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Thailand

ASEAN Travel & Tourism Hall of Fame. Designed to mark the 50th anniversary of ASEAN, this is the first website to honour the many industry stalwarts who founded and shaped one of the region’s most remarkable economic sectors. Conceptualised by Travel Impact Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil, it will be a live, ongoing project open to anyone who consider themselves, or their parents, qualified to be listed. The individuals must have been born before 1960, and held a senior executive decision-making position before 2000. Small and medium sized entrepreneurs are particularly welcome. Please email profiles to imtiaz@travel-impact-newswire.com.

19 Jan, 2017

Mr. Suparerk Soorangura, President, Thai Ecotourism & Adventure Travel Association

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.

Date and Place of birth: 10 January 1951, Chachoengsao Education: Assumption Commercial College, Thammasat University, Faculty of Economics Marital status: Married with two sons. Position: Managing Director,  N.S. Travel & Tours Co Ltd. Work Experience Betagro Co.,Ltd. 1974-1990: Australian Embassy, Bangkok  1990-Present: -N.S. Travel & Tours Co.,Ltd; SERENATA Hotels & Resorts Group Business positions – Managing […]

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10 Jan, 2017

Naphalai Areesorn, Founding President, Thai Spa Association

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.

  Date of Birth: 18 May, 1952 Family: Married with two sons Education: Early schooling in Singapore and Malaysia. BA in Languages, Colorado Women’s College, USA; EMBA, Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration, Chulalongkorn University Career: 2001 – present: Editor-in-Chief, Thailand Tatler. Heads the editorial team of Blue Mango Publishing, publisher of Thailand Tatler and […]

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10 Jan, 2017

William E. Heinecke, Founder, CEO & Chairman, the Minor Group, Thailand

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.

 Date and Place of Birth: June 4, 1949, USA Marital and Family Status: Married with two children. Education; Bangkok International School 1963 – 1967, previously based in Japan, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Career First employment venture was selling advertising next to his go-karting column in the Bangkok Post which proved so successful that at 17 […]

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7 Jan, 2017

Sumate Sudasna, Managing Director, Conference & Destination Management

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.

  Date & Place of Birth: 2 April 1952, Bangkok Marital Status: Married with two children and one grandchild Education: Triam Udom Suksa School, Bangkok, 1969 Studied Industrial Design at University of Bridgeport, Connecticut, 1972-73 Career 1972-1977: Dusit Thani Hotel, Front Office 1977-1978: Asian Tours Centre, tour guide 1978-1981: Dusit Thani Hotel, Front office manager […]

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7 Jan, 2017

Staporn Sirisinha, Executive Director, Thailand Incentive & Convention Association

Date and Place of Birth: November 22, 1945, Bangkok Marital Status: Married with two children Education: Bachelor of Economics, Thammasat University, Bangkok Career With the Tourism Authority of Thailand for 12 years: 1972-73 Assistant Director, TAT Frankfurt. 1973-76 Assistant Director, TAT New York 1977-82 Director, TAT Singapore 1983-84 Director, TAT Convention Department 1984-88 Founding/Executive Director […]

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28 Dec, 2016

Wichit Na-Ranong, Managing Director, Pearl Group of Companies, Phuket

Place & Date of Birth: Phuket, July 28, 1943. Marital Status: Married with one son and one daughter. Education: – Bachelor of Economics, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok – Master of Public Administration, University of Southern California, USA. – Honorary Doctorate Degree on Hotel and Tourism Management, Prince of Songkhla University, Thailand – Honorary Doctorate Degree on […]

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13 Dec, 2016

Joan Sarasin, Managing Director, Convention Organisers Co., Ltd

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.

Date and Place of Birth: 24 September 1946, in Penang, Malaysia Marital Status: Married with two daughters. Education Loreto Convent, Darjeeling, India; Pitmans Secretarial College, London. Career 1965-1967 – held two secretarial positions in Bangkok. 1967-1970 – Executive Secretary, Tenneco (Thai) Oil Co; 1970-1981 – Executive Secretary to the GM, Tawana Sheraton; 1981 onwards – […]

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8 Dec, 2016

Virachai Vannukul, Managing Director, Air Siam

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.

  Date and Place of Birth: July 21, 1934, Bangkok. Marital status: Married and separated Education Diploma of Higher Accounting 1950, The School of Accountancy, London Presidential MBA from Pepperdine University, California, 1978, graduated with honors. Second MBA (1985) and MA (1983) in Executive Management, Claremont Graduate University, California Second doctoral program, Ph.D. in Organization […]

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1 Dec, 2016

Alwin Zecha, Executive Chairman, Pacific Leisure Group

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.

