Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
In this episode the Energy Ambasssador travels to Thailand.
In the tropical Asia Pentti finds a high quality education system
and gets to know a group of Finnish students who are learning how to work in an international environment
An unfortunate incident takes also place during his visit.
Ten countries, dozens of innovations, one mission
This is the Energy Ambassador 2013, on the trail of innovations
Welcome to Thailand!
Welcome to Thailand, the country of a thousand smiles and elephants.
The country has grown from the Khmer empire to the second largest economy in South East Asia.
For most people Thailand equals with vacation, the sun, the sea and palm trees
but Thailand is also a country with free education till the age of 17 and large investments in education generally.
Thailand has the nicest people in the world, a top education system, an international atmosphere and challenges on the field of energy.
That's why VAMK is here.
My week in Thailand is finally getting started, now I'm heading to the Rangsit University.
I heard they are really waiting for me. Now to the car!
Here we are at the Rangsit University in the Northern part of Bangkok. It's not even hot yet!
Rangsit is a top rank university in Thailand. Quite a lot is going on here.
I had the honor to act as key note speaker at the Global Energy Trend conference.
I presented EnergyVaasa companies and my experiences from the trip so far.
Professors from the University and representatives from the Thai Energy Ministry had a lot of questions,
to which I gladly answered.
I got a truly amazing reception at the Rangsit University,
now I really understand why Thailand is called the country of a thousand smiles.
There was so much to see at the University and I will return there tomorrow.
This night will end with a cruise on the river that flows through the city
I checked the drink menu, I will absolutely start with a Pena Colada!
The night is ending at the Grand Pearl river boat, we are returning to the harbor.
It has been a fantastic evening, great people and fabulous food. I want to thank Rangsit University for this evening.
The next day I returned to the University
and the plan was to finally meet with the exchange students from VAMK.
Hello -- shall we jump on the wagon? -- Yes this is our ride! - Great
This I a great wagon.
You have been here for a month now, have you settled well?
I was quite easy to settle here, there was a delegation to meet me at the airport when I arrived.
They took me to my quarters, everything was arranged in advance.
Everything went according to plan.
So, how is it to live in Thailand?
It is really nice, a bit different from Finland though.
Sometimes there might appear slight language problems with the locals, but we always manage to find a way
Can you compare studying here in Thailand to back home?
The biggest difference is that here we study in English and in Vaasa in Finnish.
It is very similar, but here we have less work in the classroom and more on the spare time.
Would you like to join me in the next lecture that starts soon? -- Yes, why not.
The rest of the day I joined the students on the campus in lectures and for lunch
Thai food is the best in the world
The headmaster for the department of engineering graduates, explained more about the energy situation in Thailand
and the upcoming plans in Rangsit University.
After the day at the campus I was invited to the apartments of the exchange students.
The apartments are located only a few hundred meters from the University main building.
This time we managed to get her with our feet dry
one time there was water up to the level of the sidewalk.
We had to take shoes and socks off to get home safe.
Here is my apartment, let's go in. -- Okay.
I could live here easily. -- Yes, there is no kitchen, but we eat at the food market anyway.
Shall we go and shoot some pool? - Of course, I'm in.
I accepted the challenge from Mikko and Henrik.
I positioned for a vigorous opening shot in the atmospheric pool hall.
Someone, get me home from here!
Look at it, the camera is broken!
Let's leave now
A new day and a new lens. I continued interviewing the students on a boat trip on the River Kwai.
The pool game didn't work out, but now I left with the VAMK exchange students for a train expedition to the delta of the River Kwai.
The more I spend time with them the clearer it gets that they will have a big advantage of this experience in their occupation.
Their level of knowledge grows, and their international experience increases a lot.
Vaasa University of Applied Sciences is an essential part of the Vaasa energy cluster. They produce the top experts of the future.
You study information technology at VAMK, and you have been in exchange in Thailand for month now
Have you got to know the Thai culture?
Yes, I have got into the culture very well, the Thai people are very open.
I try to spend much of my time with the local people and in that way get to know their culture.
What kind of benefit for the future do you expect from this experience?
International experience is highly appreciated in the industry, I think that it will be very beneficial for me in the future.
When you graduate, will you seek employment in the international companies in Vaasa region?
Yes, Wapice is my number one option, working internationally is also in my interest.
Pentti, paddle faster we are losing! -- They must be cheating, they can't go that fast!!
This was the bumpiest ride ever! We made it anyhow, great.
In Rangsit all our areas of education are represented, technology, economy and health care.
Thailand is an amazing place, but I suppose you have other destinations available for exchange?
Of course, we have 110 partner universities around the world
Thailand is the most popular destination, other trendy destinations are; Spain, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
The best and most stylish way to get around in Bangkok down town is this moped taxi called a tuktuk.
I must say that I am a bit jealous to these guys!
They are studying in a top University, they have a perfect climate, great food and the friendliest people in the world
and they get exactly the experience that the future employers appreciates.
It is hard to believe that a week has passed.
Next week in India I will meet people that are looking for the type of young and brave guys that I have met during this week.
Citec is an international player, their solutions spread everywhere. Hope to see you there!