Malaolast still

maintained a good business relationshio

with its former Danish

partners.

Malaplast's core business is

tochnici rl plastic, plastic packagin11

irrrrl rrrclamine products,

wlrir:lr lrrrvo generated annual

rirrlori ol ovcr one billion Baht.

llrtrkl llro rrrarketing plan forthe

noxl livo yc:rrs, the focus will be

orr ;rrrrrlrrcing technical plastic

rrtrrl lrl;r:;lir; packaging.

6

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Thailand's Prime

Minister Mr. Thaksin

Shinawatra and Danish

Prime Minister Mr.

Anders Fogh

Rasmussen met for a

bilateral meeting during

the fourth Asia-Europe

Meeting (ASEM-IV) in

Gopenhagen in

September and agreed

to explore ways of

expanding business

cooperation between

Denmark and Thailand.

Text: Gregers M/ller

Photos: Jan Mouritsen

The Head of States gathered during the ASEM IVfor a group photo. The meeting was in

many wqys more concrete than previous meetings - including on political issues, notes

the Danish Ambassador to Thailand, Mr Ulrik Helweg-Larsen.

rime Minister Thaksin

Shinawatra and the

Danish Prime Minister

Anders Fogh Rasmussen

agreed at a bilateral meeting

during the ASEM-IV in Copenhagen

in September to encourage

a fudher expansion of the

commercial relations between

Denmark and Thailand, according

to Denmark's Ambassador to

Thailand, Mr. Ulrik Helweg-

Larsen, who participated in the

meeting.

"The meeting was the first

personal meeting between the

two Prime Ministers." Mr.

Helweg-Larsen s,ays.

"The atmosphere was very

positive and they discussed in

particular how to promote partnerships

between Danish and

Thai Small and Medium sized

Enterprises (SME's). lt was

agreed that both parties should

map out various possibilities for

strengthening the cooperation,"

the Ambassador says.

"As a consequence, we will

hopefully see a number of new

investment projects with the participation

of the Industrialization

Fund for Developing Countries

(lFU) as a shareholder or lender

in companies within production

as well as service," the Ambassador

adds.

The coooeration on environmental

issues was also touched

upon and the Thai Prime Minister

expressed his sincere appreciation

of the Danish support.

The special component called

Partnership Facility was mentioned

in oarticular as a model

for cooperation also in other sectors

than the environmental sector.

Prime Minister Thaksin mentioned

specifically technology

transfer within agriculture and

food processing as areas of interest

for Thailand.

"lf a Thai SME is interested

in cooperating with a Danish

company within the framework

of the Paftnership Facility or otheruise

they are welcome to contact

our Embassy here in Bangkok

and we will then try to find a

suitable Danish business paftner,"

the Ambassador adds.

Regarding the international

drug suppression efforts, Prime

Minister Thaksin briefed on the

Thai approach to offer better

cash croos for the hill tribes than

opium - thereby letting the market

forces eliminate the problem.

The Prime Mlnlster also mentioned

the funds spend on drug

suppresslon acroes the border

Into Burma, apeclllcally a 20 Mlll.

Baht project on the Burmese

side of the border.

By the end of the meeting,

Danish Prime Minister Anders

Fogh Rasmussen was invited by

Prime Minister Thaksin to visit

Thailand at a time suitable for

both oafties.

The ASEM lV was in many

ways more concrete than previous

meetings - including on political

issues, notes the Ambassaoor.

"There was much more substance

in the talks - for instance

regarding the international fight

against terrorism, narcotics and

the Korean peninsular," Amoassador

Helweg-Larsen says.

"Two specific declarations

were signed, one which set up

the framework for future cooperation

between the EU and

ASEAN on the fight against ter-

8

ll

Itt

Asia Europe Business Forum

focused on how the European

economies could gain in

importance for the Asian

economies.

Prime Minister Thaksin was a very active participant in the discussions with

the other Heads of States. From left: Austria's Chancellor Wolfgang Schilssel,

Indone s ia's F inanc e M in s t e r D o radj atun Kuntj ar a - J akti and S in g ap o re's

Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong.

rorism and another declaration

regarding the Korean Peninsular.

The delegates also agreed

to a Chairman's statement which

was subsequently issued."

During the ASEM, also retreat

sessions between the

Heads of States took place

where they - without any prior

prepared papers - exchanged

views on topics of mutual interest.

"One of the subjects was the

cultural and social issues related

to terrorism. Why do we have

this problem? What are the underlying

tensions in terms of

poverty, ethnic ditferences, cultural

ditferences? In these discussions,

Prime Minister Thaksin

was a very active participant

in these discussions," the Ambassador

says.

Concurrent to the ASEM. an

Economic Ministers' Meeting

was held in which Dr. Adisai

Bodharamix, Minister of Commerce,

represented Thailand.

The Euro currency as a potential

alternative reserue currency

for the Asian countries along

side the US dollar and the issuing

of Euro bonds were among

the topics discussed.

The ASEM meeting followed

up on this discussion and it was

decided to establish a task force

to look into these matters as well

as how to coordinate the trade

political cooperation up to the

next major WTO meeting.

The Asia Eurooe Business Forum

(AEBF) organized this year in Denmark

by the Confederation of Danish Industries

(Dl) in connection with the ASEM

meeting in Copenhagen in September

looked at ways to increase the level of

bilateral trade to match that of the Asia-

US trade volume.

The AEBF gathered 250 business

leaders from 25 Asian countries and was

the seventh summit of the organisation.

In his opening speech, Mr. Hans

Skov Christensen, Managing Director of

Dl pointed to the fact thal as for Europe,

Asia is today already a more imponant

trading partner than North America.

"The job is to ensure that Europe's "

market share" in Asia will grow in the

years to come," Mr. Skov Christensen

said.

Chairman of the AEBF meeting, Mr.

lb Christensen, also stressed that complacency

with the current situation was

not enough. Today, the Asian economies

have stronger links to the US economy

than to the European economies, he

said. He predicted that within 10 to 15

years, the Asian economies would grow

to the size of the American and EU

economies, and if EU didn't strengthen

its links to Asia, the US would be the

main beneficiary of this growth.

The AEBF submitted a set of recommendations

how the bilateral trade and

cooperation could be enhanced, which

were submitted to the ASEM meeting for

the Head of Governments to take action

in each their countries.

The introduction of the Euro currency

in most of the EU was at the centre of

many of the business leaders' attention.

The strong dependence on the US

economy was a vulnerability which many

suggested could be balanced off with an

adoption of the Euro as an alternative

trading currency.

GreRers ller

9

New Danish CEO for

Diethelm Malaysia

Mr. Niels Holm, Head of

Diethelm's Food/Special

Products Division in

Thailand, promoted to

President and Group

Managing Director for

Diethelm in Malaysia.

By Gregers Moller

r. Niels Holm, currently

in charge of Diethelm's

Food/Special Products

Division in Thailand as well as

Diethelm Trading, Siam Food

Services and Customs Clearance

Services has as of January

1, 2003 been promoted to

President and Group Managing

Director for Diethelm in Malaysia.

In his new capacity, Mr. Niels

Holm will among others be in

charge of integrating EAC's

former businesses in Malaysia

into the Diethelm organisation.

"l have just signed the Sales

& Purchase agreement for Diethelm

Malaysia's acquisition of

EAC's consumer products and

photo imaging businesses in

Malaysia, and we will together

with these businesses be taking

over some 600 staff from EAC,"

Mr. Niels Holm said on Mondav

28 October.

As President and Group

Managing Director of Diethelm

Malaysia, Niels Holm will be in

charge of the Diethelm, Harper,

SiberHegner as well as now also

the former EAC businesses in

Malaysia. Integrating the former

EAC activities into the Diethelm

organisation is for Niels Holm

almost like a return to his roots.

"l worked with EAC 23years

before joining Diethelm in Thailand,"

Niels Holm says.

