Advance ~ May 2012 by AustCham

A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN-THAI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTRALIA THAILAND BUSINESS COUNCIL www.austchamthailand.com

May 2012

ANZAC DAY

in Kanchanaburi Province Business briefs An Inspirational Woman â&#x20AC;&#x201C; First Female Executive at Bayer

diplomatic relationS Australian and British Communities in Bangkok Sixty Years Ago

Embassy News Bangkok Students Win Top Prize in an Australian Engineering Contest

AustralianAlumni event Cocktail Reception and Leadership Panel Discussion

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Contents PATRON His Excellency James Wise Australian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand

Business Brief 6 An Inspirational Woman diplomatic relations 10 Australian and British Communities in Bangkok Sixty Years Ago

PRESIDENT John Anderson Meinhardt Portfolio: Regional Links

anzac day 14 Dawn Service and WreathLaying Ceremony in Kanchanaburi 16 The First Commemoration of ANZAC Day at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, Kanchanaburi

18 Embassy news 18 Bangkok Students Win Top Prize in an Australian Engineering Contest chamber Events 19 Phuket Sundowners on Friday, 30 March at Skippers Bar

VICE PRESIDENTS M.L. Laksasubha Kridakon Baan Laksasubha Resort Portfolio: Alumni Belinda Skinner Top Talent Asia Portfolio: Communications and English Teaching

20 AustralianAlumni Official Launch: cocktail reception and leadership panel discussion – Wednesday 21 March at The Sukhothai Bangkok 22 Bangkok Sundowners on Wednesday, 4 April 2012 at Four Points by Sheraton MEMBER Advancing 25 Bangkok Prep celebrates International Women’s Day From the Chamber Office 30 Message from the Executive Director

TREASURER Leigh Scott-Kemmis DBM Portfolio: Advancing Trade and Commerce DIRECTORS David Bell Crestcom – Ra-Kahng Associates Portfolio: Speakers and Talks Khun Jurairat Jammanee HASSELL Portfolio: AustCham Ball Warwick Kneale Baker Tilly Portfolio: Community Services Sam Mizzi McConnell Dowell Portfolio: AFL and Eastern Seaboard Industry Sriram Narayan Qantas / British Airways Portfolio: Business Conference and Business Awards Alan Polivnick Watson, Farley & Williams (Thailand) Limited Portfolio: Legal Charles Wrightman Natural Ville & Lenotre Portfolio: Sponsorship

Saeed Zaki , Ph.D. dwp Portfolio: Breakfast Briefings

From the Board

President’s Message EX OFFICIO Maurine Lam Regional Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner, ASEAN COORDINATORS Paul Whyte New Asia Pacific ESB Coordinator Email: paul@newasiapacific.com Paul Wilkinson JVK International Movers Ltd. ESB Coordinator Email: paul.wilkinson@jvkmovers.com Harry Usher Lady Pie Phuket Coordinator Email: phuket@austchamthailand.com Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce 20th Floor, Thai CC Tower 889 South Sathorn Road Bangkok 10120 Tel.: +66 2 210 0216 Fax: +66 2 675 6696 execdirector@austchamthailand.com www.austchamthailand.com

Editorial Committee Belinda Skinner, Josh Hyland, Gary Woollacott Marketing & Production Scand-Media Corp. Ltd 4/41-42 Moo 3, Thanyakarn Village Ramintra Soi 14, Bangkok Tel.: +66 2 943-7166/8 Fax: +66 2 943-7169 scandmedia@scandmedia.com Advertising Finn Balslev Email: finn@scandmedia.com Contributions to Advance magazine are welcome. Please submit content to josh@austchamthailand.com by the first day of the month for publication in the following month’s magazine. Opinions expressed in Advance do not necessarily reflect the views of the Chamber. AustChamThailand Advance

had a good break over Songkran – despite doing quite a lot of driving. Altogether the family and I drove 1870 km from Bangkok down to Khao Lak in the South of Thailand stopping over in Don Sak and Hua Hin en route before returning to Bangkok. I spent my childhood, in Australia, during the school holidays in the car on long road trips, travelling from state to state, so I wanted my children to suffer the same! The only difference was back then we stayed in caravan parks, not fivestar hotels! At Khao Lak we bunked at the fabulous JW Marriott Hotel which boasts the longest swimming pool in South East Asia at three kilometers long. Definitely worth a visit. Being Songkran, I feared the worst before this trip thinking that we would be jammed for hours on the same stretch of road. Surprisingly we seemed to avoid the worst of the traffic and made pretty good progress on the road each day. I am hoping you all fared the same, because it is a terribly dangerous time to be travelling on the roads in Thailand. We were at Koh Lak on the Andaman Coast when the 8.9 richter scale earthquake struck on Wednesday, 11 April 2012 at 3.50 pm followed by a large tremor two hours later. This was all too frightfully reminiscent of the 2004 tragedy that claimed over 3,000 lives in the Khao Lak area alone. A lot goes through your mind when you are waiting for confirmation of whether a tsunami is on the way. Of course there was no Tsunami this time, however I was very impressed with the way that the hotel staff and local people handled the potential threat. The entire

hotel was evacuated in a very orderly and straight forward manner demonstrating that the local community is well prepared for such an event should it be repeated again. On 25 April, I attended the ANZAC day dawn service at Hellfire pass followed by the service at the Kanchanaburi Cemetery. Barry Petersen MC laid the wreath on behalf of AustCham. Many of our members made it to the service which seems to be gaining a larger following each year. The day before this, several members made it along to the Wat Putakian kindergarten for an inspection. On 26 May, to celebrate 60 years of bilateral relations between Australia and Thailand, we will be holding the AustCham Diamond Ball proudly sponsored by Natural Ville & Lenote at the Royal Orchard Sheraton. Tickets are still available at the AustCham office for Baht 3,500 each. There is also a chance to win a spectacular champagne diamond valued at over Baht 200,000 and also a pair of diamond stud earrings. Guys what a better way to please the ladies! There will be plenty of bling and a chance to sparkle at what always is a very fun evening. Hope to see many of you there in fancy dress, although I will be in disguise so you may fail to recognise me.

