Voyageur Dec 2012 21dec

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International School Bangkok

www.isb.ac.th

Eric Kenso Ward, ISB Class of 1979

Bringing out the superhero in

each of us since 1951.


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Calendar

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: [email protected]

Advertising Contact:

Mr. Finn Balslev, Marketing DirectorScandinavian Publishing Co., Ltd.

Tel: +66(0) 2943-7166 ext.116 or 08-1866-2577

Email: [email protected]

CCBAUpcoming events in the region:

Hong Kong: http://www.cancham.org

WHEN: January 22, 2013WHAT: Strengthening Western Multinationals Performance in Asia

WHERE: The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong KongPRICE: HK$150 for members and HK$250 for non-members

WHEN: January 31, 2013WHAT: E-Commerce in China - What You Need to Know.

WHERE: The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong KongPRICE: HK$150 for members and HK$250 for non-members

2012/2013 TCCC Executives

Patron:His Excellence Ambassador of Canada

Officers:President Peter van Haren

Vice President Derek van PeltVice President John CasellaSecretary Dr. Tim CornwallTreasurer Michael Howard

Executive Board:Ali Fancy

Derek van PeltJohn CasellaJohn Stevens

Neil ChiuMichael HowardPeter van HarenRon LivingstonScott Coates

Sranyoo ChanateDr. Tim Cornwall

Todd Switzer

Embassy Representative:Ping Kitnikone

Advisors:Sean BradyDon Lavoie

Geoff McIntyreMichael White

Picharn SukparangseeRaymond Bodemer

Sam CohenSurachit Chanovan

Executive Director:Randy Shockley

Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce139 Pan Road, Sethiwan Tower

9th floor, Bangkok 10500Tel: +66(0) 2266-6085-6Fax: +66(0) 2266-6087Email: [email protected]

Website: www.tccc.or.th

Calendar of events: TCCC

WHEN: Wednesday, January 16, 2013; 6:30 pm to 8:30 pmWHAT: Canuck Connections Networking Night

WHERE: The British Club - Silom Poolside Sala (Silom/Soi 18)PRICE: Members & Non Members 200 baht

WHEN: Thursday, January 17, 2013; 11:30 am 1:30 pm

WHAT: Speaker Luncheon: Dr. Roong Poshyananda Mallikamas, Director of the Bankof Thailands Monetary Policy Group will present on the Thai economy.

WHERE: Eastin Grand Hotel, 33/1 South Sathorn RdPRICE: 700 baht Members; 850 baht Non Members

WHEN: Saturday, February 9, 2013; 4:30 pm 9:00 pmWHAT: The Great Canadian BBQ 2013

WHERE: Ambassadors ResidencePRICE: 1,600 baht per person; Kids 12 & under - 500 baht

WHEN: Wednesday, February 13, 2013; 11:30 am 1:30 pmWHAT: Speaker Luncheon: Mr. Sek Wannamethee, Director-General, Department of

American and South Pacific Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs will talk about Thai-Canada overall bilateral relations, ongoing and future cooperation and the resultsof the Canadian PM's last visit to Thailand.

WHERE: Venue to be advised - See event mailer for detailsPRICE: 700 baht Members; 850 baht Non Members

WHEN: Saturday, March 2 & Sunday, March 3, 2013; 10:00 am 8:00 pmWHAT: The 46th Diplomatic Red Cross Bazaar 2013

WHERE: Royal Paragon Hall, 5th Floor- Siam ParagonPRICE: 1,600 baht per person; Kids 12 & under - 500 baht


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Voyageur4

TCCC News

GovernmentofCanadaLaunchesInternational

TravelWebsite

Our government is pleased to announceTravel.gc.ca, a newly revamped tool to helpCanadians travel smarter and safer, saidMinister Ablonczy. For the first time ever, wehave brought together in one place informa-tion from all government departments to helpCanadians be informed before, during andafter their travels.

Travel.gc.ca is a single website where Ca-nadians will find, easily and efficiently, theinformation they need to travel or live abroadsafely and to make informed decisions. Inaddition to the website, a new mobile ap-plication, Travel Smart, is now available; itallows Canadians anywhere in the world toaccess Government of Canada informationand services on international travel.

