Panida
Kaewpradit (McConnell Dowell Creative Construction) and Gary Woollacott
(Past President AustCham Thailand) have a cozy little chat.
Dr. Iain Corness
The Australian Chamber of Commerce Thailand (AustCham)
held their Seaboard Sundowners networking evening at the Ice Bar in the
Amari Orchid Tower last Friday. As always, it was a well attended business
networking event, and made possible by the support of sponsors Thana Burin
Asia Pacific Ltd. and the Amari Orchid Resort and Tower itself.
The evening was also graced by H.E. James Wise, the
Australian Ambassador to Thailand, who was able to say (with a straight
face), in an exclusive interview on Pattaya Mail TV, that his
transport was Australia’s own Holden, immortalized in the advertising jingle
of the 70’s which ran “We love football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden
Cars!”
Sam
Mizzi (McConnell Dowell Creative Construction) and Leigh Scott-Kemmis (DBM
Thailand) need a little more time to chill out.
At the last AustCham AGM, prior president Andrew Durieux
was allowed to step down after two years of good behavior were taken into
consideration and the new president John Anderson (Meinhardt) has taken over
the reigns. It was noted that John was walking with the aid of crutches
which he claimed were being used following wrenching his knee while sailing.
Mention was made of the use of ‘knee-capping’ to perhaps influence his
decision to accept the presidency, but this was strenuously denied.
It was very pleasing to see representation from the
northern capital of Chiang Mai, with bubbly June Chua Unland, Marketing and
Sales from Advanced ID Asia Engineering and Stu Lloyd (author of the very
moving book “The Missing Years” ISBN 9781877058776) and Jolie
Somboonsakdikul from Ideology Asia.
Seen standing around the chocolate fountain were Kerry
Matisin and Sri from the Eastern Seaboard branch of Allied Pickfords, whilst
on the other side of the fountain was Robin Hyde, the overseas manager of
Seabra Movers. Secrets slurped over the chocolate strawberries perhaps?
Jurairat Jammanee and Belinda Skinner, charming directors of AustCham
Thailand.
Mention must be made of the food supplied by the Amari,
with Executive Chef Jens Heier noted popping through to make sure everything
was of the high standard we have come to expect of the Amari. The Beef
Wellington was superb!
Always in the center of much mirth was the MD of Thana
Burin Asia Pacific, the effervescent Dr. Valerie McKenzie (host of the
Morning Talk show) who spoke to PMTV on the merits of Nonthaburi
Beach and the local swimming pool.
Seen helping hold up the bar were Jerry Stewart
consulting in business, finance and education, along with Peter Mewes, the
senior legal advisor for HBS in Phnom Penh, and no, he does not go to the
Preah Vihear.
Another very successful event, made possible by Thana
Burin Asia Pacific Ltd. which supplies management services as well as
representing the Australian Tourist Commission (now Tourism Australia).
Over the years the company has segmented its business
into six categories. Namely; strategic management counseling and planning,
public affairs council, crisis communications and business continuity
planning, public relations media training, and television programming and
production. An independent consultancy, the highly qualified professionals,
both expatriate (Australian) and Thais, provide services at both the
international and local levels. The company also owns and runs the only
daily English language TV program to free-to-air TV in Thailand (Morning
Talk) as well as other Thai programs.
Notice of the next AustCham Seaboard Sundowners will be printed in the
Pattaya Mail.
Bill
Hartmann (Trak Blaze) and Saksiri Meesaward (Zi-Argus Industrial Automation)
are ready to go for the salt sticks as soon as the cameraman goes away.
Cees
Cuijpers (Town & Country Property), Paul Wilkinson (CEA, AustCham Eastern
Seaboard Coordinator), and Nick Chomonter (AGS Four Winds) enjoy the first
of many cocktails.
Ken
Bright and Maria D. Silva of Bosch Chassis Systems pose for a photograph.
Mike
Cahill looks wary while HE James Wise (right) the Australian Ambassador has
a big smile for our photographer.
A happy
looking bunch: Guillaume Battault (Safecoms Ltd), Andre Geertsma (Zi-Argus
Industrial Automation), Garry Irvin (Resource Link Consulting Group), and
John Howarth (Montpelier Wealth Management).
Somsri
Jomtarak and Kerry Matisin of Allied Pickfords Movers and Mike Binney
(Transearch Executive Search) propose a toast to good health.
True
heavyweights of commerce, Mark Wood (Trade Commissioner Australian Embassy),
Michael Diamente (Dana Spicer), and Ray D’Silva (Bosch Chassis Systems).
George
Strampp (Automotive Manufacturing Solutions), the veteran of networking
events looks after Thanyamai Totharong (Arise Asia) and Michael North (North
Engineers & Design Associates).
Always
a gentleman, Shane Torr (Past President AustCham Thailand), plays chaperone
to Rosanne Diamente and the famous Dr. Valerie McKenzie of Morning Talk.
John
Anderson (centre), President of AustCham Thailand speaks to his personal PR
men, Pattaya Mail correspondent extraordinaire, Dr. Iain Corness (left), and
Paul Strachan, the man who ‘loves PMTV’.
AustCham networking evenings are also fun. June Chua Unland (Advanced ID
Asia Engineering), Andy Hall (CEA Project Solutions), Stuart Lloyd (Ideology
Asia), and Isaree Somboonsakdikul (Ideology Asia Engineering) are living
proof.