"During those years, I have

already been posted twice to

Malaysia, latest from 92-97 as

Managing Director for EAC in

Malaysia. Previously, I was 7

years in Hong Kong, 9 years in

Malaysia, 1 112 year in Singapore

and 2112years in Taiwan,"

Niels Holm says, adding that he

looks very much forward to

again work with many of his

former colleagues from EAC

Malaysia as well as colleagues

that he already knows well in the

Diethelm/Harper companies.

Niels Holm and his wife

Nellie will move to Kuala Lumour

at the beginning of the new year.

"We both have many friends

there who we look forward to

catch up with," Niels Holm says.

Since Niels Holm arrived

Thailand five years ago in April

Danish soldier honoured

r. Peder Jorgensen

on 14 October 2002

represented Denmark

at a major ceremony in

Phayao in honour of Captain

Hans Markvard Jensen who

was killed in battle with Shan

separatists one hundred years

ago while in His Majesty King

Chulalongkorn's service.

Mr. Jorgensen, who is

deeply interested in the historical

relations between Denmark

and Thailand, .laid down a

wreath from Scandinavian Society

Siam at the monument.

"The festivities organized

by the Thai authorities to mark

the event were impressive,"

Mr Jprgensen

honoured the

Danish soldier

on behalf of the

Danes in

Thailand.

1997, he has doubled five times

the business volume of Diethelm's

Food/Special Product

Division and subsequently been

given the responsibility for two

more Diethelm companies as

well as been in charge of Diet

helm's acquisition of Siam Food

Services.

"We have both enjoyed very

much our five and a half years

in Thailand," Niels Holm says.

"We will miss the hospitality,

smiles and service mindedness

of the Thais, the great restaurants

in Bangkok, Nellie the

shopping - notto mention all our

many good friends here. I only

regret that - because of my work

habits - we haven't had sufficient

time to see enough of this amazing

country, and also have not

spent as much time with friends

as we should have."

"But we are committed to do

better in this respect when in a

few years time we return to Thailand,"

he promises.

Nellie and Niels Holm were

recently granted status as permanent

residents of Thailand

and plan to retain this for a future

return to Thailand at the

time of Niels' retirement from

active business - however hard

this is to imagine.

says Mr. Jorgensen.

"l was seated in the VIP

row with the governor, the police

chief, the army chief as well

as several local dignitaries.

Speeches were held and a

guard of honour was lined up

and plaid a trumpet fanfare."

"Seeing how the Thai's valued

his heroism 100 years

ago, I only wish we Danes

could have put up a better

show," Mr. Jorgensen ads.

Later, Mr. Jorgensen visited

Markvard Jensen's grave

in Chiangmai where he laid yet

another wreath from the Scandinavian

Society Siam. gm

New

Agricultural

Counsellor

Mr. Poul Skov-Petersen has

been appointed Counsellor, Agriculture

and Food Atfairs at the

Royal Danish Embassy, replacing

as of 1 October Mr. Jesper

Vibe-Hansen.

Mr. Skov-Petersen has a

solid background within consumer

goods working with the

East Asiatic Company from 1 993

to 1998 in a range of positions

and countries in South East

Asia. He left EAC in 1998 to resume

responsibilities as Marketing

Manager Asia for Kelsen,

The International Bakery, developing

the markets in Asia for the

Danish cookie brand name

Kjeldsens. For the past two

years, he has been in charge of

the Bisca brand name in the

Nordic countries.

"l am looking foruard to this

challenging position, " Mr

Skov-Petersen says.

"Denmark has a lot to offer

when it comes to improving the

agricultural industry in Thailand

and within food processing and

packaging a range of Danish

companies could be very interesting

business padners for Thai

companies."

"With the growing number of

Scandinavian tourists coming to

Thailand, I also see range of

business oppodunities within the

catering sector which should be

explored," he says.

Mr. Skov-Petersen hooes

companies within these areas

will not hesitate to contact him

to discuss any ideas they may

gm

10

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Tuesday December 24:

Every Sanrday and Sunday

Flshtr frrlgr'r SHMSTWIAS LaNCH

Scandinnvinn baffet BItt. 395,-

Christmos Eve at @\e aLl h friigr

Wednesday December 25:

Tuesdny December 37:

Wefurcsday Janrmry 7:

shb frrbgn'r Famous

Lunch Bht. 495.-

e Book Yoar table, limited spnce.

sbh firlge'r New Year pafi.

usic, all yoa can eat and drink

to midnislrt Bht. 2.(n0.- orrly.

Stnrt 2003 at Ftshk gt, From l.pm.

YEAR LANCH

.- ( one baht only )

frrhry, @

Your Sccnddnqulan Hotel & Restaursnt ln Bo;ngkok

Sentlng funish, Sutedtsfu Norueglan and, Tho;i tood,.

39 Sukhumait Rd. Soi 8 Bangkok Tel: 02-653-0077

D mall: hotel@ab lelodg e. com hfrp : //ut ut ut. stublelo dg e. c om

Y

Viking Life-Saving

Equipment (Thailand)

Ltd, will produce almost

the full range of

maritime safety and

security equipment of

which the Danish

company is the leading

manufacturer in the

world.

Text and photos:

Gregers M4ller

iking Life-Saving Equipment

(Thailand) Ltd. on

30 October2002 ooened

a new 8,600 square meter factory

in the free port zone of Laem

Chabang Industrial Estate between

Cholburi and Pattaya.

The opening was performed

by Mr. Kjeld Amann, Managing

Director of the Viking Group of

companies, Danish Ambassador

to Thailand, Mr. Ulrik Helweg-

Larsen and Mrs. Annette Kristensen,

Board Member of Viking

and daughter of the founder of

the company, together with the

Deputy Director of the Industrial

Estates Authority Thailand.

Initially, the investment was

estimated to be around 30 mill

Danish kroner, but according to

Mr. Amann and Mrs. Kristensen,

the final amount "will certainly

exceed that before we are

done".

Present at the opening were

also some ten invited Danish

and Thai guests as well as all

the currently 91 Thai employees

of the company, whom both Mr.

Amann and Mrs. Kristensen bid

welcome in the growing "Viking

Family''. Within the next six

month, the 91 employees will be

expanded to 200 people, Mrs.

Kristensen added.

"The area is 15,000 square

meters. We use today roughly

9,000 square meters, so there

is room for expansion if we need

this in the future," Mr. Amann

said in his speech, which also

touched upon Thai-Danish cultural

similarities and the importance

for Viking, that all their

employees viewthe company as

more than just a job-provider.

"For us, this building is a

place for all of us to come together.

This building willbecome

a place where you will spend an

important pad of your valuable

time to realise our common goal

of making your lives a little better

for you and your families," he

said.

Full product range

The new factory will produce almost

the full range of maritime

safety and security products of

which Viking is the leading

manufacturer in the world. lt includes

not only the well-known

inflatable life rafts and life vests

of the company, but also protective

clothing against cold waters

as well as clothes for fire-fight-

Ing.

Some of these products

have for the past few years been

produced in Lithuania. Moving

the oroduction to Thailand is

expected to strengthen the company

against rising competition

from oroducts manufactured in

China.

"Everything we produce here

is made to order from our head

office in Esbjerg in Denmark and

shipped to our clients around the

world. We have no sales organisation

here in," Mr. Tommy

Hansen, Managing Director of

the new factory, explains.

Consequently, the company

is also applying for incentives

under BOI - Board of Investment.

lf the rules are not suddenly

changed, the factory

seems almost certain to be approved

for this preferential sta-

IUS.

"We have for some years

had a factory on the Indonesian

island of Batam close to Singapore,"

says Mr. Tommy Hansen.

"As it was time to expand, we

thought it would be a good idea

to establish our next factory

somewhere else, while still

maintaining the factory in Indonesia."

