a publication of CanCham Thailand
Jan-Feb-Mar 2020 Issue
Sustainable Partner
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A WORLD OF
OPPORTUNITY
“Bangkok Patana formed the foundation of who I am as a person today, from my love for all things creative (I learned how to shoot and develop photos in Patana’s very first dark room) to my passion for sustainable living through Environmental Studies class. The diverse programming helped me to cultivate a mindset for entrepreneurship where I can pull together my various skill sets and become an effective leader. “
Tarica Phung, Class of 1997, Owner Kinn Home, Texas
admissions@patana.ac.th Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2200 www.patana.ac.th 2 Jan-Feb-Mar 2020
Bangkok Patana is a not for profit, IB World School accredited by CIS
Dear CanCham Members:
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
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nother year has come and gone – an extremely busy and productive one for CanCham. The year ended with our member appreciation night hosted by the Landmark Hotel, which showcased the role and team of the Trade Section of the Canadian Embassy. A very special and heartfelt thanks to Senior Trade Commissioner Sanjeev Chowdhury who has become a great supporter and fast-friend of CanCham since his appointment in August. On December 14, CanCham launched a Southern Chapter – this is the first time the Chamber has expanded outside of Bangkok. The launch event was held at the Thanyapura Health and Sports Resort in Phuket and attended by over seventy-five businesspeople and government officials. The guest list included Canadians doing business in the south of the country, Sanjeev Chowdhury representing the Embassy, and a number of local government and business leaders including Khun Anupong Wangwongmoon, Deputy Governor of Phuket Province, Khun Thanusak Puengdech, President of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, Khun Kasien Laiyakosit, Vice President of the Surat Thani Chamber of Commerce, and Khun Siritorn Julchoo, President of the Krabi Chamber of Commerce. Congratulations are in order to CanCham board member, Rajiv Parrab, for spearheading this initiative and to Sunny Patel and his firm Trends Digital for sponsorship support. The year ahead kicks off with the Crystal Ball business panel on January 8th followed by the Great Canadian BBQ and the fourth installation of our Women in Leadership forum in February. We also look forward to welcoming a new Canadian Ambassador to Thailand, H.E Sarah Taylor, in early 2020. CanCham is grateful to our annual partners, members and event sponsors – without your support the chamber would not be able to operate. You will have now received your 2020 renewal letters – and I thank you in advance for your continued patronage of our chamber. I would also like to thank our dedicated group of board directors and advisors who champion our causes and volunteer significant time and resources. If you would like to become involved with CanCham at the board level, please consider running for election at the March AGM. Finally, I would like to thank Khun Jen, our Executive Director, Khun Ben, our Office Manager, Khun Pim, our Events and Marketing Manager and Scotty Murray our Editor, for their ongoing dedication and hard work.
Wishing you all success in the year ahead! Best,
John Stevens President | CanCham
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Executive D irector
CanCham Board Members & Advisors 2019-2020 Patron: H.E. Ms. Sarah Taylor Canadian Ambassador to Thailand Executive Board: John Stevens, President Derek van Pelt, Vice President Caroline Kwan, Vice President Dan McKay, Treasurer David Beckstead, Secretary Board of Directors: John Casella Lawrence Cordes Surachit Chanovan Ron Livingston Dean Outerson Rajiv Parrab Sunny Patel Natasak Rodjanapiches Embassy Representative Sanjeev Chowdhury Advisors: Yvonne Chin Dr. Jingjai Hanchanlash Joni Simpson Marisha Wojciechowska Dr. Nahathai Thewphaingarm Lynn Tasten
Dear CanCham Members Happy New Year 2020!
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n 2019, our community has grown substantially with an increase in membership, annual partners and event sponsors. We accomplished many meaningful events such as our flagship “Women in Leadership” conference, which was said to be the largest luncheon event held in Bangkok this past year, Canada Day brought together over 700 Canadians and friends and promoted Canadian products as did the Innovate Canada-ASEAN Forum with collaboration from the Canadian-ASEAN Business Council. The year was closed with a successful launching event of CanCham Thailand South Chapter in Phuket. In 2020, we hope to accomplish even more! Our major focus, which I would like to emphasize, is, “to build a sustainable awareness for Brand Canada in Thailand and demonstrate how our members can benefit from the halo effect of the branding.” Secondly, we will adopt new technology and re-create the CanCham website so it will include better CRM support for member-to-member engagement. Third, we will promote several programs for women leaders such as WE-Can and the WIL Scholarship. We are geared up for another great year ahead. On behalf of the Board of Directors and Management team, we wish you and your family a prosperous 2020 and look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events.
Executive Director Jen Meckhayai
Jen Meckhayai | Executive Director CanCham Thailand 139 Pan Road, Sethiwan Tower 9th floor, Bangkok 10500 Tel: +66(0) 2266-6085-6 Fax: +66(0) 2266-6087 Email: info@canchamthailand.org Website: www.canchamthailand.org
Publication Design: Publisher / Advertising Finn Balslev, Marketing Director Tel: +66(0) 2943-7166 MB: +66(0) 81 866 2577 Email: finn@scandmedia.com Design: Disraporn Yatprom Email: disraporn@scandmedia.com
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A Flair for Fashion I
f you went back in time, and had a glimpse of Lacia Sherlock’s youth, you would see a young woman enthralled with fashion and design, passions she has carried with her throughout her professional life. Born and raised in Niagara-on-the-Lake on the Canada-US border, Lacia attended Sheridan, a small arts college in Oakville, where she studied fashion design. In 1985, after graduating from college she went into fashion retail, starting with a mom and pop shop in St. Catharines called Opus. She stayed there for a few years before venturing into the corporate world with Danier Leather and then Le Chateau, which were both vertically integrated, designing, producing, manufacturing and selling their own goods.
In 2000, she was given an opportunity to change from fashion to home furnishing retail. Just back from witnessing some dazzling architectural design in Europe and renovating a house at the same time, probably helped clinch the deal but it was again was with a vertically-integrated company, IKEA, and she has been with them ever since. She met her husband Christian while the pair worked together for IKEA in North York in 2003 (also based in Bangkok, he is IKEA’s Shopping Centre director for the region). After being together for a year the couple moved to Moscow to work for IKEA there. Christian worked mostly from Moscow, but Lacia traveled to
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second-tier cities to open IKEA stores. The couple enjoyed seven rewarding years in Russia and Pontus, their eldest son, was born in Kazan in December 2004. Their second child Sebastian was also born during their time stationed in Russia, however Lacia delivered him in Kalmar, Sweden in August 2006.
icrafts, pattern-making and tailoring. I knew I would do something in fashion while I was here, close to the production base and centuries of tradition behind it; it was just a question of when. But when the kids were young I couldn’t do it as you need a tremendous amount of time to get the quality, style and fit right.
In 2010, it was time for them to leave Russia; IKEA offered them a variety of different postings, but having vacationed in Thailand often they jumped at the chance to be posted here. Previously, Hua Hin had been their family destination spot and their friends and family often flew in to spend time with them there.
“My sister-in-law Amm recently started an online business and that inspired me,” she says. “So I called my friends in Canada who own retail shops, and said ‘I’m ready, are you?’ and we agreed to go into this business of designing and manufacturing fabrics in Thailand and exporting them to Canada.”
Lacia’s official title is IKEA Southeast Asia’s Retail Director for Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines (IKEA is expanding in all three countries). Lacia’s focus is growing the market share while securing the growth and profitability of IKEA’s retail units in the region.
Describing Shared Philosophy, Lacia says, “We offer impeccably crafted, stylish yet comfortable clothing for women of any age and any body type. Our collections suit women that are confident about their body and appreciate timeless design, natural fabrics, good craftsmanship and a modern flair. We provide a complete look to make it easier to coordinate and combine garments to ensure that you look just as good on a daily basis as on special occasions.”
