Voyageur Magazine - March 2012

MARCH 2012 A publication of the Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce

03 / 2012

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TCCC’S 2012/2013 EXECUTIVE BOARD

(L to R): Peter van Haren, New President; John Casella, New Vice President; Derek van Pelt, New Vice President; Dr. Tim Cornwall, Returning Secretary; Michael Howard, Returning Treasurer; Neil Chiu, Returning Board Member; Scott Coates, New Board Member; Ali Fancy, Returning Board Member; Ron Livingston, Returning Board Member; John Stevens, Returning Board Member; Todd Switzer, New Board Member; Missing: Sranyoo Chanate, Returning Board Member

(See page 3 for details)

Corporate

Partnership

Premier Sponsors

Executive Sponsors

Calendar

TCCC

Calendar of events: 2012/2013 TCCC Executives Patron:

His Excellence Ambassador of Canada

Officers:

President – Peter van Haren Vice President – Derek van Pelt Vice President – John Casella Secretary – Dr. Tim Cornwall Treasurer – Michael Howard

Executive Board: Ali Fancy Derek van Pelt John Casella John Stevens Neil Chiu Michael Howard Peter van Haren Ron Livingston Scott Coates Sranyoo Chanate Dr. Tim Cornwall Todd Switzer

Embassy Representative: Ping Kitnikone

Advisors:

Don Lavoie Geoff McIntyre Michael White Picharn Sukparangsee Raymond Bodemer Sam Cohen Surachit Chanovan

Executive Director: Randy Shockley

Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce 139 Pan Road, Sethiwan Tower 9th floor, Bangkok 10500 Tel: +66(0) 2266-6085-6 Fax: +66(0) 2266-6087 Email: tccc@loxinfo.co.th Website: www.tccc.or.th

The Voyageur is the monthly magazine of the Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce, covering all Thai-Canadian business, legal and social news of interest to the members and others who are active in expanding Thai-Canadian bilateral trade.

Editor: Randy Shockley, Executive Director, Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce Publisher: Scandinavian Publishing Co., Ltd. 211 Soi Prasert-Manukitch 29, Prasert-Manukitch Rd., Chorakeabua, Ladprao Bangkok 10230 Tel: +66(0) 2943-7166-8 Fax: +66(0) 2943-7169 Design: Disraporn Yatprom Email: disraporn@scandmedia.com Advertising Contact: Mr. Finn Balslev, Marketing Director Scandinavian Publishing Co., Ltd. Tel: +66(0) 2943-7166 ext.116 or 08-1866-2577 Email: finn@scandmedia.com

WHEN: WHAT: WHERE: PRICE:

Wednesday, April 11, 2012; 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm Canuck Connections - “All Chambers Songkran Kick-Off Party” Q Bar – Sukhumvit Soi 11 100 baht – Members & Non Members

WHEN: WHAT:

Friday, April 13 to Monday, April 16, 2012 Songkran (Thai New Year & National Holiday)

WHEN: WHAT: WHERE: PRICE:

Wednesday, May 16, 2012; 6:30 pm – 8;30 pm Canuck Connections Networking Night d Bistro & d Bar – Sathorn Soi 1 Road 200 baht – Members & Non Members

WHEN: WHAT:

Wednesday, June 13, 2012; 11;30 pm – 1:30 pm Joint AmCham, BCCT & TCCC Speaker Luncheon with Dr. Chérie Carter.

This Master Coach, Professional Speaker and International Best Selling Author will talk on “Negativity… what causes it & how to overcome it”.

WHERE: “All New - 5 Star”… Eastin Grand Hotel, 33/1 South Sathorn Rd. Connected to Surasak BTS Station by its own sky bridge PRICE: 700 baht – Members; 850 baht – Non Members WHEN: Wednesday, June 20, 2012; 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm WHAT: Canuck Connections Networking Night & Cocktail Reception WHERE: “All New - 5 Star”…Eastin Grand Hotel, 33/1 South Sathorn Rd. Venue - Azure’s Pool Bar, 14/F Connected to Surasak BTS Station by its own sky bridge PRICE: 200 baht – Members & Non Members

Upcoming events in the region:

CCBA

Japan: http://www.cccj.or.jp When: Tuesday, April 10, 2012; 2:00 pm. - 6:30 pm.

What: The End of Business as We Know it.

Where: Hotel Okura (Akebono Room for conference and Atlantic/Continental Rooms for reception) Price: 8,000 Yen for member and non member.