Date and Place of Birth: Sukabumi West Java, Indonesia, 4 April 1936. Died: 12 March 2019 Marital status: Married with one daughter and two sons Education From 1941 to 1950, attended Dutch Secondary, Chinese/Japanese School, Dutch/Indonesian Elementary in Indonesia. Thereafter went to the United States and did high school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1952. […]

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1 Dec, 2016

Kusa Panyarachun, Managing Director, World Travel Service

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.

Date and Place of Birth: 30 December 1918, Bangkok Date of Passing: 25 May 2022 Marital Status: Twice married with three sons, two from first marriage and one from the second. (Updated from earlier post which said he had one son) Education Vachiravudhvidhayalai and Thepsirin High School 1938, Secondary School in Philippines and College in […]

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1 Dec, 2016

Kurt Wachtveitl, General Manager, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

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.

  Date and Place of Birth: 31 July 1937, Munich Marital status: Married with three children: Inka, Kim, and Carla, two granddaughters and one grandson. Education A graduate of the Lausanne Hotel School in Switzerland, he studied Philosophy at the University of Madrid, as well as History of Art and Literature at the Dante Alighieri […]

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1 Dec, 2016

Jatuporn Sihanatkathakul, Managing Director, The Landmark Bangkok

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.

Date and Place of Birth: July 24, 1941, Bangkok, Thailand Marital status: Married with 3 sons and one daughter Date of Passing: 27 Feb 2020 Education Bachelor Degree in Commerce and Accountancy, Chulalongkorn University (1964) Honorary Doctorate in Tourism and Hotels, Dhurakijpundit University (1997) Honorary Doctorate in Tourism and Hotels, Sripatum University (2006) Career The […]

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30 Nov, 2016

Pradech Phayakvichien, Governor, Tourism Authority of Thailand

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.

Date of Birth: April 29, 1949 Education: 1998-1999 – National Defense College, Bangkok 1973-1975 – Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, USA-M.S. (Urban Design) 1964-1969 – Silpakorn University, Bangkok-B.Arch. 1957-1964 – Vajiravudh College, Bangkok Career May – October 2012, Acting Rector of Silapakorn University May – October 2012, Acting Rector of Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of […]

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30 Nov, 2016

Yavalaksana Pangsapa, President, ASEANTA

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.

Date of Birth: 10 October 1936 Marital Status: Widow Education: 1950 – Mater Dei High School, Bangkok 1950-1952 – High School at Ursula College, NSW, Australia 1952-1954 – Secretarial Courses at L.W. Chant, Sydney, Australia 1954-1956 – Cosmetology at New Berry College, Hollywood, California, USA Career 1956-1958 Frank’s Beverly Hills Company, California, U.S.A. 1958-1960 Trans […]

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30 Nov, 2016

Capt Jothin Pamon-Montri, VP Flight Operations, Thai Airways International

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.

Date of and Place of Birth: 22 December 1935, Bangkok Marital Status: Married, with one son, two daughters  Education: -Certificate (G.C.E.), Shoreham Grammar School, UK -Certificate, Air Services Training Hambe, UK and Embry Riddle, USA -Certificate, Commercial Pilot & Instrument Rating Multi-engine rating and ground instruction for air Transport License Training: -1976, Certificate “Intensive Advanced […]

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30 Nov, 2016

Seree Wangpaichitr, Governor, Tourism Authority of Thailand

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.

Date of Birth: 24 July 1939 Marital Status: Married Education – Bangkok Christian College – Chulalongkorn University, B.A. in Political Science (majoring in International Relations) – Training in Tourism Management at the School of Tourism Industry Management, University of Hawaii, USA – Training in Tourist Business Operations at the Pacific Asia Travel Association, San Francisco, […]

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29 Nov, 2016

Gen. Chalermchai Charuvastra, First Head of the former “Tourism Organisation of Thailand”

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.

Place and Date of Birth: Not Available Date of Passing: 8 April 2009 Education: -Wat Thepsirin School in 1933 -Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy in 1940 -Thai Command and General Staff College in 1947 -British Army Staff College, Camberley, England in 1949 -Thailand National Defence College in 1962 -Honorary Degree of Strategic Development, Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat […]

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29 Nov, 2016

Pornthip Hirunkate (Addie), Managing Director, Destination Asia Thailand

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.