Second start-up in Asia

For Mr. Tommy Hansen it is his

second start-up of a factory in

Asia. The Viking factory in Indo-

Mr Tommy Hansen, Managing Director

of Viking's new Thaifactory, employing

200 Thai workers.

The fibre glass shells for the Iift

rafts are moulded in a building taken

ov e r from M ermaid M aritime.

The former Danish engineering

company Christiani & Nielsen

has build the new.factory.

12

nesia was likewise set up by him

seven years ago, together with

the factory manager of Viking in

Denmark, Mr. Jens Pedersen.

Mermaid Maritime helped

The new factory is located next

to Viking's long time sales and

service agent in Thailand, Mermaid

Maritime Co., Ltd. on an

area previously owned by this

company.

"lt has by and large been a

smooth ride," says Mr. Hansen.

"Everything has worked out

fine - not least thanks to the substantial

help we have received

from Mr. Jorgen Lundbek, the

ownerof Mermaid Maritime during

the whole process," he says,

adding only that the amount of

papenvork involved still keeps

amazing him.

Building the factory was lirst

out into the hands of an architect,

who disappeared before

the project ever got started.

Then Viking turned to the former

Danish engineering and construction

company, Christiani &

Nielsen.

"Christiani & Nielsen has

done a very good job and we are

quite impressed with their professionalism,"

Mr. Hansen says.

The construction started in

January this year. In September,

Viking could move into its new

premises as planned. The building

is functionalistic, but at the

same time aesthetic with a tall,

curved roof in green corrugated

steel plates.

"We require adequate space

to inflate a life raft for 100 persons

indoor and turn them

around. They are quite big, so

the lighting fixtures are 7,5 meter

above the factory floor - and the

building is a total of 13 meters

tall," Mr. Hansen explains.

DISA air installation

The pleasant indoor climate inside

the oroduction hall is due

to a huge ventilation system established

by DISA (Thailand).

Although glue and other chemicals

are used in the production,

there is no smell of any of the

substances.

"We go by the strict Danish

rules for indoor workspace climate.

lf you look closely, you will

see that everywhere people are

working with glue and other

smelly substances, the tables

have a small opening all around

at the edge, where the air is

sucked out," he points out.

The policy of the company

is that if the local environmental

safety rules are in their opinion

not protective enough, the company

will set its own standards

- hoping to influence others to

follow. Consequently, with a capacity

of 78,000 cubic meter of

air per hour the dimension of the

ventilation system fully meets

the need - and then a bit more.

During the start-up phase,

priority has been given to train

the around 200 Thai workers to

produce the top quality products,

Vikings is known for.

"Especially manufacturing of

life rafts is something which

needs quite a substantial number

of training hours. We have

currentlytwo Danish trainers out

here superuising and instructing

our Thai workers how to do the

job. In other parts of the production,

we have moved eight of our

best workers from of the Indonesian

factory - two women and

six men - up here to help train

their Thai colleagues," Mr. Tommy

Hansen explains.

Quality inspection

All products are meticulously

inspected and tested. All air- and

water tight products are tested

with instruments as well as with

the human eye - simply by inflating

the items with air and either

apply soapy water (life rafts)

or submerging them into a watertub

(immersion suits) to check

that there are indeed no leaks.

There are no "acceptable quality"

margins.

"We don't accept 99 percent

either a product is 100 percent

-

OK or it's rejected," Mr. Tommy

Hansen emphasizes.

The new company in Thailand

joins 15 other subsidiaries

of Viking Life-Saving Equipment

established all over the world -

not including around 300 authorized

Viking service companies,

among others Mermaid Maritime

in Thailand.

The Viking group is owned

by Claus Sorensen A,/S, Esbjerg

- a company carrying the name

of the grand father of Mrs.

Annette Kristensen. Viking Life

Saving Equipment in Denmark

was established by her father,

Mr. Tage Ssrensen. Claus Sorensen

A,/S owns, apart from Viking

Life-Saving Equipment, also

a number of other major Danish

companies, among others Vestfrost,

a large Danish company

manufacturing household ref rigerators.

Mr. Tommy Hansen with \1king's neighbour

and partner in Thailand, Jprgen Lundbek.

Danish Ambassador Mr Ulrik Helweg-Larsen

as seen from inside a lift raft, which was

expanded at the end of the Grand Opening.

13

Good Year

for DISA

After 11 years in

Thailand, DISA

(Thailand) Go,, Ltd. is

firmly established

among the top suppliers

of Air Pollution Gontrol

Systems in the Asia

Pacific Region.

Mr Henrik Friis was this

year promoted from General

Manager of Disa (Thailand)

Ltd. to Managing Director in

recognition ofhis good results.

By Patcharee Lae-ya

r. Henrik Friis, Mana-

-ing Director of DISA

(Thailand) Co., Ltd.

has good reason to be satisfied

with the way business is going.

"Everything basically went

as we planned this year," Mr.

Henrik Friis says.

"We signed several big contracts

this year, among others

with the newly opened Viking

Life-Saving Co., Ltd., Capital

Rice Co., Ltd. and Picotee Co.,

Ltd., we opened up the Australian

market with an agent there,

and we have develooed a new

product, which we are going to

introduce next year."

"Like most companies, we

have had a few years of low activity,

but we are now definitely

up and running again," he says.

The new oroduct. which

DISA (Thailand) will start introducing

next year, is an oil mist

filter for medium sized industries.

The company is already

well established as a supplier of

its main product, air pollution

control equipment for other industrial

purposes. Within this

market, DISA has its own product

program, 'QF Duct'. According

to client needs, DISA is able

to offer a complete solution from

design, engineering, and installation

to regular maintenance.

DISA (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

covers all of Southeast Asia and

the Pacific, including Malaysia,

Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines,

Vietnam, Burma, Laos,

Cambodia, Australia and New

Zealand - often with local agents

in each country.

Several of the comoonents

in installations in the region are

manufactured at DISA own factory

in Sainoi in Nonthaburi province,

which opened in 2000.

"We are probably in the high

end of the market in terms of

costs, but our customer can generally

accept that because of the

quality of our products. Our installations

are also build on a

modular concept, which means

that most elements can be reused

again and again if the customer

changes the lay out of his

factory," Mr. Henrik Friis exolains.

When DISA (Thailand) Co.,

Ltd. was first established in Thailand

in 1991 - at the time under

the name Nordfab (Thailand)

Co., Ltd. - the main market was

air cleaning equipment and dust

filters for the wood workino industry.

But over the past three

years, DISA (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

has expanded into a range of

other industries. The name

change to DISA (Thailand) Co.,

Ltd. took olace in 1998 when the

company became part of the

DISA group based in Copenhagen,

which is again paft of the

A.P. Moller group.

Mr. Henrik Friis has been

working with DISA (Thailand)

Co., Ltd. since 1992. In 1998 he

became General Manager and

this year, he was promoted to

Managing Director of the company.

"l like it very much here Thailand

- othenrvise lwouldn't have

stayed here for 10 years," he

smiles.

i

$

The air exhaust of one of DISA (Thailand)'s latest installations,

the air polution system at the new Viking factory, is an esthetic

contribution to the building.

DISA\ installation in the Viking,fhctory has a capacity of

cleaning 78,000 cubic meter,r ol'uir per hour

:

I.

