
1 Dec, 2016
Kusa Panyarachun, Managing Director, World Travel Service
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Date and Place of Birth: 30 December 1918, Bangkok
Married Status: Twice married with one son
Education
Vachiravudhvidhayalai and Thepsirin High School
1938, Secondary School in Philippines and College in Williston Academy in USA for two years
Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, Pennsylvania, USA in 1947
Career
During World War II, worked with the USA military in the areas of logistics and intelligence.
1948 – 1949: Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce, thereafter joined Bangkok Warehouse Co., Ltd. as Deputy Manager.
– 1949 Set up World Travel Service, then the first tour operator based in Thailand. Continues to head it until today.
1968-1974: Founder member and first President of Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA). Served one more term in 1978.
1954: World Travel Service becomes first Thai tour operator member of PATA.
1972: Founder of PATA Thailand Chapter, remained a member ever since.
1985: PATA Life Membership
Also active for several years in the SKAL Club of Thailand
One of the true founders of the Thai travel and tourism industry. Reinvented himself successfully from a military to a civilian career to become arguably Thailand’s most committed and dedicated tour operator. Played a giant role in facilitating contacts with the Pacific Asia Travel Association and globalising the Thai travel and tourism industry. As of the date of uploading this dispatch, remains its longest surviving member.
Source: Association of Thai Travel Agents, World Travel Service and Travel Impact Newswire archives.
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