Many of these medical tourists speak little or no English or Thai and so many leading private hospitals provide interpreters to ensure that doctors, nurses and patients can communicate and thus avoid linguistic misunderstandings.

Referred to variously as cultural liaison officers or service centre staff, the interpreters provide invaluable services to patients and medical practitioners alike. An ability for patients and healthcare professionals to communicate is fundamentally important to the safety and comfort of the patient during care, so interpreters are on hand to assist patients at each step from admission, examination, consultation, treatment procedures, and more.

Top-ranked private hospitals like Bumrungrad, Bangkok Hospital and Samitivej, all of which are popular with foreign patients, provide interpreters in several languages including Arabic, Bengali, Myanmar, Khmer and Japanese. Their duties vary according to hospital policy and the management system but all are able to ensure direct communication between the provider and patient by interpreting each expressed concept thoroughly and accurately in the language of the listener.

Kyawt Andra Swe has been working as Myanmar interpreter at Bumrungrad Hospital since 2008. Now manager of Myanmar Patient Liaison, Andra says that 28 Myanmar interpreters are on hand to deal with an average of 380 cases per day. The high and ever-increasing demand for Myanmar interpreters is being met, in part, by the rise in Myanmar natives coming to study at Thai universities, especially those near the border like Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai.

Bumrungrad currently provides interpreters in 17 languages, with Myanmar coming in second place after Arabic.

Andra, 41, enjoys the work but admits that the going can be tough, especially when it involves medical terms. She moved to Thailand with her family at the age of five so has no problem understanding the doctors but says it took a while to get up to speed with the medical terms used in the Myanmar language.

“It was arduous at first because I grew up in Thailand but I worked hard to widen my knowledge of the Myanmar tongue. Today, it’s fine and I love working here and am very happy to be able to help patients through their tough time in hospital,” says Andra, adding that she learned a lot from the workshops and courses for interpreters organised by the hospital for the staff.

“But we still don’t have enough people on our team. We deal on average with about 380 Myanmar patients and are forced to use the tele-translator to ease the burden. Even when we are off duty, we remain on call and are ready to receive calls from consultants and help them online too,” says Andra.

“We provide our service from the moment the patient walks into the hospital. Aside from accompanying them when they meet with the doctors, we also help them when they need to find a hotel to stay or when they go outside. The hospital provides an agency to accommodate them when they are in need,” says Andra.

At Bangkok Hospital, patients from Cambodia are also increasing even though the medical facility now has a hospital in Phnom Penh. Many Cambodian say they choose to come to Bangkok because they want to see the doctors whose names have become famous in their country.

started working as a translator at Bangkok Hospital in 2011 and says that while Cambodian patients are fewer in number than those from other countries, the doctors still see some 30 to 40 cases every day. There are now has eight interpreters on standby, though as some patients speak English, they don’t need a translator. “When we are on call, we assist them by providing interpretation,” says Nichadarintr. The hospital also provides an immigration counter and an interpreter to help them deal with embassies and hotels.Samitivej Hosptial Sukhumvit, meanwhile, is the main hospital for the Japanese. Located in an area that’s home to a large Japanese community and with long-time dealings with Japanese firms, the hospital introduced its Japanese language service in 1997 and recently opened a fully-fledged Japanese Hospital as part of its complex. This is now seeing some 200 babies born to Japanese parents every year and Samitivej is recognised as the biggest Japanese Hospital in Asia (outside Japan). It currently employs 30 full-time Japanese interpreters and 24 part-time staff. Thanks to its partnerships with hospitals in Japan, the hospital has also a small staff of Japanese doctors and nurses and currently handles between 300 and 400 cases per day.

Siriporn Singhajindawong the assistant department manager of the Japanese Service Centre and her colleague Piyawadee Artnonla have been working with Japanese patients for years. Siriporn was a nurse at a public hospital before landing a one-year scholarship to study in Japan, where she perfected not just her language skills but also her understanding of the culture. “Interpreters also help provide a better understanding of a patient’s cultural background and how it may influence essential healthcare decisions. In Japanese culture, sometimes they don’t speak straightforwardly and thus sometimes Thai medical staff don’t understand what they are saying. We are careful not to interpret their intentions but focus on translating accurately and do not add our interpretation. We also tell the doctors that the (Japanese) patients want doctors to listen to them,” Siriporn explains.