T

14

I ntel I igent Ai r Prod ucts

D|SA (Thailand) Co , Ltd. is your local partner when it comes to

extraction and dust collection. As a leading supplier of Air

Pollution Control solutions, we have a complete range of

thoroughly proven products that covers all requirements in a wide

range of industries

A filter and ventilation system from DISA, brings with it all our

years of expiertise and know - how. To date we have supplied

more than 30,000 such systems to a wide number of companies

in a range of different sectors all over the world. All of them

representing solutions featuring high efficiency, excellent

reliability and low energy consumption

Ducumented and proven product range, backed by skilled

professionals who know their business provide the solid

foundation we need to help you. We take care of everythingright

from the initial analysis, through construction and onto

servrcrng

Whether you want an existing plant rebuilt, or a completely new

installation, contact us or our representatives close to you for a

non-obli gatory meeting

DISA (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

23/1 1 0-1 1 3 Sorachai Building, 25th Floor

Soi Sukhumvit 63 (Ekamai), Sukhumvit Rd ,

Kwaeng North Klongton, Khet Wattana, Bangkok 101 10

Tel. +66 2 714 3989

Fax: +66 2 71 4 3983 E-mail: disath@disa co th

www.disagroup.com

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F r7r7t7lr"4

l5

By Gregers Mal/er

he Oriental Bangkok,

known today as one of

the most prestigious hotels

in not only Thailand but in

all of Asia, is by the Danes categorically

referred to as the "originally

Danish hotel" in Bangkok,

based on the early years of Danish

ownership - most notably

H.N. Andersen, the founder of

the East Asiatic Company.

But in fact, H.N. Andersen

was only the owner for thirteen

years from 1881 to 1893. And although

he bought it from another

Dane, C. Salje, who had owned

it for the nine previous years, it

hardly makes the hotel "Danish"

today.

Ask any ltalian and they will

tell you, the Oriental is in fact

more ltalian. After all, it was the

Italian architect S. Cardu, who

designed and built the oldest

and most famous building of the

hotel still standing today, The

Authors lounge. And wasn't itthe

grand ltalian businessman, G.

Berlingieri, who owned the hotel

for 14 years from 1967 till he

died in 1981, who brought it up

to win award after award as The

Best Hotel in the World - together

with legendary hotelier

Kurt Wachtveitl as the General

Manager?

Yes, the French will say, but

if it hadn't been for the French

grand old lady Germaine Krull,

The Oriental would hardly have

survived until today. Through her

thirteen years from 1947 until

1 960 as Manager and co-owner,

Germaine Krull laid the foundation

forthe post-war grandeur of

the hotel, not least by building

the Tower Wing which opened

in 1958 - today renamed the

Normandie Wing after the famous

restaurant on the top floor.

Well, the Danes will retort,

didn't she turn to the Danish engineering

company Christiani &

Nielsen to realise this achievement?

Whatever the ownershio and

management, what still today

makes The Oriental a "Danish"

hotel - at least in the minds of

the Danes - is not least the fact

that the East Asiatic Company

was located next door to the

hotel and its famous Bamboo

Bar. Consequently, the Oriental

was for decades almost second

home to the majority of the

Danes living and working in

Bangkok.

"The Bamboo Bar became

the olace for a "one for the road

night cap" after the boys had

closed up for the night," Jorgen

lb Hedes, one of the EAC Danes

at the time, recalls.

'The night cap would run into

a few and by midnight, the place

was usually full and swinging.

Quite often, the high spirited

Danes would take over the music

stand and jam the night

away."

One of Germaine Krull's

principles was, that a certain

dress code had to be maintained.

After all, this was The

Oriental. At least a necktie was

needed. But as many wouldn't

wear one when they arrived, she

had some made from cheap, deliberately

ugly materials, which

would be handed out to the customers

by the door. For years,

these neckties with their shrill

colours and poor sowing were

treasured souvenirs and a clear

mark of distinction for any Dane

having ever worked in or travelled

to Bangkok.

"Once after a maternity party for

one of the EAC executives -

which would inevitably end up at

the Bamboo Bar - the music

stand was again taken over by

the Danes," Mr. Hedes recalls.

"But instead of traditional instruments,

the Danes played on

a range of utensils taken from

the kitchen and laundry room of

the newborn baby's mother. The

drums were zink basins and

buckets whose covers also

made ouite a noise. The bass

was a basin with a bamboo rod

punched through it and with a

steel cord completing the instrument."

"Sometimes, it would get a

little wild," Mr. Hedes adds, "but

the hotel usually put up with the

most strange behaviour of the

crazy Danes. Like the story of

the tall Dane, who lelt pity on a

horse in the street and dragged

it into the bar. The story doesn't

say whether the horse was properly

served with a beer or two,

though."

A famous Danish athlete

was about that time among the

regulars. Late at night, he would

frequently be challenged to

show whether he was still in full

charge of his faculties.

"So to prove himself, he

would oedorm a one hand stand

on the bar desk, drinking his

beer upside down, to large

I

I

t6

cheers of the crowd!"

Today, with the overwhelming

number of four and five star

hotels in Bangkok - and with the

moving of the EAC Headquarters

from the river bank to the

Lumpini Tower on bustling Rama

4 Road - the Oriental is not as

often frequented by the Danes

as in the old days. Still, tradition

demands that the major Scandinavian

Golf tournament. Ammundsen

Memorial Cup, named

afterthe late Dr. EinarAmmundsen,

starts with breakfast at the

Bamboo Bar.

And for years, The Oriental

has been the only decent place

for the Scandinavian Society

Siam to hold its Annual Ball -

although this has not been the

case for some of the Annual

Balls held in recent years.

The Danish claim to The Oriental

is supported by the mystery

shrouding its exact year of

founding. Nobody knows exactly,

when the hotel was actually

built. We do know, however,

that it was destroyed in a fire in

1865. And we also know that by

1878 the owner was C. Salje -

a Danish captain - and the Manager

a fellow Dane, H. Jarck,

who - now we are, however,

guessing - had possibly taken

over the hotel in 1863 after a

Captain James White, named as

the owner of "a hotel on the

banks of the rivei', who drowned

while crossing the river in 1863.

And in the 1890's, Louis T.

Leonowens insisted, that he remembered

the hotel right there

on the bank of the river when in

1862 he arrived as a young boy

with his mother - Anna Leonowens,

famous from "The King

and 1".

There is, however, no doubt

that The Oriental's road to its

current prominence started from

the day when EAC founder, H.N.

Andersen - technically together

with the likewise Danish co-owners

of his company, PeterAndersen

and Frederick Knich - took

over the hotel in 1 981 . lt was his

vision, that The Oriental should

be the first luxury hotel of international

standard in Thailand,

which set off the legend as we

know it today.

In 1885, H.N. Andersen commissioned

the ltalian architect S.

cardu to build the first brick

building of the hotel, the Authors

Lounge, as it is known today.

The grand opening forthis building

was held on 19 May 1887.

"Never had such riches been

seen in Bangkok outside the Palace,"

writes Andreas Augustin

and Andrew Willamson in their

book'The Oriental Bangkok".

"Cardu had created the most

elegant public dining-room in

Bangkok. Carpets covered the

hallways, there was artistic wallpaper

with the latest designs

from Paris and the nineteen bedrooms

on the second floor were

furnished with mahogany rattan."

"The epitome of elegance

was the private blue drawingroom

with a bedroom (No 1) en

suite. Today it would be the

Presidential Suite. The inventory

list includes sofas, armchairs, a

conference table with six chairs,

a table clock, flower stands,

paintings, a crystal chandelier,

blue silk curtains with holders

and mosquito curtains over the

beds."

H.N Andersen also installed

a French hotel manager, George

Troisoefs, to realise his vision.

His first major function was a

banquet in honour of Queen

Victoria's Golden Jubilee, which

was eventually so lavishly performed

that both expatriates and

the highest ranks of the Siamese

society from that day on declared

The Orientalthe place for

important parties.

From that day travellers and

lournalist did not stop talking

about The Oriental. Rarely was

a letter sent without mentioning

of the elegant and comfortable

hotel.

'There is only one hotel, the

"Oriental", now existing in Bangkok,

wrote Nonrvegian Carl Bock

about his visit in 1884.

In 1890, the first electric light

generating system was installed

in Bangkok, serving the Royal

Palace. The Oriental had electric

light from April 1891 - supplied

from the Siam Electric Light

Company under, ofcourse, Danish

management.