Her responsibilities include making sure the company hits its sales targets, managing profitability, hiring, training, investment requests, and looking for sites to build new stores. Her job is a 24/7 operation and she travels a lot. Being a fulltime professional, wife, mother, dog owner, would not be possible without a strong supporting network. Something that can be difficult when stationed abroad. They couldn’t manage if not for Christian’s mother, Ann-Marie Goverde who also lives here and helps look after the boys when the couple is traveling. Lacia recently decided to monetize her hobby through her own fashion line called Shared Philosophy. She explains how it came about: “I’m in an executive position now, so I’m not as close to the range as I used to be, but fashion never left me. Thailand is a society with deep roots and skilled workers producing hand6 Jan-Feb-Mar 2020
Lacia stresses that natural fabrics feel better against the skin, are stronger, last longer and thereby you consume less by wearing them. Shared Philosophy launched in March 2019. Lacia designed the collection in Bangkok and all the garments were made in Thailand, Some of the fabric came from South Korea and Japan, although it was all bought in Thailand. The second collection was launched in August of 2019 with the third launch planned for March 2020. The production is done by local women tailors working in the community in Bangna. “We are working with women we know and their families are dependent on us. We work together on fair terms, developing a working relationship where we all benefit and grow our mutual business. We
Samples of Shared Philosophy’s outfits worn by Lacia and friends..
visit the shops where the garments are made and we speak directly to the women who make the garments. An important part of Shared Philosophy is the brand value we built around supporting these women and their families. “We handpick the tailors who already have a base competency and knowledge and educate them on creating a sustainable business based on international practices and standards. We ensure that nothing occurs in the workplace that goes against what we stand for as a brand. We work with small enterprises and family-run companies, where women lead, work and develop.” Lacia’s production manager, Khun Nud (Nusaree Tisajrapat) worked for the Olofssons for nine years as their nanny. She still takes care of Lacia’s house, but managing Shared Philosophy’s production now takes up 75% of her time. Not surprisingly, fashion is also one of her passions, she has a great relationship with the women who make the clothes and she is always on the look-out for more tailors. In a nutshell, Lacia picks the fabrics and does the designs on her free time, her team then takes over and all the samples come to her house for a final review before it’s made available to customers. She also manages all the finances - a skill rolled over from her day job at IKEA. A marketing manager manages her social media presence, she also has photographers, event manager, project coordinators and sales staff to help run the Shared Philosophy business when needed.
Shared Philosophy has allowed Lacia to meet an enormous amount of interesting, wonderfully skilled and smart women, which has opened up a new world for her. “It’s important for women my age that products are made with a conscience and customers are more and more asking questions about where the goods are made and how it is produced. We perceive fashion as a way to express ourselves and feel good about our bodies. It’s important for me and I know the majority of my customers feel the same.” Moving forward, Lacia hopes to have a retail presence in Sweden as well as Canada and she had been surprised to find that many Thai women have fallen in love with her designs as well, so future designs will not be targeted to just expat women. Summing up, Shared Philosophy is a woman’s clothing brand born from a lifelong passion and inspiration gained from decades of working and traveling to different countries of the world. Lacia uses her experience and style to help women feel confident and secure in the clothes they select and wear. “We use high quality materials made by trusted manufacturers. Shared Philosophy pieces are finished with a great attention to detail and drape well on the body. Seams, hems, linings - we know that these elements affect the final product.” With the way she balances her home and work life, Lacia is the epitome of the modern woman and she acts as a terrific role model for young female entrepreneurs in CanCham’s We-CAN program. https://sharedphilosophy.online/ Facebook: Shared Philosophy Instagram:sharedphilosophy
Lacia with her husband, Christian, and their two sons, Pontus & Sebastian.
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TRADE COMMISSIONER SERVICE – FULL ON & CHARGING!! T
here’s a ball of infectious and contagious energy headed your way from the 15th floor of the Abdulrahim Place in the form of one Sanjeev Chowdhury, the Embassy’s new Counsellor (Commercial) and Senior Trade Commissioner. This is Sanjeev’s first time here as a resident of Thailand, not as a visitor, and he says it’s even better than he expected. “When I was stationed in Ho Chi Minh as Consul General from 2003-2006, I would travel to Bangkok regularly,” he recalls. “I remember Siam Paragon opening and it was a big deal just to travel here and go to the movies as we didn’t have any English language films in Vietnam back then. Every movie was dubbed in Vietnamese. I was here so often that I actually met then Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawtra at the Starbucks in Siam Paragon. I remember saying to myself that if I could end my career anywhere my dream would be to be posted to Thailand.” In 2003, at age 34, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien appointed Sanjeev Consul General of Canada to Ho Chi Minh City; he was our youngest Consul General at that time and the first Indo-Canadian Head of Mission for Canada. In 2006, he returned to work in Ottawa for five years, but in 2011, then Canadian PM Stephen Harper appointed him Consul General of Canada to Rio de Janeiro. As his regular threeyear term was about to expire in 2014, he applied for a one-year extension, but the Foreign Minister at the time, John Baird, contacted Sanjeev and told him because of the upcoming Rio Olympics in 2016, Ottawa would prefer he stayed for two more years. As such, he was the first Canadian Head of Mission to be given a two-year extension at once. A slight hitch developed when it was discovered that the Foreign Minister didn’t actually have the authority to give two-year extensions, so Stephen Harper stepped in and authorized the move. As a result, Sanjeev was able to represent Canada at both the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. He then returned to Canada with no intention of leaving home again. But two years later, the Senior Trade Commissioner’s position came open in Thailand and it was just too good of an opportunity to pass up. He jumped at working at his second favourite country in the world (after Canada of course). Sanjeev says he is having the time of his life: “I love coming to work every morning.” Sanjeev inherited a very successful team; it is considered to be one of the top performing trade teams in the world and Sanjeev wants to build on that success. All
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trade commissioners are annually judged on their key performance indicators (KPIs), and for Canada there are three key measurements: a) services provided to Canadian companies b) outcalls made to Thai companies; and c) successes. And these are all entered into a database monthly and at the end of the year, each trade commissioner is evaluated on how many services they provided, how many outcalls they made and how many successes they had. Globally, Bangkok ranks in the top five Canadian diplomatic offices for successes in the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (TCS), a remarkable feat for an office of only 10 trade staff. Sanjeev credits his recent predecessors Yvonne Chin (“great eye for talent and building a cohesive team”) and his immediate predecessor, Michel Bélanger, for laying the foundation to track KPIs and implementing the system that has made the trade team thrive. Sanjeev now sees his role are being here to help them achieve their objectives and says his team is eager to help and support CanCham Thailand in any way it can. Voyageur recently held a roundtable discussion with all the trade commissioners at the Canadian Embassy to learn about their roles and what’s trending in their sectors. Asked how Sanjeev’s presence has affected the team, Gabriel Laflamme, the Second Secretary (Commercial) Trade Commissioner focusing on Aerospace, Defence and Security said, “He has forced us to be a bit more daring, to take more risks. We know we are good, but now we are thinking outside the box. And I like that. I like a manager who lets us express ourselves and push our boundaries. ” Mr. Pisite Chaiwattanachai, Trade Commissioner for Information and Communications Technologies, started off by saying he was focused on three key areas: telecommunications, IT hard and software and the gaming industry. Canada, he noted, is the third largest producer of video games in the world, following Japan and the US. Khun Pisite says there is huge potential for the gaming industry in the young adult Thai market, as many have money to spend on gaming and its accessories and are willing to spend it. Next up was Nitchawan Sriviboone, the Trade Commissioner who covers education, consumer products, and life sciences. When it comes to education, she said her main responsibilities are two-fold: first to recruit Thai students to study in Canada and second to build collaboration between Canadian and Thai institutions. Khun Nitchawan says more and more Thai parents
In attendance for this roundtable discussion was Mr. Sanjeev Chowdhury; Counsellor (Commercial) and Senior Trade Commissioner, second right, middle row; Mr. Gabriel Laflamme, Second Secretary (Commercial), Trade Commissioner for Aerospace, Defence and Security, last row, left; Mr. Surin Thanalertkul, Trade Commissioner for Agriculture and Processed Foods, Fish and Seafood, Wine, Beer and Spirits, front row, left; Mr. Ekasit Chunlakittiphan, Trade Commissioner for Financial and Insurance Services, Forestry and Wood Products, Infrastructure, Transportation, last row, left; Mr. Pisite Chaiwattanachai, Trade Commissioner for Information and Communications Technologies, Ocean Technologies, last row, middle; Ms. Dolrawee Akarakupt, Trade Commissioner for Clean Technologies, Mining, Oil and Gas, second row, left; Ms. Nitchawan Sriviboone, Trade Commissioner for Consumer Products, Education, Life Sciences, middle row, left; Ms. Patarawan Dechaboonako, front row, left, & Ms. Supaluk Ashley Plongisuan, middle row, second left. Trade Commissioner Assistants. Absent: Ms. Niparat Pornruangsap, Trade Commissioner Assistant.