Canadians will also be able to access keytravel information from anywhere in the worldthrough Twitter, Facebook, RSS feeds andemail updates. Travel.gc.ca is supported by

a social media presence distributing the latesttravel advice, crisis updates and emergencycontact information. Social media channelswill also provide a venue for Canadians to letthe Government of Canada know about theirtravel-related needs and priorities.

Canadians access Travel.gc.ca and govern-ment services from their mobile devices insurprising numbers, added Minister Ablon-czy. The Travel Smart app and social mediachannels are a natural fit in our age of smartphones.

Travel.gc.ca is managed by Foreign Affairsand International Trade Canada in collabora-

tion with the Canadian Air Transport SecurityAuthority, the Canada Border Services Agen-cy, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, theCanada Revenue Agency, Citizenship andImmigration Canada, Environment Canada,Health Canada, Passport Canada, the Pub-lic Health Agency of Canada, Public SafetyCanada and Transport Canada.

For more information, please visit Travel.gc.ca.

To download the Travel Smart mobile applica-tion, please visit Travel.gc.ca/mobile.

Additional press materials are available atMedia Kit.

A backgrounder follows.

For further information, media representativesmay contact:Joshua ZaninDirector of CommunicationsOffice of the Minister of State of Foreign Af-fairs (Americas and Consular Affairs)613-944-2300

Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office

Foreign Affairs and International TradeCanada613-995-1874Follow us on Twitter: @DFAIT_MAECI

November 23, 2012 - The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State

of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs), was in Toronto today to

announce the launch of the newly revamped Travel.gc.ca, Canadas officialone-stop shop for international travel information.


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December 2012 5

Backgrounder - Travel.gc.ca

A

s part of the Government of Canadasnew approach to online services andaccessibility, all federal government

international travel content and serviceshave been merged into Travel.gc.ca. Thissingle thematic website is an authoritativeand comprehensive source of informationfor Canadians travelling or living abroad, andincludes an interactive map of the exact loca-tion of Canadian government offices abroadwith complete contact information.

Travel.gc.ca integrates regularly updatedcontent and resources from 11 governmentpartners to help Canadians easily and effi-ciently find the information they need to make

informed decisions about international travel.The following are some of the many topicscovered in Travel.gc.ca.

Mobile application,

Twitter and FacebookCanadians can stay connected to Canada

and access the most up-to-date travel-relat-ed information wherever they may be throughthe Travel Smart mobile web application, andthe Travel.gc.ca Twitter and Facebook chan-nels, RSS feeds and email updates.

Travel documents, passports,

consent letters

The site provides continually updated infor-mation on a range of travel documents, suchas passports, visas, certificates of Canadiancitizenship, international driving permits,consent letters for children travelling alone,the Canadian International Health Certificatefor Travelling Pets, as well as pre-boardingidentification requirements.

Country advice and advisoriesThrough Travel.gc.ca and the Travel Smartmobile application, Canadians at home andabroad can access travel advice and advi-sories on safety and security, local laws andcustoms, entry requirements, health condi-tions and other important travel issues indestinations around the world. Subscribers tothe Travel.gc.ca Twitter and Facebook chan-nels receive the latest travel advice updates,emergency contacts and crisis information,as well as other information Canadians need

to travel safely.

Returning to CanadaTravel.gc.ca offers information on what isrequired when returning to Canada fromabroad, which items and products can andcannot be brought into Canada, and duty

and taxes.

Registration of Canadians AbroadBy visiting Travel.gc.ca, Canadians can ac-cess Registration of Canadians Abroad, afree, confidential service that keeps Cana-dians connected to Canada in case of an

emergency abroad, such as an earthquake orcivil unrest, or informed about an emergencyat home.

Continued on page 6


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Voyageur6

TCCC News

What to packPreparation is the key to successful travel,and Travel.gc.ca features information andservices that will save travellers time andenergy. Before starting to pack for a tripabroad, Canadians should visit the Whatto Pack page, which lists what can andcannot be packed in carry-on and checkedbaggage. They will save time and ensure asmooth airport security screening process by

packing smart.

