The Australian Chamber of Commerce Thailand (AustCham) held their Seaboard Sundowners networking evening at the Ice Bar in the Amari Orchid Tower last Friday. As always, it was a well attended business networking event, and made possible by the support of sponsors Thana Burin Asia Pacific Ltd. and the Amari Orchid Resort and Tower itself.
The evening was also graced by H.E. James Wise, the Australian Ambassador to Thailand, who was able to say (with a straight face), in an exclusive interview on Pattaya Mail TV, that his transport was Australia’s own Holden, immortalized in the advertising jingle of the 70’s which ran “We love football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden Cars!”
Panida Kaewpradit (McConnell Dowell Creative Construction) and Gary Woollacott (Past President AustCham Thailand) have a cozy little chat.
At the last AustCham AGM, prior president Andrew Durieux was allowed to step down after two years of good behavior were taken into consideration and the new president John Anderson (Meinhardt) has taken over the reigns. It was noted that John was walking with the aid of crutches which he claimed were being used following wrenching his knee while sailing. Mention was made of the use of ‘knee-capping’ to perhaps influence his decision to accept the presidency, but this was strenuously denied.
It was very pleasing to see representation from the northern capital of Chiang Mai, with bubbly June Chua Unland, Marketing and Sales from Advanced ID Asia Engineering and Stu Lloyd (author of the very moving book “The Missing Years” ISBN 9781877058776) and Jolie Somboonsakdikul from Ideology Asia.
Seen standing around the chocolate fountain were Kerry Matisin and Sri from the Eastern Seaboard branch of Allied Pickfords, whilst on the other side of the fountain was Robin Hyde, the overseas manager of Seabra Movers. Secrets slurped over the chocolate strawberries perhaps?
Mention must be made of the food supplied by the Amari, with Executive Chef Jens Heier noted popping through to make sure everything was of the high standard we have come to expect of the Amari. The Beef Wellington was superb!
Always in the center of much mirth was the MD of Thana Burin Asia Pacific, the effervescent Dr. Valerie McKenzie (host of the Morning Talk show) who spoke to PMTV on the merits of Nonthaburi Beach and the local swimming pool.
Seen helping hold up the bar were Jerry Stewart consulting in business, finance and education, along with Peter Mewes, the senior legal advisor for HBS in Phnom Penh, and no, he does not go to the Preah Vihear.
Another very successful event, made possible by Thana Burin Asia Pacific Ltd. which supplies management services as well as representing the Australian Tourist Commission (now Tourism Australia).
Over the years the company has segmented its business into six categories. Namely; strategic management counseling and planning, public affairs council, crisis communications and business continuity planning, public relations media training, and television programming and production. An independent consultancy, the highly qualified professionals, both expatriate (Australian) and Thais, provide services at both the international and local levels. The company also owns and runs the only daily English language TV program to free-to-air TV in Thailand (Morning Talk) as well as other Thai programs.
Notice of the next AustCham Seaboard Sundowners will be printed in the Pattaya Mail.
Sam Mizzi (McConnell Dowell Creative Construction) and Leigh Scott-Kemmis (DBM Thailand) need a little more time to chill out.
Jurairat Jammanee and Belinda Skinner, charming directors of AustCham Thailand.
Bill Hartmann (Trak Blaze) and Saksiri Meesaward (Zi-Argus Industrial Automation) are ready to go for the salt sticks as soon as the cameraman goes away.
Cees Cuijpers (Town & Country Property), Paul Wilkinson (CEA, AustCham Eastern Seaboard Coordinator), and Nick Chomonter (AGS Four Winds) enjoy the first of many cocktails.
Ken Bright and Maria D. Silva of Bosch Chassis Systems pose for a photograph.
Mike Cahill looks wary while HE James Wise (right) the Australian Ambassador has a big smile for our photographer.
A happy looking bunch: Guillaume Battault (Safecoms Ltd), Andre Geertsma (Zi-Argus Industrial Automation), Garry Irvin (Resource Link Consulting Group), and John Howarth (Montpelier Wealth Management).
Somsri Jomtarak and Kerry Matisin of Allied Pickfords Movers and Mike Binney (Transearch Executive Search) propose a toast to good health.
True heavyweights of commerce, Mark Wood (Trade Commissioner Australian Embassy), Michael Diamente (Dana Spicer), and Ray D’Silva (Bosch Chassis Systems).
George Strampp (Automotive Manufacturing Solutions), the veteran of networking events looks after Thanyamai Totharong (Arise Asia) and Michael North (North Engineers & Design Associates).
Always a gentleman, Shane Torr (Past President AustCham Thailand), plays chaperone to Rosanne Diamente and the famous Dr. Valerie McKenzie of Morning Talk.
John Anderson (centre), President of AustCham Thailand speaks to his personal PR men, Pattaya Mail correspondent extraordinaire, Dr. Iain Corness (left), and Paul Strachan, the man who ‘loves PMTV’.
AustCham networking evenings are also fun. June Chua Unland (Advanced ID Asia Engineering), Andy Hall (CEA Project Solutions), Stuart Lloyd (Ideology Asia), and Isaree Somboonsakdikul (Ideology Asia Engineering) are living proof.