John Anderson President, AustCham Thailand www.austchamthailand.com

May 2012

business brief

An Inspirational Woman From humble beginnings in Malaysia to the first female Asian executive to hold a top management position at Bayer Thai Co. Ltd, the story of Celina Chew is inspirational. At the heart of her story is a place she will always call a home, a place which from the tender age of nine provided her with an education that would shape her life. That place is, of course, Australia, where our story begins in 1970s Perth. By Caspar Nixon

n 1976, when Chew was nine years old, her parents decide to leave Malaysia in search of a better life for their children in Perth, Australia. Chew recalls: “At that time, my parents thought that the educational facilities and future career opportunities in Australia would give their children the start in life they had always wished and hoped for.” Although as fresh migrants in an unfamiliar environment Chew remembers the understandable “struggles and adjustments” her parents had to deal with when they first arrived, Chew has mostly fond memories of growing up in Perth. “I remember long hot summers, watching cricket and tennis on TV, listening to radio broadcasts of Aussie rules football matches in winter and crabbing in Mandurah,” Chew says. But education was always Chew’s main focus, and she is in no doubt about how much her Australian education impacted her life. “The impact of my education in Australia has been substantial. My strong education in a different cultural environment, based on critical thinking and values of fairness, inclusion and respect for individuals, has shaped the way I interact with people and make decisions throughout my life,” she says. Following high school Chew enrolled in a law degree at the University of Western Australia. Her decision was largely influenced by her passion for “words and ideas”, something her Australian upbringing helped to nurture. “Growing up in Australia has had a big impact on my management style. The school system in Australia encourages curiosity and individual development, which is why I like direct, open and respectful communications.”

During her time at university Chew met some truly inspirational people, but she finds it impossible to single one out. “I think I was inspired to some extent by eve6

May 2012

Celina Chew

ryone I met. I would find it difficult to pinpoint one particular person. At university I was blessed with having some of the most inspirational teachers and friends I have ever come across in my life,” she says. In 1992, following her graduation, Chew continued her education in Hong Kong. “In 1992, China was just starting to open up and represented an interesting opportunity. I also wanted to ‘find my roots’ and learn more about China’s history, culture and society. The University of Hong Kong’s Masters of Law course was great way to achieve both aims,” Chew explains. Chew stayed in Hong Kong for five years, practicing law at an international law firm, before joining Bayer in 1997. For the next 15 years Chew lived and worked in China as in-house counsel for Bayer, which she describes as an “invaluable and fascinating experience”. But the biggest break of her career came in May 2011 when she was handed the

reins of Bayer in five North ASEAN countries. Her appointment as the new managing director of Bayer Thai Co. Ltd, was a surprise for most people, both inside and outside the German chemical and pharmaceutical giant. The surprise was not only because she was the first Asian female executive to hold a top management position at Bayer Thai Co. Ltd, but also the fact that Chew had no previous background in the nitty gritty of the business, coming from a service background in legal affairs. “It was unexpected, but for me it was an exciting new role which gave me the opportunity to learn new things,” says Chew. Although many observers saw the appointment of Chew as an example of the 149-year-old firm finally breaking the glass ceiling, Chew says that “as the daughter of a female physician in Malaysia – a rare thing in the old days – being a woman never came up in my head”. Chew feels her views were formed whilst working in law. “In a law firm, if you can AustChamThailand Advance

Eric Kenso Ward, ISB Class of 1979

International School Bangkok Bringing out the superhero in each of us since 1951. www.isb.ac.th

business brief

“The school system in Australia encourages curiosity and individual development, which is why I like direct, open and respectful communications. I also think that fun and humour at work and when interacting with others are important – something I certainly got from the Australian people.” get the job done, you’re hired. They don’t care if you’re young or old, if you’re man or woman,” says Chew. Since becoming the MD of Bayer Thai Chew has spent a lot of time evaluating her management style. Unsurprisingly her upbringing in Australia has had a big impact. “Growing up in Australia has had a big impact on my management style. The school system in Australia encourages curiosity and individual development, which is why I like direct, open and respectful communications. I also think that fun and humour at work and when interacting with others are important – something I certainly got from the Australian people,” says Chew.

Now happily settled in Bangkok, Chew enjoys the food, the Thai people and the beautiful islands, but there are many things she misses in Australia. Top of the list are her parents, sister and brother who all still live in Perth. “I miss my family most, and try to return to Australia as often as I can. I usually manage about four times a year.” But it’s not just family that Chew misses. “I also miss my friends and their families, the blue and wide open skies of Perth, and walking around my neighbourhood.” Although Celina has no immediate plans to leave Bangkok, when asked if she can ever imagine moving back to Australia she says “definitely”.

Australia Unlimited is part of the Brand Australia program, and its website is all about sharing the stories of people changing the world for the better – through their art, business acumen, scientific or humanitarian efforts. It is fantastic to see Australian alumni in Thailand featured so prominently alongside other Australianrelated success stories! Australia Unlimited wants to hear your stories of Australian-related achievement – whether it be about yourself, a colleague, a friend, a relative, or somebody you know. They are looking for stories with a connection to Australia whether it be through place of birth and experience of living, or through working or studying there. Simply submit a short outline via the Australian Unlimited website.