Border wait timesCanadians who drive home from the UnitedStates should visit Travel.gc.ca to save timeby checking the list of wait times at Canada-U.S. border stations from coast to coast.They can also do so before leaving on a tripto the United States.

Travel healthPreparation is the key to healthy travel. Travel.gc.ca offers information to Canadians on howto stay healthy as they travel anywhere in theworld. The website offers the latest travelhealth updates and disease fact sheets, as

well as information on vaccinations, travellingwith prescription medications, coping with amedical emergency abroad and getting helpfrom Canadian offices abroad.

Airport security screening and wait

timesBy visiting Travel.gc.ca, Canadians can also

check the list of airport security screeningwait times before leaving for the airport tomake sure they have enough time for thescreening process.


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December 2012 7

TCCC News

60% of Respondents Say Difficult toFind Canadians with Sufficient Asia

Knowledge, Finds APF Canada Poll

Anew Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada opinion pollfound 60% of respondents who employ Canadiansfor Asia-related work say it is difficult to find qualifiedCanadians with the appropriate level of knowledge andawareness of Asia to help the company or organizationsucceed in Asia. In the Points of View Asia Pacific opin-ion poll Asia-engaged Canadians considered differentdimensions of Canada-Asia relations with respect toeducation. More than 8-in-10 respondents considereducation to be the most critical component of anystrategy to build closer relations with Asian countries.The Points of View Asia Pacific, sponsored by Ca-thay Pacific Airways, is an opinion panel of the AsiaPacific Foundation of Canada and comprised 1,188individuals engaged in Asia through professional andresearch interests. The full survey results on educationin Canada-Asia relations can be viewed here.

Information summarized from: Asia Pacific Foundationof Canada Press ReleaseDecember 3, 2012 - Visit www.asiapacific.ca for thecomplete storyAsia Pacific Foundation of Canada, 220 - 890 WPender Street, Vancouver, BC, V6C 1J9

Air Canada Plans International Expansionwith Focus on Key Gateways to Asia

Montreal-based Air Canada announced an expan-sion of its international services which includesa new non-stop route between Toronto and Seoulbeginning June 2, 2013; additional weekly departuresfrom Toronto and Vancouver to Beijing beginning June1, 2013; and an upgrading of its Calgary-Tokyo Naritaroute to provide daily service as of May 1, 2014.

Information summarized from: Air Canada PressReleaseInformation summarized from: Asia Pacific Foundationof Canada Press ReleaseNovember 30, 2012 - Visit www.asiapacific.ca for thecomplete storyAsia Pacific Foundation of Canada, 220 - 890 WPender Street, Vancouver, BC, V6C 1J9

Harper Government Highlights Economic

Impact of International Students in Canada

The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for theAsia-Pacific Gateway, recently released a report showing that internationalstudents contributed more than $8 billion to the Canadian economy in 2010,up from $6.5 billion in 2008.

The Harper government is committed to continuing to attract the bestand brightest students to Canada, said Minister Fast. This study reaffirmsour governments commitment to international education. That is one of thereasons we are committed to refreshing our governments Global CommerceStrategy and to developing a comprehensive plan to entrench educationallinks between Canada and international institutions for Canadas long-termprosperity.

The report found there were 218,000 full-time international students inCanada in 2010, up from 178,000 in 2008 and more than double the number

of students in 1999. It estimated that international students supported 86,000jobs and contributed $445 million in tax revenue.

I am delighted that Canada is a destination that is growing in attractionfor international students, said Minister Fast while visiting the University ofBritish Columbia. The presence of international students and researcherstaking advantage of Canadas world-class facilities creates jobs and economicgrowth and contributes to our people-to-people ties with other countries and,in particular, emerging markets.

Outstanding international students and researchers not only enrich ourcampuses but make Canada more competitive by sharing knowledge andexpertise both during their time at university and afterwards, said Prof. StephenToope, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia.

A commitment to refresh Canadas Global Commerce Strategy wasannounced in Economic Action Plan 2012. A more powerful internationaleducation strategy will help strengthen Canadas engagement with emergingeconomies and ensure greater collaboration between Canada and institutionswhile boosting this countrys economic prosperity.

To learn more about these findings, visit Attracting the Best and BrightestStudents to Canada.

