The recently reformed Skål International Pattaya and East Thailand hosted its first meeting for the year with a dinner at the Amari Orchid Pattaya’s Ocean Tower. It was well attended with almost 40 Skallegues and guests, the majority of attendees being senior management people from the larger hotels in Pattaya.
After cocktails around the pool, with much exchanging of business cards, local President Tony Malhotra invited everyone to take seats in the Amari Orchid’s Essence Restaurant. The formalities began with Skål toasts; the president then introduced his board members for 2013-2014. After this, the attendees in turn introduced themselves and gave a brief bio of their position and organization. A delicious buffet dinner was served, which was very well prepared by the team from Amari Orchid Pattaya under the close supervision of Brendan Daly, the GM of the host venue.
President Tony Malhotra is flanked by Rene Pisters (left), GM Thai Garden Resort and Past President Ingo G. Raeuber (right), Group General Manager of Pinnacle Hotels, Resorts & Spas.
The address was given by Oliver Libutzki, Senior Regional Director – Hotels South Asia & South-East Asia for Agoda Company Pte. Ltd., the online hotel reservation service website. Whilst much of the information was directed at the hotel people, there was also a strong message for all business people to have a look at their websites and make sure that potential customers can navigate the site easily.
Guest speaker Oliver Libutzki from Agoda impresses the guests with his expertise of on-line hotel bookings.
As Skål International represents ‘doing business amongst friends’, the dinner was the first opportunity for many new members to experience that side of the organization. These included Toonkwan Viriarux from Cape Dara Resort, Pitsamai Vudrhanond from Holiday Inn Pattaya, Stuart Saunders and his EsDesign patented floss dispensers, Wassana Pokthang representing the Centara Grand Resort & Spa (a new hotel property on Pratamnak Road, which will have its Grand Opening in August 2013), Janya Ratanaliam from Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, Olivier Jallageas from Baan Pictory Resort, Peter Malhotra from Pattaya Mail Publishing, Elfi Seitz from Pattaya Blatt, and Marlowe and Vikrom Malhotra from Massic Travel.
It was very evident that the new Skål International Pattaya and East Thailand has an important part to play in the forward development of Pattaya, Thailand’s most famous resort city.
The next Skål meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Pattaya on Thursday, May 16, starting with cocktails at 18.30 followed by dinner. The guest speaker for this event will be Kullatorn Mesommonta (Mike Burapha Golf) who is president of the East Coast Golf Courses Management Association (EGA Thailand). Kullatorn will talk about ‘Golf Tourism’ and its benefits to Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard tourism businesses, as well as discussing the success of the recent Asian Golf Tourism Convention (AGTC 2013) in Pattaya last week.
The cost of dinner is only 600 baht. To reserve your seats, please contact Skål Pattaya Vice President Garth Solly at [email protected]
Rene Pisters gives a vote of thanks to Oliver for his informative talk.
Brendan Daly (right) GM of the Amari Orchid Pattaya poses with Peter Malhotra (left), MD Pattaya Mail and Marlowe Malhotra (center), MD Massic Travel.
The new generation of Pattaya professionals, (L to R) Tony Malhotra, Olivier Jallageas of Baan Pictory and Richard Margo, Amari Orchid Pattaya.
President Tony introduces the charming club secretary ‘Jeena’ Papakan Saguansap.
The Centara Grand Phratamnak team were out in force. (l-r) Podcharak Klintoe, Front Office Manager; Dominique Ronge, General Manager; Wassana Pokthang, Executive Assistance Manager; President Tony Malhotra; and Chananchida Wongsa-ard, Sales and Public Relation Manager.
Almost 40 Skallegues and guests attended the first Skål International Pattaya & East Thailand meeting at the Amari Orchid Pattaya.