The Australia Awards aim to promote knowledge, education links and enduring ties between Australia and our neighbours through Australia’s extensive scholarship programmes. 2013 Endeavour Awards, the Australian Government’s internationally competitive, merit-based scholarship programme, is open for Thai citizens to apply from 1 April – 30 June 2012. This scholarship programme is open to all fields of study and provides full financial support for international students. There are four main types of Endeavour Awards: • Endeavour Postgraduate Awards (Masters degree or PhD) • Endeavour Research Awards (Research towards a Master degree or PhD in home country or Postdoctoral research) • Endeavour Vocational Education and Training (VET) Awards (Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Associate Degree) • Endeavour Executive Awards (Professional Development) More information on the awards and how to apply, visit www. AustraliaAwards.gov.au. Select “Achievement (Endeavour Awards)”

8 Asian May 2012 Tigers:

Advance Magazine Size: 91x131mm (Quarter Page)

AustChamThailand Advance

Shrewsbury International School Enjoys Record-Breaking Success Students celebrate outstanding exam results and offers from leading universities

n the nine years since Shrewsbury International School opened, it has built a formidable reputation for academic excellence and for providing outstanding opportunities for students to secure places at the world’s leading universities. But this year has been truly record breaking.

Over the past few months, Shrewsbury has been proud to announce results and success stories that confirm its place at the forefront of South East Asia’s international education. In March, a number of Shrewsbury students received the news that they had been offered much coveted places at the best universities in the United States. These included offers from Harvard, Brown, UCLA, Tufts, New York University and Berkeley. Sirin (Lee) Charasyovuthichai, who joined Shrewsbury in the Senior School in 2005 and last year was appointed Head of School (Head Girl), has been accepted to study at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania – one of world’s most famous business schools. Earlier in the year eight students celebrated the news that they were being offered places at Oxford and Cambridge Universities in the UK – the highest number of Oxbridge offers made in a single year since the school opened. Our Deputy Head of School, Siriwimol (Joy) Phophichitra, was offered a place to read Natural Sciences at Churchill College, Cambridge, subject to her gaining the necessary grades at A-Level. She will be joined at Cambridge by Kantamete (Ken) Vanichchokij, who will study Chemical Engineering at Christ’s College. For the first time we have three students who have received offers to study economics. They are Kwannpat (Pop) Songvisit (Gonville and Caius College), Calvin Khaing, who is from Burma, (Clare College) and Bunyada (Mos) Laoprapassorn (Trinity College). The students chosen for places at Oxford will both be studying Engineering Science. They are I-horng Huang, who is from Taiwan and will study at Jesus College, and Nicha (Cherry) Wongphanlet, who will go to St Anne’s College. Ms Gillian Mason, Shrewsbury’s Head of Careers who leads students in their university choices and applications, is thrilled with each individual’s achievement. “Our students’ capacity to perform and compete so successfully in the global academic arena is a testament to the learning environment and their personal drive, interest and enjoyment in the subjects that they have chosen.” She added: “The remaining Year 13 students are receiving a raft of offers from the very best universities around the world, in subjects that vary from Music to Mathematics, and Fine Art to Geophysics.” This university news comes during a record-breaking year of academic success for Shrewsbury. The exam results in 2011 were outstanding with more than 65% of A-Level exams passed at A and A-star grade (up from 52% last year). In the

IGCSE examinations, 37% of papers taken by Shrewsbury students achieved the very highest A-star grade. There was further good news when the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) board announced that 17 Shrewsbury students had won Best in the World and Best in Thailand awards for the examination series that took place in June 2011. Two Shrewsbury students were Top in the World in IGCSE subjects - Praewa Suntiasvaraporn for Art and Design and Sirada (Am) Sripakdeevong for Mathematics (without coursework). Am’s achievement is all the more impressive given that she took the exam one year early. In the A-Level examinations there was further success in the creative arts with Tanya Grueneberger receiving the Top in Thailand award in Art and Design. Tanya is now studying Visual Art and Psychology at Boston University in the US. Wen Li Toh, who gained 5 A-star passes at A Level and will take up a place at Cambridge University to study English, won two Outstanding Learner awards in English Literature and Geography Shrewsbury revels in the success of its graduates and the younger pupils, as they move up through the school, thrive on being around these amazing role models. In this lively environment, academically rigorous but warm and friendly and featuring the very highest standards of pastoral care, Shrewsbury students flourish and grow into balanced, happy, confident young people ready for the challenges of life at university and beyond. Shrewsbury International School 1922 Charoen Krung Road Bangkok 10120 Tel: 02 675 1888 enquiries@shrewsbury.ac.th www.shrewsbury.ac.th

diplomatic relations

Australian and British Communities in Bangkok Sixty Years Ago Recollections by Pierre Hutton

s a young officer of the Australian foreign service, I arrived in Bangkok in late 1952. This was my first posting overseas and I came to a legation (small embassy) which had only two other Australian staff. I was deputy to the Head of Mission and so, although only a third secretary (the lowest form of diplomatic life), attended many official Thai functions and entertainments. It was for me an exotic world far removed from my earlier life growing up in the island state of Tasmania and later in Canberra which had just over 20,000 inhabitants when I joined the Department of External Affairs in March 1949. Bangkok, in 1952, had not yet changed greatly from its pre-World War appearance. There were still many klongs and on narrow streets rickshaws were still being pulled by men but carried goods and no longer passengers. The three-wheeled pedicab ‘saamlaw’, taking up to three thin passengers and the more dangerous version with motor bike power were the means of transport for those farang without access to private, company or official cars. Vehicular traffic at most times of day moved at a tolerable pace. I lived above the ‘shop’ in bachelor’s accommodation which like the legation office below had only unreliable electric fans and non-screened windows left open to catch any cooling breeze. This was on Surawong Road, very close to where Soi Patpong(!) is now but then in a suburb of private houses and gardens. It was a treat to experience from time to time airconditioning in the “Bamboo Bar” at “The Oriental” or in “Chez Eve”, a bar which, despite its name, was sedate by today’s standards. Remarkably, there were no Thai food restaurants when I arrived. It was available of course from street or klong vendors and a variety was available in some hotels but the first restaurant was opened in 1954 by the wife of Police General Phao on Ratchadammoen Ave,

May 2012

January 1953, departure lounge, Don Muang Airport Bangkok. Very young man on far left (me) having arrived in October 1952, possibly contemplates his future in this exotic world. His predecessor, the late Bob Hamilton, is on far right and wife Patsy, sixth from right, prepare for next stage in Australian Foreign Service. In background to left of Patsy is Bert Ballard, first Australian Ambassador to Thailand.

opposite the Ratanakosin, “the Rat” hotel (now the Royal).

nal part of “The Oriental” and, elsewhere, the RBSC.

