Now leading French brand Lancome is adding to that breakthrough by introducing its new formula Advanced Genifique serum.

Speaking at the launch event held in a futuristic dome at Parc Paragon, Songsamorn Hattet, general manager of L’Oreal Luxe Thailand, said: “In 2009, Lancome created Advanced Genifique Serum, the first serum inspired by the field of gene science. It was widely praised and sold really well around the world. This year, Lancome is re-introducing the serum that thanks to 15 years of microbiome research, delivers more results. The New Advanced Genifique not only nourishes the skin but also provides a vital source of nutrients for microbiome bacteria, while the probiotics give overall skin health benefits.

“Over time, our microbiomes decrease due to our lifestyle, age and the environment we live in. Lancome is currently the only brand to offer a 100-per-cent solution for permanently youthful skin,” she adds.

Also taking part at the launch were Lancome brand ambassador Suquan Bulakul, actress Sririta “Rita” Jensen, top make-up artist Vinij Boonchaisri and hair stylist Kong Krit Jirakiatwattana. VIP guests included Jarospan Svasti Na Ayudhya, Haruethai Jayant Na Ayudhaya, Kerika Chotivichit, Rinrata Inthamara, Nathasedh Poonsapmanee, Pailin Olsen, Vantita Lewchalermwongse, Melanie Yoovidhya, Ascha Charoenrasameekiat and Patsamon Piriyametha.

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.