The Danish days of The Oriental

otficially ended in 1893,

when H.N. Andersen and coowners

sold the hotel to the

Bangkok based American

Franklin Hurst. But from the evidence

above, it is clear that - at

least to the Danes - The Oriental

remained very much'thei/'

hotel for the next one hundred

years - and probably will remain

so for the next hundred years to

come.

Until six years ago,

Iter Troelsen was

a Danish music

artist on the top of

his international

career. Today he is

well on his way in

his new career as a

Buddhist monk in

Thailand.

Phra Baitika Walter

confirms that it is

possible for him to see

both into his past lives

andfuture lives during

meditation, but he calls

this

"merely a bi-product, a

side benefit".

"One shouldn't pay

too much attention to it.

I cannot talk more

about it because it is in

violation of our rules."

Text and photo:

Gregers M4ller

clipping from a Thai

newspaper had for

weeks been lying on

my desk. lt was about a Thai

monk who had some unusual

ideas. For me, the most unusual

thing seemed to be that he was

from Denmark.

I had tried without much success

to find the telephone number

to the temple, where he was

supposed to live, when I finally

one Sunday morning decided to

simply drive out to Damnern

Saduak in Rachaburi orovince to

try to look him up at the temple

mentioned in the article. lf he

was not there, at least I would

get the right number - and then

I could see the famous floating

market in Damnern Saduak on

my way back.

Walking up the stairs to the

temple, I spotted him immediately.

He was sitting in his bright

saffron coloured monk robe in an

armchair of solid teak wood in

the middle of the spacious room

offering guidance.to the Thai

visitors who came to pay their

respects to the Buddha statue

next to him.

"You must be Walter from

Denmark," I said and shook his

hand.

"Yes," he said. For a split

second I guess we both thought

about the cultural faux oas I had

committed in shaking hands with

a Thai monk. Then I introduced

myself and asked if he would

mind if I interviewed him.

"Not at all." he said. seemingly

not a bit surprised that I

was speaking to him in Danish.

I was prepared to sit on the

floor in front of him, but he suggested

we moved to one corner

of the room where I could sit

more comfortably on a chair.

A clue from the Thai article

about Phra Baitika Walter being

originally a classical pianist gave

me a starting point for the interview.

My guess was that he had

probably been a professor

teaching music to high-school

students back in Denmark before

taking an early retirement.

"Oh, no," he laughs.

"l haven't lived in Denmark

since I was about 23 years old!"

Over the next few minutes,

Phra Baitika Walter turns out to

be in fact the internationally successful

celebrity Walter Troelsen,

who for well over thirty

years appeared on stages and

in TV shows as a composer,

singer, songwriter and pianist in

a range of countries around the

world.

When he left Denmark almost

forty years ago, his first

wife had recently died very

young. She was the Danish musician

Else Bronley, known

widely at the time as "The Girl

with the Golden Trumpet". Walter

Troelsen had mainly worked

behind the scene as her composer

and manager. Leaving

Denmark, he set out to build up

his own career as a stage performing

artist.

From his background in classical

music he developed a distinct

style composing more light

music, which was more easily

appreciated, singing songs for

which he had often written the

lyrics himself. He was especially

successful in the Middle East

and for eleven years he lived in

Abu Dhabi in Dubai.

During this time, he also performed

in many other countries

and among others recorded an

album in Philadelohia in the

United States, which remained

for a long time on the top chart

in several countries in the Middle

East.

Taking his music to South

East Asia, Walter Troelsen

worked in Indonesia for two

years. During this time, he had

among others his own regular

TV show. From there he moved

to Singapore, where he worked

for another year. Another year he

spent in Hong Kong.

"l have studied 43 languages

so it used to be one of the characteristics

of my show, that I

would soeak to the audience in

all the languages, which I was

aware was present."

Since his first contact with

Thai Buddhism, Walter Troelsen

developed an increasing urge to

try - even if it was only for a year

- to be a monk in Thailand. Finally

he insisted that his agent

should give him a full sabbatical

year without any engagements.

"My agent was certainly not

too happy about it, so to ensure

my return he had lined up a full

busy schedule from the day, I

stepped out of the Thai monastery,"

Phra Baitika Walter recalls

with a chuckle.

Walter Troelsen dutifully fulfilled

all the contracts his agent

had lined up, but his heart was

simply no longer in it.

"l told myself that "the show

must go on". But my mind was

already made up - | was going

18

to return to Thailand to be ordained

as a monk."

To fully enter the Thai Buddhist

monk hood - or Sangha -

Walter Troelsen first had to be

able to speak. read and write

Thai fluently, so he first moved

to Bangkok to study Thai language

at AUA. Here, after only

one year. he passed the examination

equivalent to six years of

primary school in Thailand held

every year by the Ministry of

Education.

Next he went on a pilgrimage

to India to pay his respect

to the four most holy places,

where The Lord Buddha was

born, enlightened, held his first

sermon and passed away. From

here, he continued around the

world to say good-bye to frlends

and tie up all loose ends in his

previous life. Among others he

had to part with his second wife,

a British woman whom he had

married ten years earlier.

Finally he held a last Farewell

Concert in Lanzarote, on the

Grand Canary lsland, where an

impressive number of devoted

fans joined him from a range of

countries. Then he returned to

Wat Luang Phor Sodh where he

ordained as a monk on May 30,

2541 with the full name Phra

Baitika Walter Uttamapanyo.

Studying hard to advance in

the ranks of Thai Buddhist

Sangha, he passed three years

ago the final Nak Tham 2 exam.

Currently, he is pursuing more

advanced studies in Pali, the

ancient language in which the

teachings The Lord Buddha

were written down. lf in another

three years he will pass this advanced

examination, Phra Baitika

Walter will possibly be the

first foreigner to obtain the high

rank of Phra Maha in the Thai

Buddhist order.

At Wat Luang Phor Sodh,

Phra Baitika Walter is today the

assistant to the abbot of Wat

Luang Phor Sodh but also participates

in all general activities

of the monks in the temple.

"ln the morning, I walk

around in the villages near the

temole as we all do to offer the

local people the opportunity to

give us food and,thereby do

merit and if we are asked to go

to bless a wedding in a home or

the opening of a company, I participate

as well," he says.

Phra Baitika Walter often explains

to the people on these

occasions and when people

come to see him at the temple,

how privileged they should perceive

themselves.

"ln the first place, to be born

a human is the greatest privilege.

Most people will not be reborn

a human being. I would

estimate that of all the people living

in our modern world today,

at most only about five percent

will be a human being in their

next life. To be one in this life is

a huge chance wasted if you do

not advance in insight and wisdom."

"Secondly, I point out to them

how fortunate they are to be

born in Thailand in close contact

with Buddhism. "Look at me," I

tell them, using myself as an

example. "l had to take a detour

of forty years! You are born with

the opportunity to take this

chance f rom childhood!".

Trying to contribute to the

Thai society, Wat Por Luang Sod

also offers an extensive teaching

program in meditation technique.

Twice a year retreats from

May 1-14 and December 1-14

are organized. During the May

retreat, 300-400 monks and novices

and approximately the

same number of lay people and

nuns attend the course. During

the December retreat there are

usually 400-600 monks and novices

and a similar number of laity

and nuns present. Teams of

officers from the Royal Thai

Armed Forces and the Royal

Thai Police are frequent pafiicipants

in these retreats.

About what the future activities,

he would like to undertake,

Phra Baitika Walter says building

on his present and past

strength comes natural. Recently,

he has for instance become

the webmaster of the

website of the temple. which is

in Thai as well as in English.

"l hooe to be able to contribute

by teaching foreigners - possibly

in English as my Danish

has becoming somewhat rusty

overthe years. There is cedainly

a great need for this."

One of the major merits of

Phra Baitika Walter is the English

language version of the

fascinating website of the temple

found on

Anyone interested will here find

very precise guidance on how to

meditate following the technique

of Vijja Dhammakaya.