A visit to the multi-storied “Hoi Thin Lao” Chinese restaurant in Yaowarat Road (later moved to Thonburi) with local businessmen was a gastronomic adventure, even if I did not fully comprehend the advice that the other(?) entertainment was available on the top floor. The Australian National University, Canberra holds a copy of a guide book (in English) to the pleasure parlours of the time. The flesh industry for foreigners clearly did not begin with the Vietnam War.

My ‘boss’ was Bert Ballard, first Australian ambassador to Thailand. A kindly man with wide previous overseas experience, I learned much of the diplomatic craft from him. A scholar in the broadest sense, he was the first post World War II ambassador from any Western country to be able to converse with Thai leaders in their language. Other than Australia India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, no other Commonwealth country was yet represented in the tiny diplomatic corps of 23 embassies and legations.

Apart from the eternal ‘wats’, the Royal Palaces, some national monuments and the majestic Chao Phraya River, did I see sights to remind me of 1952-1954? Not much at all, until I got back to the British Club with my daughter Anne, son in law David Edmonds and two grandsons. Along the River the French and Portuguese embassies and the East Asiatic Co. were familiar, and, of course the origi-

For royal ceremonial occasions in the day-time, while my ambassador and I suffered in full black evening suits with white tie, the diplomatic staff of the British Embassy wore white uniforms, brass buttons and white helmets surmounted by a metal spike. Rather impressive and cool. Most male Westerners, for everyday attire, favoured stark white cotton or drill

AustChamThailand Advance

diplomatic relations

The first ‘home’ of the Australian Diplomatic Representation in Thailand (Surawong Rd., Bangkok). 3rd Secretary Bob Hamilton and then myself lived above the ‘shop’. On my first day I was invited by domestic staff to kill two snakes in ground-level kitchen! One was large but, unknown to me, harmless. The second was small but, I was assured, a ‘bad’ one. I guess a few points were gained.

trousers with white shirt. In non-airconditioned offices, the wearing of ties could be avoided but needed to be at hand for venturing out on business or, in my case, for contact with Thai officialdom. Presiding over the Community were two figures, different in temperament but unchallenged and unchallengeable. Charles Mabbitt and “Bobby” Forthergill were respectively a seasoned trader (from before the Pacific War) and a retailer of motor vehicles. It is not unfair to say that British ambassadors were regarded as plumed birds of passage – to be respected as representing the young Queen but not taken too seriously over commercial activities within Thailand. On the other hand, from my recollection as a member of the official committee organising a Ball in 1953 to mark Queen Elizabeth’s acces-

From Left: Douglas C. (Chulalongkorn) Rivett-Carnac (Oriental Secretary in British Embassy) – his father had known King Chulalongkorn; Bert Ballard (First Australian Ambassador to Thailand); a Thai diplomat; myself; Group Captain Stuart Campbell (RAAF retired), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) representative in Thailand.

sion to the Throne, the positioning of tables occupied by “Number Ones” in British companies was treated with the importance of diplomatic protocol. Mabbitt was Chairman of the British Club and, as I noted from the Board in the Club House entrance, in this position for some years before and after my time as a member. He exerted a firm grip of the ‘norms’ of Club decorum and younger members knew this well. The Club in 1952 extended for only a small area beyond the Club House entrance and yet my companions and I found it an importance part of our social lives. The film nights were a highlight of

the week, even if the technical quality of the black and white English films shown was often less than ideal. Still, the presence of much Singapore beer and cigarette smoke added to the highly convivial atmosphere in a crowded room. Sundays was the time for a long, traditional Indian curry tiffin (lunch) accompanied by beer and followed by soothing gula Malacca (sago with golden syrup poured over it). Many of us found that sport / exercise required membership of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club as well for, in my case, swimming, tennis, and cricket. This was cheap and not difficult to obtain. Because I was accredited to Thailand, it was a pleasure to be invited from time to time to play tennis at the Old England Students

It’s all over! Photos taken at farewell dinner given by Bert Ballard at the Residence. There were some tears as on December 1954, I flew out of Bangkok returning briefly to Canberra.

AustChamThailand Advance

May 2012

diplomatic relations

(Thai) Association. It may surprise that the ONLY seaside resort with accommodation for foreigners in 1952 was Hua Hin where the Railway Beach Hotel had the atmosphere of a pre-Pacific War world. It is now the Sofitel. When I look back at photos taken in those days, many names come back but I will be excused for mentioning only a couple. Bill Brownsey of the Air Booking Centre (Borneo Company), Surawong Road was a highly gregarious and goodnatured soul whose contribution to fellowship was not impaired by returning from leave in the UK with an outgoing bride. “Toni” (J. Antoinette) Osborn, older sister of a colleague of mine in the Australian foreign service, while holding down a responsible position in the Shell company, was an energetic figure in British community tennis and in the organising of annual social events. The Australian community was small (120 in the whole of Thailand by the time I left

Arrival on 16 November 1953 on the first direct Qantas service from Australia.

Now young Pierre Hutton is feeling very much at home in this new environment. At the annual ball given by General Phao, the powerful head of the Thai police. I became and remained a close friend of a Police Major of the Special Branch (eventually a Major General). This gained me entree to unlikely entertainment.