For further information, media representatives may contact:Rudy Husny, Press SecretaryOffice of the Honourable Ed FastMinister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway613-992-7332

Trade Media Relations Office

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada613-996-2000Follow us on Twitter: @Canada_Trade

Scotiabank has been named Global Bank of the Year at The Banker magazines annual Bank of the Yearawards, which took place last night in London, U.K. The awards celebrate the best in banking in 2012.Scotiabank also received awards in seven other categories including Bank of the Year for the Americas marking the first time a Canadian bank has been recognized in either category. Accepting the award onScotiabanks behalf was CEO Rick Waugh, who spoke about the Banks customer focus, multinational pres-

ence and strength in Canadas banking system. Banking is something that Canada does very well, and theworld has taken notice, said Mr. Waugh. Scotiabank has a strong track record of delivering superior resultsand at the heart of that success is our culture, which is rooted in our values and good business judgement.

Scotiabank was also recognized as Bank of the Year in Canada, Antigua, Barbados, Belize, Turks andCaicos, and the British Virgin Islands. Winners were judged by The Banker, a Financial Times publication,on their ability to deliver shareholder returns and gain a strategic advantage in 2012.

For more information, visit the Scotiabank Media Centre.

Scotiabank is Global Bank of the Year!By Corporate Communications


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Voyageur10

Community News

Johnny Oduya of the ChicagoBlack Hawks, currently lockedout over a revenue sharingdispute between the NationalHockey League owners andplayers, took advantage of hisspare time to lead BangkoksFlying Farangs to do somethingtheyve never done before, wintheir own tournament.

Story Scott Murray, photos by Naz Brown

The four-division, 36-team, 18th annualLand of Smiles tourney was labelledan instant classic with the Farangs

defeating the Abu Dhabi Storm 2-1 in a veryclose final game to win the international opendivision. Bangkok captain Geoff McIntyreprovided most of the final-game dramatics,assisting on Rob Taylors tying goal, after AbuDhabi jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, andthen scoring the winning goal himself. Mc-Intyre didnt make it easy for his team thoughtaking a minor penalty with just over two min-utes to go; the pro-Bangkok crowd was onpins and needles as the clocked ticked down

to the Flying Farangs first home champion-ship. Netminder Dean Tzembelikos, who flewin from Hong Kong for the tourney, providedcrucial saves for the Farangs at key times toearn the win. And veteran Robert Voisine, alsoplayed an important tormenting opposingnetminders so Farang forwards could betterput in the blasts coming from their stellardefensemen on the points.

Thai National star Tewin Thor Chart-suwan skated on the Farangs top line withSwiss speedster Jurg Dolder and Swedishace Henrik Olofsson. Likit Neimwan-Anders-son, the only Thai to ever play professional icehockey, teamed up with Oduya on defense.Likit had played with Oduyas brother Freddy(now deceased) years earlier in Sweden, andwas one of the few players on the team whocould handle Oduyas rocket-hard passes.

The Pitstop team from Latvia defeated theSingapore Manimals to win the InternationalMens Tier Two division (the Flying Farangssecond squad came within a goal of reachingtheir final as well, losing in a semi-final shoot-out to the Latvian team).

The Hong Kong Hitmen trumped theAbu Dhabi Theebs to win the Asian Divisionand the Abu Dhabit Storm beat the Bangkok

Oduya leds Farangs to victory in Bangkok

C Gals to take home the womens divisionhonours.

Also competing in the tournament for theFinnish team Jellonas was Vesa Toskala, theformer number one goalie for the Toronto Ma-ple Leafs. Now retired, Toskala also played forSan Jose, Anaheim and Calgary in his NHL


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December 2012 11

TCCC News

The Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) welcomes Mr. Udom Wongviwatchai as the newsecretary general, after the promotion of former BOI Secretary General Dr. AtchakaSibunruang to her new position as deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Industry.Secretary General Udom Wongviwatchai earned his Bachelor of Engineering degreein Electrical Engineering at Kasetsart University and a Master of Science degree in Ac-counting at Thammasat University. He subsequently earned a Master of Science degreein Management Engineering at the University of Bridgeport in the United States.

