Time ripe for stronger Thai-Emirati ties

(My article along with colleague Mariecar Jara-Puyod in The Gulf Today)

http://gulftoday.ae/portal/81fc38ef-f673-4305-8473-422e9ce76a3f.aspx

SHARJAH: Thailand is focusing on infrastructure development, and the time is ripe for the UAE and organisations like DP World to step in with investments on upcoming deep seaport projects there.

Thailand’s Ambassador to the UAE Warawudh Chuwiruch said this during a meeting with Aysha Taryam, Editor in Chief of The Gulf Today, and senior members of the editorial team at the Dar Al Khaleej Printing and Publishing house in Sharjah on Sunday morning. He noted that activities are ongoing to develop new deep seaports in places like Songkla and Pak Bara on the southwest border of the Southeast Asian kingdom near Malaysia.

Chuwiruch also discussed the progress of Abu Dhabi-Bangkok diplomatic relations, as it approaches its 40th anniversary in December.

There are approximately 12,000 Thais residing in the UAE, with 40 Muslim students under scholarship grants by the UAE government.

Saying that Emiratis feel at home while visiting his home country, the ambassador mentioned the Chiva-Som international resort in Hua Hin, which is increasingly drawing tourist attention.

“Several visitors, including royals, filmstars, dignitaries and CEOs, have told me that those who visit this place surely return for another trip owing to the exhilarating ambience there,” Chuwiruch said.

He added, “There is so much peace of mind and a healthy surrounding that tourists love this place.”

On new tourism destinations, Chuwiruch mentioned a recently-discovered lake in the northeastern part of the country, said to be perennially pink due to the lotus in full bloom throughout the year.

He volunteered that taking a trip to this new tourist attraction is in his books. 

On possible UAE investments in Thailand’s seaports, he said doing so will change the trading geography of Southeast Asia in less than four years.

The project would give shippers direct sea access to the Middle East and North Africa, as it would also offer entry to Europe through the Suez Canal.

The ambassador traced the beginnings of Abu Dhabi-Bangkok diplomatic relations in January 1992, when the Royal Consulate General of Thailand in Dubai was inaugurated, to be followed by the opening of the Royal Embassy of Thailand (RET) in the capital on Nov.3, 1994.

The UAE Embassy in Bangkok was launched in April 1998. Various agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoU) are being negotiated between Abu Dhabi and Bangkok for more enhanced “mutual prosperity and sustainability”.

These include the Agreement on Extradition, Agreement on Cooperation and Commercial Matters, Cultural Agreement, Agreement on the Exemption of Visa for Holders of Diplomatic and Official Passports, and the MoU on Combating Trafficking in Person.  

In case of food shortage or similar scenarios, Thailand is “committed to provide the UAE with vital food items in an immediate manner.”

UAE health authorities are scheduled to visit Thailand in 2016 to check on medical tourism.

Chuwiruch said, “Under the international framework, both Thailand and the UAE are committed to supporting the peace, stability and prosperity of the international community.”

“We have worked bilaterally, as well as through the regional and the United Nations framework, to achieve these goals,” he added.

Chuwiruch highlighted the significance of the role people play in the promotion of amity and unity among nations.

Thais in the UAE, as “social ambassadors”, are encouraged to represent their homeland in various cultural activities through the various cultural entities across the emirates.

For the Nov.25 to Dec.5 UAE National Day celebrations, a traditional Thai troupe will perform across the country, courtesy of the RET and the UAE Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development.

“They are Muslims and they are so happy to be able to come to the UAE to learn traditional Arabian culture, too,” he said.