‘A spot of cricket’ at the Royal Bangkok Sports Club. Presumably the 11th player was the team’s photographer.

in 1954). I respected those who worked under trying conditions in the first factory of Thai Glass Manufacturers. Nicolas was another major Australian operation, distributing pharmaceuticals, often by boat ‘up-country’. Australians worked too for international firms such as Singer and Shell but the figure who stood out was Keith Hyland. Seeing the export potential of duck feathers, Keith established a highly successful business. He later set up a factory in Saigon as well and received world-wide coverage when kidnapped 12

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and then released by Saigon river pirates after the payment of a ransom. At the time he was possibly better known than Jim Thompson whose Thai silk industry was still being established. In the area of international agencies operating in Thailand the International Civil Aviation Organisation was represented by Group Captain (retired) Stuart A C Campbell RAAF. He had earlier set up Australia’s first post-World War II operations in the Antarctic. Before the arrival of the Internet, the BBC’s world TV service, video cassettes,

audible short wave radio and airmail editions of international newspapers and magazines, the lot of this once young Australian in Bangkok was much improved by membership of the British Club. I remember it with appreciation. While the sections on Thailand are directed principally to Australia’s official presence from earlier times, there is also a description of Bangkok in the early Fifties in Pierre’s book ‘After the Heroic Age’ and ‘Before Australia’s Rediscovery of Southeast Asia’, Griffith University, Brisbane – 1997. AustChamThailand Advance

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anzac day

Dawn Service and Wreath-Laying Ceremony in Kanchanaburi Once again this year, AustCham members and friends took a bus to Kanchanaburi province – where a section of the Burma-Thailand railway was built by Allied POWs and Asian labourers in horrific conditions – for ANZAC Day. Over 1,000 people gathered in the Hellfire Pass for the Dawn Service and at the Cemetry in Kanchanaburi town for the wreath-laying ceremony at midday to remember and pay homage to the many thousands of men who had suffered during World War Two. Over 200,000 people toiled under the intense pressure from the Japanese engineers and Korean guards, many not living to tell of the trauma they faced. Below is the address from Australian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand, H.E. James Wise.

want to start, and I know you will want me to start, by acknowledging the former Prisoners of War who have joined us today: Mr Neil MacPherson and Mr Milton (‘Snow’) Fairclough. Let me acknowledge, too, other veterans in our midst, veterans of other campaigns and the family and friends who are representing veterans who cannot be with us. I acknowledge also those amongst us for whom this Anzac Day has a very special significance. Today, we remember and we reflect. We remember those who served, those who suffered and those who died at Gallipoli 97 years ago, or here in Thailand, or at other places where Australians, New Zealanders and their friends have served, suffered and died, or at places where they are now serving, now suffering and now dying. We remember them and we pay them homage. But let us remember, and reflect on, something else too. For a moment, let us remember and reflect on how young most of these people were and in the case of our troops on operations now, how young they are. On many occasions I have visited this cemetery. And I have visited war cemeteries in other places – in Papua New Guinea, in Malaysia, in Libya. On each occasion, so many thoughts and emotions are stirred. On each occasion, though, as I walk past grave after grave after grave, and as I read headstone after headstone after headstone, I can’t help thinking, above all else, how young they were. How very, very young. How many dreams they must have had. Dreams of

May 2012

home, and what they had left behind. Dreams of what they would do once the war was over. As I look at their headstones, I think of the dreams I had when I was 30 years old, or 26, or 23, or 21, or even 19. And I think of the thirty to forty years I have lived since I was their age. Of the thirty to forty bonus years I have lived with my family, my wife, my children, my friends – thirty to forty years that they never had. And I think of how I have lived all my life with security and with freedom. I have lived securely and freely because others, like those whose graves surround us, have sacrificed their dreams. Let us remember, too, the hundreds of thousands of Asian labourers who were also forced to work here. No-one cared for them. No-one kept records of them. Very few of them returned home. They too had dreams of families, of wives, of children and

friends. Dreams of home, and what they had left behind. Dreams of what they would do once the war was over. Their dreams were also cruelly killed. And let us remember the way Thai people in this region supported the POWs, sometimes at great personal risk. War ruined their dreams too. How do we best honour so many people who endured so much? By remembering them. And by remembering them not just on Anzac Day, but on other days too. Days when there are no medals, no bugles, no wreaths, no speeches. We honour them by drawing inspiration from their courage, by drawing inspiration from their steadfastness and by drawing inspiration from their compassion. And we honour them by listening to the birds, by waiting for the breeze to cool us and by sensing the breath in our nostrils. We honour them by treasuring the gift of life. Lest we forget.

AustChamThailand Advance

anzac day

AustChamThailand Advance

May 2012

anzac day

The First Commemoration of ANZAC Day at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, Kanchanaburi By Pierre Hutton

his took place on ANZAC Day, 1953 when Bertram “Bert” Ballard was the first Australian diplomatic representative accredited to Thailand. Under his supervision, I organised the ceremony, helped by the Commonwealth War Graves Representative in Thailand and the Military Attache of the British Embassy. Apart from whatever might have done prior to that at the British War Cemetery in Bangkok, why did it take so long to have the commemoration at Kanchanaburi? The first Australian Consul-General (September 1946), Alan Eastman had been a Lt.Colonel in the AIF, the first Charge d’Affaires, Allan Loomes (October 1951) had been on active service with the RAAF and my predecessor, Bob Hamilton had served with the AIF in the Pacific Islands campaigns. Bob Hamilton’s widow, Patsy has provided an answer to the question above in a letter to me dated 18 February 2010. The surface of the road from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi was appalling, both in the time of my predecessor and when I arrived in Bangkok. The Australian official representatives did not have a vehicle which would safely make the return trip. So the decision to have ANZAC Day at Kanchanaburi was not made easily – even by 1953. When Patsy Hamilton visited the cemetery (presumably in 1951/2) with American friends using a suitable vehicle it was “the only time that anyone from the Legation had visited the cemetery. No one ever came”. She had “no recollection of any service on ANZAC Day” during their posting. At the first ANZAC Day commemoration at Kanchanaburi, the non-official attendance by Australians and New Zealanders was very small. Thai participation was lowkey’, but the official Australian and British presence, together with French, Indian and Pakistani military attaches, made up.