Ifyou are a shareholder in a Thai company, you can

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t9

t

The Danish-Thai rock

musician Peter Gorp

Dyrendal is unknown in

his home country

Denmark - but cannot

walk in peace in the

streets of his second

home country, Thailand.

Text and photos:

Lasse NPrgaard

e is a singer and his albums

sell more than

most Danish musicians

could ever dream of. He is also

a model, an actor, and a restaurateur

- and every year he is on

the list of the ten most sexy men

in the country.

One year he was even Number

One on the list.

Peter Corp Dyrendal's first

album "Peter" sold more than

800.000 copies - not counting

the pirate copies. lf they were to

be included, the copies would

likely exceed one million.

His next two albums sold

fewer copies but by then Peter

was already famous and everybody

knew they would be able

to buy pirate copies within hours

of their release. At the time of this

interuieq he was finalizing his

fourth album and busy recording

music videos for most of the

tracks.

But Peter is not only in focus

when he is releasing new

albums. The 26-yearold Danish-

Thai singer is a frequently used

model and he also plays the role

of a Thai-New Zealand kayak

instructor in one of Thailand's

popular TV soap operas. Frequently,

details from his private

life are reported by the Thai

newspapers and teenage magazrnes.

Because of his fame, he is

literally not able to walk in the

streets of Thailand without being

recognized. He has become

used to it and sqems to handle

groups of shy teenage girls, curious

journalists and demanding

PR agents in a relaxed Danish

down{o-earth kind of way.

"The life I am leading here is

rather hectic.. . To be well-known

20

here is very much different from

my life back in Denmark and initially

it was difficult for me to get

used to. The press writes everything

that happens even in your

private life. But if you take it easy,

it's no big deal," he says.

"But you are unknown in

Denmark How does it feel to get

so much attention here and then

being ab/e to walk about in

Copenhagen wrthout anybody

recognrsing you - is it nice or

does it giue you schZophrenn?

"lt is very, very nice. I really

enjoy it. But I miss Denmark in

the summedime. I haven't been

home for several summers -

only for Christmas.

"Discovered" on Koh Samui

Peter Corp Dyrendal is "Luk

krueng", that is half-Thai hali

Danish. His mother is Thai and

his father is Danish. He grew up

in lshoj, a Copenhagen suburb.

Both parents are working with

airlines so both Peter and his

brother was often able to visit

their grandparents and friends in

Thailand.

Nine years ago, he was "discovered"

during a vacation on

Koh Samui, where he was playing

his guitar and singing together

with some friends. The

editor of one of the magazines,

forwhich he did some modelling,

liked his voice and asked him

why he didn't become a singer?

"Oh yeah, me a singer! |

thought and went back to Denmark,"

Peter recalls.

"But next year he asked me

again what I had done about it

and encouraged me to go for an

audition with a record company.

Finally I did - and shorlly after

they went bankrupt..." Peter

laughs.

"But some of the staff told,

however, to try again - this time

with the bigger record company

Grammy. Here, they also liked it

and shortly after we started

working on my first album.

Sex symbol

Peter is still with Grammy where

he works with some of the best

producers, managers and PR

people in Thailand. But he has

maintained the final word as to

how his music - and he himself

should be marketed.

-

Only when driving

around on his big black

Suzuki wearing his

black helmet can Peter

Corp Dyrendal remain

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Pop star Peter Corp warning of the high alcohol con- Black Vikings are easy to

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ter is one of the 10-odd share- For Peter, the drink also

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ter explains.

But as the other owners are all with all the other drinks." he

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21

*

IN

Kannikar and lb

Ottesen in October

2OO2 opened their

dream project,

Jomtien Boathouse, a

small hotel directly on

Jomtien Beach facinE

the ocean.

By Gregers MPller

P hot o s : D israp o rn Yatp rom

he Danish "old hand" lb

Ottesen and his lovely

wife, Kannikar, on Sunday

13 October inaugurated

their latest impressive achievement,

Jomtien Boathouse, a

high quality hotel and restaurant

on Jomtien Beach Road directly

overlooking the sea.

The opening also marked

the 50th year Birthday of the

rock-solid Dane, whose integrity

and good name in Thailand

makes up for all knee-jerk remarks,

that resident foreigners

in Pattaya are all dubious characlers.

While the restaurant is now

open for business, the hotel is

scheduled to open on 1st November.

Half the rooms on all floors

will have a balcony facing the

beach directly with a splendid

view looking out over the Gulf of

Thailand. Still, the pricing is a

moderate 1,200 Baht per night

for these rooms and 1,000 Baht

for rooms on the opposite side

of the building.

Apart from being a dream

come true, Jomtien Boathouse

reDresents also a serious investment

of a total of 39 mill. Baht,

lb Ottesen exolains.

The opening speech of the

night was meant to be held by

the Danish Ambassadorto Thailand.

But as the Bali bomb had

just sent the Danish Ministry for

Foreign Affairs into frenzy, this

task was taken over by Peter

Malhotra, the publisher of Pattaya

Mail, and Poul Weber, both

long time friends of Kannikar and

lb Ottesen.

Peter Malhotra recalled in

colourful terms the adventurous

life of lb Ottesen, which some

years ago was also published in

Pattaya Mail. lt tells the story of

a young Danish sailor, who

signed off when his ship was

anchored outside Klongtoey

harbour and instead went about

playing his guitar in bars in

Patpong for 200 Baht per night.

From these humble beginnings,

lb Ottesen moved forward.

His first major business

ooeration was the successful

Mermaids Rest in Sukhumvit Soi

8, a small hotel and restaurant

serving among others Danish

food.

In the early 1990's, lb Ottesen

- who had in the meantime

found Kannikar, the woman of

his life - decided, however, to sell

22

I

the Mermaid Rest in Bangkok.

This was before the bust of the

Asian economies, and with the

orofit from the sale lb and

Kannikar moved to Jomtien

Beach to open a new hotel, likewise

called Mermaid. Next to the

hotel, Kannikaropened a clothes

and souvenir shop - and the

hotel was at the same time located

next to the Mermaid Dive

shop, of which lb and Kannikar

holds a majority share. Diving

still today remains lb Ottesen's

favourite soorts.

Happy, but still not quite having

realised their ultimate dream,

lb Ottesen a few years later sold

his shares in the hotel and instead

established his own restaurant

Captains Corner on the

road connecting Pattaya and

Jomtien and behind it build the

Residence Suites with furnished

apartments.

Two years ago, lb and Kannikar

celebrated the expansion

of this place with a new wing

called the Residence Garden,

an allsuite hotelbuilding with 40

units where oroof of Kannikar's

talent as an interior decorator

was fully demonstrated.

"We were many who thought

the Residence Garden was lb

and Kannikar's ultimate achievement.

Then we suddenly heard

about this new project," Peter

Malhotra said.

'When lasked him, whatthis

news was all about, he simply

said: "This is my dream - my

own hotel directly on the Jomtien

Beach front!""

The attempt to schedule the

opening of Jomtien Boathouse

with lb Ottesen's 50 year bifthday

had not been easy. The interior

decoration in the favourite

maritime style of lb Ottesen had

to be maintained with top quality

materials both throughout the

restaurant on the ground floor

and the hotel rooms upstairs.

Being both perfectionists, Kannikar

and lb Ottesen had been

working day and night for the

past several months getting all

the details right.

"Even last night, Kannikar

was still working on the light fixtures,"

Peter Malhotra revealed.

Later, when Kannikar had

delivered only a short welcome

soeech to all the friends of the

couple, who had come to celebrate

the opening and lb's birthday

party, lb took the microphone

and teasingly suggested,

that Kannikar had lost her voice

screaming at him for the past

several weeks about how impossible

it was to open so soon.

Cutting the ribbon together

with several of their friends, lb

and Kannikar were joined by four

of their five children, Panida (1 8),

who had just graduated from

Nyborg boarding school in Denmark

and come to Thailand to

work at the hotel with plans later

to study hotel management in

Australia, Nantida (12), who performed

a gracious Thai dance

for her celebrated father, Svend

(11) in a flashing white Elvis

Presley-style jumpsuit and little

Nong Ploy (5) the couple's

youngest offspring. Only lb's oldest

son, Allan (20), back in Denmark,

had not been able to make

it for the party.