Dubai approaches Expo 2020 with holistic Smart City initiatives

(My article in The Gulf Today-posted for my reference)
DUBAI: As Dubai gives a vigourous push to its Smart City initiatives so as to be well prepared for the Expo 2020, residents can reap the benefits of an assortment of high-tech services that have a direct impact on their daily lives. 
In fact, Dubai is galloping its way to be the first city in the Middle East to adopt a holistic approach to the Smart City concept.
“We are highly encouraged by the government approach through public-private partnership,” says Dilip Rahulan, executive chairman of Pacific Controls, which works closely with Dubai’s Civil Defence department, providing “city management” for the authorities. This  means the company traces and handles alarms in private and public buildings on behalf of the authority.
The main operating hub is Dubai, where Pacific Controls currently has 60,000 buildings connected to its own control network, supervising emergency, power, cooling and energy, elevators and other mechanical and electrical infrastructure in those buildings. 
Microsoft Gulf recently announced its partnership with Pacific Controls Cloud Services (PCCS) to offer an exclusive SaaS portal providing range of PCCS products and software based on popular Microsoft applications. “In the future, information technology will primarily be in the cloud,” informed Rahulan.
By implementing the 24x7 monitoring system for safety alarms, the Dubai Civil Defence (DCD)-Pacific Controls National Life Safety system has already achieved a number of benefits for residents.
“Every day we deal with at least 10 critical alarms; elevator failure of systems or real fires. In a smart city, for the government infrastructure as a whole the cost is shared by residents and the benefits are returned at low cost,” says Rahulan.
According to officials, fire incidents in Dubai have been reduced by 54 per cent in the first four years of operation, from around 600 a year in 2007 and 2008, before the project was launched, to only 290 in 2011.
The reason has been attributed to accurate, timely and early notification of emergencies.
“The direct alarm system not only assists in monitoring life and safety alarms but also alerts the Civil Defence about possible faults in the fire alarm and firefighting systems. The system monitors the fire alarm control panels, water tanks, elevators and pumps and in case of failure a notification is received at the command control centre,” explains Rahulan. 
The 24x7 DCD team notifies the building owner in writing to carry out the maintenance on the system, and continues to follow up with the owner until the issue is completely resolved.
It is stated that more than 50 per cent of firefighting systems were not working in the buildings before the direct alarm system was implemented. 
However, after installing the direct alarm system, owners have started fixing their fire alarm and fighting systems, causing a significant improvement in overall compliance. Till date more than 59,600 direct alarm systems are said to have been installed in Dubai. 
There have been gains on environmental protection too. Etisalat partnered with Pacific Controls to launch the Emirates Energy Star (EES) programme in 2011. 
Since November 2011, the UAE’s National Energy Efficiency Programme has eliminated more than 39,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions till date, which is equal to planting 8,400 trees.

Footpath to foodpath

'Dosa King' with former president Abdul Kalam

I had written about Ganapathy 12 years ago for The Times of India supplement when he started his Dosa Plaza outlet in Navi Mumbai. Now, this humble villager from Tamil Nadu has become the owner of the world’s largest dosa chain, including 3 in New Zealand, 2 in Dubai and several in India. I interviewed him again in Dubai last week for our Panorama magazine. I hope you find this inspiring. 

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It is the story of a man who literally started from scratch. Prem Ganapathy left his village in Tamil Nadu after a friend promised him a job in Mumbai, but found himself abandoned in the pulsating city. Penniless but not hopeless, Ganapathy started his professional life as a dishwasher and has churned out a success story that is as delicious as it is inspiring. His Dosa Plaza now has 40 outlets in India, three in New Zealand, one in Dubai and expanding in the UAE.
“For the first time in the UAE, we are offering 104 varieties of dosas. It is a sort of record. In a world increasingly dominated by junk food, people are looking out for something healthy that blends taste with quality and that’s where we step in,” explains Ganapathy, while chatting amid the hustle and bustle that characterises the Dosa Plaza outlet at Qusais.
Dosa or Dhosai is a type of pancake made from batter of rice and black lentils. It is a staple dish in the southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is also commonly known in Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore. In Myanmar, it goes by the name “Toshay.”
At the Qusais outlet, dosas are offered with an international twist. People can choose from the 104 types of dosas on offer that include Chinese and Mexican-style fusions such as Schezwan dosa (Plain, Mushroom, Paneer), Mexi roll dosa, Paneer Chilly dosa and other uttappam/ pizza types, besides the traditional south Indian favourites.
“This is fast food on the go,” avers Ganapathy. “Our vision is to become the leading brand serving traditional south Indian cuisine worldwide with an oriental and Western taste, delivering quality food, efficient service and value for money.”
How well does the menu gel with the Arab taste?
“Quite a few Arabs visit us,” says Ganapathy gleefully. “Some hesitate after seeing the atypical, all-vegetarian menu. But we offer them samples and they get bowled over by the taste. Most Arabs prefer the Arabian Delight varieties that are less spicy. They also like salad-based dosas.”