May 2012

British Military Attache laying wreath at temporary Cross of Remembrance, Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, Kanchanaburi – ANZAC Day 1953.

Soon, the establishing of SEATO”s headquarters in Bangkok made for a large expansion of the Australian External Affairs and military presence. This would have had a considerable bearing on subsequent ANZAC Day commemorations in Kanchanaburi. So did the eventual improvement of the road from Bangkok!

My personal interest? My father, William Bruce Hutton, had landed at ANZAC Cove on 25 April 1915. Surviving, he reached the battlefields of the Western Front (Belgium and Northern France) in 1916. He survived this too and met a French farmer’s daughter who was to become his wife and my mother after the War to end all wars.

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Embassy news

Bangkok Students Win Top Prize in an Australian Engineering Contest

tudents from Traill International School, Bangkok, recently won the top prize in an Australian engineering contest. The Amazing Spaghetti Machine contest was part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of The University of Melbourne’s School of Engineering. Select schools in Thailand, Japan and Vietnam were invited to put forward teams of students to create a ‘spaghetti machine’ – an overly complex machine used to perform a relatively simple task. Students had to use their knowledge and skills in maths, science, engineering and project management. Traill International School’s machine won the team of four a trip to Australia to attend a two week residential Young Leaders Program at The University of Melbourne. The judges praised the winning machine for its creative use of materials, electrical

times from house to house with the help of their parents and a hired van.

The winning team of four from Traill International School - Shane Leong, Taisei Tatsumi, Dhruv Koskote and James Landolt and their Science teacher, Ms Gail Elliot, were presented with their prize at the Sukhumvit Grande Hotel by Mr Simon Farbenbloom, Deputy Head of Mission from the Australian embassy, and Dr Allison Kealy, Assistant Dean (Academic) from the Melbourne School of Engineering.

circuitry and fluids. It reflected a collaborative effort in every way. Due to flooding, their machine had to be moved several

The University of Melbourne organiser of the competition, Mrs Yin Ingamells, said that despite school closures and evacuations caused by the widespread flooding in Bangkok, many teams were enthusiastic about the competition and determined to make their submission to the competition. The judges congratulated all the students and teachers who participated in the competition for their creativity and commitment given to the contest. All participants received a signed copy of The Beginner’s Guide to Winning the Nobel Prize by Nobel Laureate, Professor Peter Doherty, a researcher at the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science at the University of Melbourne.

Servcorp Business Shorts in Bangkok Servcorp Thailand’s third Business Shorts held on 6 March welcomed Mr Matthew Lobner, CEO of HSBC as another privileged speaker. Prior to relocating to Thailand, Mr Lobner was the Global Head of Corporate/International Business, Commercial Banking, in HSBC Hong Kong. He joined HSBC in 2005 after a period as Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company. HSBC aims to help businesses in their expansion as well as to take care of their clients in the long term after proving to remain profitable and stable during the financial crisis. HSBC have a presence in over 80 countries and have about 300,000 employees worldwide. Mr Lobner’s speech on “Prospects for the Banking Industry” attracted a large crowd to the event at The Offices at Centralworld. His 20 minute presentation spoke briefly about the GDP on a global level and how Asia’s market is rapidly growing and is expected to increase the current 10% share from 2010 to hold 39% of the market’s GDP by 2030. Despite the US and European Union at the top of the market, Asia holds stronger fiscal positions in the market, with China tagging closely behind. Currently holding over half of the global GDP is Asia’s middle class whose growth is greatly expanding and contributing

May 2012

even further to the market. Asia, however, should still be aware of the global financial crisis and how the situation in countries like Italy and Spain can affect the Eurozone’s GDP on a whole as they are larger countries with greater shares. Figures also show that businesses are becoming more international as modern SMEs are quickly expanding overseas with 74% of all SME companies with plans for international operation of which 40% are looking to open up abroad in the next two years. The host Servcorp will regularly hold Business Shorts networking events rotating the venue between Bangkok’s three prestigious locations at The Offices at Centralworld, 1 Silom Road and Park Ventures. Contact Molly Duke at mduke@servcorp. co.th or visit www.servcorp.co.th for information about the Servcorp Business Shorts if you would like to attend or participate as a guest speaker. We look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events!

AustChamThailand Advance

Chamber Events

Phuket Sundowners on Friday, 30 March at Skippers Bar On Friday 30 March, AustCham is hosted an all-Australian panel discussion in Phuket on Modern Trends in the Marine Industry in Thailand and Australia. On the panel were Scott Bradley from East Marine, Scott Duncanson from Quantum Sails, Malaysia, Scott Finsten from Ocean Marina, Andrew De Bruin from Lee Marine, Nick Anthony from Indigo/SEEK, Anthony Gates from Andaman Maritime Services, David Wood from Boating Lifestyle Adventure (BLA) and David Bell, AustCham Director and sailor acting as mediator. Phuket Sundowners, sponsored by Skippers Bar, East Marine and Lady Pies, followed the discussion with a great turnout. Many thanks to our generous hosts for their support.

