PHUKET: Watcharapong Saikaew, or Pom, as he is better recognized, is the Assistant Director of Events at Angsana Laguna Phuket and the primary Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) in Thailand.
With a profitable career and a four-year Hotel and Tourism Management diploma from Prince of Songkla University beneath his belt, he is a proud flag bearer for the Banyan Tree group, which can additionally be where he started his career years in the past.
He got interested within the certification after he saw the letters ‘CMP’ in the signature of considered one of his American purchasers.
“I became curious to see what it meant and so I did a little bit of analysis and located that it is likely one of the most respected certifications in this subject worldwide. The requirements had been at least 3 years of professional expertise, a 25 hour certification course and an examination,” says Mr Pom.
“No Thai physique offered the course at the time, so I took it up with the TCEB (Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau) at every alternative I obtained. The TCEB is a state enterprise, however managed independently. It seemed hopeless, and taking the exam in Singapore or the US was a really expensive option.”
One of the objectives of the TCEB is to develop human capital in order to have enough educated Thais in this field.
“An event administration course was introduced a couple of years ago at some universities in Thailand. Even though it’s a global subject, the topic is lower than 30 years previous. Additionally, there is not any standardization,” he says.
In July last yr, a division under TCEB, referred to as the ‘MICE Capability Development Department’ offered the course for the first time.
“The TCEB formed a boot camp and flew in a coach from the CIC (Convention Industry Council), a gaggle of professional organizations and associations working in the area of meetings and event management. Most of the participants have been business specialists, some with greater than 30 years of expertise, however they all needed to undergo the classes to get this credit so as to apply for the examination,” says Mr Pom.
After attending a four-day course with 60 individuals, Mr Pom waited for his ‘clearance’ to come via, earlier than enrolling for the exam.
“After the course was accomplished, they checked our resume and background. Once I was given the green mild, I enrolled for the first sitting, which was being held on November four. I studied all the material cowl to cowl, as we had been advised to do. The exam was very tough – not only are you unaware of which questions depend toward your final score, but every question has a unique, and unknown, weight,” he says.
Additionally, you can not merely use your prior experience to reply the questions – you need to have an intensive information of worldwide standards, which you may have the ability to solely gain by learning the material,” he adds.
Mr Pom says he chose CMP for his own improvement, but it’ll additionally assist set a optimistic example for other professionals and improve the general picture and aggressive benefit of Thailand.
“However, I also really feel slightly pressure because I actually have to make sure I preserve the usual of my work. It has given a good picture to myself and to my firm, nevertheless it has additionally pushed me into the highlight,” he says.
At Angsana, he handles every kind of occasions, but makes a speciality of Indian weddings. His loyalty to the Banyan Tree group, the place he has held a number of positions all through the course of his profession, is easily understood.
“ Backdoor invest a lot in growing the careers of their employees. At most workplaces it’s just talk, however not here,” he says.
Apart from work, Mr Pom enjoys journey and landscape pictures.
“I would like to go to Japan if I had the possibility, but there are lots of wonderful locations to photograph in Thailand itself,” he adds..