In some situations such as when they have to wait, Japanese patients are disciplined and punctual, she continues. They want to know how long they have to wait and will respond by waiting quietly. They do however become upset if they are kept waiting for too long and nobody explains to them what is happened. Myanmar and Cambodian nationals on the other hand, simply sit and wait.

In all cases though, overseas patients become upset at communication misunderstandings, both verbal and non-verbal. Getting it right on all these occasions is important.

All the interpreters find the medical terms tough at first but say they learn and improve over time. The other difficult situation they face is dealing with grieving patients after a loss. Rotation between departments and units helps enhance their understanding and knowledge and also relieves stress.

“The work is tough and the explanations given by doctors to patients and their families are unique to each case. We try to keep our staff fresh by not keeping them on each department for longer than two days,” Andra says.

Even the health problems tend to vary by country. Most Myanmar patients at Bumrungrad come to consult for liver problems including hepatitis B or C and cancers while Cambodians mainly come for a check-up. For the Japanese people, it’s gastrointestinal disease.

Friendships are formed too. Andra became close to a Myanmar couple who had been trying to have a baby. The wife finally became pregnant and the three now return regularly to see their doctor at Bumrungrad. “The child is now seven years old and they are like family now,” she says.

Piyawadee too formed a relationship with an elderly Japan couple living in Thailand who came to Samitivej after the husband suffered a fall. “He was conscious for a few hours then slipped into death,” she recalls. Piyawadee helped the wife deal with the paperwork both at the hospital and the embassy and stayed beside her the whole time to provide support.

“She came back later with some baked goods she had made herself,” she says with a fond smile.

The firm was founded in 1990 by two friends from Marseille who were keen on decoration and design and turned their talents to the city’s famous natural soap, sold in cubes. The soap is made exclusively from vegetable oil and contains no artificial colouring or additives.

Compagnie de Provence began offering a liquid version of the soap made the traditional way in a cauldron using olive oil, sweet almond oil and grapeseed oil from local producers.

The scents are created in Grasse, which bills itself as “the fragrance capital of the world”.

The brand uses as many natural ingredients as possible and 90 per cent of its products contain 95 per cent ingredients of natural origin, contained in simple, 500ml lacquered-glass pump bottles that preserve quality and are reusable and recyclable.

Compagnie de Provence products include dermatologist-tested hand cream, body cream, scented candles and aroma diffusers.

Another Story carries three collections.

The Extra Pur Collection has travel-size Hand Cream with vegetable oils and honey oil, Liquid Marseille Soap, and lightly scented Body Cream in five scents – Sweet Almond, Wild Rose, Fresh Verbena, Cotton Flower and Olive Wood.

The Terra Collection of liquid soaps and hand creams come in seven fragrances emblematic of Provence – Green Olive, Lavender Field, Fig Leaf, Lemon Verbena, Linden Flower, Candied Orange and Rosewood. The hand cream is formulated with olive oil and free of paraben. And Linen Water can be sprayed directly over household linen or used on garments to make ironing easier, including delicate fabrics.

The Black and White Collection features an infusion of fragrant tea in soft and light Hand Cream with shea butter, olive oil and Vitamin E that’s non-greasy and quickly absorbed.

The “Pfizer Healthy Ageing Society”, programme successfully improved the physical and mental health of more than 90 per cent of the participants in Bangkok and Ubon Ratchathani and reduced risks associated with non-communicable diseases, according to a joint announcement from the Pfizer Thailand Foundation and Kenan Foundation Asia.

The programme also trained a workforce of 40 expertly trained 40 competent workforces or ‘change agents’ who went on to initiate 27 medium-sized development projects to benefit their communities.

The partners also announced their readiness to further collaborate with government agencies at the national level toward the adoption of the model project in order to build capacity and raise awareness on good health and financial security, reduce health-social-economic impacts, and promote sustainability toward entering a quality ageing society.

“After the project ends, we will work on the issue in other aspects by using the data from the project,” said Dr Nirutti Pradubyati, the medical director for Pfizer (Thailand) Limited.

