Komson Srisam

by Dr. Iain Corness

There is a motto in the western world which runs “When you’re on to a good thing – stick to it.” That simple phrase could almost describe the life of Komson Srisam, the general manager of Sopin Thappajug’s Diana Group, covering the Diana Inn, Diana Estate, Diana Dragon, Diana Millenium, Diana Golf, the Green Bottle, Pakawadee Travel and the Diana Garden Resort. Not only is this a very great responsibility, but it also shows that Sopin, a very shrewd business woman, must have faith in this relatively young man as well.
One reason for that faith shown by his employer is the fact that she has known him since he was a schoolboy, when he came to work for her after classes, when he was 14 years old. Not only that, he has worked only for her since then, with the only breaks to his daily physical presence in the company being when he was attending college and university for his Accountancy and Bachelor of Arts!
Komson Srisam is the youngest of nine children born to a humble farmer and his wife, so you can imagine, there was not much money in this household. They ate what father and mother could grow! He does have nothing but praise for his parents, despite the family’s lack of financial security. “They have been good parents. They taught me not to be boastful, and I am (still) very close to them. They told me to work hard and to do good work and your heart will do no wrong.”
His life story really is the tale of “local boy makes good”, having been born in Naklua and his education being at the local Photisampan government school. However, it was two of his teachers at Photisampan School (Naladee and Sakul) who were associated with the local YWCA and knew Sopin, who gave him the first leg-up onto the ladder of success. He had been a good student, with an ability to work hard, and Sopin gave him that first part-time job after school. “I was cleaning, serving and checking everything, but she made sure I did not work too late, because I had homework and had to be at school the next day,” said Komson.
When he finished school, he went to work full-time, and naturally with the Diana Group. “I didn’t look anywhere else. Khun Sopin had looked after me. I started as a bell boy at the Diana Inn and I enjoyed it, taking care of the guests and talking with them. Khun Sopin sent me the YWCA English classes and I read books and learned a lot from the English guests.” Again this was the sign of a ‘self-starter’ and well worth promoting.
This is exactly what did happen, and it was not too long before he was being rotated through the front office and reception and then became night manager for four years. “It was difficult. Everybody is sleeping when you are working. You have to look after your health too, because of the night work.” He also added that Sopin instilled responsibility into him. “She indicated that the hotel belonged to me. I would have to take care of it, like my life,” he said with passion and conviction.
After the four years of working at night, he was brought out of the darkness and into the daytime, in the front office, where he was an assistant, eventually becoming the front office manager. However, it did take him a few weeks to acclimatize himself to sleep at night and remain awake during the day!
Around this time, Sopin could see his potential and started grooming him for further positions within the company, and she sent him to Burapha University to take a course in hotel management, exposing him to the theories behind housekeeping, food and beverage, and accounting, as well as being sent for training work at hotels in many of the provinces. This was giving him even more of an all-round experience and viewpoint, important in someone who one day might be a general manager. Sopin certainly had a long-sighted vision herself!
After this and other courses, he was promoted to become the resident manager, which he did for the next three years, and having proved himself as more than capable, he became the assistant GM for the entire group. In turn, he rose to become the group GM in January this year. However, that feeling that he had while he was the night manager is still with him today. “I feel the same, that the hotel is my own. Any problem is my problem.”
He is quite the philosopher when he talked about the responsibilities that employees have to shoulder, which come with getting ahead in life. “Sometimes it is very difficult to rise. They have to work hard. You have to feel it in your heart when you work.”
There has been another woman in his life, apart from Sopin, who has helped make this modest young man what he is today – his wife. She was a young girl who came from the hotel school and was training as a cashier at the Diana Inn. “She was very beautiful, with a good heart. Her mother was a widow who worked hard to send her to school. I tried to teach her English too. At first I was just helping, but then it turned into love.” Since then, they now have two boys aged eleven and six, and they are being raised in a household which fosters the idea of hard work bringing its own rewards.
His aims and ambitions are, as you would imagine, those of bringing rewards to the Diana group and its staff and customers. Komson does not look for glory for himself. “I want (us) to give the best service and make the Diana group to international standard.” Even when I pushed him on personal ambitions he replied, “My heart and my power goes to the hotel.” He certainly has rewarded Sopin’s faith in him.

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