Two BCCT
brains at work, Greg Watkins (left), BCCT executive director and Stephen
Frost (right) from Bangkok International Associates.
Special Correspondent
The BCCT held its latest networking evening at the Amari
Orchid Resort in the Ice Bar at the Ocean Tower March 25. The evening was
kindly hosted and sponsored by the Amari itself. David Cumming, the general
manager, and his staff did an excellent job as usual and made everyone
welcome.
There was a wide variety of food, wine and beer and many
commented on the superb choice on view.
Greg Watkins, the executive director of the British
Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT), came down from Bangkok to make sure
things ran smoothly and was so impressed by how the Amari were running
things that he retreated to the couch next to the haunch of ham and was not
to be seen for the next two hours - by the time he had finished there was
not a lot to be seen of the ham either!
Mark Butters also managed to escape the travails of
Bangkok and was heard promoting the new RSM Advisory office in Pattaya. This
will be RSM Advisory’s first venture to establish a presence on the Eastern
Seaboard and many companies are already lining up to speak to them.
The usual local stalwarts were also there. Simon
Philbrook from MBMG was observed tucking into the kebabs with great gusto
whilst his wife, the long suffering Deborah, was constantly reminding Simon
that he has to captain Pattaya Cricket Club the next day. Debs also brought
Lewis (Woody) Underwood with her and they were planning the Jesters Care for
Kids Gala Dinner later in the year. This promises to be an outstanding event
and details will be coming out shortly.
Peter Smith from AA Insurance came down from Chiang Mai
for the evening. Peter is chairman of the BCCT Northern Group and he was
trying to persuade people to go up to Chiang Mai for the BCCT networking
event on Friday, 8th April.
Alain Deurwaerder, the new managing director of Ducati on
the Eastern Seaboard, had just returned from a trip to Italy. He was
comparing the food with what he had been tasting back in Europe. Needless to
say, there was no competition.
All in all, it was an excellent evening with the usual
faces seen mixing with newcomers. This is exactly what networking is all
about.
The next BCCT event will be after Songkran. Details will be announced
later.
Roger
Wilson (GKN Driveline) and Simon Philbrook (MBMG Group)
make a stop at the sandwich bar.
Old
friends meet: Mark Butters (Director RSM Thailand), Andy Hall Projects
Director CEA Project Solutions) and Alain Deurwaerder (MD Ducati Thailand).
(L to
R) Deborah Philbrook is a far prettier sight than Peter Smith (AA
Insurance); Alain Deurwaerder (MD Ducati Thailand) and Simon Philbrook
(Regional Manager MBMG Group).
A
little education can work wonders, (L to R) Kelley D. Ritchey, Associate
Dean Asian University; Alan S. Verstein (Siam Gazette) and Helmut Buchberger
(MD ABC Development).
Talking
finances can make you thirsty, (L to R) Jerry N. Stewart (financial
consultant), Joe Barker-Bennett (MD JMBB Consulting Co. Ltd) and Mark
Bowling (Senior Sales Manager Colliers International).
A toast
to good health, (L to R) Judy and Bruce Hoppe (VP Asia Operations Emerson
Electric), Kwang Kanawattanakul and Kamolthep Malhotra (GM Pattaya Mail).
(L to
R) Lewis ‘Woody’ Underwood (Jesters Care 4 Kids) in one of his rare BCCT
outings poses with Tony Malhotra (Director of Business Development Pattaya
Mail), Deborah Philbrook (MBMG Group), Graham MacDonald, chairman of the
BCCT and David Cumming (GM Amari Orchid Pattaya).
Graham
MacDonald, chairman of the BCCT is hot property as he pauses for a photo
with Thitima Kongsomrith (Asst. Sales Manager Amari Orchid), Louis and Annda
Vanden Bergh (4A Properties) and Ampawan Kuhasak (Senior Sales Manager Amari
Orchid).