Pfizer and Kenan worked together to develop the “Pfizer Healthy Aging Society”, a knowledge-based project aimed at developing a holistic healthcare approach for pre-senior and elderly citizens. The three-year project (2016–2019), was introduced under the concept “Good Physical Health, Strong Mental Health, and Adequate Savings”. It was rolled out in two key areas – Bangkok (Klong Toei district and Bang Khunthien district), and Ubon Ratchathani province (Muang district and Warin Chamrap district). The programme encompassed collaboration at the national and community levels, to enhance capabilities of pre-senior citizens (45-59 years old) in four primary target groups, including public health volunteers, teachers, public health professionals and officials at district offices.

The prime mission was to develop “change gents” through workshops and educational activities specifically designed to enhance knowledge and essential skills which related to physical health, mental health and financial security. The proactive programme had been driving a deep understanding of essential topics such as non-communicable diseases (NCDs), nutrition, mental health, financial literacy, a supportive environment for elderly citizens, welfare, and community analysis. In term of the outcome, the programme successfully promoted knowledge for 41 change agents, who became a competent workforce and constructively organised 27 development projects to promote sustainable health in their communities.

The programme also published 2,000 handbooks on the Pfizer Healthy Ageing Society to promote good practices for healthy living to ensure benefits for all ages. Also, the project conducted a policy recommendation process built on the data collected through interviews with thought leaders in the public and private sectors as well as civil society and academic organisations. The report provides recommendations touching upon key agendas, including a paradigm shift toward an active ageing society, career opportunities and the promotion of lifelong learning, financial literacy and skills development, promoting good health and changing the environment to facilitate life for all ages. The project aimed to achieve practical results in national policy toward the preparation for an ageing society encompassing health and socio-economic perspectives,” said Dr Nirutti.

Piyabutr Cholvijarn, the president of Kenan Foundation Asia, said the project was launched to encourage the change agents to adopt positive health and financial behaviours and become a holistic model for their communities. Primary objectives included building the capacity of the change agents to prepare for a quality ageing society, to drive positive attitude and behavioural shifts towards healthy ageing in order to reduce the risk of illness from NCDs in pre-elderly and elderly groups, and to create good practices for the preparation of an ageing society which are sustainable and adaptable to the context of Thai society.

The three-year project has been successful in building a strong network at the local and national levels with supports from 14 agencies whose staff have served as steering committees. Specialists and advisors from 21 local stakeholders and more than 12 academic institutions took part in the capacity-building programmes for the target participants. Meanwhile, a total of 181 participants have completed the training. Some of these participants have successfully become change agents and further created 27 development projects to benefit 5,000 residents in their communities. Good samples of the interesting projects include a yoga exercises programme by a group of health lovers who are from Klong Toei Community Flats 1-10, and a project by change agents who are teachers at Rattanakosin Somphot Bang Khunthien School that provides students advice on proper nutrition and encourages overweight students to keep physically active and exercising.

In the project monitoring and evaluation, the survey finds that on the topic of physical health, 90 per cent of the respondents said they have a basic understanding (knowledge) about exercising. They realise that an individual needs to exercise least three times a week, for 30 minutes each time. They also have a basic knowledge about NCDs such as high blood pressure. The participants have a good perception (attitude) towards health care, resulting in the shift of their behaviours (practice). For example, more than 86 per cent of the participants receive an annual physical check-up, while more than 80 per cent perform an easy exercise such as arm swinging during walking or keeping physically active with household chores. For their eating behaviours, the survey found a decline in consumption rates of sugar, fat and organ meats.

On the topic of mental health, participants were basically in good mental health. Evaluated by the Thai Mental Health Indicator (TMHI-15), the survey found that more than 60 per cent of the participants became mentally stronger. The result found no issues associated with depression, while participants have a good ability to control their emotions.

Also more than 80 per cent of the respondents said that they know about saving through banks, insurance and life insurance. They also have a good attitude or recognise the importance of financial planning, financial planning for healthcare, and monthly accounting. Around 60-75 per cent said they want to have an income and expense account and a household financial account. However, only 10-20 per cent of those respondents managed to obtain one. The survey also found that 35-50 per cent of the survey participants make an advance financial plan every month, 49 per cent have a retirement plan, while 25 per cent do not. Meanwhile, up to 61 per cent said they have debts. The change agents, therefore, need time to build awareness and encourage communities to create a good financial plan.