23

Erik Winther and Steffen

Ingemann cutting the

birthday cake.

J, ld' I r rdg,l

Stable celebrated

10 Year Anniversary

he Stable Lodge Saturday

19 October celebrated

its 10 Year Anniversary

with a high turn-out of

well-wishers who enjoyed the

big B.B.Q around the pool with

lots of cold beers.

A reception was held from 6

-7 p.m. When all had arrived, Mr.

Erik Winther took over the stage

from two singers from Check Inn

99 - who just a few days before

had celebrated its own 10 vear

anniversary - to bid everybody

welcome. Together, the guests

cheered the Stable with a Danish

version of "Happy Birthday"

called "l dag er det Staldens Fo

dselsdag".

Steffen Ingemann and Erik

Winther proceeded to cut the

giant birthday cake while third

co-owner Jorgen Lundbek was

busy taking photos.

And as the stomachs got

filled with the delicious buffet and

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the sound level rose, the traditional

complaint from an unknown

apartment across the

road saw the traditional two police

constables arrive from the

nearby police station for their

likewise traditional birthday

drink.

gm

dancham.or.th

improved

The website of the Danish Thai

Chamber of Commerce has

been given a graphic overhaul.

At the same time, improvements

in its functionality has been

imolemented.

The website has enhanced

its position as the favourite startup

page for chamber members

with a comprehensive calender

which covers also all other Scandinavian

events in Thailand in

cooperation with the Scandinavian

Society Siam.

To set dancham,or.th as the

start-up page, simply go to the

site and click on the button.

Web links

ruled illegal

A Danish court has ordered an

Internet news service to stop

linking to articles published on

the web sites of 20 Danish newspapers.

Newsbooster.com published

short version of news published

by the dailies with links to the full

articles on the newspapers'

websites. This, the couft said,

was in direct competition with

the newspapers and that the

links it provided to the news articles

damaged the value of the

newspapers' advertisements.

Newsbooster.com was getting

increasingly popular because

it linked users to specific

pages on the Internet ratherthan

to a site's home page. Newsbooster

also had a paid service,

where users would automatically

receive links by e-mail.

Newsbooster has appealed

the ruling, saying that the court

order is a challenge to the World

Wide Web's fundamental orinciple

of linking. Requiring permission

before linking to other

pages on the Internet could jeopardize

just about every site and

search engine on the Internet.

24

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25

Santa and singing,

Youletide for the young,

Danish delights and sooo much more to bring

you the spririt of Christmas.

It 5 all available on

Sunddy, Nov. 24

11 am- 4 pm

when

'Margrethe Klubben -Danish Women 5 Network'l

in cooperation with Denmark- s embassy hosts its

annual bazaar

in the n*lT$,'fii:lfl L:::::

Embassv'

Sathorn Tai, Bangkok

Admission is only 5O Baht for kids and 1OO for

adults,

But bring lots of money -wonderful

price range are available,

as are riveting raffle prizes.

All proceeds go to social projects in Thailand.

wares in any

26

Sri rita Jensen

- Danish 'Luk Krueng' with a Thai heart

Beautiful 2X year old Sririta Jensen is a new

Thai-Danish star in Thailand.

By Patcharee Lae-ya

"I guess there is not

much drama to write

about my private \ift.."

ririta Jensen, the leading

actress in the recently

released Thai movie

"999-9999 Dat Dor Dai" (Dial

999-9999 to Die), is half

Danish - half Thai, but her

heart is with her Thai teenage

audience which she

hopes will get the message

of the film.

The movie is about a

Thai teenage girl as she

slips down the fast lane.

She is greedy for expensive

status svmbols and curious

about everything bad, the

more dangerous the better,

seeking her extreme limits.

On the surface, the movie

offers a lot of fun and excitement,

but there is a more to it.

"Thai teenagers are being

more and more materialistic.

They will do anything just to get

something expensive with a

brand name, like an expensive

watch or something. Some students

don't mind being a Prostitute

just to have a new mobile

phone to show their friends,"

Sririta says.

"This is the situation of manY

Thai teenagers today. They don'

t care if something is dangerous

or wrong, they just want to try

something new and feel the excitement

of the adventure in their

life," she adds.

"Everybody have their

dreams. This movie just warns

the teenagers to do the right

thing, walk into the right directions.

For instance, if you want

to be a superstar and you try to

get there by sleeping with anYone

who could make your dream

come true, it's not the right thing

to do. Where is your dignity?"

Sririta feels being a Luk

Krueng is a benefit for her.

"l am happy to have grown

up with both the Thai and the

Danish culture. I try to include

the all the best elements from

the Thai culture with the best

from the foreign culture. For instance,

I don't care much about

fashion. Foreigners don't show

u'l ould rather not

have any friends

than have a friend

iust because he

driues a B "

off so much, using brand names

to boost their self confidence. lf

I have money I will not buy a

Rolex - that is the materialistic

element in the Thai culture,

which I don't like," she says.

"So many Thai evaluate

people more from what theY

have to show off. For the foreigner,

if you have something

good then you can show it, but

you have no need to shown how

rich you are because you feel

you are much more important

than your expensive car. For

some Thai girls, if a guy drives a

BMW then they want to be Your

friend, but for me, I would rather

not have any friends than have

a friend just because he drives

a BMW," Sririta says.

"The most impoftant thing, I

like in the Thai culture, is the

value of the family. This is one

thing, we should never change."

Currently, Sirita Jensen is

working on two television series.

In "Kor Wah Ja Mai Rak" (Don't

Want to Love You) she is acting

with Kong Saharat and in "Tae

Deth Khun Kru" (Cool Teacher)

she plays with Tang Sucksit.

Both drama series are scheduled

for next year.

"l don't have much exPerience

in acting compared to

some of the more well-known

Thai actresses, but I try to select

my jobs carefully. lf I don't

like it then I will not take it," says

Sririta.

"l never think of myself

asasuperstar. lam

just a normal girl having

a chance to work

as an actress while

studying at the same

time," she says.

Currently, Sririta has

one year left before

she expects to graduate

in Information with

maior in Public Rela-

tions.

"l would like to continue in

Marketing, then some day have

my own business," she says.

How about love?

"l am happy to be loved and

to love. I am happy when I am

with my friends, family, my Parent

- | can not live without their

love."

"For me, love doesn't only

mean having a boyfriend. I am

not in a rush. I am a teenager

like anyone else. I hope one daY

if lwill find the one, but right now

I am too young for that. I also

have so many different things to

do - | am not seriously ready for

that kind of love," she says.

"l guess there is not much

drama to write about my private

life.."

27

Aud Kamilla Sivertsen and Terie

Gilleshammer will for one year assist

Executiye Director John Svengren at the ffice

of the Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce.

Two Trainees

at the Chamber

he Thai-Scandinavian

Chamber's off ice in

Bangkok was in September

reinforced with two Nonruegian

post-graduate students,

Aud Kamilla Sivertsen and Terje

Gilleshammer, who will work at

the Chamber for one full year.

Sharing the work at the Chambers'

office, Kamilla will be handling

the media of the Chambers,

both digital and printed, as

well as working with the program

activities of each chamber. Terje

will instead handle memberships,

including visiting of new

members, and attend the Board

Meetings where he will among

others be taking Minutes.

Like their predecessor, Niels

Lauritzen from Denmark, the two

volunteers are financed not f rom

the Chambers' office but from

various institutions in Norway.

Neither of them has very specific

expectations as to what the

experience at the Chambers'

office will bring.

"We are here to learn. We

should not create too high expectations

while on the other

hand I hope the expectations will

be high enough for us to stretch

ourselves to live up to them,"

Terje says.