Secretary General Wongviwatchai previously held positions at the Office of IndustrialEconomics, Ministry of Industry, which included: Deputy Director-General , Office of Industrial Economics, Ministry of Industry Director Bureau of Macro Industrial Policy, Office of Industrial Economics, Ministry of

Industry Director Bureau of Strategy and Policy, Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry

of Industry Director - General (Acting), Office of Industrial Economics, Ministry of Industry Chief Inspectors General, Ministry of Industry

Investors can remain confident that the BOI remains in place an avid promoter and fa-cilitator of investment and that the new secretary general will continue the role of beingan advocate for building the best investment environment in Thailand, and in maintainingopen channels of communication with the investor community.For additional details visit: http://www.boi.go.th

APF Canada Launches 2013-2014 Mediaand Post-Graduate Fellowship Programs

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) has announced details of its 2013-2014 Media and Post-Graduate Research Fellowship programs. APF Canada will awardup to three media fellowships, valued at up to C$10,000 each, to up-and-coming andestablished Canadian journalists and reporters, giving them the opportunity to spendtime in Asia researching and preparing stories. The Media Fellowship is supported inpart by Cathay Pacific Airways. APF Canada is also accepting applications for its Post-Graduate Research Fellowship program, which offers recent Masters and PhD graduatesthe opportunity to work for one year at the Foundations Vancouver office.

Details of the APF Canada Media Fellowship can be found at www.asiapacific.ca/grants/media-fellowships

Application Deadline: Applications and letters of recommendation must be postmarkedby the closing date of: February 15, 2013Where to Apply: Applications and questions may beemailed to: [email protected] ormailed to: Media Fellowship CoordinatorAsia Pacific Foundation of Canada220-890 West Pender St.Vancouver, B.C.V6C 1J9

Applications are accepted in English and French.Note: The Foundation reserves the right to cite the results of research funded underthe grants program, and grant recipients may be called upon for media and outreach

activities coordinated by the Foundation.

Source: Asia Pacific Foundation of CanadaAsia New Service, NovemberNovember 19, 2012 www.asiapacific.ca

The Thailand Board of

Investment Welcomes the

New Secretary General

Mr. Udom Wongviwatchai

ourney

career. Toskala holds the San Jose record formost points by a goalie in a game (2), he wasalso traded to Anaheim with Jason Blake forformer Conn Smythe trophy winner (MVP inthe playoffs), Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

Oduya was traded to the Atlanta Thrash-ers (who became the Winnipeg Jets) from theNew Jersey Devils on 4 February 2010 alongwith Niclas Bergfors, Patrice Cormier and a1st round draft pick for Anssi Salmela and IlyaKovalchuk. On 10 March 2010; Kovalchukwent on to sign the most expensive contractin NHL history - US$102 million spread over17 years. Oduya was later dealt to Chicagoon February 27 of this year for a 2nd and3rd round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

He is scheduled to make US$4 million thisyear (if the NHL resumes play), and he playson defense with former James Norris trophywinner (best defenseman in the NHL) DuncanKeith and his co-Olympic gold-medal winningteammate Brent Seabrooke.

The Land of Smiles tourney took placeover five days at The Rink, Grand CentralRama IX Mall and the Imperial SamrongIce Arena. The Zamboni at Samrong brokedown early in the tournament and panic setin quickly, because when the machine brokeit left a large and deep rut in the ice, sodangerous that the Canadian Hackers team

threaten to leave for safety concerns. Quickthinking by Flying Farang Mike Swager savedthe day, as after packing the whole with someloose ice, he grabbed a fire extinguisher andhosed the rut shut earning the nickname TheExtinguisher.


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I

t should come as no surprise that GaryPinter is the front man for the PattayaPickle Company. You see Gary grew up

on a farm near the Austro-Hungarian borderwhere his family pickled and preserved a lot ofwhat they grew. And when Gary immigratedto Canada at age 12 to join his mom, whohe calls the worlds greatest pickler, thefamily lived in Torontos Bathurst-Finch area,close to many Jewish delis with their kosherpickles, so Gary has been surrounded bypickles and preserves his whole life.