In other aspects, 60 per cent of the respondents were aware that elderly citizens stood at around 15 per cent of the population. Up to 75 per cent do not see elderly citizens as a burden. Meanwhile, 90 per cent are confident that they can manage time for community participation and are able to communicate and campaign encouraging behaviour shifts at the community level.

The working groups in Bangkok and Ubon Ratchathani, along with the change agents, should be developed into a collaboration network to support the social protection system for the elderly citizens, long-term care system for seniors, as well as an integrated system to prepare for an ageing society, the project concluded.

By unifying all efforts from networks at the provincial and district levels, the strategic move could lead to the development of a “collaborative ecosystem for ageing society district”, which could be further developed at the national level. Channelling through the government agencies, the Pfizer Healthy Ageing Society could be implemented as a model to encourage sustainability towards a shift of health behaviour.

The working committee is now aiming to reinforce the exchange of the guidelines over the adoption of a prototype project for the government agencies responsible for the national policies on the elderly. Those agencies include Department of Health under the Ministry of Public Health, Department of Older Persons under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Department of Employment under the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, and Department of Local Administration under the Ministry of Interior.

The fair, which continues through August 18, will also pay tribute to His Majesty King Rama X, honour the memory of the late King Rama IX, the founder of the Royal Project, and celebrate the 87th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother on August 12.

It will also serve to publicise the work of the Royal Project Foundation throughout its 50 years and promote products from 20 royal family members’ projects and support units.

The event will be fully decorated with ‘Yellow Star’ flowers, their bright golden colour reflecting the peaceful golden land of Thailand. About 839 crops and products will be available at the event with seven of them under the spotlight for their health properties. One of these is the Peterson avocado, a yellow-green round avocado with a great taste, rich in vitamins and minerals as well as protein. It contains low sugar and unsaturated fats with no cholesterol, and is suitable for diabetics.

Highland Kai-Pa wild rice, known as the hilltribe Pakakayo’s rice, has a long and slender grain similar to Jasmine rice. It contains antioxidants and is high in potassium, which works with sodium to control the balance of water in the body and helps to normalise the heartbeat. The rice also contains vitamin B1, which helps to maintain a healthy nervous system and treat Beriberi.

Highland Yellow wild rice or Pakakayo and Lawa rice has a short and slender grain. It is fragrant and very soft when cooked and contains Gamma Oryzanol, which helps reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. It also has antioxidants and helps to reduce bad cholesterol and blood pressure. It is rich in potassium which helps to control the water balance in the body and is rich in iron. HaaoLeTin brown rice is a short and large grain Lawa rice that is rich in protein, calcium and sodium which helps to normalise the nervous system and muscle functions.

Quinoa is a superfood containing nine amino acids that our body cannot create. It is high in fibre, protein, gluten-free and rich in magnesium, vitamin B, vitamin E, iron, potassium, calcium and phosphorus and anti-oxidants; Perilla seeds are widely grown in northern Thailand and the oil in the seed helps to reduce fat in the blood and reduce cholesterol levels. Perilla seed oil contains both Omega 3 and 6, with 40 times more phosphorus and 20 times more calcium than other plants. It contains vitamin B and sesamol, which helps to prevent cancer and slow down the ageing process; Navy beans are rich in protein and fiber and contain phaseolamin, which has the ability to inhibit the activity of amylase enzymes by up to 66 per cent, preventing carbohydrate being ingested from absorption. It can be used in many different dishes: boiled and eaten as part of a salad, and used for navy bean milk.

Other recommended products include five-flavour tea from the Royal Project, Lingzhi and Jiaogulan mixed herbal tea, herbal toothpaste and exclusive premium gift sets including 380 sets of Royal Project Arabica Coffee Single Origin, 1,000 sets of Chamomile Vetiver and Chamomile Lavender, and 500 sets of Isaria Nourish Skin products.