are considering Canada as a study destination for their children as evidenced by the growing interest in Success Canada, an education fair staged by CanCham board member Art Chanovan. Sanjeev chimed in here saying “the growing interest has been spurred by a favorable exchange rate and that Thai parents see Canada as a safe and friendly destination. Many siblings will stay with the same host family that their older brother and sister did, and they regard those host families as second homes. Thai parents also find the Canadian accent easy to understand and the quality of teaching is very high. Their children feel very welcome in Canada”. Khun Nitchawan said, “I just returned from Vancouver and I had a chance to visit a number of Canadian companies in the Life Sciences sector. Some are focusing on integrating AI into medical devices. Health IT is another important sub-sector which many Canadian companies have developed, and they have started seeking local partners in international markets, including Thailand.” Next up was Ms. Dolrawee Akarakupt, the Trade Commissioner for Clean Technologies, Mining, Oil and Gas. She stressed how important it was that the trade commissioners do their homework and keep in touch with their Canadian colleagues. She frequently travels to foreign trade shows such as GLOBE, held in Vancouver every other year, to see the latest clean technology on display. She also visits the Singapore
International Water Week and IFAT in Germany, where there is a Canadian pavilion. She brings prospective buyers of Canadian technology with her on these trips. She makes outcalls with local contacts to see what they need, what’s trending and she is constantly expanding her knowledge so she knows what’s on the shelf and what Canadian companies have to offer in fields such as wastewater treatment and renewable energy. She is currently working on a success story close to home following the progress of a Canadian inventor in the waste management field who will most likely partner with a CanCham member to undertake a trial in Thailand. Surin Thanalertkul, Trade Commissioner for Agriculture and Processed Foods, Fish and Seafood, Wine, Beer and Spirits spoke next. By the way, Surin has been with the Embassy for two decades. He said that Thailand has a very large and diverse food processing industry as well as a large livestock industry noting there are good opportunities for Canadian companies in the field of feed and live swine genetics (frozen semen). And more and more high-end shopping malls are opening and their supermarkets carry specialty items that Canadian companies manufacture. Crustaceans, including lobster, are Canada’s sixth biggest export to Thailand. And Frito Lay Thailand has been buying a lot of chip stock and seed potatoes from Prince Edward Island. Surin plays a pivotal role in organizing the “Taste of Canada” annual Canadian food fair, held in August at the Mall’s high-end supermarkets. Jan-Feb-Mar 2020
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When it comes to food processing, he says there are lots of opportunities for Canadian products such as wheat, flaxseed and soybeans. Lactasoy, Thailand’s biggest soy milk supplier, recently traveled to Canada to meet three suppliers and imports much of its soybeans from Canada (by the way, two Tim Hortons restaurants will be opening in Bangkok in the beginning of 2020, the first in Samyan Mitrtown and the second in Abdulrahim Place itself, location of the Canadian Embassy) .
Sanjeev Chowdhury, the Embassy’s Senior Trade Commissioner.
Mr. Gabriel Laflamme, Second Secretary (Commercial) Trade Commissioner Aerospace, Defence and Security; a rising star in the diplomatic field, he’s the number one performer in the defense & security field, number three in aerospace. In fact, many of the embassy’s trade commissioners are in the top ten in their fields. For example, Khun Surin, Khun Pisite, and Khun Dolrawee all scored in the top ten in their sectors of responsibility this past year. “It’s difficult to sell aircraft, it takes time. I may start something and my successor might finish it. But where Canada is making a difference in the aerospace industry is in servicing, taking care of the engines we sell, providing spare parts and training the staff who services the machinery, by bringing them to Canada, training and certifying them,” says Gabriel. “We also have huge potential to help in the field of AI. Our services are mostly for SMEs. These small companies with disruptive technologies need our help and we are providing that. We open the door for them, try to learn about their products, walk them through the process and help them promote themselves here.” When it came to defense, Gabriel did not want to be specific but said that Canadian subsidiaries of Bell Helicopters and Pratt and Whitney are active here and Canadian firms are helping to service Thai military aircraft. Mr. Ekasit Chunlakittiphan, Trade Commissioner for Financial and Insurance Services, Forestry and Wood Products, Infrastructure, & Transportation finished off the discussion. Ekasit stressed that it was very important that the Trade Commissioner’s office fully understand the Canadian companies they are representing in Thailand. “We are carrying the Canadian flag, and we have to make sure we are vouching for legitimate and high-quality products and companies. Screening is very important,” he says. “From toothpicks to battleships, the level of Thai partners that we are dealing with is very high and we are dealing with upper management and ministry officials, so we must know what we are talking about.”
Ekasit is dealing with mega-city and smart city projects and focusing on public private partnerships (P3), where Canadians have a lot of experience, having completed hundreds of such projects over the years. He says Thailand needs help in wastewater treatment, schooling, hospitals and healthcare but doesn’t have the budget to finance them, and that’s where P3 comes into play. Sanjeev says the TCS needs to make sure a Canadian company in question has quality products it can introduce to a Thai partner and that one of Ekasit’s strengths is “asking tough questions to companies we don’t know in order to quickly determine their abilities.” Summing up, Sanjeev says, “At the embassy we have the ability to convene and bring people together, troubleshoot and problem solve, and we can even introduce Canadian companies and their products to Thai government officials.” “But it’s important to note that Canadian staff have to learn from the experienced local staff in the embassy. When I first arrived, I said I wanted meet first with Khun Pat (Ms. Patarawan Dechaboonako), who has been with the Trade Commissioner’s Office for 29 years. I can’t waltz into a meeting and pretend I know more than a commissioner who has been here for decades, I have to lean on them for their expertise, they do all the notes, the talking points, and I add the Canadian angle.” In essence, the Trade Commissioner Service is a matchmaking service which helps to create and foster successful relationships. The Canadian Embassy in Thailand is ranked in the top in the world in terms of success stories. They are an all-star team, and we should be very proud of them. Sanjeev is doing a great job managing them and working closely with Cancham. He and his team will continue to do so to further enhance the services offered to Canadian businesses located and/or interested in this exciting market. Chaiyo!! *****
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The launch of CanCham South C
anCham Thailand, in collaboration with the Embassy of Canada, launched its CanCham South Chapter on December 14th, 2019, at the Thanyapura Health and Sports Resort, in Phuket. Rajiv Parrab, CanCham Thailand board member and CEO of A&II (Thailand) Co., Ltd. chaired the event. Special guest speakers included Mr. Sanjeev Chowdhury, Chargé d’affaires of the Canadian Embassy in Bangkok, and Mr. John Stevens, President of CanCham Thailand, both of whom flew in especially for the event. The launch featured a presentation on Canada-Thailand Trade and Investment opportunities, including Southern Thailand, from Mr. Chowdhury, the Embassy’s Senior Trade Commissioner as well as an overview of CanCham Thailand by Mr. Stevens. Rajiv Parrab, who is based in Surat Thani, gave an overview of Digital Transformation to E-Businesses and how southern Thailand businesses and provincial government can implement and operate such frameworks.
