Jason Samuel, (2nd left) Int’l Councillor of Skål Int’l
India, was welcomed by Skål Int’l Pattaya and East Thailand board members, Neil
Maniquiz, (left), director, Tony Malhotra (2nd left), President, Papakan
Saguansap, (2nd right) secretary and Peter Malhotra, (right) executive advisor.
Paul Strachan
The stunning new Centara Grand Phratamnak Pattaya was the venue for the
monthly meeting for Skål International Pattaya & East Thailand, held on Thursday
the 21st of November.
Pratamnak Hill has become a very popular spot, situated in between Pattaya &
Jomtien, as it offers easy accessibility to all the major attractions yet is set
in a tranquil area. The Centara Grand Phratamnak Pattaya, situated near the
beach at the bottom of Soi 5, is the new flagship hotel for the Centara Hotels &
Resorts in Pattaya and this property is owned by the Tulip Group.
GM Dominique Rongé welcomed the over fifty guests who are the Skålleagues and
friends of Skål Pattaya and for the Skål event and many were given a tour of
this impressive property including the stunning bedrooms and Ruffino Restaurant
and the rooftop bar.
(L to R) Tony Malhotra, President of
Skål Int’l Pattaya and East Thailand, Cory Bik, Urai Patenya, Eastern Star
Resort, Janya Rattanaliam, Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, Ferenc Fricsay, Alissara
Khamprachom, D Varee Jomtien Beach Hotel, Benchamat Phudthiradvittaya and
Vassachol Khrueasan, Holiday Inn Pattaya.
No expense has been spared on this hotel from its impressive
lobby with 2 huge aquariums, grand piano with the aquatic theme running through
the entire building, perfect setting for any exclusive events. The Skål dinner
was held at the Oceana Restaurant situated on the ground floor.
President Tony Malhotra started the evening with the Skål toast and then the
guests were given an opportunity to introduce themselves and who they represent.
There were many new faces at this event including Pan and Big, two members of
Young Skål Thailand from Bangkok, and Jason Samuel who is an international
councilor for Skål in India. President Tony and Jason exchanged the Skål flags
of their perspective clubs.
Other executives attending for the first time included Alex Chakrabarti, GM of
Mercure Pattaya Hotel and Tomo Kuriyama, GM of Sheraton Pattaya Resort.
(L to R) Ploy Pisters, Danilo
Becker, Thai Garden Resort, Neil Maniquiz, Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, Tony
Malhotra, Pattaya Mail, Rene Pisters, GM of Thai Garden Resort and Tomo
Kuriyama, GM of Sheraton Pattaya.
The MC then introduced the guest speaker for the evening,
Scott Michael Smith, who is an International Skål councilor and director for
Young Skål Thailand.
Scott is a full-time lecturer and PhD candidate at Assumption University. Scott
has been researching Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in the
accommodation sector and is currently working on his dissertation, focusing on
the successful communication of CSR in SE Asia. He has had over 20 years of
practical experience as an owner and manager in the service sector and more than
a decade’s worth of teaching and consulting experience in Thailand.
(L to R) Ploy Pisters, Nattakarn
Sinprasom, Varongpat Nanthivatcharin, Cape Dara Resort, Ingo G. Raeuber, Group
GM of Pinnacle Hotels, Resorts & Spas and Ireelda Jirachokchayanant, Holiday Inn
Pattaya.
In his time he has worked closely with many of the leading
tourism suppliers in Thailand to develop service training programs and promote
strategies that make business sense and common sense. He has published numerous
articles regarding the communication of CSR and the Spirit of Hospitality and is
a popular contributor at international conferences and seminars. He pointed out
that Skål International is an organization of tourism professionals representing
18,000 members in over 500 local clubs in over 100 countries.
As a Director for Young Skål Thailand Scott has had fist hand experience in
seeing the vast potential for mentoring and working with younger members. He
urged the guests to look at their own work force and to see if there are any
shining stars of the future, people with drive and passion or indeed those with
ideas that need some support to make their dreams real.
The guests then enjoyed the sumptuous buffet at the Oceana Restaurant with the
theme for the evening being delicious Thai food. The beer and red & white wine
kept flowing, all for the cost of 850 baht. Scott then presented Skål
International Thailand President Andrew Wood with the prestigious certificate of
merit awarded at the recent 2013 Skål International World Congress.
(L to R) Supparatch Piyawatcharapun,
PR and Marketing Manager of Centara Grand Phratamnak Resort Pattaya, Urai
Patenya, Eastern Star Resort, Sunny from Sunny Online, Jitmanee
Siravithayavanich, The Way Hotel and Benchamat Phudthiradvittaya, Holiday Inn
Pattaya.