Shoppers can also visit the exhibition, “Background and Progress of 50 Years”, which showcases the activities of the Royal Project from its first decade of pioneering research to today; an exhibition of the Royal Project Foundation’s new plant innovations at the Central Court area; cooking and handicraft demonstrations using crops and products from the Royal Project; and a wealth of handicrafts that make perfect gifts.

Doi Kham will introduce three new products, namely a Fingerroot extract drink with honey and lemon – which helps to nourish the body and balance the hormones, and is high in calcium thereby helping to prevent osteoporosis; Tri Pha La herbal drink – with the power of ‘three great Thai herbs’ comprising Indian gooseberry (high in vitamin C), Myrobalan (to improve intestinal microbial balance) and Belleric Myrobalan (to help boost the immune system); and low sodium tomato sauce sweetened with stevia instead of sugar.

In 2020 – just three years away – Thailand will be classified as a full-blown ageing society with 20 per cent of total population over the age of 60. Among the institutes gearing up for this change is Siriraj Hospital, which has just launched The National Academic Centre of Geriatric Medicine. This will serve as the first knowledge centre for geriatric care as well as undertake research into how this can be improved.

Construction of the centre, which is located on 24-rai (9,600 sqm) of donated land in Samut Sakhon, is scheduled to start this year with an investment of Bt1.8 billion.

The centre is divided into two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed in 2020 and the second to be built between 2020 and 2021.

“The government has approved a budget of Bt600 million for the first phase so we need another Bt1.2 billion. We aim to raise funds to complete the project,” says Assoc Prof Dr Visit Vamvanij, the director of Siriraj Hospital.

The centre will comprise a research centre, an outpatient building, two inpatient buildings, a geriatric rehabilitation centre and related supportive buildings including staff dormitories.

“This facility will offer intermediate care (sub-acute care) not primary care. It is not a hospital where the elderly can come if they are ill. They should be treated at a general hospital like Siriraj or Samut Sakhon hospital first. When they recover but require more rehabilitation, they will be sent here before being discharged,” says Dr Visit.

Intermediate care or sub-acute care refers to the process of helping patients who are no longer sick enough to remain in hospital but too unstable to be treated at home. Training will be provided for caregivers or family members in how to take care of their elders at home and will also include the adjustments that need to be made to dwellings. The training service is designed to facilitate the transition from hospital to home, and from medical dependence to functional independence, where the objectives of care are not primarily medical.

This is seen as particularly important as all too often a spell in hospital will require adjustments to the home so the elderly can live more independently when they are discharged. Thailand has no system in place to advise on such adjustments and the care needed and hospitals are forced to discharge patients as quickly as possible to make room for new admissions. The centre is aiming to fill that gap and make life in a multi-generational family not just safer but also happier.

Dr Visit adds that the centre is totally designed for elderly care and will include special inpatient rooms for those suffering from dementia and will as the standard ramps and rails.

The OPD will provide services for those receiving medication from the hospital but are not yet ready to return home as they need more rehabilitation and preparation, and treatment will be geared to such geriatric syndromes as dementia, delirium, falling and depression. The centre will also have a Geriatric Day Clinic that provides daily rehabilitative care with patients able to return home in the evening. The principle is similar to a daycare centre for kids and allows caregivers to drop off the elderly when they are not available on certain days.

Dr Visit says that the first phase will include the outpatient building, inpatient building and staff dormitory and the research centre and rehab will be in the second stage.

“We will start operating right after its facility is ready. As soon as the outpatient is built, we will start operations. We won’t wait for the whole centre to be complete,” he adds.

“Families are happy when their senior members are healthy both physically and mentally. And nothing makes them happier than knowing that their offspring are taking care of them,” says Prof Dr Prasit Watanapa, dean of Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University.

Dr Prasit adds that Siriraj Hospital has been working towards geriatric medicine for 25 years. The faculty started to produce geriatricians as well as medical professionals from nurses to physical therapists. The faculty has also worked with National Center for Geriatric and Gerontology, Japan in preparation for entering the complete aging society in 2022.

“Certainly we have to apply their knowledge to use in Thai context,” says Dr Prasit.