Mr. Kasien Laiyakosit, the Vice Chairman of the Surat Thani Chamber of Commerce spoke about Surat Thani as a smart city. And artist and YEC circular Tourism member Khun Wishulda from the Surat Thani Chamber of Commerce spoke about sustainability, specifically turning waste to value & turning trash to treasured art. In closing, Rajiv Parrab noted the business, trade and investment ties between southern Thailand and the Canadian Business Environment in Thailand and how these links could be strengthened with assistance from the Southern Chapter of CanCham. He said there is a wealth of opportunity in the seven major cities in the south (Hat Yai, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thamarat, Phuket, Smaui, Surat Thani, & Trang) to enhance business opportunities for CanCham’s stakeholders and its alliances/business partners. The primary objective of the southern chapter will be to strengthen Canadian and member businesses ties with southern Thailand-based local and national businesses and with southern Thailand based governmental agencies.
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A tropical city resort by the magnificent River of Kings
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long the vibrant Chao Phraya River lies a unique, attractive landmark that is a fascinating destination - Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok.
Your extraordinary experience starts with a smooth 35-minute ride in our chauffeur driven hybrid limousine from Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Upon arrival at the hotel, you are greeted by a porter with a warm smile and unexpected gracious Thai hospitality. The hotel’s spacious lobby, luxurious 802 rooms and suites, which offer a mix of traditional Thai style and modern comfort, and spacious balconies create a memorable “home away from home” experience. You admire the sunrise and fantastic view of the Chao Phraya River and rest by a stunning outdoor swimming pool set amid lush tropical greenery after breakfast. You close your eyes gently while thinking about all the day’s wonderful activities. Shopping in shiny malls, charming boutiques and open-air markets around town or visiting the Grand Palace and other cultural landmarks located along the river is easy with the BTS skytrain or a river taxi. Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok offers a truly superior choice of cuisine and restaurants. Salathip offers Thai cuisine next to the river with classical dance performances, Shang Palace presents Chinese cuisine by chefs from China, Italian dishes are available at Volti restaurant & bar, which has an open kitchen
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and pizza oven, and NEXT2 Café by the river provides extensive buffet meals, and Asian and continental cuisine. Guests can also enjoy Shangri-La’s Horizon nightly luxury dinner cruise with a delicious international buffet. Another two outlets at the lobby level are The Chocolate Boutique, a rendezvous to enjoy signature chocolates and beverages, and The Long Bar, featuring a bar counter that is 14.2 metres long overlooking the River of Kings for creative drinks and snacks. After a long wonderful day, you head back to the hotel to restore balance and harmony to your mind and body in the calm surroundings of CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La. Impeccable service and personal attention from a caring team complement the hotel’s state-of-the-art facilities are the hallmarks for any stay at Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok. Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok 89 Soi Wat Suan Plu, New Road, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand Tel. (66 2) 236 7777 Fax (66 2) 236 8579 E-mail: slbk@shangri-la.com Reservations: reservations.slbk@shangri-la.com F&B reservations: restaurants.slbk@shangri-la.com
Canadian helms Iconic Landmark of Design J
ean-Francois Brun, or SO Jeff, as he is known to his friends and colleagues, is a happening guy; he makes things happen and makes sure they continue to happen. He’s in charge of one of Southeast Asia’s trendiest and most sophisticated hotels, the SO/ BANGKOK located right here in the heart of the city’s Central Business District, at the corner of Sathorn and Rama IV. Everything about SO/ BANGKOK is so chic from the design of its rooms, to the uniforms the staff wears to the events the hotel stages. Chic, chic, chic. It’s one of those places that you go to be seen. SO Jeff is a Quebec City native, but split his childhood between Quebec and Bordeaux in France. He earned a BA in Marketing from the University of Moncton, but later went back to school to get a degree in Hospitality and Tourism from the Université du Québec à Montréal, where he also earned a certificate in International Management. SO Jeff has learned every aspect of the hospitality industry the hard way. He started washing dishes at 14 Jan-Feb-Mar 2020
age 14 as a good old-fashioned steward, moving on up to be a simple cook in the cold kitchen and then onto being a sous-chef. Upon realizing the financial benefit of working at the front of the restaurant in Quebec (tips) he moved there and fell in love with it, starting as a bus boy, and progressing up to waiter, maitre’d, assistant manager, and manager. But during this time, he was still focused on a career in marketing; it wasn’t until a course became available at the Université du Québec à Montréal that he seriously started thinking about a career in hospitality. Ironically, SO Jeff started life as a hotelier with Accor, the company he is with today. After graduation, he was named the the F & B Manager for Novotel Manchester West. He also worked for Accor on special projects at their London office. He was then transferred to the Novotel North York, again as F & B Manager. But his father came down with cancer and he decided to return home to help take care for him. He worked on special projects during that time including opening La Cage sports bar in the Bell Centre.