AustChamThailand Advance

May 2012

AustralianAlumni Event

AustralianAlumni Official Launch: cocktail

reception and leadership panel discussion – Wednesday 21 March at The Sukhothai Bangkok

o officially launch the AustralianAlumni programme a panel discussion and cocktail reception was held at the Sukhothai hotel on Wednesday 21 March. For the panel discussion, four prominent Australian graduates – namely, Khun Pichai Chuensuksawadi, Editor-inChief of Post Publishing; M.L. Kathathong Thongyai, Director of the Office of Product Value Promotion and the Department of International Trade Promotion at the Ministry of Commerce; Dr Sirikorn Maneerin, MD and owner of Keeree Waree Seaside Villa & Spa, Former Deputy Minister of Education, Former President – Thailand Knowledge Park; and Mr John Hancock – Board Member, Australia-Thai Institute (ATI) – talked about their journeys to leadership positions and how their Australian

May 2012

education helped prepare them for leadership roles. A cocktail reception followed the panel the discussion. Congratulations to the two lucky winners of return flights to Australia courtesy of Singapore Airlines, given away on the night – Dr Nittaya Soonthonsiripong, a University of Adelaide graduate, and Dr John Garzoli, an alumnus of Monash, Canberra and Melbourne Universities. Presently owner of her own research and consulting business in Bangkok, and acting as a research consultant for various universities, Dr Nittaya plans to use her Singapore Airlines ticket to see friends in Adelaide and visit Hobart – the only capital city in Australia that she’s never been to! John is currently working at Chula-

longkorn University as a Visiting Research Fellow after being awarded a Prime Minister’s Asia Endeavour Award. He will use his ticket to visit Melbourne before returning to Bangkok to continue his research. Khun Pimlada Chaisawun won two nights’ accommodation at Baan Laksasubha resort. Khun Pimlada is participating in AustralianAlumni activities because she is interested in learning more about study in Australia. AustralianAlumni wishes to thank Singapore Airlines, The Sukhothai, Baan Laksasubha, MUFASA and the Australian Government’s Australia-Thailand Institute for their strong support of the AustralianAlumni programme.

AustChamThailand Advance

AustralianAlumni Event

AustChamThailand Advance

May 2012

Chamber Events

Bangkok Sundowners on Wednesday, 4 April 2012 at Four Points by Sheraton Sponsored by Bangkok Fine Wine and hosted at the venue of Ambar at Four Points By Sheraton Sundoweners was a great success. Thanks go to our generous sponsors for a spectacular evening and their ongoing support.

1) Gary Woollacott – AustCham Past President, Opus Recruitment; Khun Chanyanuch – Opus Recruitment; Gareth Hughes – RSM Advisory. 2) Larry Jackson – Arun Chaiseri Consulting Engineers; Khun Rungkamol Hongskul – APM Group; John Didomonic – APM Group ; Thomas V. Jacobs – KPMG Poomchai. 3) Markus Wehrhahn – Resource Link Consulting Group; Khun Watsharawee Wutthimaythissuwan – Resource Link Consulting Group; L.T. Low – Laitram Machinery. 4) Nath Clegg – Siamese Search; Khun Piyawan Kambunyor – Mediaguide Thailand; Khun Ramida Singpru – Amari Orchid Pattaya; Khun Raweewan Chiamchittrong – Chatrium Residence Sathorn Bangkok; Khun Pornthip Thaoyodsomboon – Chatrium Residence Sathorn Bangkok. 5) Steve Nichols – LINK Corporate; Neil Farrell – EPL Elastomer; Josh

May 2012

AustChamThailand Advance

Chamber Events

Hyland – AustCham Thailand; Kate Jackson. 6) Michael Burmeister – AgooThai; Khun Siroj Prasertphon – Akara Mining. 7) Jonathon Glonek – Bangkok Fine Wines; Khun Satita Nantasrirat – Development Design & Construction. 8) Arnaud Bialecki – Sodexo; Veronique Sirault – Park Plaza; Rober U. Jaermann – Dream Hotel Bangkok. 9) Jonathon Glonek – Bangkok Fine Wines; Janet McNab – Four Points by Sheraton; John Anderson – AustCham President, Meinhardt. 10) John Ginnana – Baker Tilly Thailand; Nicholas Smith – Baker Tilly Thailand; Colin Beech – Credenda. 11) Khun Rungnapha Kaewduangsri – Santa Fe; Khun Chanakarn Lim – AustCham Thailand. 12) Khun Satita Nantasrirat – Development Design & Construction; Tom – Coverage.

AustChamThailand Advance

May 2012

member advancing

Bangkok Prep Celebrates International Women’s Day

ist for Thailand, Ms. Watchareewan (Ploy) Tomas gave an emotive speech detailing her success in rock climbing and stating “As a young woman, I’m proud of who I am and what I can and have achieved. Today is International Women’s Day and I dedicate my medals to the girls and young women all over the world and wish them every success in their chosen field.”

NESCO in collaboration with Bangkok Preparatory International Preparatory & Secondary School students, Right to Play Thailand and the Duang Prateep Foundation used physical education as the theme to celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day on 8 March 2012. The interactive youth event, involving girls and boys, highlighted the role that sport can play in connecting girls and inspiring a positive, balanced and valued future. The friendly football match “Only Girls Can Score” provided that the mixedgender teams could only win by valuing and supporting their female team members, who were the only players able to goal. After the high-energy game, Bangkok Prep Year 7 student, Ms. Prim commented “To win or lose is okay; just to

enjoy the sports, that’s the heart of the game. I personally don’t think that sport is exclusively for men or women, it’s for everybody.” Bangkok Prep’s Year 10 student and 2011 South-East Asian Games Silver Medal-

The day of celebration concluded with Bangkok Prep’s Year 12 students guiding and coaching kindergarten children from Duang Prateep Foundation in a session of play-based activities, encouraging participation for everyone. Bangkok Prep Phone: +66 2 260 7890 Email: admission.spvr@bkkprep.ac.th Website: www.bkkprep.ac.th

AUSTCHAM Members’ offers Siam@Siam Design Hotel and Spa Mezzawine Membership Benefits Sign up Sign up for Mezzawine Membership at Siam @ Siam and receive great benefits including a 20 percent discount at all hotel food and beverage outlets, spa treatments and wine purchases. You will also receive free wine tasting for two guests, complementary cake and sparkling wine for when you hold a birthday or anniversary celebration at Siam @ Siam AND one night’s free accommodation. Offer Until: May 2012 Call: Khun Pongsak 081 8873978 Email: pongsak@siamatsiam.com

Swissôtel Nai Lert Park Bangkok Complete meeting package at Baht 999+ For a successful and efficient meeting that is easy to budget, Swissôtel Nai Lert Park Bangkok offers a full day meeting package for local companies with a minimum 20 of delegates at Baht 999++ per person inclusive of two coffee breaks, international lunch buffet, free use of meeting room and swimming pool, 20 percent discount on additional breakout room and food at ISO and Noble House restaurant as well as at Amrita Fitness and Spa.