“Why do we have to have geriatric medicine? Because the illnesses of old people are different from patients at a younger age,” says Professor Prasert Assantachai, Deputy Dean and Head of Geriatric Medicine.

Deterioration in physical and mental health starts with the appearance of grey hair and can later develop into delirium, falls, incontinence and frailty. Many elderly are taking multiple medicines and the side effects must be controlled. Dementia will be one of the most prevalent diseases in Thai society in the near future because it is more common with increasing age.

“In the past, those symptoms were diagnosed as senility. The goal of geriatric medicine is to fill in knowledge about the specific needs of the elderly. If we are passive it will be a big problem. The difficulty is expertise in multidisciplinary care and Siriraj has been working on it for years,” says Dr Prasert.

For this reason, Pfizer Thailand and Southeast Asia One Health University Network (SEAOHUN), a regional consortium of 72 higher education institutions aiming to advance the One Health Workforce development, have joined up to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Thailand.

The joint initiative will implement a series of interventions ranging from AMR stewardship and conducting educational and training programmes, to creating awareness around responsible use of antibiotics for healthcare professionals and communities within Thailand and SEAOHUN country networks.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of a microorganism (like bacteria, viruses and some parasites) to stop an antimicrobial (such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from working against it. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist and may spread to others.

According to the World Health Organisation, it’s estimated that if no proactive action is taken now to combat AMR, by 2050, 10 million people, many of them in Asia and Africa, could be facing devastating infections such as pneumonia and tuberculosis that have become impossible to treat, routine medical procedures could become too risky to perform and even minor injuries or infections could becoming life threatening.

In 2010, the burden of AMR in Thailand was estimated to result in 3.24 million days of hospitalisation and 30,481 deaths per annum, and to cost 0.6 per cent of national GDP.

AMR is a major emerging health problem in Thailand that needs comprehensive and systematic approaches. The Thai National Strategic Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (2017–2021), which aims to reduce morbidity, mortality and the economic impact of AMR, was finalised and endorsed by the Cabinet in late 2016.

The plan sets targets for a 50-per-cent reduction in AMR morbidity, 20-per-cent and 30-per-cent reductions in antimicrobial use in human and animal respectively, and a 20-per-cent increase in public knowledge about AMR including awareness of appropriate use of antimicrobials. The collaboration is in line with Thailand’s National Strategic Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance and includes AMR surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in humans, animals and agriculture and regulation on antimicrobial distribution.

Susan Silbermann, the Pfizer global president for emerging markets, warned of the diseases that could become impossible to treat and the resultant loss of the quality of life, productivity, economic growth and wealth.

Rochelle Chaiken, the chief medical officer for emerging markets at Pfizer Biopharmaceuticals Group, added that vaccine programmes and surveillance were vital to reducing the threat of untreatable infections. She noted that Pfizer has an extensive surveillance programme that monitors bacteria resistance patterns data from 73 countries including Thailand. These data are freely accessible through a publicly available website and mobile application that offers an interactive platform to enable physicians to evaluate data and customised by pathogens and antibiotics. Equally important is stewardship in educating the health care providers including pharmacists and technicians in laboratories,

“While anybody can help treat an infection when it occurs, vaccines offer the potential to protect against life threatening infections and their associated consequences by helping to prevent infections in the first place. And the appropriate use of vaccines can reduce the need for antibiotic prescriptions, thereby preventing the potential overuse of common biotics, which may result in resistant strains,” Silbermann said.

“So we can no longer rely heavily on treating infections. We must take a comprehensive approach, such as trying to prevent them in the first place. We know that after clean water, vaccination has been noted to be the most effective public health measure,” she added.

“The partnership between SEAOHUN and Pfizer will further strengthen the capability of One Health professionals on AMR. We believe that a public-private partnership is a vital part of our mission to combat AMR in Thailand and the other Southeast Asian countries,” said Dr Vipat Kuruchittham, the executive director of SEAOHUN.