After his father passed, he went back into the hotel industry as a sales manager at the Sheraton Centre Montreal. From there he moved on to be the Group Sales Production Head at Intrawest and the Director of Sales & Marketing at the Grand Lodge Mont-Tremblant. Then he did the one thing that every restaurateur dreams of doing, on a vacation to Quebec City, and within a 48-hour span, he decided to renovate and buy a restaurant, called the Shack, which he and his partners actually sold for a profit, two years later during Quebec City’s 400th anniversary celebration. SO Jeff then went back into the hotel business taking positions as the Director of Operations at the Manoir Sanit-Savoir, the GM of the Chateau Beauvallon and the General Manager of the Fiddler Lake Resort. Then he became the Regional Director of Operations for the Bellstar Hotels & Resorts, supervising 12 properties stretching from Cranmore, Alberta, to Kicking Horse, British Columbia. His company then told him they wanted him to move back East but life intervened. He took a short holiday to Vietnam, fell in love with the country and specifically Danang and met his wife-to-be Ai-mhi. So he told his boss he would not be returning to Canada. It didn’t take him long to find work in Vietnam. He was first named the Director of Operations for the Novotel Danang Premier Han River and then he became the General Manager of the Premier Village Danang, which he helped turn into one of Accor’s top revenue earners in Vietnam (number one on Trip Advisor in the area). The owners wanted him to replicate the success of Premier Village and named him Cluster General Manager of the Premier Village Phu Quoc & Premier Residences Emerald Bay, which he opened within 18 months of each other. Then in January of
2019, Accor asked him to transfer to Bangkok and being a loyal company man he did so. So what is it about the hotel business that intrigues Jeff after all these years? “The beauty and difficulty of working in the hotel business is on one hand the ability to wow or surprise a guest while on the other realizing that it is very easy to disappoint them if a guest’s expectations are not met. Every morning, I do a walk- through of his hotel, reading the expressions of the guests in his hotel. I want to make sure we are still providing that wow factor.” And what sets a luxury hotel apart from others? “Preparation and detail,” Jeff says. “Before our clients arrive, we will know all their preferences in terms of meals, bed linen, their favourite colours, etc. Our job is to impress them before they get here. We go out of our way to research information on our guests by talking to their co-workers and personal assistants and even with people at properties where they have stayed in the past.” The hotel seems to have a affinity for both guests and staff. Many of the SO/ Bangkok’s employees have been with the hotel since it opened in February of 2012. And many of the hotel’s corporate guests return to stay during their leisure time, because the property feels like a second home to them. But not everyone can be a SO/ Bangkok employee, “Be So, but don’t forget to be yourself,” SO Jeff tells the staff. “Be completely natural, don’t try to be someone else, you need to fit in by being yourself.” SO/ Bangkok takes it to another level when it comes to staging events. It holds an annual SO Fashion Day; the hotel’s uniforms, by the way, are a mix of classic Parisian and traditional Thai. SO Amazing Chefs is an annual culinary extravaganza where nine Michelin chefs are flown in from around the world. The hotel
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also stages three different art exhibitions a year. It stages a pool party every month that attracts between 800-1,000 people. Once a month, there’s also Cheese@So, offering a selection of 30 distinctive cheeses from France, Italy, Holland, Switzerland, and England. And DRAG ME AT SO on the rooftop is also a big hit. What makes SO/ BANGKOK unique from other luxury hotels? “You will not find any hotel in Bangkok with a trendier, more playful and edgier design than ours, we keep pushing the envelope,” Jeff says. The hotel’s themed accommodation is created around the five elements – water, earth, wood, metal and fire – is an inspiring and innovative masterpiece of collaboration by five of Thailand’s top designers and the world renowned fashion designer Monsieur Christian Lacroix. Each guestroom features ZAFIRO in-room entertainment and free Wi-Fi in all areas. All rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows, a lavish bathtub and separate rain-shower, a 43” LED TV, minibar and a choice of Lumpini Park or city skyline views. When it comes to F & B outlets, The Park Society and Hi-SO Rooftop Bar are a “SO-cial dining and wining” rooftop restaurant & bar that serve modern western cuisine. Enjoy your meals while taking in panoramic
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views and enjoying the weekly themed nights the HISO Bar offers. At The Mixo Bar, you will experience a new dimension of molecular cocktails by mixologists while a mix of chill-out tunes sets the mood in a perfect haven for socializing and observing Bangkok life. The main restaurant, the Red Oven is a futuristic chic dining outlet featuring a wide array of cuisines, reminiscent of market-style food with a contemporary twist, overlooking the Bangkok skyline. And there’s The Water Club offering an outdoor poolside bar with a Solarium area and sun-decks, serving light refreshments and cocktails by day while providing a seductive night ambience for parties under the stars. Finally, there’s CHOCOLAB, a charming chocolate boutique where you can savour the sensual taste of hand-made chocolate and fresh savories, all in a cozy atmosphere or gift wrapped and ready-to-go. The So/ Bangkok must be experienced first-hand, so if you are looking for a great luncheon buffet, a night out on the town or a place to get away without leaving town experience it. You won’t be disappointed, Jeff guarantees it. www.so-sofitel-bangkok.com | www.sofitel.com
Welcome to Newest Members Yves Gaboriault
Space Bangkok Co. Ltd.
Corporate www.space-bangkok.com Ms. Jenn Weidman space@space-bangkok.com
Individual yves.gaboriault@gmail.com
Eastin Grand Hotel (EGS Assets Co, Ltd.)
Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA)
Corporate www.eastingrandsathorn.com rsvn@eastingrandsathorn.com
Affiliate Offshore -
Confident Brains Ltd.
Corporate www.confidentbrains.com Mr. Matthew Coppins matthew.coppins@confidentbrains.com Keystone Management Co. Ltd. (Verso International School)
Corporate www.verso.school Mr. Sami Yosef hello@verso.school Lacia Sherlock Olofsson
Individual lacia@sharedphilosophy.online
Backtrack Railway Services Ltd.
Affiliate Offshore Mr. Gary Oligny gary@backtrack.com Sara d’Anzeo
We-CAN sara.danzeo@gmail.com Rungtip (Tip) Malasithiwong
We-CAN rungtip@protanica.com Pauline Gwynn Mianmanus
We-CAN paulinegwynn@gmail.com
Hockey community mourns loss of Jason Cotsmire
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anCham Thailand joins with the ice hockey community in Thailand in mourning the passing of longtime Flying Farang goalkeeper Jason Cotsmire who passed away on December 1st. Jason is survived by his wife Tasma and daughter Jayla, seen here in a photo attending a memorial and benefit game in Jason’s honor. Jason was one of the most popular players on the team and his loss was deeply felt by all.
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TITLE SPONSOR
CanCham Thailand’s annual gala Maple Leaf Ball the Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel
GOLD SPONSORS
SILVER SPONSORS
TITLE SPONSOR BRONZE SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS 18 Jan-Feb-Mar 2020
TABLE SPONSORS
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We-Can, we are Voyageur recently caught up with Joni Simpson of the We-Can advisory board to find out a little but more about the program, how it started and what its goals are.
a) How did We-Can came about?
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E-Can came about because CanCham Thailand’s board was interested in enhancing its membership and attracting more women to its activities As a volunteer advisor, I started to think about strategies to do so. Having a more diverse membership will lead to an even stronger Chamber, since it will be more representative of the business sector and the business case for diversity is well understood in the private sector. Women entrepreneurs are a clear target for Cancham’s membership expansion. When I pitched the idea to the CanCham’s board, they were very supportive since it aligns both with Canada’s and the CanCham’s values to promote gender equality. WE-Can also complements the CanCham’s Women in Leadership (WIL) annual conference. More and more women entrepreneurs are becoming leaders in their respective fields. Over the last months, we’ve benefitted from At the same time, women entrepreneurs are growing in numbers in Thailand - however most supports are geared towards start-up enterprises. Also, one of the specificities of this initiative is that it builds a peer support network and tailors the expert sessions to the needs of the participants and generates a ‘safe space’ to discuss and share challenges and solutions for women entrepreneurs to take their businesses to the next level.
b) How it has evolved? The initiative is about to launch its inaugural cohort and we are so excited to see this take off. There has been a lot of work behind the scenes. WE-Can has a dynamic team of volunteer expert advisors and dynamic partners. Our main partners, SPACES co-working space and SPACE Bangkok, a woman-led enterprise, stepped up to support WE-Can. A roster of experts from CanCham members have offered to support this initiative. We are about to undertake interviews with the shortlisted candidates of WE-Can. The initiative is led by two women: Rose Swagemakers (a woman entrepreneur & leadership development advocate) and Joni Simpson (Women’s entrepreneurship and gender equality specialist). We are looking forward to meeting WE-Can participants who will gather in January to kick off the first session. 20 Jan-Feb-Mar 2020
The reaction to the initiative has been very positive from women entrepreneurs, partners and potential donors.
c) What is the long-term plan? We already have plans to scale the initiative. The reaction to the initiative has been very positive from women entrepreneurs, partners and potential donors. We’d like to see the number of partners increased we also have plans to expand the programme to offer other complementary services.
WE-Can Advisory Board: Facilitators: Joni Simpson, promoter of Women’s Entrepreneurship, inclusion & diversity in the world of work, ILO - United Nations Rose Swagemakers, MD, Asia Clean Innovations & Leadership Development Advocate John Stevens - President, CanCham Thailand Jen Meckhayai - Executive Director, CanCham Thailand Dan McKay - Partner, Stonelotus Ventures Katserin Singhsachakul - Executive Director, Consultant Jenn Weidman - CEO, Space Bangkok
We print and ship from Bangkok Small print runs at attractive prices. Anything from banners to books. Delivered where you need it.