Vietnam: http://www.canchamvietnam.org When: Friday, April 20, 2012; 11:45 am. - 4.00 pm.

What: 7th Annual VinaCapital CanCham Open Charity Golf Tournament.

Where: Long Thanh Golf Club Price: VND2,500,000 for CanCham & Co-Host, VND2,700,000 for Non-Members.

Philippines: www. cancham.com.ph When: April 24, 2012; 8:30 am. - 10:00 am.

What: CanCham Executive Management Series: Creating HOT Teams! Strategies for Measurable Results with your Team.

Where: New World Hotel Makati City Price: P1000 for Member, P1500 Non-members.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TCCC’S NEW 2012/2013 EXECUTIVE BOARD

D

uring the Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s 22nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at the Grand Millennium Sukhunvit Hotel, the Chamber members elected their new 2012/2013 Executive Board. Please make sure you take time to congratulate the following members on their election:

New TCCC Executive Board Members Peter van Haren, New President John Casella, New Vice President Derek van Pelt, New Vice President Dr. Tim Cornwall, Returning Secretary Michael Howard, Returning Treasurer Neil Chiu, Returning Board Member Scott Coates, New Board Member Ali Fancy, Returning Board Member Ron Livingston, Returning Board Member John Stevens, Returning Board Member Todd Switzer, New Board Member Missing: Sranyoo Chanate, Returning Board Member

Departing TCCC Board Members

We also wish to thank the following departing Directors for their outstanding service to the Chamber: Geoff McIntyre, Managing Director – Southeast Asia Exploration and Mining Co., Ltd; Alan Ng, President & CEO - Manulife Thailand and Sukanya Rattanavadee, General Manager-Thai Phum Skylights Co. Ltd Again, join us in thanking the TCCC’s departing Board members for their 2011/2012 term contributions and let’s provide a warm welcome to the new 2012/2013 Board.

Chamber News

The 45th Diplomatic Red

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ssuming responsibility for the Canadian booth at this year’s 45th Diplomatic Red Cross Bazaar was TCCC Executive Board member Derek van Pelt and TCCC Executive Director, Randy Shockley, who recruited the capable assistance of seven local companies, including Thai importers of Canadian products and a couple local entrepreneurs, to help deliver the required Canadian presence for this event. The TCCC thanks Bangkok Dynamics Co., Midhaven Foods Co. Ltd., Pattaya Pickle Company, Piriyapul International Ltd, Research In Motion (RIM), Senzu Limited, Sino-Pacific trading (Thailand) Co., Ltd. as well as TCCC member Les Walsh for their outstanding support. In total, these companies raised 150,000 baht for the Red Cross.

The bazaar was graciously opened by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, in her capacity as Executive VicePresident of the Thai Red Cross Society.

During the opening ceremony, Derek van Pelt also presented her with a beautifully prepared gift hamper which contained samples of all products being offered at the Canadian booth, including a BlackBerry device. This year’s 2-day event saw over 40,000 eager shoppers take to the floors of Siam Hall with 54 embassies selling a wide array of quality products and food.

The Chamber also recognizes Research In Motion (RIM) for their significant product contributions to the Diplomatic Red Cross Bazaar’s Raffle Draw which was a major revenue generating activity for this worthy cause. Other items included in the raffle were tickets from eight airlines, an 18 carat diamond pendant, gift vouchers from leading hotels and other fabulous prizes.

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Ambassador Mikael Hemniti Winther of Demark helps to showcase the Canadian basket

Derek van Pelt assisting with the Red Cross Raffle Draw

Chamber News

Cross Bazaar 2012

March 2012

5

Community News

Singapore team captures 18th Karon Beach in Phuket recently played host to the eighteenth annual Mekong Cup on March 3rd, 2012. This one-day ball hockey tournament, the biggest of its kind in Asia, was played for the first time on the tennis courts of the Centara Karon Resort Phuket.

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he six competing teams played 5-on-5 (four players and a goalie) in a round-robin format with four teams advancing to the afternoon semifinals and championship final. An awards banquet/BBQ followed the tourney, and post-game celebrations took part on lively Soi BangLa in Patong.

Explaining the Mekong Cup, tourney organizer John Casella says, “This event takes place every year in the middle of springtime once the winter snows of Phuket have melted exposing the soft underbelly of Karon Beach and giving way to the smooth surface of the Centara Karon’s tennis courts.”