“For the fourth consecutive year, Boots Thailand has financially supported patients with cancer at the National Cancer Institute and also provided medical equipment and devices through several fundraising activities. We successfully raised more than Bt1 million through the KMs4Cancer Run, Charity Sales and the “No Plastic Day” campaign over the period December 4 to June 30. The latest activity, the ‘Beauty Against Cancer’ workshop, was organised to boost the resolve and attitudes of patients with cancer, helping them feel good about themselves in their everyday lives. This coincided with Boots presenting a donation of Bt440,000 to the National Cancer Institute,” said Mike Wanliss, managing director of Boots Retail (Thailand).

Weerawut Imsamran, director of the National Cancer Institute, expressed appreciation to Boots Retail Thailand for helping increase awareness of cancer care issues by continuously raising funds for the National Cancer Institute. “This allows us to purchase medical equipment to treat cancer patients, as well as organize feel good activities to educate our staff on how to provide the best care, treat and understand cancer patients, allowing them to continue their normal routines and to live happily with others in society,” Weerawut said.

In recent years, however, due to the increasing use of smartphones and social media, they are becoming a problem for the younger generation too. I have seen an increasing number of younger patients visit my clinic with concerns about horizontal wrinkles that develop along the middle of their neck as a result of regularly looking down at smartphones, tablets, computers or other devices. Whether your concern is ageing wrinkles or premature lines aka “tech neck”, here are some non-surgical procedures that may reverse all these concerns.

Nu Pico Laser: To treat existing neck lines, state-of-the-art laser technology like Nu Pico Laser can be used to stimulate collagen and elastin production. The increase in collagen and elastin fibers will help diminish neck wrinkles and help with the overall skin texture. The Nu Pico Laser utilises a picosecond laser with ultra-short laser pulses which are faster than a conventional nanosecond laser. The laser produces a non-thermal effect that reduces both treatment discomfort as well as risk of side effects that may occur with slower, nanosecond pulse laser. As a result, the new collagen and elastin are rebuilt with no downtime and without harming the surrounding skin. It leads to fast results, you will see better tightening of the neck skin which helps improve the look of lines, wrinkles and discolouration.

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU): HIFU is another option to treat neck wrinkles. According to an article published in the current issue of Dermatology Times, two independent dermatologists, who evaluated the patients complaining about wrinkles in the nasolabial, jawline, submental and neck areas, reported that each area improved 80 per cent or more. HIFU technology works by delivering energy to target the deep layer of skin. The energy induces collagen contraction and stimulates collagen production in the dermis and SMAS, a layer of tissue underneath the skin and subcutaneous tissue. SMAS provides the structural support for the muscle as well as the skin. This results in tighter, firmer skin with fewer and smoother wrinkles.

Botulinum toxin injection: Although not a permanent fix, the injection can help relax the muscles that pull down the neck skin. The neck wrinkles created by those muscle contractions will then soften in appearance. The effect of the botulinum toxin typically lasts between four and six months.

Vitamins and fillers: Vitamins or filler injections can also be used as a form of neck wrinkles treatment. A doctor can use the vitamin injection to stimulate collagen synthesis. While the filler injection can be used to immediately plump out the wrinkles around the injection site. Each treatment makes the neck skin smoother and gives it a more youthful appearance. In general, fillers last from six to 12 months

THANISORN THAMLIKITKUL MD is a member of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery and certified in dermatological laser surgery. Send your questions for her to info@romrawin.com

Launched in August 2018, the campaign aimed to combat the aggressive marketing of baby formula and show that breastfeeding for the first six months is best for mothers and babies.

“Campaigns like these are critical to creating an environment where mothers feel supported to breastfeed their children. With so many formula milk companies using advertising to sell their products, it’s important that mother’s milk maintains its position as the undisputed best for babies, and is fed exclusively in the first six months of life,” said Andy Nilsen, director of communications, advocacy and campaigns at Save the Children.

“In Myanmar, where close to one in three children are malnourished, adherence to recommended breastfeeding practices has been proven to reduce child mortality and improve their health, nutrition and cognitive development. It is essential that parents have access to correct, unbiased information about how to best feed their babies. That’s why campaigns like #6la are so important,” Hedy Ip, nutrition specialist at Unicef Myanmar, said.

Reaching close to 20 million people in Myanmar in Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw, the #6la campaign helped mothers understand the importance of feeding babies nothing but breast milk for the first six months.