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Joni Simpson, left, together with Rose Swagemakers of the WE-Can Advisory Board.
211 Soi Prasert - Manukitch 29, Chorakaebua, Ladprao, Bangkok 10230, Thailand Tel: +66 2943 7166-8 Fax: +66 2943 7169 E-mail: patcharee.scandmedia@gmail.com suchaya.scandmedia@gmail.com
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Bumrungrad’s New Heart Valve Center Providing Advanced
Solutions for Age-Related Heart Problems
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umrungrad International Hospital’s newly opened Heart Valve Center features a team of doctors and multidisciplinary experts ready to provide innovative treatments for heart valve disorders using Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) technology. The TAVI procedure involves the implantation of a replacement aortic valve via a tiny chest incision, meaning patients experience minimal pain and recover faster after the procedure. According to the United Nations World Population Ageing Report, Thailand is one of a number of countries currently undergoing social transformations that will ultimately result in an aged society. The UN report states that any country with more than 10% of its population over the age of 60 is an aging society, while this status can be upgraded to an aged society should the proportion of over-60s increase beyond 20%. Thailand is projected to become an aged society by 2021, when the percentage of over-60s surpasses 20% of the total Thai population. Dr. Winyou Ratanachai, Chief Medical Officer at Bumrungrad Hospital, commented: “Bumrungrad Hospital recognizes the ongoing transformation occurring in our society requires us to be prepared to offer support for all aspects of geriatric healthcare. This is especially crucial in terms of treating illnesses associated with cardiovascular diseases, which are some of the most common causes of death among our elderly population. “We therefore employ a team of doctors, medical staff and multidisciplinary experts, equipped with the latest medical technology, to ensure we can offer world-class healthcare. Additionally, our newly opened Heart Valve Center further enhances our comprehensive, multidimensional range of services aimed at disease prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation, all of which are overseen by a highly experienced team of experts committed to ensuring that the highest levels of safety and quality are maintained at all times.” Statistics from Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) for 2018 reported 432,943 new cardiovascular disease cases in Thailand for the year, and 20,855 deaths during the year caused by the condition. That works out to 48 deaths every day due to cardiovascular disease, or 2 per hour. The large number of people suffering from heart disease has led to crowded emergency rooms throughout the country, underlin-
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ing the urgent need for the MoPH to find faster, more effective approaches to prevention and treatment in order to reduce the widespread harm being inflicted by cardiovascular disease. Dr. Visuit Vivekaphirat, Medical Consultant to the Director of Bumrungrad Hospital and an expert in the field of cardiovascular disease, noted: “Heart disease can often be a silent danger due to it frequently progressing with no symptoms or indicators to alert people of the danger. In turn, patients tend to overlook the importance of regular periodic heart health screenings, resulting in many patients with heart disorders not being diagnosed during the early stages, thus raising the risk of heart failure. Annual heart health screening is something we should all be vigilant about in order to protect against serious, potentially life-threatening conditions. “The heart diseases most common among elderly include coronary artery disease or obstruction, aortic valve stenosis, atrial fibrillation, bradycardia and heart failure. Fortunately, Bumrungrad Hospital now has a number of centers dedicated to treating heart disease, including the Heart Center, the Arrhythmia Center and, most recently, the Heart Valve Center, all of which ensure our patients that they are being cared for by highly experienced medical professionals who possess significant expertise in providing individualized care for cardiovascular disease.” The Connection between Aging and Heart Valve Disorders: What Signs to Watch For and When to Seek Treatment If you or someone you know is an older adult who has experienced an episode of tiring easily, fainting and/ or feeling tightness in the chest, this may be a sign of a heart valve problem that requires a doctor’s consultation. One of the most common and serious valve disorders, known as aortic stenosis, occurs when an obstruction blocks the valve connecting the heart’s lower left chamber with the aorta. This condition is most common among older adults, and if it is left untreated, there is a good chance it will end up being fatal within 2–5 years. According to Dr. Wattanaphol Phipathananunth, Director of the Heart Valve Center at Bumrungrad International, in general terms, the right side of the heart is responsible for circulating oxygenated blood through the arteries to enable gaseous exchange to take place
in the lungs. After this occurs, the oxygenated blood is transferred back into the left side of the heart, making the lower left chamber the last place through which blood exits the heart and enters the arteries before being circulated around the body. The aortic valve is therefore comparable to a valve that connects a water faucet to a main pipe. The aortic valve degenerates with age and is prone to obstruction as a result of plaque build-up or general age-related deterioration. Aortic valve disorders pose a risk in men as well as in women, and taking good care of one’s health may not necessarily be enough to avoid aortic valve disorders. These disorders are among the cardiovascular conditions that tend to go undiagnosed unless the patient undergoes certain types of screenings. However, one symptom that indicates a valve disorder is tiring easily due to heart failure, the term that describes the heart’s inability to pump blood around the body properly. When resulting from a lower left ventricle irregular beating, it could cause a pulmonary edema alongside tightness in the chest and fainting, although it is possible that such symptoms may be caused by problems associated with aortic valve stenosis. For this reason, regular heart screening is an essential aspect of any health check-up, especially in the following groups: • adults aged 40 and above • those with co-existing chronic conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity • smokers • those with a family history of heart disease People in these groups should undergo regular periodic health check-ups and examinations, as well as specific screenings related to heart health, such as EKG and echocardiogram screenings.
Well-trained Doctors Lead Multidisciplinary Team at Bumrungrad’s Heart Valve Center Bumrungrad International Hospital has put together and developed a team of highly experienced medical staff with expertise in the field of cardiology in order to establish its new Heart Valve Center. The center provides a comprehensive range of healthcare services, including preventive care, diagnosis, treatment and cardiovascular rehabilitation. The medical team consists of general cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, echocardiogram specialists, anesthesiologists with specialized training in cardiology, and a nursing team with extensive experience in cardiology. They are supported by the center’s well-equipped facilities, with advanced cardiac imaging technologies, a dedicated cardiac intensive care unit (CCU) and extensive cardiac rehabilitation facilities. All doctors and medical staff at Bumrungrad have attended training programs and seminars related to the aforementioned procedures in countries including the U.S. and Australia, ensuring they remain up-to-date with relevant knowledge and training required to provide patients and their relatives with insight and in-depth analysis of medical issues and treatments. Patients can be confident that the medical equipment utilized for treatment at Bumrungrad has been carefully selected and meets the hospital’s stringent international safety standards.
Treating Aortic Valve Stenosis Currently, treatment for aortic valve stenosis consists of 3 main techniques: 1. Medications that treat specific symptoms of the disorder. 2. Aortic Valve Surgery: The conventional form of treatment for aortic stenosis involves open-heart surgery to remove the existing aortic valve and replace it with an artificial valve.
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3. Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) surgery: This new minimally invasive surgical procedure for aortic valve stenosis involves implantation of a replacement valve inserted through the femoral artery in the groin, or via a tiny puncture made in the apex of the heart. Once the tube carrying the replacement valve reaches the target site, surgeons will release the compressed valve into the delivery system, where it pushes aside the leaflets of the damaged valve, and the existing valve helps holds the new valve securely in place. Dr. Wattanaphol expanded on this, adding: “Although open heart surgery is the conventional treatment and still very effective in treating aortic valve stenosis, not all patients with the disorder will be suitable candidates for the conventional surgery. This is due to the complex demands of the surgery: patients must be anesthetized throughout; the procedure involves the use of respirators; and the 4-hour duration of the surgery is something some patients won’t be physically able to tolerate. This is a particular concern for older patients, those who have previously had open-heart surgery, and people with other chronic conditions. If the doctor considers open-heart surgery to be too much of a risk, they may instead recommend undergoing a TAVI procedure to minimize the risk of complications.”