Kamilla adds, that not least

the interaction within the office

is in itself a challenge.

"lt is a challenge for an office

as small as this suddenly to grow

from three people to five. Now

we can share the workload between

us, organize the tasks

more, which has not been possible

before."

This is a point of view shared

by the Chambers' Executive Director

John Svengren. ...."We

have a different situation here,

than we had with Niels Lauritzen,

because we have now

two trainees here, which should

enable us to take the Chambers

a bit further than during his internship,"

John Svengren says,

adding that although it is of

course a benefit that the two

work for the Chamber without

pay, this is not the main point.

"The level of ambition in the

three Chambers is constantly

rising and we have to cope with

this together. The three websites

will all become much more active,

we have an interesting development

with our printed media,

where a lot of efforts are

needed, we are looking to improve

the program activities in

all three Chambers and we are

looking at the membership area

- both in terms of servicing our

current members and provide

meaningful substance in being

a member as well as in terms of

being more pro-active in identifying

and approaching new

members," he says.

"lt is a good opportunity and

a very positive development for

the Chambers!"

Gregers Mol/er

Danfoss' Klaus Stove back in Bangkok

Klaus Stave, formerly Danfoss

Thailand, has as of 1 November

2002 been relocated back

to Bangkok after 6 years in Manila,

The Philippines. In his

new capacity, Klaus Stove will

be the Area Manager for the Industrial

market (Drives and

Flow) in the Asia Pacific Regton.

"l could basically choose

any country in the region. However,

as Thailand offers convenient

flight connections to the

Asia Pacific, the choice was

obvious. Besides, the fantas-

tic Thai food did also have a

little say......" says the 37 year

old Klaus Stsve, whom friends

may contact at 02 279-9800 or

at stove@danfoss.com.

Klaus Stove moved to Manila,

in 1996 after4 years in

Thailand togetherwith his wife

Thiamchan (Kob). In the Philippines,

he established Danfoss

and held the oosition as General

Manager.

Danfoss has for the oast 6

years enjoyed a nice growth

with increased market share

on all areas in the Asia Pacific

region. The future looks very

promising with the launch of

new products and concepts

and Danfoss will be able to target

new business areas. Special

focus will be given to the

food & beverage, textile and

automotive sector, where Danfoss

can help to increase the

production efficiency and save

energy, Klaus Stove says.

Gregers Mo//er

New Head of

Consular

Affairs

Mr. Ulrik Holt Sorensen took uo

his new position as Head of the

Consular Section at the Royal

Danish Embassy, Bangkok on

September 1,2002. He succeeds

Tove Wihlborg Andersen,

who left by the end of July. Full

srory..

On September 19, Mr. Ulrik

Holt Sorensen met some of the

resident Danes at the DTCC

Networking Evening at the Admiral

Pub & Restaurant. And a

few hours later he met the Swedish

Minister Mr. Ulf Claesson as

well as his Swedish colleague

Mr. Stellan Berg - likewise new

in town - at the traditional monthly

Men's Peasoup Evening at the

Scandinavian Church.

Mr Sorensen has previously

been posted 10 years in Africa,

8 years in Singapore. Since that

he has been oosted to Frankfurt

as well as to Berlin, Thimphu,

Moscow, Sarajevo and Guangzhou

on shorter missions. Returning

to Asia, specifically

Bangkok, was an active choice.

gm

28

I

I

Enjoy the discount tlll

Sunday the 8th of December 2002

Mi':.--inrr

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Exclusive handknotted caroet dealer

4/1 Sukhumvit Soi 47 Banskok 101 10

Tel: 662-260-3372 Fax 662-26o-337 3 E-mail: carpetgalleria@hotmail.com

Mobile: Mr Malik Munir 09- 17 2-777 4 & Mr. Akif 09- 120-0786

l'tDlltAUlA?

Free Lunch for DTCC Members

The Christmas Lunch on Wednesday

4 December of Danish-

Thai Chamber of Commerce will

this year formally mark the 10

YearAnniversary of the Danish-

Thai Chamberof Commerce. On

this occasion, the DTCC invites

all its members for a free Christmas

lunchl

The lunch will be held at the

Admiral Pub and Restaurant on

Sukhumvit Soi 18 staring at

14:30 - ending most likely on the

terrace outside the restaurant

later in the evening. Wednesday

4 December is the day before

the birthday of H.M. King

Bhumibol Adulyadej making it

possible to wake up late the next

mornrng.

Fessor's Big City Band in Bangkok

The Danish jazzband, Fessor's

Big City Band, will pedorm for

one week in Bangkok during the

Scandinavian Week, "Simply

Scandinavian" at the Shangri-La

Hotel from 25 November till 30

November 2002.

The event, which the organizer

Hans Wetterberg from

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia hopes

will become a yearly tradition,

will be opened jointly by the Danish,

Finnish, Nonruegian & Swedish

Ambassadors in the evening

of the 25 November.

The week offers all Scandinavian

in Bangkok a chance to

invite family or business friends

to a genuine Nordic experience.

Apafi from the Danish jazzband,

the week will feature a Master

Chef from Finland Mr. Ulf

Danielsson and the wondedul

Singer from Sweden Ms. Anna

Sise. On the opening night, the

Noruvegian tenor Sigve Vidnes

will be accompanied by the Norwegian

Solveig Johannesens at

the piano.

Mr. Ulf Danielsson will prepare

a complete Scandinavian

Christmas Table land style as

it is served in Mariehamn, Restaurant

FP von Knorring. But at

a price which, even if it is airflown

to Bangkok, will not cost more

than TBT 936.00 net, excl. beverages

- much less than what a

meal of this standard would cost

anywhere in Scandinavia.

The Scandinavian Week in

Bangkok is supported by Finnair,

Shangri-La hotel, Bangkok,

Svenska Handelsbanken &

Volvo.

gm

Danish-Thai Chamber of

Commerce welcomes the

following new members of

the Chamber:

Corporate member:

Protector Nutrition (Thailand)

Ltd.

1 7 Soi 8. Saeree 7, New Rama

9 Rd., Suanluang, Bangkok

1 0250

Tel:02 7183728-31

Fax: 02 7189723

Mr.Suchart Thanakiatkai

Managing Director

Mr.Thanawat Dusadeewiiai

Assistant Manager

lndividual members:

Mr. Moften Halfdan Petersen

ETA (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

439 Bang Phli Industrial Estate

ll, Moo 17 Bang Sao Thong

Samutprakarn 10540

Tel:02 315 3400-6,

Fax:02 315 3160

Mr. Prapat Chirasiritham

Prestdent

H.H.K. Intenrade Co., Ltd.

69/10 Moo 7, Soi Thongpan 1

Thakham Rd., Bangkhuntien

Bangkok 10150

Tel: 02-895 7200

Fax: 02-895 7206

Mr. Kristian Strand

Account Director

Nokia (Thailand) Ltd.

108 Bangkok Thai Tower

Rangnam Rd., Rajtivee

Bangkok 10400

fel: O2-6427020

Fax:02-248 8259

Mr. Peer Norsell

Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa

33 Naresdamri Rd.

Prachuabkhirikan

Hua Hin 77110, Thailand

Tel: 032 51 2 888 Fax: 032 51 1

136

I

BECOME AMEMBER OF THE

DANISH-THAI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

Contact Name:

Company name:

Address:

Telephone:

Fax:

Fill in this coupon to receitte further information and a full application form for membership

30

Mail or fax the coupon to:


140212l4th Fl., Glas Haus

I Sukhumvit 25 Road, North Klongtoey,

Wattana, Bangkok l0l l0

Tel.:(66) 026617762

Fax: (66) 0 2661 7764-5

E-mail contact@dancham.or.th

| ,l ir / !!

-J

-) -J

f:'.l : e'l

'-11'

Michoel Moriegaord

Ziirich

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Thai-Danish Trade News - November 2002

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