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28 Nov, 2016

Charn Pirapokin, President, Siam Express

ASEAN Travel & Tourism Hall of Fame – Initiated by Travel Impact Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil to recognise the many veterans who helped grow and shape ASEAN tourism over the last 50 years.

charn-pirapokin

Date & Place of Birth: June 6, 1944, Bangkok.

Education:

Santa Cruz High School, Santa Cruz, CA (1962-1964)

Junior College: Carrillo College, CA (1964-1966)

California State Polytechnic University (1966-1969)

Diploma: Architectural Engineer B.S.

Marital & Family Status: Married since 1975, 2 daughters and 2 sons

Professional Career:

1969-1970: Project Engineer for Visarut Construction Company.

1970-1973: Marketing & Product Director of Siam Express Company, to tap the demand of the Japanese market the post-Expo 1970 era created the massive outbound rush.

1973-1976: Managing Director of Tour Center Company, the first consortium of 8 travel companies in order to charter the idle aircrafts of Air Siam and Thai International. Tour Center was the first truly wholesale tour operator in Thailand.

1976-onward: President & Managing Director of Siam Express Company

1976-1980: Further grew the inbound Japanese market to Thailand.

1980-1984: Developed the pre/post stop-over to Thailand for European incentive groups en route to visiting Japanese factories.

1984-1990: Developed the Dutch market to Thailand from merely stop-over into long stay up to 20+ days; developed the incentive market from Australia and United Kingdom into Thailand.

1990-1994: Started an outbound section and expanded range of overseas travel products for Thai outbound tourists; develop corporate travel for Thai and expatriate companies.

1994-2000: Began tapping the senior-citizens market to Thailand in cooperation with Saga Travel.

Former Chairman of the Product Development Committee of Thai Tourism Society.

One of the pioneers for the development of a range of niche-markets to Thailand, including the Japanese market, the MICE sector, senior citizens market.

Source: Charn Pirapokin.