The TAVI Technique: Minimally Invasive Valve Replacement Surgery Dr. Wattanaphol concluded by noting: “The TAVI technique is a new type of surgery that should only be performed under the care and supervision of expert medical staff in fully prepared hospital facilities. The
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TAVI technique is best suited to patients with severe aortic stenosis who would be considered “high risk” were they to undergo conventional open-heart surgery. The high risk group includes those with chronic conditions; those with lung disease; people who have previously undergone open-heart surgery; and patients over the age of 80. Patients considered most at risk are those with level 3 stenosis, because this means the valve is allowing hardly any circulation — like a faucet that is barely open — and blood cannot be pumped around the body with any efficiency. The process of replacing the damaged valve with an artificial valve involves the insertion of a catheter through the femoral artery in the groin. The procedure takes just over an hour to complete, which is much less time than open-heart valve replacement surgery (around 4 hours). The minimally invasive nature of the technique leaves patients with only a tiny wound at the incision site, resulting in less pain and quicker rehabilitation times. Patients require a hospital stay of around 5–7 days before returning home, whereas this period can be as long as 2–3 months for open-heart surgery. From monitoring previous recipients of the TAVI technique, the surgery has been found to be highly effective, with patients experiencing no negative side effects, while enjoying improvements in their overall quality of life.” www.bumrungrad.com
“Location, location, location” C
onrad Hilton may have made the phrase famous, but the Eastin Grand Sathorn Bangkok has certainly put it to full use.
Opened in May of 2012, the hotel is ideally situated in the Sathorn business district, a stone’s throw away from the CanCham Thailand office and just minutes away from the Chao Phraya River. The hotel benefits from its own Skybridge linked directly to the Surasak BTS Station. It is also conveniently located next to the expressway leading to Suvarnabhumi Airport, only a 45-minute drive away. The 390 rooms, each designed for absolute comfort and functionality, are equipped with all the luxury amenities necessary for today’s business and leisure travelers. All rooms offer fantastic views of Bangkok. The Eastin Grand Sathorn stages at least five meetings a day. The hotel offers over 1,800 square meters of event and conference accommodation spread over three entire floors, with eight meeting rooms and one ballroom (accommodating 600 guests cocktail-style) that can be divided into three small function rooms, with all areas having the benefit of natural light. Three of the meeting rooms are located on the 33rd floor offering spectacular view of the city skyline.
All are fully equipped with cutting-edge audio visual and other equipment for perfect events. The hotel’s experienced team can plan and organize your event with the right choice of menu to suit your individual requirements. The hotel has four distinctive restaurants and lounges that are suited to serve hotel guests as well as outside patrons. There’s a fitness centre (24 hours) on the 14th floor with a panoramic view of the city, featuring state-of-the-art gym equipment with fully integrated TV screens and music hubs on all cardio machines. The swimming pool is located on the 14th floor provides stunning views of Bangkok, where you can enjoy light snacks and drinks and relax in the sun. Mr. Supachai Punja-apisith is the Cluster Director of Sales & Marketing for the Eastin Grand Hotels Bangkok. He oversees all sales, marketing and catering at Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn Bangkok as well as performing the same role (pre and post opening) at Eastin Grand Phayathai. Khun Supachai has a wide portfolio of experience in sales and marketing positions from various leading hotels, including Absolute Hotel Services (AHS) as
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Director of Sales Thailand, Anantara Hua Hin and Anantara Si Kao Resort, Central Grand Beach Resort & Villas in Hua Hin, Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas as well as Marriott Resorts and Spas. Prior to this position he was Cluster Director of Sales and Marketing for Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort & Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel. He plays a major role in spearheading the sales and marketing for Eastin Grand Hotels Bangkok, maximizing revenues and increasing the profile of the brand. He sat downo speak with Voyageur recently Khun Supachai raves about the hotel’s F & B outlets particularly Blunos, which has become a foodie’s fantasy as Chef Martin Blunos and his talented team conjure up plate after plate of international homestyle fare featuring all the classics with more than a few surprises too, all savored over a large portion of a laid-back ambiance with a side order of smooth sounds. Located poolside on the 14th floor of the hotel, it is the first restaurant outside his native England that he has opened. With his trademark walrus moustache and lilting West Country accent, Martin’s amiable, friendly demeanor belies a skill which has led him to achieve two coveted Michelin Stars each for his two restaurants and a host of TV appearances including his own show and appearances on “Iron Chef UK” “MasterChef Australia”. Forget fine dining and avant-garde adventures – Blunos is all about value for money hearty fare and classic comfort food devoid of any preten-
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tiousness, yet made with the most delectable and desirable of ingredients prepared with Martin’s Michelin Star touch. As the man himself says “My Michelin Stars were a great personal achievement but in the end it’s not the accolades you hang on your wall which count, it’s the empty plates and satisfied smiles which truly mean the most. At Blunos, I make real food for real people.”
bottle is also available to complement your meal. The restaurant offers a sumptuous Grand Weekend Buffet for Bt1,800 (Friday & Saturday from 6-10 pm and Sunday noon – 3pm).
Mr. Supachai Punja-apisith
There’s also Swizzles, a bar lounge, located on the ground floor adjacent to the reception area, offering a variety of drinks and snacks as well as “to go” beverages for guests on the run. Guests can enjoy light fare with specialty coffees in the mornings, traditional high tea in the afternoons and a selection of beers and cocktails to finish the evenings - the perfect place to rest, relax and unwind at any time of day. What stands out most to Supachai is the hotel’s level of service. “We provide daily training to team members to highlight and focus our service level,” he says. “The service mind is engrained in the DNA of every staff member. We look at every single complaint or comment to learn what we could do to make a guest’s stay more comfortable the next time. And we are even working on a pre-stay survey, so we can be better prepared for a guest’s arrival.” Then there’s the Glass House is the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant located on the 5th floor, featuring a show kitchen in a modern international setting. The restaurant offers Asian and Western-inspired buffet specialties as well as an a la carte menu under the careful supervision of Executive Chef Chatree Wongsriphaisan. A comprehensive beverage, cocktail and vintage wine list by the glass or
About fifty percent of the staff have been with the hotel since its opening – and that says a lot about their loyalty and commitment to excellent. The hotel has also announced a number of green initiatives to play its part as a good corporate citizen and CanCham Thailand is lucky to have them as one of our members. www.eastingrandsathorn.com
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RVYC offers great escape from big city chaos The most prestigious sailing club n Thailand, The Royal Varuna Yacht Club (RVYC) is located in a secluded cove between Pattaya and Jomtien and is less than a two-hour drive from Bangkok. The Club was founded in 1957, the history of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club is, virtually, the history of yacht racing, sailing and cruising in Thailand. With Walter Meyer as the first Flag Commodore and Prince Bhisadej in charge of the sailing programme, the Varuna Marine Club opened at a beautiful seaside villa “in a Pattaya of about 20 fishermen,” recalls Walter. The new club was located next to the only restaurant, at the southern end of the Pattaya strip. The journey from Bangkok in those days was a marathon drive of up to six hours, with a car ferry across the Bang Prakong River. The first race recorded was around an uncluttered Pattaya Bay of sparkling waters, where a motley fleet of Enterprises, Ospreys, a “prawn dinghy”, a 7-metre ‘folksboat’ and even a sailing canoe raced for the “Varuna Marine Trophy”. The first national championship recorded in the Kingdom was the Enterprise Nationals, held at the Varuna Marine Club in 1962.
