The British Chamber of Commerce Thailand announced its presence on the Eastern Seaboard, with a networking evening at the Amari Orchid Pattaya’s Tavern by the Sea, last week.
The principal sponsors were KPMG in Thailand and the Amari Orchid Pattaya. For KPMG, it was the ideal opportunity to announce the opening of their new branch office in Rayong province located at the ESIE Plaza 2, Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate, Rayong. This office is approximately 120 km from central Bangkok and 100 km from Suvarnabhumi Airport, positioning it close to the heart of Rayong’s industrial area. Happy to discuss its operations was Richard Rome, a long-time KPMG man and Manager of the new office, describing it as the smallest office in the entire world-wide group. For more information, or to set up a free consultation, contact Richard Rome, Office Manager, E-mail: rrome@ kpmg.co.th or [email protected].
Paul Grimes and John Motar Hunter of Hunter Stoves Ltd. form the bookends for Chizuko lnomata, Panitha Teerasorakai and Amornsri Mingkhwanrungrueng of event sponsors KPMG.
Not only was the office manager present, but the Tavern by the Sea also welcomed the CEO of KPMG, a delightful Thai lady Kaisri Nuengsigkapian, who said she was actually the Chief Enforcement Officer.
Another of the KPMG ‘heavies’ was Graeme Sheard, the taxation specialist for the group, who advised that whilst Thai taxation law is somewhat different from tax laws elsewhere, his function was to guide companies through the maze.
Representing the Amari Orchid was its hard working GM David Cumming. David revealed that December and January have been very good as far as occupancy rates were concerned, but did say that he does not try and forecast what will be happening for the rest of the year, preferring to look at six week forecasts, rather than six months.
Mention must be made of the food. Once again the Amari Orchid presented a very good range of culinary delights ranging from Beef Wellington to a chocolate fountain with strawberries!
Catching up with friends was Paul Wilkinson from the Australian Chamber of Commerce, who is now the Operations Manager of Kevin Fisher’s dynamic CEA Projects (paul@ ceaprojects.com).
Showing just how the BCCT is known overseas was Paul Grimes, the Director of Hunter Stoves in Devon in the UK. Considering that Devon was under snow till last week, one could see why he was doing a “business trip” to Pattaya.
Some of the many regulars at BCCT networking evenings included Neil Maniquiz (Bangkok Hospital Pattaya), John Howarth (Montpelier), Shaun Burke (Cromwell Tools) and Bruce Hoppe (Emerson Technologies).
The BCCT management was represented by its Chairman Graham Macdonald and the Executive Director Greg Watkins, and with the annual elections up soon, there were many opportunities for pressing the flesh, but no kissing of babies, or votes to be purchased, I was assured.
This was a most successful start to 2011 for the BCCT and the date and venue of the next BCCT networking event will be published in the Pattaya Mail.
Sutlet Group’s Richard Prouse shares a glass with Paul Flipse and Yasuhide Fujii of KPMG.
Gordon May, Company Director of Baan Souy Siam Co. Ltd., left, discusses wine matters with Pattaya Mail’s special correspondent Dr. lain Corness.
Mark Butters, Director of RSM Advisory (Thailand) Ltd., left, exchanges gossip with Sukhavichai Dhanasundara, the Country Manager of Brainforce International (Thailand).
Neil Farrell and Wayne Meaclem of Elastomer Products (Thailand) Ltd. enjoy a drink with the Hilton Pattaya Hotel’s Panicha Thananaken and Elwin Kemmimg.
Shaun Burke of Cromwell Tools relaxes with Renata Bromley, Director R2M Trading and Sid Stone, Project Manager for S Thai Ltd.
Bruce Hoppe, Vice President of Asia Operations Emerson, Dr. Iain Corness and David W. Smith, Director Aqua Logic (Thailand) Co., Ltd., share a chinwag at the meeting.
Paul Melling, Standard Chartered Bank (Thai) and Gregory Pitt, Managing Director Mackenzie Smith, chat over a beer with Civil Engineer Simon Matthews.
The ABC Group’s Supawadee Rodvinit, Helmut Buchberger, Aleksandra Agapitova, Nirat Seehanam and Sathit Muadkong show some support for the Reds.
BDP Project Logistics’ Prapawadee Phothipraisiri and Putsadee Lamprecht.
The Hilton’s Thitiporn Boonsuk poses for a photo with Dr. Lillian Fawcett and Unchalee (Ashlee) Chamnithurakr.
Ian Robertson from Grant Thornton Ltd. poses for a photo with Raymond O’Reilly, a lecturer of art at the Asian University.