First, a little bit of background on thePattaya Pickle Company; its a subsidiaryof GeckoTech Thailand. The owners, MarkRobbins and Chris Oxley, are electricalengineers specializing in process controls.They did a lot of work for Procter and Gambleand other international companies, settingup automated control systems and softwarefor the manufacturing of dish soap, fabricsoftener and diapers all over Asia.

Six years ago, the two bought the rightsand recipes for a company called RanchoTexas Pickles and Sauces, which had beenon the market for 15 years and was sold ingrocery shops and delis. GekoTech recentlybuilt a brand-new FDA manufacturing facilityin Pattaya and two years later launched thePattaya Pickle Company, an approved

manufacturer of specialty pickle productsand sauces.The company had a good product,

but wasnt doing a great job promoting it enter Gary. He was hired to promote andincrease the companys brand awareness.His company, Top Hat Business Center(THBC), specializes in corporate businessdevelopment and has built a strong customerrelationship with Thailands fine food dinersand top groceries.

For nearly 30 years, Gary worked asbusiness advertising consultant for radio andTV stations in Toronto and Montreal. He has

also worked with various newspapers andmagazine in New York and Los Angeles. Hehas very quickly made the Pattaya PickleCompany a very visible presence.

Defining what makes his company tick,Gary says, At Top Hat Business Center

Client service not only drives us, it definesus. At THBC, we address clients interestsand objectives through communication andconsulting that combines a global perspectivewith local expertise to understand the issues,events, and trends that impact businessesand organizations around the world.

More on Pattaya PicklesThe Pattaya Pickle Company blends years ofresearch with time-tested recipes to give its

pickles a genuine Western-style taste.The company sources its high-qual ityingredients in Thailand from Thai farmers,including produce from the Royal Thai ProjectFarms. Produce is delivered directly to theplant for processing, secret seasoning and

Top Hat Promotes

Pattaya Pickles

is immediately sealed in air-tight bottles. Allpickles are hand-picked, sorted and pickledwithin a 24-hour period. This ensures high-

quality freshness and crunchy pickles withevery bite. The motto of the Pattaya PickleCompany is Fresh from the farm, direct toyour dinner table.

All the companys products are free fromlye, MSG and contain no artificial flavours,colouring or preservatives. The sanitarypreservation methods ensure a one-year shelflife. Flavourful spices, such as black peppers,garlic, dill, mustard seed, and hot peppers arecarefully measured by the companys Thaipickling team to provide consistent, deliciousflavour.The Pattaya Pickle Company carr ies 12varieties of pickled products including FreshDill Pickles, Sweet Pickles, Hot Dill Pickles,Sweet Mixed Vegetables, Jalapeno Peppers,Sweet Jalapeno Peppers, Mild Salsa, HotSalsa, Smokey Bar-B-Que Sauce, and FruityBar-B-Q Sauce.

Pickles, by the way, are naturally goodfor you, they contain 0% fat and cucumberscontain enzymes beneficial to your digestion.The companys goal is simple; produce aproduct of the highest quality at an affordableprice. There are many great recipes on thecompanys website, so you can enjoy the

companys products in a variety of ways.The company has been front and centerat many Chamber events lately, offeringsamples of their delicious products andthey have a playful mascot, Capn Dill, whoaccompanies them everywhere.

Pattaya pickles can be a yummy garnishon just about anything from club sandwichesto Mexican nachos, taco salads and baconhamburgers. Or just munch on them alone,fresh, delicious and crunchy each andevery piece.

Top Hat Contact Info:

Tel: 66-02-726-9764Mobile: 66-086-096-3752Email: gp@ tophatbusinesscenter.comWebsite: www.tophatbusinesscenter.comYou Tube: www.tophatbusinesscenter.com/see-us-on-youtube

Member Profile


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Member Profile

In October, The TCCC staged its monthlynetworking night at Bourbon Street, whosenew location finds its a short walk from

the Ekamai BTS station. As per usual, the

TCCCs monthly board meeting was heldbefore the Canuck Connections gatheringand which TCCC board members mingledwith other TCCC members with a big topicof conversation being the upcoming Beavergolf tournament.