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The family oriented club is for sailors of all abilities, from the uninitiated to serious racers. The RVYC offers a year-round sailing program with cruising and racing. Great facilities include a stunning clubhouse, restaurant, swimming pool, junior club-house, boat storage and accommodation. This is an ideal place to give your children some freedom in safe surroundings. Rental boats (Laser, Hobie, Optimist, RS Quba and RS Vision) for racing and leisure are available to members and guests. The club offers sailing classes for adults, as well as an extensive sailing program for children during the holidays plus supervised sailing for kids on the weekends. Sailing courses and programmes are available 365 days a year, taught by RYA qualified instructors and using modern sailing dinghies. This allows students to gain the best training experience possible. The training is integrated with the RVYC sailing programme to offer both youths and adults the chance to compete and sail in the Gulf of Thailand. RYA accreditation means that the RVYC is endorsed by the RYA, the governing body for sailing in the
UK, which also represents a growing number of professional training centres throughout the world. The tuition quality and safety management systems are closely monitored with regular inspections to ensure the RYA Training Centres offer the perfect experience for members and guests joining courses. All RVYC’s courses are accredited with a structured syllabus, from beginners to advanced sessions. Upon completion students will receive a certificate that is recognized globally. For more information, please contact sailtraining@varuna.org or 038-250-116. But the Club is not just for sailing: The RVYC’s exclusive private beachfront is the perfect venue for a sunset wedding ceremony followed by a private reception or wedding dinner on the lawn. Or you could plan your next corporate function, exhibition or event as the Club can provide air-conditioned meeting rooms, a verandah and a garden to enjoy breaks in. The Club is also a great spot for corporate team building, school activities or training, as there is space for all kinds of activities. And the Club is also a super spot to hold a party for either adults or kids as it can take care of all your catering needs.
The RVYC has 28 rooms; all with hot and cold running water and air conditioning. There are no TVs in any of the rooms but there is Wifi access. The rooms can sleep up to four people. For more information, please contact (66) 038-250116 or lek@varuna.org. If you are interested in joining the club please email membership@varuna.org and for more information on the club, go to www.varuna.org. Membership of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club grants you access to 50 private member clubs worldwide.
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Will there be a share price surge in 2020? By Paul Gambles, Managing Director
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anada’s fourth largest bank, BMO, recently forecast that 2020 could see record highs on the Toronto Stock Exchange. So, is now the time to go big on shares? BMO’s chief strategist certainly thinks so. His suggestion would mean a 7.4% rise from its level on December 11th, giving the caveat that this would depend on positive macroeconomic forces remaining in the US. The rationale behind this is that US employment is at its lowest in half a century. Its economy has been expanding for over a decade and inflation is low. Consequently, Canadian equities would offer good value-for-money compared with south of the border. The BMO strategist believes this effect will be compounded because Canadian earnings are expected to be relatively low, leaving room for the TSX to under-promise and over-deliver. Similarly, banks such as Barclays, Goldman’s BoA and SocGen have forecast significant rises in the S&P 500, they see this as a short-lived melt-up before there’s a meltdown. It seems to me that they’re anticipating an end to the slowdown in global growth, based on the assumptions of low US unemployment rates, easing of trade disputes and the effects of central bank interest rate cuts taking effect. The only issue I have with all this is… well just about everything. In fact, we’re currently experiencing a huge disconnect between market conditions and economic reality. US unemployment data look exceptional on paper, but there are plenty of reasons to believe that not only don’t unemployment numbers mean what they used to mean, they’re also too good to be true. You don’t have to scrape far beneath the surface to uncover evidence that, while fewer people are out of work, the number of well-paid jobs has actually decreased. Also, there’s a growing discrepancy between the official data and private payroll data (such as that
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supplied by ADP). Of course the official data could be right – expect that even the official data don’t claim that – they not only revise it so much on a monthly and quarterly basis that the initial releases are virtually meaningless, they also release a ‘benchmark adjustment’ in the first half of the following year, for all the double counting and overestimating during the year – which might just indicate that 1 in every 5 American jobs reported to have been created each year, never actually happened! Better indicators of economic health are manufacturing and services output, which are both down in major countries. Worse still, China – the global economy’s great saviour in 2008-2009 – is experiencing huge problems. Over there, producer price inflation has slumped, not only impacting local corporate profits, but also handcuffing any attempts to reflate the global economy. Its rate of credit creation slowed in October far more than the PBOC had expected, hitting its weakest pace since at least 2017. Seemingly, even with the central bank throwing the kitchen sink at bank lending, China’s economy isn’t yet getting going again – even in the country where policymakers are able to exert the greatest influence. Not only that, trade disputes are a not the cause of the slowing global economy: they are merely a symptom. If we look back throughout history, we can see that trade disputes arise as a reaction to a depressed global trading economy., not the other way around. Then we come to the central bankers – a significant export item for Canada! The last ten years has shown us quite clearly that their interest rate policies have virtually no effect on bank interest rates, which are mainly market driven. Consequently, they have a tiny effect on the economy, yet remain delusional that they can change the world with a single decision. Stephen Poloz may manage to get out in time – but his replacement next June will face major challenges and elevated expectations.
We’re currently experiencing a huge disconnect between market conditions and economic reality. In most major stock exchanges, prices have become disproportionately higher than companies’ earnings. The price-earnings ratio for the S&P 500 is verging on becoming bubble status. This makes it difficult to justify any further surges in stock prices. BMO’s rationale that low earnings offer for value for money because they might be expected to improve sounds more like wishful thinking than rational economic analysis. Of course, wishful thinking can come true but we’d rather watch for evidence of this. 2/3 of global manufacturing indicators were in decline in November (up from 54% in both September and October – if everything in the economic garden is rosy, then depleted inventories will quickly need to be re-stocked and the signs of this should start coming through pretty soon). Perhaps an even more stark indication is the breakdown in the relationship between equity markets and the price of copper – from the setback that both encountered at the end of May, the S&P 500 has bounced almost 15% whereas the price of copper, seen as a great indicator of the market’s temperature, has gone nowhere.
When you add all that to the geopolitical tensions we’ve been experiencing over the last few years, it’s hard to see how stock markets can carry on surging. We’ve seen how markets jump as soon as Donald Trump types a tweet; the reaction to any hint of a US-China trade agreement/dispute; the if, when and how of Brexit; and attacks on major oil fields but unless the downward pull of macro-economic gravity reverses direction, markets are departing further and further from reality on increasingly dubious precepts. This can continue for a while, enabling the surge BMO expects; or the melt-up Barclays, Goldman, BofA et al are hoping for. However, castles built on sand are at a high risk of collapsing at some point. For now markets seem happy to respond positively to Trump tweets, central bank promises and even the expectation of more stimulus in US election year. This enthusiasm is unlikely to stop at the border but we it’s really a coin flip as to whether there’s time for the major melt-up to happen and for investors to take advantage before the plunge. I don’t think coin flips are the right basis for investment decisions and at best, informed coin flips are where we’re at in manipulated markets driven mainly by sentiment.
Meanwhile, the prices of industrial commodities, which in many ways help to indicate the real strength of the economy, have generally tried but failed to rally in recent months.
Paul Gambles, Managing Director MBMG Group is an advisory firm that assists expatriates and locals within the South East Asia Region with services ranging from Personal Advisory, Insurance Services, Private Equity, Accounting & Auditing, Legal Services, Property Solutions and Estate Planning.
For more information: Tel: +66 2665 2536 e-mail: info@mbmg-group.com Twitter: @MBMG_GROUP LinkedIn: mbmg-group Facebook: MBMGGroup Instagram: mbmg_group
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