“The nutrition, protection and love that mothers give their child in the first six months of life should be celebrated,” Donald Eastwood, Bridge’s creative director, said.

The #6la teams, including trained midwives from Myanmar’s Health and Sports Ministry, visited mothers just after they gave birth and at prenatal groups, giving them a commitment bracelet pack containing basic information. The mothers were also encouraged to join the mHealth app, MayMay, for additional information and long-term engagement, and were given the option of seeking commitment packs for other mothers.

“The team championed the friend, father, sister, grandmother and doctor whose support helps a breastfeeding mother and influences social norms around breastfeeding. Singer Sung Thin Par was our archetypal mother and exclusively breastfed her daughter for six months,” Eastwood said.

The campaign owes part of its success to the support it gained from influential personalities.

Mra Thitsa Than, strategic planner for campaign designer Vero, said: “It was crucial that the campaign addressed family members, neighbours, health specialists, as they weighed in on core decisions made by mothers as well. We know the great role social influencers play in Myanmar, and we worked hard to develop key relationships with influential personalities who could help us bring our message to the right people. By the end of the campaign, close to 50 top tier influencers had taken part in the movement, online or offline, and were advocating for exclusive breastfeeding.

“We also believe in the power of a comprehensive approach to spark social change so we rolled out our messages across communication platforms. We also worked with leading publications to write empowering and educational articles on motherhood and on the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding. We reached out online too through the MayMay app and its Facebook page.”

The power of the movement induced a snowball effect, taking onboard key players of Myanmar’s private sector as well. By the end of the campaign, KBZ Bank had established and announced its first breastfeeding room as well as a revised HR policy to include paid breaks for breastfeeding mothers and were showing the campaign film in over 500 branches.

City Mart also joined the movement, giving supporter bracelets to all staff members, selling supporter packs and giving the proceeds to the campaign as well as displaying messages across 38 supermarkets.

“Globally, a woman’s return to work is one of the key barriers to successful breastfeeding. By addressing real barriers to exclusive breastfeeding in a relatively short period of time, this has proven an important starting point for further advocacy to create more breastfeeding-friendly workplaces in Myanmar,” said Roger Mathisen, program director for Alive & Thrive in Southeast Asia.

The campaign has helped break misconceptions about breastfeeding and has empowered mothers to make informed decisions. Testing before and after showed that three in five mothers recognise the brand, and more than 97 per cent of them agree that breastfeeding ensures a strong, healthy and happy baby.

After the campaign’s success last year, Myanmar’s Health and Sports Ministry is looking to see how the campaign can be used to support government efforts to improve nutrition across the country.

“Harnn” is now a part of Tanachira Group, an exclusive distributor of premium lifestyle brands. Founded by Tanapong Chirapanidchakul, the company unveiled at the Lady L Garden Bistro its new offering of it what it calls ultimate skincare – “The Legend of Organic”. It was launched along with a series of organic body oils and organic face oils, which are certified by Bioagricert from Italy as 95.28 per cent organic.

There are three aromatic scents to soothe the senses: dazzling organic body oil, serenity organic body oil, and leisure organic body oil. Each of the body oils consists of three main types of organic oils: virgin sunflower oil that helps improve skin health and lightens dark spots; virgin sesame oil, which helps soften skin; and virgin rice bran oil, which serves as a natural sunscreen for the skin, and helps the skin retain moisture.

Harnn organic face oil is extracted from 100 per cent natural ingredients, is dermatologically tested by ‘Dermscan Asia’ as non-irritant and suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin. The face oil is carefully created for deep facial rejuvenation, and was launched with three formulas: deep hydrating organic face oil, ultimate revitalising organic face oil, and perfect clarifying organic face oil. They consist of four main types of organic oils: virgin sunflower oil, water lily oil, argan oil, and sea buckthorn oil, known for skin-rejuvenating qualities.

Beauty and health guru, Thidakarn Rujipattanakul, MD, dermatologist and anti-ageing doctor MS, and Stephany Auernig, actress and yoga coach, shared beauty tips including four easy steps for facial cleansing, facial massage, toner mist spray and moisturising for the daily use of the Legend of Organic collection, which promises to naturally add radiance and youthfulness to the skin.