In this year’s tourney, the Singapore Chili Crabs ball hockey squad reclaimed top honours, beating out five other teams for their first championship since 2003. After the preliminary round-robin round, the Singapore Chili Crabs were seeded 1st, followed by the Bangkok Thai Stix in 2nd and the Hong Kong

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Islanders in 3rd place. The Pepper Crabs defeated the Chili Crabs in the final game of the round-robin to secure the 4th spot; if they hadn’t, they would have finished 5th behind the rookie Seoul R.O.K.s making their first visit from South Korea. The surprise result for the tournament was the 6th-place finish by the Slovakian team “HKL-MJM Petrzalka” who were making their third visit to the Mekong Cup and who had made it to the final in their first two appearances, winning the tournament outright the last time they played; it was clearly evident that they had lost their “focus” in this year’s tournament.

The all Singapore match-up in the first semi-final game, was a more lopsided result than their round-robin encounter, with the Chili Crabs comfortably winning over their undermanned Pepper Crab squad. In the other semi-final game, the Thai Stix defeated the defending champion clutch-and-grab Hong Kong Islanders in a closely fought battle. This 3-1 feisty affair was settled a late go-ahead goal by Geoff McIntyre who then followed up with the empty netter, too.

After a 20-minute rest from the afternoon sun, the stage was set for another historic championship bout between the Thai Stix

Community News

annual Mekong Cup… and the Chili Crabs. The Chili Crabs were confident going into the final having beaten the Thai Stix convincingly in the round-robin play. But it was tight and physical championship game with some usual chippiness, but as time wound down Singapore scored into an empty Bangkok net to seal its first Mekong Cup in almost a decade with a 4-1 victory.

History Ball hockey developed in North America so ice hockey players could keep in shape during the summer months when ice time was scarce. Half of the Thai Stix team (Geoff McIntyre, Todd Switzer, Stephen Sproule, Devin Keer, Charlie Argue, John Schachnovsky, Adrian Myers and goalie Lance Parker) also play ice hockey with the Flying Farangs but they will likely admit that they find it tougher to play ball hockey because of the greater demands it puts on their cardiovascular system. Other Thai Stix include Antti Nyrhinen, Jouni Sunikka, Keith “KJ” Johnston, John Stevens, Mez Lalji, Tom Phillipson and goalie Yves Gaboriault.

The game itself has morphed from simply using dead tennis balls, beat-up ice hockey sticks, a driveway and a couple of trash cans as goal posts. Now, there’s high-tech equipment and special playing surfaces. But the Thai Stix are purists - balls and sticks, enthusiasm and that never-ending competitive spirit, which you'll find them honing at the British Club every Saturday afternoon.

The first tournament, played in 1995, was a showdown between Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. With the best-of-five series

F

ollowing the new Executive Board’s first meeting on Wednesday, March 21st, the chamber celebrated the occasion with a Canuck Connections “Meet the New Board Night”. This annual event at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Hotel’s BarSu is certainly one of the most popular networking nights on the TCCC calendar as it offers an excellent opportunity to chat with the directors while enjoying plenty of free beer and wine coupled with some great treats from BarSu’s menu. We thank BarSu and the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Hotel for their gracious support and sponsorship of this recognition night.

When the new board members were called to the stage for the group photo, one member of the Canadian community noted, “Wow, they look like an escort service”. What do you think? We can promise this business opportunity was never explored at the 2012 Business Retreat.

knotted at two game a piece, the game was called due to darkness with the score tied at one. The following Cups saw the addition of teams from Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Phnom Penh and Slovakia.

One of the founders of the Thai Stix, Luc Perron, was the son of a former Canadian Ambassador to Thailand. Back then the team played on the roof of the AIA building on Suriwong Road in Bangkok. They caught more breeze that way. By the way, the tourney was named after the whiskey, not the river, by tourney founder Richard Meiklejohn.

John Stevens, captain of the Thai Stix, and one of the longest serving members on the team, sums up his passion for the game: "First, it has to do with carrying on the great hockey tradition that almost every Canadian shares. Second, the thrill of playing in a tropical climate is quite bizarre. Third, the sheer excitement of the game you’ve loved since you were a little kid. It gets in your blood very quickly."

Contact John Casella at: johncasella@ b a k e r t i l l y t h a i l a n d . c o . t h f o r m o re information on ball hockey in Bangkok.

Canuck Connections ….

