The Joint Chambers Networking evening combining the British Chamber of Commerce (BCCT), American Chamber (AmCham), the Australian Chamber (AustCham), the German Chamber (GTCC) and the South African Chamber (SATCC), was hosted by the BCCT, with sponsors being the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, Bumrungrad International Hospital and Lyreco.
The Royal Varuna is one of the more spectacular venues in Pattaya at sunset, and last Friday was no exception, with the networking being held on the grassy slopes leading down to the beach bar.
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(L to R) Roland Hohmann, expatriate marketing manager, and Pimyada Urailert, marketing executive, both from Bumrungrad International Hospital, one of the main sponsors of the evening.
The official welcome was given by Chris Thatcher who told the Pattaya Mail that he actually wasn’t a roof thatcher, but he was quite sure he could turn his hand to anything!
Sponsor Bumrungrad International Hospital was represented by affable German Roland Hohmann, the expatriate marketing manager, who revealed that his hospital needed a local presence in Pattaya as a referral point for the main (huge) hospital in Bangkok.
(L to R) George T, Strampp, Managing Partner of AMS Thailand and Tony Emmett from AusCham.
Lyreco was represented by Pitipong Suanyim, their key account national sales manager, who obviously enjoyed the evening, telling people just where Lyreco could assist their organizations with some out-sourcing.
The vice-commodore of Varuna, Tom Whitcraft, is also a director of RMA, the company that makes ‘bomb-proof’ trucks for areas of unrest.
Still on the automotive scene, Jeffrey Gaudiano, the new MD of BMW manufacturing at Amata City spoke with enthusiasm about forthcoming developments for BMW in Thailand, including a test track complete with skid pan. This is a facility sorely needed in Thailand. The very active Automotive Focus Group (AFG) was represented by its members George Strampp, Armin Walter, and President Frank Holzer.
(L to R) Peter Malhotra, managing director of the Pattaya Mail Media Group, Jeffery Gaudiano, managing director of BMW Thailand, Irene Schuermann from BMW Thailand, Elfi Seitz, executive editor of the Pattaya Blatt and Horst Mueller from the Pattaya Blatt.
The BCCT ladies Jina and Laddawan circulated and spoke with everyone, while an attractive young lady with the violin did Vanessa Mae impersonations.
Graham MacDonald (MBE) was representing the South African Chamber along with Allan Riddell, the consultant to the Board of the South African Trade Promotion while Paul Marks, the Communications Director of the American School of Bangkok was accompanied by Robert Kawada, their marketing manager.
(L to R) Paul Marks, communications director of the American School of Bangkok, Robert Kawada, marketing manager of the American School of Bangkok, Dr. Iain Corness and Mark Butters, director of RSM Advisory Thailand Ltd.
The big man who moves big ships, Scott Finsten, the harbor master at Ocean Marina was seen chatting to BCCT President Simon (in a shirt covered in roses) Matthews (Manpower) and RSM’s Mark Butters were their usual gregarious selves, while Mark Bowling (Colliers International) was seeking opinions from the Eastern Seaboard members as to future directions.
This was one of the more popular joint networking evenings, and the BCCT, Bumrungrad, Lyreco and Royal Varuna are to be congratulated on a perfect evening for exchanging business cards.
(L to R) Mark Bowling, associate director, sales & leasing of the Colliers, Pattaya, Russell Winn, managing director of Achieve Global Thailand and Simon Matthews, chairman of the BCCT.
(L to R) Passaporn Kongsoontornsin, key account manager, Poraporn Buaboon, key account manager, Pitipong Suanyim, National sales manager-key account, Pattarapong Wongsanuk, regional sales manager and Kritsada Akkharaseranee, marketing manager of Lyreco Office & Work Solutions Thailand, one of the main sponsors of the evening.