The “Dosa King,” as he is fondly called by friends, is thoroughly delighted with the response in the UAE and is planning a Gulf-wide expansion. A new outlet will be opened in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi soon and also in Australia.
But he does worry that his novel recipes may be picked up by rival businesses. Hence, he decided to “trademark” 27 of his dosas across India.
Ganapathy’s has not been a life laid on a sugary path. In fact, he had to contend with scorching challenges. When he left his native village in Tuticorin and reached the never-sleep-city, Mumbai, he hardly imagined that a friend he trusted most would ditch him after promising a job. To add to his misery, he did not know the local language. After spending months as a dishwasher at a bakery in Mahim, he started serving tea to customers. As an enthusiastic employee, he kept a note of customers’ tastes and loved chatting with them.

A particular customer was moved by his dedication and offered him partnership for a tea shop in Vashi. The business was encouraging, but the owner indulged in foul play and refused to share profit. A dejected Ganapathy went back to his village, only to return after taking a minor loan from relatives. 

This time he was more determined to make it big. He rented a roadside stall in Vashi and started serving dosas for nearly five years. The stall then expanded into a restaurant outside the crowded Vashi railway station. He widened the menu and injected innovation by bringing out several varieties of dosas. The eatery became popular and the local media highlighted his entrepreneurship. A young, Net-savvy relative helped him launch his website. 
At the same time, McDonald’s opened its first outlet in the Vashi area. Inspired by its success story, Ganapathy was lured to the idea of franchises. This led to an impressive expansion. The restaurant grew from a single company-owned outlet to a chain by venturing and tying up with other companies throughout India. The restaurants are owned and operated through both company-owned and franchisee models, thus ensuring rapid growth.

It is not always that an enterprise is born from the wisdom of the corridors of a business school. Dedication, innovation and challenging spirit are what form a successful recipe. Ganapathy did not have to go to a B-school to learn all this. He gained his insights straight from the dusty but vibrant streets of Mumbai. And now, he is rightly reaping the sweet fruits of hard labour.

Complex couples

This is an expanded report of a blog post for our magazine Panorama (Oct.7, 2011) Sorry about the length:
Abdul Rehman runs a photo studio in Sharjah. Buoyed by the business boom, he decided to tie the knot. The marital bliss, however, turned out to be brief as he was exposed to a peculiar habit that his wife had developed. If any of her demands were rejected, she would wake up at midnight and create a scene by cutting her wrist or threatening to jump off the window. Rehman's wedlock fast snapped into a deadlock.

Anil Nayar of Dubai recently returned home from office with his brand-new Land Cruiser, all pumped up with joy. Three nights later, his possessive wife deflated his newly-found happiness after learning that he had dropped a female colleague home the same evening. What started as a midnight chat on the subject ended in a fight with the couple not talking to each other for the next three days.

Marriage is a complex subject. Psychologists caution that taking a partner for granted can prove costly for couples, especially in these days of unabashed materialism. With individual ambitions on the rise, so are stress levels. Reports indicate that with more and more couples bickering over trivial matters, household finances have become a burning cause for discord.

Dr Raymond H. Hamden, Clinical & Forensic Psychologist, Human Relations Institute, Dubai, is not surprised. “In fact, rarely do couples fight over big issues. Most of the time, petty matters pile up and lead to a crisis in relations.”

Dr Hamden suggests that couples should learn to balance their lives. “They need to communicate effectively. One should not tell the other ‘my way is the only way.’ There should be a clear interaction without any emotional garbage.”