Meet the New Board Night

(L-R): Sranyoo Chanate, Neil Chiu, John Casella, Ali Fancy, Todd Switzer, Peter van Haren, Derek van Pelt, John Stevens, Douglas - Sheraton Grande’s Membership Manager, Michael Howard, Ron Livingston and Cedric - Bar Su’s Manager.

March 2012

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Member Profile

Bangkok’s Premier Health The Cascade Club is a large and luxurious health and social club for adults. It was conceived to fulfill its members’ needs of developing and maintaining a healthy urban lifestyle. In turn, membership is viewed as a small but important investment to combat the rigours of daily life - stress, obesity, pollution, ageing - a place where individuals can work at their own pace in a fun and stylish environment.

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he Cascade Club provides full social club personalized wellness programs, group exercise classes, personal training, cardiovascular and strength training, weight loss, yoga, Pilates, body and skin care, salon services, dining and corporate entertainment.

The Club provides a non-judgemental environment where all members can pursue their own objectives in friendly and social surroundings.

Advanced Training Facility

The Cascade Club features one of the few certified Hammer Strength training facilities in the Asia-Pacific region. Hammer Strength is the number one choice for professional athletic teams. The Cascade Club features the Hammer Strength Isolateral, Motion Technology and Ground Base range of biomechanically advanced strength training equipment.

Cardiovascular Training

Cardiovascular Training is a key ingredient to living an energetic and healthy life. The Cascade Club offers the most advanced training equipment from Life Fitness advanced cardiovascular training equipment from Life Fitness featuring program variety, virtual trainers, USB connectivity for personal settings, full iPod connectivity, and integrated touch screen LCD cable television.

Strength Training

Selectorized Strength Training at the Club features the latest Cybex “Eagle” range of pin operated single station strength machines.

The complete 15 machine circuit covers every muscle group with ease of use, safety and superior biometrics.

Personal Health Plan

The Club offers each member the opportunity to establish their own personalized health plan unique to them. Members have a professional assessment and a personal program designed that includes personal goals, nutrition, and lifestyle factors and also includes evaluations and regular program upgrades.

It’s a results based and rewarding way to maintain your health on a continuing basis.

ACE accredited personal trainers assist and motivate members through their personal programs.

Group & Personal Training Opportunities

The Club offers members a full schedule of group aerobic and instructional classes in entry level, intermediate and advanced classes that appeal to all levels and are offered on weekdays and weekends.

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Specialized Equipment Classes

Members appreciate the extra energy, personal satisfaction and high levels of fitness they achieve by participating in specialized classes featuring the use of Free Motion Cable Columns, Spinning Bikes and Body Pump Gear.

Pilates and Yoga Programs

The Club provides the most advanced group and individual Pilates programs featuring certified instructors and quality Stott equipment. From mat Pilates through to advanced reformer instruction, the Cascade Club uses holistic approaches towards improved posture, flexibility and improved core strength.

Members enjoy these classes in the dedicated Pilates Studio, or in the Group Studio.

Cascade Club Yoga from various disciplines is featured at convenient times throughout the week accommodating members’ needs for stretching, deep breathing, flexibility and stress relief.

Green Leaf Spa

The Cascade Club’s Green Leaf Spa introduced the successful practices and therapeutic focus of American and European day spas to Bangkok. Treatments are designed to slow the aging process, undo the ravages of urban living, reduce fatigue, detoxify and beautify.

Club spa services include additional sports and rehabilitation massage treatments as well as specialized facials, skin care and salon treatments that cater to the needs of both male and female members. Members are able to book specific treatments that are timed to follow either their group exercise classes, cardiovascular or strength workouts.

Member Profile

& Social Club The Green Leaf Spa at the Cascade Club allows members total customization and personal convenience in their pursuit of fitness, health and beauty. The Spa’s Salon provides precision hair cutting and rejuvenating hair spa treatments as well as a variety of manicure, pedicure, hand and foot spa treatments that utilize premium Avance award winning anti-aging products.

But the Green Leaf Spa massage goes beyond just mere pampering and relaxation.

Highly- trained therapists enhance the therapeutic benefits of massage and adjust your treatment to meet your unique body type as well as your special needs and requests. The therapies employ the highest quality, pure essential oils.

Your therapist maximises the health benefits of massage by skilfully combining the most effective techniques of four renowned massage therapies (Traditional Thai Massage, Swedish Massage, Aromatherapy Massage, and Deep Tissue Massage). There’s also the Hot Stone Massage where members enjoy the relaxing benefits of long flowing massage strokes combined with warm lava stones.