(L to R) Dominique Rongé, GM of
Centara Grand Pratamnak Resort Pattaya, chats with Massic Travel’s MD Marlowe
Malhotra and Vicky Malhotra, Hotel & Tour.
Donations were collected from guests with the total of
approximately 11,110 baht to assist the relief effort for the recent typhoon
that has devastated the Philippines. Skål Pattaya & East Thailand decided to top
that , making a total of 50,000 baht.
Dominique Rongé told the guests that as an additional benefit for the evening he
invited all attended to join him for another hour of free flow drinks on the
rooftop bar.
This rounded off another very successful event for Skål Pattaya & East Thailand.
The next event will be a party on the beach at the Pinnacle Grand Jomtien Resort
& Spa on the 19th of December. This will be an informal event and marks the year
end for Skål in Pattaya. Guests are invited to wear shorts and beach attire. The
cost is 500 baht for adults and 250 baht for children. All Skål Pattaya members
will receive complimentary entrance that will include a buffet dinner and free
flow drinks.
More information about this upcoming event can be found online at
www.facebook.com/skalpattaya
(L to R) Kanmaee Saengchan, Amari
Orchid Pattaya, Chananchida Wongsa-ard, Sales & PR Manager, Wassana Pokthang,
EAM of Centara Grand Pratamnak Resort Pattaya and Sattawat Charoenlarp, Assta
Manager, Sales of Amari Orchid Pattaya.
(L to R) Allan Riddell, Director of
the South African Chamber of Commerce, Andrew Wood, President of Skål
International Thailand, and Pichai Visutriratana, Director of Worldwide
Destinations Asia.
(L to R) Pullman Pattaya Hotel G’s
EAM Dimitri Chernyshev and Caroline Shen, Director of Sales-Corporate & MICE
with Tomo Kuriyama, GM of Sheraton Pattaya and Brendan Daly, GM of Amari Orchid
Pattaya.
(L to R) Thanisorn Sethasuphang,
Heng Asia Home Product, Panpiti Chalermvisetpol, Riora Creation, Scott Smith,
Int’l Councillor of Skål Int’l Thailand and Pichai Visutriratana, Worldwide
Destinations Asia.
(L to R) Russell Jay Darrell from
MIX 88.5 FM, Brendan Daly, GM of Amari Orchid Pattaya and Supparatch
Piyawatcharapun, Centara Grand Pratamnak Resort Pattaya.
(L to R) Pichai Visutriratana,
Worldwide Destinations Asia, Panpiti Chalermvisetpol, Riora Creation Co., Ltd.,
Jim Lumsden and Gordon May.
Tony Malhotra, President of Skål
Int’l Pattaya and East Thailand welcomed Patricia and Graham Goodman.
(L to R) Ingo G. Raeuber, Group GM of Pinnacle
Hotels, Resorts & Spas, Urai Patenya, Sales Manager of Eastern Star Resort,
Alissara Khamprachom, Sales Manager of D Varee Jomtien Beach Hotel and Janya
Rattanaliam, Deputy Head of the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya International Marketing
Department.
(L to R) Scott Smith, International Councillor of
Skål International Thailand, Hans Banzinger, Director of Swiss Paradise Resort
Pattaya, Esther Kaufmann, MD of My Office Travel Co., Ltd. and Andrew Wood,
President of Skål International Thailand.
(L to R) Angie Turton, Marketing Manager of Real
Estate Thailand Magazine Russian Edition, Steve Turton, Dive Instructor of Dive
In Pattaya and Papakan Saguansap, Spa Manager at the Tea Tree Spa, Holiday Inn.
(L to R) Peter Malhotra, MD of Pattaya Mail Media
Group, Supparatch Piyawatcharapun, PR and Marketing Manager of Centara Grand
Pratamnak Resort Pattaya, Chris George and Alex Chakrabarti, GM of Mercure
Pattaya Hotel.
Holiday Inn Pattaya’s team (L to R) Thanagon
Poungbubpchart, Ananbodhin Wachoom, Benchamat Phudthiradvittaya, Phuvaxith
Athinonthboonyarux, Sipat Vongsakul, and Vassachol Khrueasan.
(L to R) Supparatch Piyawatcharapun, PR and
Marketing Manager of Centara Grand Phratamnak Resort Pattaya, Brendan Daly, GM
of Amari Orchid Pattaya, Dominique Rongé, GM and Wassana Pokthang, Executive
Assistance Manager of Centara Grand Pratamnak Resort Pattaya.