“Complex couple” is a term in vogue, to define a pair whose relationship has landed in troubled waters for unclear reasons, says psychologist R. Hassan. “The term may be new, but the problem has been prevalent since ages. People have started talking about it more openly these days," he says.

According to the psychologist, irrational expectations from each other, more often than not, lead to trouble brewing in a marriage. The situation can be addressed by both parties talking and spending quality time together, maybe by going on a vacation.

After this has been tried and a solution is not forthcoming, the problem could be intrinsically psychological in nature, over which individuals have little control. In such cases, a visit by either, preferably both, to a counsellor or clinical psychologist could prove beneficial.

In some cases, people fail to realise that they could be suffering from some psychological disorder until matters turn too complicated to handle.

Ashish works in a multinational company. A handsome and cheerful guy, he was naturally disposed to interact with colleagues and friends, especially females. His wife, however, took objection. When the matter came to head, relatives suggested that the couple take a vacation. The attempt though proved futile and the bickering continued.

The entire family was distressed until a well-wisher suggested that the couple visit a clinical psychologist. It was then that the wife was diagnosed as suffering from a “Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD).

PPD is a condition characterised by excessive distrust and suspicion of others. The disorder is diagnosed only when these behaviours become persistent and reach distressing levels.

It is not always women who are the cause of conflict. There are several instances where chauvinistic men cause a relationship to collapse with their biased attitude. 

The result of discord can be varying. There are instances of couples who have been married for long, but not talking to each other. Surprisingly, they may even be having children and stay together only for the sake of the child.

Says Hassan: “All marriages will face marital conflict at varying degrees. Couples should learn how to handle these problems effectively. The impact of modern-day stress can be devastating if couples do not learn to cement a formidable understanding.”

Interestingly, while marriages in the UAE have steadily increased over the past few years thanks to economic progress, the number of divorce cases has also shown a sharp increase.

A report by the National Bureau of Statistics gave no figures for 2010 but according to the state Marriage Fund, divorces remained high through 2010 as economic uncertainty loomed large.

From 13,001 in 2005, total marriages in the UAE rose to 13,190 in 2006 and 13,321 in 2007 before jumping to 15,041 in 2008 to record their highest annual growth rate of 12.9 per cent. Marriages continued to rise in the following year but at a much slower rate of 0.8 per cent to reach 15,175.

The report showed divorces dropped from 3,638 in 2005 to 3,335 in 2006 before surging to 3,761 in 2007. They rose by about 2.5 per cent to 3,855 in 2008 before jumping by 23 per cent to 4,760 in 2009.

The Marriage Fund said that more than a fifth of the marriages involving national spouses in the UAE ended with divorce in 2010, maintaining the countryÕs status as having the highest divorce rate in the region.

“The bottomline,” experts agree, “is that couples should love and trust each other. There should be no comparisons. They should spend enough time together and be lavish in the appreciation of each other.”                    

(Some of the names have been changed to protect identities).

A dip of joy

(This is a report written for our magazine about Dubai Atlantis)

It’s a dive that washes off Dhs2,500 from your pocket in an hour, but you ultimately emerge from a massive tank containing 65,000 species of sharks, rays and fish with a thunderous “Wowww.”

This is about the Ultimate Dive, an exhilarating experience that many Emiratis and other nationalities are signing up for at Atlantis, the Palm.

“Just a few months ago when we launched the programme, we had reserved this unique dive only for our guests, but repeated requests from others forced a change of mind,” says Steve Kaiser, Vice-President, Marine Science and Engineering at the hotel.

