by Dr. Iain
Corness
The
new general manager at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort (he’s been here one
month) is an Austrian hotelier, Alex Haeusler (pronounced “Hoysler”
for the non-German speakers). He is a young man to have come so far in his
chosen profession, and he is also a brave man who once sacked his wife!
Alex was born in a small town on the outskirts of
Vienna, the only son to a professional engineer father and a dental
technician mother. His grandfather had been president of the Dental
Association of Austria, and the young Alex was very firmly pushed in the
direction of molars and incisors, but the young man had other ideas.
“This was not what I was looking for. I enjoyed exploring other cultures
and the mystique of the world too much,” he said.
The situation reached a stand-off and when Alex
finished his time at commercial college his future decision was made for
him. It was made by the Austrian government and was called National
Service! His fluency with languages was noted, being able to speak English
and French as well as his native German, and after two months he was given
the option to join a UN peace-keeping force in Cyprus. It was there in
Cyprus, away from parents, dental drills and amalgum that he made his
career decision to join the hotel industry. He admits that his decision
was coloured by the wonderful hotels and resorts that he had seen in his
travels. He also admitted, “I did not realize what a hardship this
(decision) was going to be - working nights, weekends and public
holidays.”
The decision made, when he finished the UN/National
Service he enrolled at the International College in Hotel Management in
Austria, where he spent the next two years to gain his diploma. During the
course, one of his lecturers was Andreas Voegel, the GM of the Imperial in
Vienna, who impressed him so much that after graduating with high grades,
he applied to join the same group managing the Imperial and began his
hotel career as a switchboard telephone operator - working nights,
weekends and public holidays, and all the days in between! After six
months he was allowed to work on the front desk.
He endured this period of his life by saying to himself
that it was only temporary. “I was proud to have joined such a great
hotel, but the rigid system in terms of advancement was frustrating.”
His next lucky break came during a world hotel congress
that was held in his hotel, where he met the GM of a hotel in Jeddah who
offered him the job as front office manager there. His entry into the
hotel business had not been with parental blessing, and the move overseas
also incurred more paternal wrath. “My father said to me, do not leave a
safe haven like Austria. You will be back in six months begging me for
money!” However, Alex knew that he could develop his career much faster
with overseas appointments, and this new goal of proving his father wrong
was added to his inner drive to succeed, and he left Austria for the sands
of Jeddah.
After a while in the sand-box he was seconded to
another overseas posting - this time the Amari Airport Hotel in Bangkok,
where he was promoted to the position of resident manager. This fitted in
with his drive to succeed and the advice he was once given by a senior
member of the hospitality industry who said that he should change
locations as frequently as he could, but change to higher positions each
time.
The Amari was a happy period in his life, and where he
met the young front desk supervisor (Rapeepan) who was also to change his
lifestyle. They became serious about each other, but Alex knew that this
was not a healthy situation, having them both together in a large
organization. He called her into his office and delivered the fateful
words to his sweetheart, “I’m sorry, but one of us has to go. Darling,
you’re dismissed!” However, he assured me he helped her find another
good position in the industry, but not in his hotel.
Just as the baht sank at the end of 1997, Alex was
offered a position in China (Shanghai) with an international chain. “I
liked Thailand, but I wanted to experience China and work with one of the
international groups.” He left Rapeepan behind and experienced a
different life in China. A life where he had a ‘shadow’ whose raison
d’etre was to spy and report on the doings of the foreigners. This is a
condition of life in that country and you either fight it (and lose) or as
a professional, learn to work within the system. Alex is a professional.
After 12 months he was pleased to return to Thailand.
The year away was something of a test for the relationship between himself
and his sacked front desk supervisor, but it was a test that showed there
was a strong bond. Rapeepan found him a position in Chiang Mai and they
got married.
After Chiang Mai they returned to Bangkok where he
worked at the executive level between the property owners and the
management group. Alex was now getting into his stride, but acknowledges
the lessons he learned from Rudi Scherb, the former GM at the Royal Orchid
Sheraton.
From there it was a serendipitous call to Panga
Vathanakul, the MD of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, that ended up in his
being offered the GM post here. “In the right place at the right time. I
feel very privileged at having joined such a prestigious resort,” he
said smiling. He and Rapeepan are now here.
He has one ambition yet to accomplish, however, which
is climbing a high mountain. “Like Kilimanjaro, around 5,000 metres
high,” he said. However, in the meantime, he might just have to make do
with Pratamnak Hill! We welcome you to Pattaya, Alex.