AustChamThailand Advance

Offer Until: 30 June 2012 Call: 02 253 0123 or 02 8677000 Email: Catering@nailertpark.swissotel.com

Grand Mercure Fortune Bangkok All You can Eat Fish & Fish at Nan Yuan Chinese Restaurant Nan Yuan Chinese Restaurant is offering ‘jade fish’ feast. The fresh jade fish created in various Chinese cooking such as ‘Deep Fried jade fish with Tao So sauce’, ‘Steamed Jade fish with Chinese plum Sauce, ‘Fried jade Fish with soya sauce’ and many ether delicious menus. Available on both the set and a la carte menus. The Chinese Set Menu for 10 persons starts at only Baht 5,000++. Offer Until: 31 May 2012 Call: +66 2 641 1500 Ext. 1018 Email: fbp@grandmercurefortunebkk.com

Le Meridien Bangkok Meeting in Style Delegate Package – Baht 4,999 net/night • Vista room with daily breakfast at Latest Recipe • High Speed Internet access in Vista room and meeting room

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Rates are inclusive of 10% service charge and 7% tax. In the event of a new VAT the new rate will be applied. Offer Until: 31 August Call: +66 2 232 8888 Email: sales.lmbkk@lemeridien.com C 100

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Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square The Beds are Running Hot Experience a comfortable night’s sleep in the top hotel of Bangkok as Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square, offers a fabulous 15% discount on top of their already best unrestricted rate which starts from a low Baht 2,975*. The beds are running hot… so contact us now! Offer until: 31May Call: +66 2 209 8888 *This rate is exclusive of VAT and Service Charge, available on all room types, and must be prepaid by booking online. This rate cannot be canceled, modified, refunded or amended.

May 2012

From the Chamber Office

Message from the Executive Director

TUESDAY 1 MAY Labour Day

’ve mentioned the Australian Government’s ‘Australia in the Asian Century’ White Paper a few times over the past months. While White Papers typically don’t change the world overnight, I think it is important that AustCham members and friends follow the progress of this document for two reasons. First, because it will be a key references point that Australian policy-makers – and others – will refer to when considering Australian engagement in Asia. And second, because the White Paper process encourages a broader public discussion about Australia’s role in our own neighbourhood.

That said, as I mentioned last month, the formal phase of public consultation on the White Paper has been less than impressive and somewhat token. At a minimum, the White Paper team should have engaged directly with those of us working and living in Asia. The White Paper team received 246 submissions comprising some 3,000 pages of text. This has now been condensed down into a ‘high level summary’ that is available on the White Paper website (http://asiancentury. dpmc.gov.au/submissions/summary). Four key themes have been identified from the submissions: • Improving Australians’ Asia-relevant capabilities; • People-to-people links; • Asia’s rise; and • Australia’s competitiveness. AustCham Thailand’s submission – one of the few submissions to be specifically referred to – was mentioned in the ‘people-to-people’ links section of the high level summary. I was disappointed, however, that Thailand itself was barely mentioned at all. There was an overwhelming focus on China, India and – in Southeast Asia – Indonesia. This reinforces my view that as our ninth largest trading partner the economic and strategic importance of Thailand continues to be seriously under-valued. To “continue the lively debate about Australia’s place in the region over the next quarter of a century” the White Paper has partnered with several prominent websites – The Lowy Institute’s Interpreter blog, The Conversation and the East Asia Forum blog of the Australian National University. I’m most familiar with the Interpreter, and was most interested to see an article by Dr Bandid Nijathaworn, former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Thailand and now chair of the Thai Bond Market Association (and an Australian University alumnus!). 26

May 2012

Calendar of Events

AustCham office closed WEDNESDAY 2 MAY Bangkok Sundowners

18.00-21.00 Venue: Hansar Bangkok Corporate Sponsor: Singapore Airlines MONDAY 7 MAY Coronation Day

AustCham office closed FRIDAY 18 MAY Eastern Seaboard Networking – hosted by AMCHAM

18.30-21.00 Venue: TBA Entitled “Australia’s ‘Asian Century’: A view from Bangkok” I was even more interested to read Dr Bandid’s comment that: “Australia will need Asia more as a market for its services, an industry which accounts for over 70 per cent of Australia’s GDP. Growth of the services sector is vital for Australia’s longterm competitiveness and economic survival… Asia offers an ideal market for the Australia’s services industry to grow. More importantly, for Australia’s services industry to develop into a global competitive force, it also needs a market that can be a learning ground for its product development and for sharpening its competitive edge”. AustCham has invited Dr Bandid to speak to AustCham members and friends in May and I do hope he will share his thoughts on how Australia and Thailand might expand trade in services. It is an area that I believe will become increasingly important for Thailand as increased labour and business input costs result in demands for greater efficiency and innovation. Access to high-quality professional services will also be crucial as Thailand becomes an integral part of a more integrated Southeast Asia under the ASEAN Economic Community.

SATURDAY 19 MAY Voluntary English Teaching

Location: Baan Khao Din School, Chonburi For further details, contact: varin@austchamthailand.com SATURDAY 26 MAY AustCham Diamond Ball Proudly Sponsored by Natural Ville & Lenotre

18.30 onwards Venue: Royal Orchid Sheraton

Thank you to April sponsorS:

Mark Carroll Executive Director, AustCham Thailand www.austchamthailand.com AustChamThailand Advance