The warm stones are placed on key pressure points and centres of energy in the body providing deep relaxation, restoring balance and increasing your energy levels.

Not to be outdone, there’s Cold Stone Sinus Relief Facials using shiatsu techniques to help tone muscles, firm skin and improve circulation. Cold stones are then placed and used to massage the face to help sinus pressure, and leave your feeling rejuvenated.

Aldo's Mediterranean Bistro and Wine Bar

Replacing the bar found at most fine private clubs, Aldo's Bistro is the Cascade Club's award-winning restaurant and wine bar. At Aldo's, enjoying good healthy food is integral to enjoying good wine, socializing, and living life to its fullest. Whether enjoyed from one of the poolside salas, from the dining room, or from the wine bar, Aldo's casual sophistication and its friendly meeting place atmosphere provide a unique environment for private entertaining, meeting friends, or

Mediterranean Bistro and Wine Bar and the Green Leaf Spa.

Extended Membership Benefits

hosting a business dinner or lunch.

Aldo's is a signature restaurant where the service and ambiance extend to the adjacent landscaped pool deck. The widely recognized health benefits of Mediterranean cuisine complement the wellness concepts of the Health Club and Spa. Aldo's unique wine bar, with its extensive list of wines by the glass and great music, serves as community focal point for after work rendezvous and late evening relaxation.

Cascade club members enjoy full reciprocal club access and benefits at the Cascade’s sister club, the RPM Health Club in Phuket.

It is one of Phuket’s leading health and social club for adults, equally offering a retreat for like-minded professionals to relax, rejuvenate and refresh body and mind in a stylish venue overlooking the marina’s friendly boardwalk area.

Full reciprocal membership benefits are also available at the numerous high-quality private members clubs within the IMG and IAC club networks, offering a worldwide selection of prestigious business, health, golf and country clubs located in premier city-center and resort destinations.

Cascade Club members need only present their membership card to gain access to these premium lifestyle facilities, each selected for their compatibility with the quality, standards and ethos of the Cascade Club.

Meeting & Events

The Cascade Club is a different kind of hospitality venue, combining both meetings and food and beverage facilities with the finest health and leisure programming. At the Cascade Club your events can be personalized to encourage teamwork, stimulate creativity, or to reward and entertain participants.

No more open time between event schedules. No traveling between venues.

Participants can be individually pampered, take part in structured team activities, or challenge themselves in the gym before attending the poolside cocktail party or company dinner.

Cascade’s Meetings Plus event is a fullyplanned package that your team will thank you for and which you will enjoy as well.

Be the trendsetter in your organization by holding a more personalized and professional event that is unique to your group's complete needs.

The Cascade Club can combine firstclass meeting facilities with great food from one of Bangkok's finest restaurants as well as quality salon services and spa treatments.

Tailored team-building activities, recreational and exercise programs, fitness examinations, luxurious changing rooms and steam, sauna, and Jacuzzi amenities bring out the best in any team.

Location

The Cascade Club is located at the Ascott Bangkok Sathorn, opposite the new Sathorn Square and a short walk from the Chong Nongsi BTS station. The Club provides free parking for its members and patrons of Aldo's

Cascade Club Health and Fitness • Luxurious male and female changing rooms • Separate male and female sauna, steam and Jacuzzi spa rooms • Large group exercise studio • Specialised training studio • Body analysis and consultation room • Cardiovascular training centre with individual personal UBC TV, and can be connected to your personal iPod • Selectorized strength training area • Functional training area • Advanced training area • Free weights training area • Tree Tops juice bar and sweat lounge

Perks for TCCC members Free VIP Voucher available on request for TCCC members, benefits include: - 5-Day VIP Membership - Free Personal Training Session - Green Leaf Spa buy one treatment get one treatment free - Aldo's free glass of wine and 25% discount on food - 10% discount for TCCC members for all Membership categories For more details, contact Khun Saowanee, Cascade Club’s Business Development and Marketing Director at 02-676-6969.

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Chamber News

22nd TCCC Annual General Meeting and Speaker Luncheon On March 14, 2012, the Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce turned another page its history by marking 22 years as an official chamber of commerce. In conducting this year’s AGM, the chamber turned to member company, Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Hotel, for their assistance in providing the right facilities and service for this critical meeting.