In one instance, a person who had booked in another prominent Dubai hotel had apparently sought permission to take part. “Though he was ready to pay, we could not allow him as he was not our guest,” stated Steve. The enthusiast additionally booked a room in the Atlantis merely to participate in the Ultimate Dive.
Steve oversees the design and development of the new water attractions at the resort. He is responsible for the entire eco-system of the Ambassador Lagoon, the 11 million litre marine habitat with 65,000 marine animals and The Lost Chambers, a mystical labyrinth of Atlantean ruins with numerous exotic fish and aquatic exhibits.
Opened in 2008, Atlantis utilises the 46 hectares site with 17 hectares of water park amusement, further marine and entertainment attractions.
Every day brings new challenges for Steve’s team and along with some touching moments.
Steve’s team burst in joy this month when a String Ray gave birth to four little ones. Surprisingly, one is a special baby with a slight deformity, though, thankfully, she behaves as normally as the other three.
The String Ray was growing bigger and fatter, and the department was not sure whether she was pregnant or growing “just fat.” The honeymoon had been captured on video.

The Ultimate Dive package includes two half-hour exclusive plunges in the largest open air marine habitat exhibit in the world. For every person taking the plunge, there are two divers. The minimum age is 10 and the participants need a diving certificate.

The first is sort of a familiarisation leap, where one can submerge in the depths of the lagoon, explore the ancient ruins and species of the Arabian Gulf.
Refreshments and a full Arabic meze are then offered along with a briefing for the second dive.
It is during the second dive that one can experience the thrill of feeding the rays by hand. There are a maximum of four divers per session.
“The dive into the 11.5-million litre lagoon where one is guaranteed to glide alongside sharks, rays, wrasse, guitarfish and so much more, is a seven-star experience,” asserts Steve.
The fish are mostly species from the Gulf waters. But it is not that all the fish are a symbol of perfect unity. They do fight among themselves at times and get injured. The wounded and sick species are taken care of in a separate ward equipped with treatment facilities.

Steve’s colleague, Robert Pennett, says most participants are nervous initially. “But then they start enjoying. We have one guy coming from Abu Dhabi who visits every three, four months. An Emirati participant has visited five times. We like his enthusiasm,” he says. “Some of the species here cannot be seen in any other part of the world. We have experts exclaiming ‘what’s that?’ It is amazing. It is a huge pride for the UAE,” affirms Steve.

They call him ‘Fish Man’

His name is Steve Kaiser, but his colleagues and friends call him “Fish Man.” He does not mind it.
Extending his wet hands, Steve, Vice-President, Marine Science and Engineering at Atlantis, The Palm, says: “I fished with my dad when I was young. I had a fishing boat. I had opportunities in other fields, but stayed here. I love fish. So call me ‘fish guy’ and I am OK with that.”
Sporting a brown shirt dotted with graphics of sharks, the Hawaii-born says he does not often wear suits.
“Do you always wear such a shirt with fish designs?” I asked eagerly.
“Of course,” he shoots off. “I have 50 to 60 such shirts.”
Wherever he visits, Steve picks up shirts with fish designs. “Even in Dubai, I spot such shirts and pick them up instantly. It is my luck. I walk into a store and I find them.”
Once he had to wear a suit and his friends wondered how he had appeared without the fish. He smiled and flashed his tie. It had fish design on it.
Steve’s passion for the floating species is visible as his eyes widen with joy at the very mention of the word “fish.”
“The fish are my family. Ours is a very large aquarium. I’m more concerned with the health and welfare of my animals than anything else. I consider the 65,000 fish as my family,” reveals Steve.
At the end of day, he has to maintain all the equipment, feed animals and nurture them, which is a huge responsibility.
Prior to joining the Atlantis team, Kaiser oversaw the development of the new fish and marine attractions at the $1 billion Phase III expansion of Atlantis, Paradise Island in The Bahamas which opened in March 2007.

He was instrumental in the design of The Dig, an imaginative journey into ancient Atlantis; the Ruins lagoon, filled with Atlantis artefacts and home to over 20,000 deep reef fish; a replica of a Mayan Temple with five thrilling waterslides that propel riders through acrylic tunnels submerged in shark lagoons; as well as other water slides, swimming pools and lagoons.

Whilst in Hawaii, he was the first to successfully display a large number of shark species never exhibited before, as well as starting a captive breeding and “head starting” programme for green sea turtles.

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