For those who dont know, BourbonStreet is a popular street in the very popularFrench quarter of New Orleans, the spotwhere Doug Harrison the owner of BangkoksBourbon Street Restaurant & Oyster Bar wasborn and raised. He left New Orleans in 1982for a work in Singapore, Malaysia and Indone-sia with an oil-field construction engineering

firm where he worked as an offshore marinepipeline welder. Then he headed to the NorthSea and southern Spain the following year,followed by three years based out of Dubai.Doug had started coming to Bangkok onholiday while based in Indonesia in 1982,and kept coming back. After leaving Dubai,he decided to hang out in Bangkok for acouple months, when in September of 1986,he bought a bar at the back of WashingtonSquare, off of Sukhumvit Soi 22, as he says,to cut down on my expenses and keep meout of other peoples bars. Bourbon Streetmade sense as a name for the bar and hequickly expanded it into a restaurant, got along-term lease and turned it into a hotelas well.

Over the years, Bourbon Street has hada few other outlets; Doug bought, built, oper-ated, rented out and then sold properties onSukhumvit Soi 49, and Soi Tonson. He stillhas a food court at Bumrungrad Hospital(10th floor of the outpatient building). Butafter 25 years, the owners of the WashingtonSquare property wouldnt renew BourbonStreets lease, so Doug went looking for anew property and his wife found the new

premises on Soi Ekamai, while dropping offthe couples three boys at school one day.He renovated the 27-year-old building,

knocking down all the walls and reinforc-ing the building with steel I-beams, turningit into a 160-seat restaurant spread over 3floors, with an 18-room boutique hotel withprices range from Bt1,200-1,500, includingbreakfast. Even though Doug sold almost ev-erything he had, including a few rental proper-ties and a boutique hotel he was building, tosecure the new premises he describes themove as better than a blessing in disguise, itwas the best thing that ever happened to us.

The new Bourbon Street opened its doorson 16 Jan 2012, while the old one officiallyhad its last call on 18 Jan 2012. All of Dougsstaff, everyone, made the move with him.

Doug has done a lot of philanthropic workover the years, but the two organizations he

has primarily focused on are Operation Smileand Father Joe Maiers Human DevelopmentCentre, organizing an annual golf tournamentfor the latter called the Father Joe Maier Hu-

man Development Foundation Charity GolfClassic (always held the second Friday inMarch, this year its March 9th) at the RoyalGolf & Country Club in Lat Krabang. For theformer, a charity that does great work fixingcleft palates, Doug helped sponsor OperationSmiles 2nd Fight Night at the Dusit Thanirecently.

The spot where the TCCC held its boardmeeting/ networking night was the 7th floorindoor/outdoor rooftop party room; this mul-tipurpose room, with full bar service, is idealfor breakfast meetings, luncheons, privateparties - theres even a 110-inch TV screen,

which you can plug into and do power-pointpresentations.

With the new location, Bourbon Streethas gone from back street to Main Street,but Doug refuses to go with white tablecloths.He wants a casually elegant establishment.Bourbon Street is reasonably priced becauseas Doug says, I like volume not once-a-yearanniversary guests. The specialty of thehouse is its famous Louisiana Cajun/Cre-ole dishes such as Boiled Live Crawfish,Blackened Redfish, Jambalaya, Gumbo,Blackened Crab Cakes and many more NewOrleans favourites. Theres also fresh oystersfrom three different countries.

Other menu favourites include Bar-B-QBaby Back Ribs and Chicken, Char GrilledSteaks and great entrees such as ChickenFried Steak, Beef Brisket and Fried Chicken.Every Tuesday night is Mexican Night fea-turing an All You Can Eat buffet includingsuch items as Beef & Chicken Tacos, Beef &Chicken Enchiladas, Fajitas, Burritos, RefriedBeans, Mexican Fried Rice and Chilli. Pizzaand Thai food are also available.

Bourbon Street has received many ac-colades over the years, including a plug

from Newsweek as one of the best bars inthe world. Its also had its share of famousguests including Led Zeppelins Jimmy Pageand dignitaries from many countries.

For Doug, what makes his job so interest-ing is that he gets to meet people of differentoccupations and all walks of life from all overthe world every day and he has a passion forserving good people, satisfying his customersand having them return.Hours: 7am-1am dailyhttp://www.bourbonstbkk.com

TCCC Stages Cajun Gathering


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Documents

Voyageur Dec 2012 21dec