Date and Place  of Birth: 14 July 1952, Bangkok Education 1972: Holy Infant Jesus Commercial School, Bangkok 2009: Thai Institute of Directors, Director Certification Program Career 1974-1984  Tour Guide, Tour East  (Thailand) Ltd. 1984-1990  Incentive Tour-Coordinator, Tour East 1990-1992  Marketing Manager, Tour East 1992-1997  Country Manager, Tour East (Thailand) 1997-2001  General Manager, Destination Asia (Thailand) […]

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29 Nov, 2016

Niels Lumholdt, Senior VP Industry Affairs, Thai Airways International

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.

Date and Place of Birth: 12 December 1932, Esbjerg, Denmark Education Completed high school in Copenhagen, Bachelor of Arts, University of Minnesota. Career Joined the American Express Company in Minneapolis right after graduation. Returned to Denmark in 1956, joining SAS as a sales assistant stationed in Copenhagen. Completing the SAS Management Training Programme, served as […]

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28 Nov, 2016

Roberto Jotikasathira, President, ASEANTA

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.

Date and Place of Birth:  10 August 1932, Bangkok Marital Status: Married with one son. Education: The son of a Thai diplomat and Italian mother, he did most of his schooling in Rome and London. Then did a brief stint at the University of Rome studying political science. Professional Career: Spent many early years in Italy […]

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28 Nov, 2016

Suchada Yuvaboon, Chairperson, Rose Garden Riverside

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.

Date of Birth: 7 March 1945 Family: 3 Children – Arrut, Col. Kana and Anak Navaraj Education: Wattana Wittaya Academy, Thailand Virgo Fidelis Convent, England Hammersmith College of Art & Building, England ICCA – Conference Management Program, Salzburg Professional Career: 2001 – present: Chairperson – Rose Garden Riverside 1987 – present: Managing Director – Phuket […]

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28 Nov, 2016

Kamala Sukosol, Chairman & CEO, Sukosol Group

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.

Date and Place of Birth; 22 October 1941, Bangkok Education: Master of International Affairs: Columbia University, New York Bachelor of Arts: Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, U.S.A. Professional Career: The daughter of Thai magnate Kamol Sukosol, Kamala inherited her father’s innate talent for business. After her studies in New York, Kamala returned to Thailand to join […]

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28 Nov, 2016

Dr. Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui, Chairperson & MD, Dusit Thani Corp

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.

Date of Birth: 15 May 1924 Date of Passing: 03 May 2020 Education: Elementary – Saowapha School; Secondary – Suksanaree School. University – 4th Pre-University of Moral and Political Science (Thammasat University Higher studies for two years in the US Honorary doctorate in Business Administration from the National Institute of Development Administration. Marital status: Divorced with […]

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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.

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: […]

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28 Nov, 2016

Dharmnoon Prachuabmoh, Governor, Tourism Authority of Thailand

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.

Date of Birth: 10 December 1934 Education: -Bangkok Christian College -Geelong Church of England Grammar School, Australia -Wharton School of Finance & Commerce, University of Pennsylvania. BS (Econ) -Advanced training on Destination Planning and Development conducted by International Union of Official Tourist Organization (IUOTO) -1985-1986: National College, Class 28 Professional Career: Tourist Organization of Thailand (TOT) […]

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28 Nov, 2016

Chatrachai Bunya-Ananta, President, Thai Airways International

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.

Date of Birth: 6 November, 1932 Date of Passing: 18 April 2015 Marital Status: Married with two daughters, one grandson and one granddaughter. Education: 1947 Assumption College, Bangkok 1951 St. Stevens College, Hong Kong 1951-53 Portsmouth Technical College, UK 1954-56 Cardiff University College, University of Wales, UK B.A. Economics & Accountancy 1968 Management Programme Cranfield […]

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8 Nov, 2016

Col Somchai Hiranyakit, Governor, Tourism Authority of Thailand

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.

Date of Birth: 22 October 1925 Place of Birth: Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand Education A career military officer. Completed Dhepsirin School (1941), Pre-Military Academy Class No.5 (1943), and B.Sc (Army) from the Royal Military Academy in 1949. After further training as an Anti-Aircraft Company Commander (USA) Anti-Aircraft Mechanics (USA), graduated from the Army Command and General […]

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23 Jan, 2016

Dr Bert van Walbeek, Founder & Chairman of first Asian, Thailand Chapter, SITE

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.

  Date & Place of Birth: 23 March 1943, Alkmaar, Netherlands Marital Status: Married with three children (from 2 marriages) and six grand children Education: Hogere Hotelschool-The Hague 1961-1964 Career 1968-1985 Employment with Hilton, Intercontinental Hotels and ITT Sheraton 1985-1988 Area Marketing Director , Royal Orchid Sheraton, Bangkok 1988-1991 VP Marketing, Middle East and North […]

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