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ith the hotel’s excellent support and the early arrival of the chamber’s ordinary members, we were able to declare a quorum on-time and achieve all of the AGM’s deliverables including the President’s Report, Ratification of the 21st AGM’s Minutes, Treasurer’s Report, approval of 2012 Financials and 2012 Auditor, as well as the election our new 12 member Executive Board featured on the cover of this month’s Voyageur.

Following the AGM’s business session, some 54 members and guests stayed on for the AGM luncheon. This year’s featured speaker was Mr. Isadore Reaud, one of the PDA’s Rural Development Field Coordinators who has worked closely with the TCCC’s Treasurer, Mr. Michael Howard, in supporting the chamber’s fulfillment of its Village

Development Partnership (VDP) commitment. Given Isadore’s close ties to our VDP initiative, he was clearly the right speaker for this year’s luncheon. He did an outstanding job of recapping the VDP process and explaining how the chamber and Baan Nong Phai villagers have worked together in this life changing commitment. Isadore’s presentation was also supplemented with brief report-outs from several members of the Baan Nong Phai village’s leadership team who helped to reinforce the strong values and commitment of this proud Isaan community. As Michael so proudly noted during the AGM’s business session, the TCCC has fully delivered on its 2,000,000 baht VDP commitment and an additional 500,000 baht flood relief contribution.

Again, we thank the TCCC members, the PDA and the villagers of Baan Nong Phai for helping to make our 22nd Annual General Meeting a great success and a memorable day.

Following the AGM luncheon, the Michael Howard thanks Isadore Reaud with a speaker recognition gift.

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(Left) Isadore Reaud, PDA Rural Development Field Coordinator and (right) Michael Howard, TCCC Treasurer with members of the Baan Nong Phai village leadership team.

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AGM attendees enjoying a great lunch

March 2012

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Chamber & Community News

TCCC Executive Board Business Retreat Sunday, March 25, 2012

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s is tradition with any new TCCC board, the first order of business is to promptly meet after the AGM to kick-off the chamber’s full year business planning process. This year’s off-site meeting was held at the beautiful Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort and Spa, a hotel which is often referred to as an oasis of riverside tranquility. It was certainly the right venue for this full day of thoughtful dialogue on the chamber’s operation and growth plans.

Prior to the meeting, Peter van Haren had asked all participants to think about why they ran for office, what personal and business strengths they could offer and how they might best contribute to improving the Chamber. I think Peter’s message was taken to heart as everyone effectively communicated their feelings and thoughts in helping to deliver a very productive meeting. On the day, many great ideas were flushed out and the foundation was laid for the year ahead.

We thank the attending 2012/2013 TCCC Executive Board members and advisors for setting aside Sunday, March 25th to support this key business planning event. (Front Row, L-R) Ali Fancy - Director, Peter van Haren - President, Ron Livingston - Director, Neil Chiu - Director, Scott Coates - Director, Sranyoo Chanate - Director and Randy Shockley - Executive Director; (Back Row, L-R) John Stevens -Director, Derek van Pelt - Vice President, John Casella - Vice President and Surachit (Art) Chanovan – Advisor. Not shown is Sam Cohen – Advisor.

Beauty with a Purpose – 30 Finalist Miss Thailand World Contestants Visit Berkeley International School

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erkeley International School gave a warm welcome to the team of 30 finalist Miss Thailand World Contestants 2012. The finalists arrived at 9am, and were greeted by the school administrative team along with a group of students who presented them with welcome flowers. Mr. Nuttapol Jurangkool, the Executive Director of Summit Corporation and Berkeley International School, gave a speech which gave brief details about our school followed by a speech by the school’s headmaster, Dr. Tom Dellario, who warmly welcomed them to the campus and expressed his hope that the knowledge and experience learned at Berkeley on the day would be beneficial for their later activities with a local school in Chiangmai.

The finalists split into 3 groups for their activities. The first group visited some of Berkeley’s extra-curricular activities including the IT room, the library and the swimming pool.

The second group had a chance to work closely with 2 of our kindergarten classes in both the classroom and the IT lab. The third group was invited onto the outside field to participate in Sport’s Day, where all of Berkeley’s elementary and middle school students congregated in fun, competitive games.

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The event ended with a special donation given to the finalists by Berkeley International School. The donations were sports equipment in honor of the day’s events which will

be passed on to students at Sangwarn Witthaya School, Amphur Mae-rim, Chiangmai.

We wish the best to the finalists of Miss Thailand World.