The recently re-formed tourism group called Skål Pattaya & East Thailand held the second of their monthly meetings on Thursday the 16th of May at the Holiday Inn Pattaya.
Over fifty guests were in attendance all from tourist related businesses in and around Pattaya.
The opening address was made by the club’s president, Tony Malhotra, who welcomed everybody and gave a brief introduction about the guest speaker for the evening – Kullatorn Mesmmonta. He then asked everyone to join him in the Skål toast: “Happiness – Good Health – Friendship – Long life… Skål.”
Guest speaker Kullatorn Mesmmonta, also known as Mike, extols the virtues of golf tourism for Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard.
The theme for the evening was firmly focused on golf and how golf tourism is a major and growing part of the tourism business. Whist dinner was served a video was playing on the screen showing some of the many golf courses that surround Pattaya.
Guest speaker Kullatorn Mesmmonta, also known as Mike, is president of the EGA (Thailand), the East Coast Golf Courses Management Association, and is the director of Burapha Golf. He previously worked at the Panya Resort Chonburi and the Waterford Valley Chiang Rai.
Mike extolled the virtues of golf tourism for Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard tourism businesses, and the success of the recent Asian Golf Tourism Convention (AGTC 2013).
In 2012 Pattaya was named the best golf destination in Asia, New Zealand & Australia. This was a dream come true for Mike and his peers, which he put down to hard work, educating each other and ensuring that products, services, hospitality and great value for money are always at the forefront of the EGA.
He said that Pattaya is the undisputed capital of golf Asia because of what it can offer in terms of value for money.
Mike stated that by the end of this year Pattaya will have two new courses, making it twenty in total within a short drive of the city. He went on to say that although there are other courses in Southeast Asia, here we have the right weather to help maintain our golf courses in perfect condition.
Callum Mackie of Solar Golf talks about golf tours and the changing trends and needs for golfers coming to Thailand.
Plus, caddy fees here in Pattaya are usually 300 baht. Compare that to the 150 US dollars it would cost for a caddy in America. Here, the equivalent of 100 dollars gets you a cart, caddy, snacks and your green fee. For the same at comparable courses in the USA you would probably pay close to 500 dollars.
Golfers don’t just play golf – they also like to travel, go sightseeing, shopping and need somewhere nice to stay. Therefore this plays a big part in tourism for Pattaya, which is why he came to speak at Skål.
Following on from Mike, the audience was given a presentation from Callum Mackie of Solar Golf, a company that specializes in golf tours and monitors the changing trends and needs for golfers coming to Thailand.
After which there was a quick Q&A session then the GM of the Amari Orchid Pattaya Brendan Daly (a keen golfer himself) gave a thank you speech to Mike and to Garth Solly and his team at the Holiday Inn for hosting the event.
Skål Pattaya & East Thailand is part of the global Skål organization, formed in 1934, that has some 18,000 members in 85 nations and regions. Being a member of Skål brings many benefits as you can network with industry professionals all over the world. The next monthly meeting will be held at the Cape Dara Hotel on June 20, 2013, and will be advertised in the Pattaya Mail and on the club’s facebook page <www.facebook.com/skalpattaya>.
Brendan Daly gives a vote of thanks on behalf of Skålleagues.
(L to R) Kamutporn Chaiwong (Holiday Inn Director of Sales and Marketing), chats with the Centara Grand team of Podcharak Klintoe (Front Office Manager), Koranit Muangkaew (FC) and Tiparpa Sapanon (DOSM).
(L to R) Tsix5 Hotel GM Sompat Jantawan poses with Hao Hao, Sales Manager for Ratanaboon Trans and Tour Co., Ltd. and Garth Solly, Vice President of Skål International Pattaya and East Thailand and GM of Holiday Inn.
(L to R) Elfi Seitz, Paul Strachan and Russell Jay Darrell from MIX 88.5 FM.
(L to R) Ingo G. Raeuber (Group General Manager of Pinnacle Hotels, Resorts & Spas), Hans Banzinger (Director of Swiss Paradise Resort Pattaya) and Greig Ritchie (Director of Sales-S.E. Asia, Pan Pacific Travel Corporation Limited) enjoy the welcome drinks together.
(L to R) Pattaya Blatt’s Elfi Seitz and Bangkok Hospital Pattaya’s Head of International Marketing Neil Maniquiz, meet and greet with the Massic Travel MD Marlowe Malhotra, PMTV Director Sue Kukarja, and Massic Travel’s Vicky Malhotra.
(L to R) David Roberts (General Manager of Nova Platinum Hotel), Brendan Daly (GM of Amari Orchid Pattaya), Dueanpen Thongsombat (Assistant Director of Sales, Amari Orchid Pattaya), Tony Malhotra (President of Skål International Pattaya and East Thailand), Alissara Khamprachom (Furama Hotel Jomtien Beach), Porntip Pibarnwong (Director of Sales for Amari Orchid Pattaya), Pinyo Siriton (Sales Director with Amari Orchid Pattaya) and Richard Margo (Resident Manager of Amari Orchid Pattaya).
(L to R) Holiday Inn’s Vassachol Khrueasan (Sales Manager), Yuwadee Prohkhuntod (Sales Manager), and Papakan Saguansap (Spa Manager at the Tea Tree Spa), talk wellness with Dr. Iain Corness.
(L to R) Russell Jay Darrell (MIX 88.5 FM), Rene Pisters (GM of Thai Garden Resort), Janya Rattanaliam (Deputy Head of the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya International Marketing Department), Danilo Becker (Hotel Manager of Thai Garden Resort), Taeshinee Prateepchanachai (International Marketing Executive) and Neil Maniquiz (Head of the International Marketing at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya).
