Hans-Dieter Westphal (or Khun Hans as he is more
commonly known) is the managing director of Rieckermann Thai Engineering,
one of the main divisions of Rieckermann Thai, a firm that was established
in Thailand 50 years ago, around the time that Hans-Dieter was born! He is
also a man who started the interview with the positive statement, “By
nature I am an optimist.”
He was born in Husum in northern Germany, famous for
its rough weather and storms. His father was a sea captain on very large
bulk carrier ships, and like all children of seafarers saw his father
infrequently. However, as he grew older, his father would take him with
him on sea voyages during school holidays, which gave him an interest in
shipping.
With
this interest he started an apprenticeship with a shipping agent but gave
this up after two years. “I realised that shipping from an office was
very different from real shipping.” So he moved to his next training job
- with a firm in Hamburg called Rieckermann who then sent him to business
college.
Two years later he emerged, and at the tender age of 21
he was sent to Thailand, working in sales for the plastic packaging
industry on a three year contract. “I was pushed straight into the
water. I had to learn to swim very quickly.”
After the first three years he renewed the contract and
stayed for a further three. He did not really miss Germany, “I enjoyed
my holidays and Mum’s cooking, but I always found it easy to live
here.” So easy that he stayed on until 1980 when he was transferred to
Indonesia, working in Jakarta and Surabaya for four years.
By that stage he was already married to a Thai woman
and had two children who were born here. “I enjoyed Indonesia, but
having a Thai family my roots were already too deep in Thailand.” He
returned to the Kingdom as managing director.
Two years ago the company was restructured and
Hans-Dieter took over Rieckermann Thai Engineering, saying with pride,
“Now we no longer stop at the machinery supply, we are a project company
that can integrate with local engineering abilities. We offer turn-key
solutions.”
Probably as a reaction to the father who was always at
sea, Hans-Dieter has become a very strong family man. When I asked him
about success he became very philosophical. “Success must be looked at
from the overall picture. It is nice to run a successful company and rise
through the company, but success cannot just be related to the father -
the family must come into it.” And he is very proud of his family, with
his eldest son following in his footsteps, commencing work at Rieckermann,
Hamburg and will be returning to Bangkok later. His eldest daughter is
married and has made him a grandfather already, while his other daughter
is studying art in Germany and his youngest son is doing well at school
here in Pattaya.
When discussing advice for those who would follow him
he was very specific, citing the problems associated with the “farang”
viewpoint, tainted by generous social securities handouts. “You educate
people the wrong way into thinking you can succeed without hard work. You
have to sacrifice personal enjoyment. (He himself has not taken holidays
for the last three years.) You have to work hard and look deeply into the
culture of your host country.”
As he strongly advocates integration, I asked him if he
felt more German or Thai, within his own mind? “I have lived longer in
Thailand than in Germany, and I may have blended in. You have to find a
good mixture to be able to work in this multi-national community and carry
no cultural burdens. I am German - I could have changed my nationality
years ago, but I don’t think it is necessary.” He shows a strong
truth-seeking side to his nature, but admits he was not born with this
philosophical attitude. “I think it has a lot to do with the environment
you live in. From day one I liked the Thai people. I live in this
culture.”
He is a man who is no stranger to hard work. He admits
to 60 hours a week as direct hands-on work, and then there are such things
as Chamber of Commerce evenings and other networking, which does not leave
much time for hobbies, but the one hobby he does have is boats. “I
design and build boats. When the whole thing finally floats I get great
satisfaction, then I sell it and start again.” In this way he has built
four boats all greater than 100 footers. Since most ex-pats in Pattaya
play golf, that was my next question, but the forthright Hans-Dieter
replied, “I’m too young to play golf. My free time is very limited and
golf would not relax me.”
His ambition is purely to work as long as possible.
“I enjoy working. All new projects are a challenge. I have not fixed a
date when I will stop work and I will step back only when I cannot follow
the pace.”
For the hard working Hans-Dieter, AKA Khun Hans, that
day appears to be a little way off yet; however, with another Westphal
coming through the ranks of Rieckermann Hamburg, you could almost put even
money on the fact that when he does step down there will be a chip off the
old block to replace him!
Hans-Dieter Westphal is a fine example of the success
that comes from hard work and integration within a ‘foreign’
community. He has deserved his place in life.
