by Dr. Iain
Corness
Andrew
Khoo is one of those people with ‘presence’. Perhaps it is his size,
as he is around 6 foot, very tall for any Asian, even for Singaporeans
such as himself. Perhaps it is his fashionably streaked hair or his Hard
Rock chain of office which he wears around his neck, being the GM of the
Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya. Or then again, it might just be his Hard Rock
whistle that he blows at every opportunity! Whatever, you always know when
Andrew Khoo walks into any room!
He has been in Pattaya for around five years,
overseeing the pre-opening of his Hard Rock Hotel, and then being in
charge of this vibrant property ever since. He appears to be ubiquitous.
Not a unique factor, as like many GM’s he can be seen everywhere on the
property, at any time, checking, endorsing or advising. “I’m not
demanding,” says Andrew. “I’m hands on. If you want to move forward,
you have to make a work environment, get a strategy and let people get on
with it.”
He believes that the above statement also refers to the
work ahead of the Skål International Club of Pattaya and East Thailand,
the group for which he has just been elected president, thereby getting
another chain of office (or chain for his office).
I asked him directly, just why did he put his name up
for the position. “Why president? It surely wasn’t for the ego!” he
said with a laugh. He continued, “I like the (Skål International)
concept of doing business amongst friends. Skål International provides
the platform to make contacts, breaks the ice and you can proceed from
there.” He is also not a newcomer to Skål International, having first
experienced the group in Singapore in the early 1990’s.
Skål is very much more in the news at present, with
the World Congress of this association to be held in Pattaya in 2006.
“Many hoteliers don’t understand what Skål can bring,” says
president Andrew. “We are looking at 1,500 delegates and spouses, so we
have to get more local hoteliers on board.”
That brought us to the next topic - his board, or the
committee who will have to work with this dynamic man at the helm. “They
have diverse backgrounds, which is an important contribution. There is a
good mix of Thai and farang, held together by the common cause of
well-being for Pattaya. They are all ‘stakeholders’ in this city. They
want to see Pattaya moved to a higher platform. We are now seeing a
renaissance in Pattaya.”
He firmly believes that his hotel has been a large plus
for Pattaya. “The Hard Rock brand has been a catalyst in renewing
interest in this destination. Hard Rock has endorsed Pattaya, producing an
impetus for people to reinvest and have confidence in the efforts of all
the people who will create an interest in this destination once again.”
He can see nothing but benefits for everyone in this
city, which can be brought about by a dynamic and active Skål
International, and the forthcoming World Congress. “I love this city and
the people who are working hard to shape the destiny of this city, and who
want to make it a better place. I am committed to seeing Pattaya
succeed.”
This is where he can see his committee helping the
final goal. “The committee will be very useful to bring in the various
business associations, so the wealth will be spread. Government, both
local and provincial, plus NGO’s can help to reduce the expenses of the
congress participants, making it (the world congress) more affordable
which will bring in more delegates and which will in turn benefit
Pattaya.”
He becomes quite passionate when extolling the end
results that this promotion can bring. “There’s a knock-on effect. It
builds confidence that this is an attractive investment location. That in
turn has the knock-on effect on (increasing) housing and businesses.”
That led us to another interesting topic - that of
zoning of the entertainment areas, which has been a thorn in the side of
successive governors and local administrators. Andrew Khoo has a much more
pragmatic approach that does not rely on unpopular or unenforceable
legislation. “As the city grows, rents in the inner city will increase,
which in turn becomes a natural force for attracting better quality
business investments. The beer bars cannot afford to pay the higher rents.
This will produce its own ‘zoning’ as choice locations bring in
quality investments.”
I brought him back to the problem in hand - that of his
organization readying itself for a World Congress of tourism professionals
descending upon Pattaya. “I like strategy maps. Having just done one for
the Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya, I am looking at how I can develop one for
Skål.”
Some time ago, in a previous interview done with Andrew
Khoo, he explained why, in his life, there is no real time for hobbies.
“It’s a passion you feel for your profession. Treat it as a 9-5 job
and your hotel is doomed to failure. It teaches you to be humble as you
depend on human beings to do the job that you trained them for.” With
Skål International, that passion and commitment will also be needed, not
just by Andrew Khoo, but by his committee as well.
Despite his sometimes noisy exterior, Andrew Khoo is a
quiet deep thinker. He is a Buddhist who speaks several languages,
including Hokkien Chinese, Bahasa Melayu/Indonesia but he thinks in
English. He is also a man who says, “I love this city.”
“Success in this congress will ensure that Skål International will
have its place in the community as a voice to be taken seriously.
Membership will be sought, rather than Skål seeking members. I am
committed to seeing the Skål brand take its rightful place amongst the
various business and charity organizations in this city.” And as a final
word, “It’s not a farang drinking club. That’s a misconception!”
