Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya was among the first group of employees working at the newly established Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) in 2004 with the main task of promoting and supporting tourism in the form of Mice events.
The agency's role has been recognised after Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions) grew from 31.7 billion baht in revenue at the time to more than 104 billion baht last year.
With 143 workers, the TCEB under the leadership of Mr Chiruit is vying to reach 124 billion baht in Mice revenue in 2018.
Mr Chiruit, who assumed the presidency last year, has vowed to use his expertise to broaden the country's Mice presence globally and strengthen local communities.
This year, the agency has set a clear mission to promote Thailand as the preferred venue for international markets and use Mice as key tool to boost local economies.
The move is in response to the government's S-curve strategy, which seeks to transform Thailand into a high-tech economy.
Mr Chiruit is bracing for challenges.
Shortly after becoming president of the TCEB over a year ago, he made his first move by reorganising and relocating some parts of internal management, as well as establishing a new department.
"The changes were aimed at improving workflow and leading the organisation towards both a domestic and global scale," Mr Chiruit says.
The new department focuses on innovation and coping with the fast-changing business environment and technology, as well as digital platforms. The new unit will have to improve weak areas such as Mice database and digital solutions.
"The Mice industry really needs a lot more innovation to raise competitiveness and drive the sector sustainably," Mr Chiruit says.
For management, all marketing activities and business plans remained unchanged, as these aspects can be handled by existing personnel.
The cabinet is expected to soon approve the TCEB's status as an official Mice body with the full authority to carry bids to attract big international events overseas to organise in Thailand.
If the government gives the green light, Thailand should draw more international events to help strengthen the economy.
Under Mr Chiruit's leadership over the past year, the TCEB has started to spread Mice events beyond Bangkok to four target cities: Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Phuket and Pattaya.
Nonetheless, the bureau began to work with local communities and organisations beyond the four cities to boost Mice events and help local people and small businesses gain opportunities, especially in the meeting and incentive segments.
The TCEB has also worked with educational institutes to generate the skilled manpower needed to fill high demand in the convention and exhibition segments.
"The new mission is to leverage Mice business to help reduce poverty and inequality in all communities," Mr Chiruit says.
As one of the founding employees of the organisation, he says his interest in the Mice industry began years ago. With his long experience, he says he knows every person who works at the TCEB.
Mr Chiruit often walks around to have a chit-chat with workers about matters outside of business. By doing this, he can reach everybody.
Mr Chiruit says his father is the chief role model for his life and work, teaching him not to insult other people and, most importantly, not to be egoistic.
"I would say I'm like a middleman or a conductor, because I have to work with people inside and outside the organisation and I need to be a good coordinator," he says.
Being a good conductor is important for the Mice industry, he says, noting that big events involve the interaction of many people and organisations.
"Like a musical band, there must be a conductor standing in the middle and leading the band," he says. "If the conductor is able to control the band well, the audience will be happy and impressed."
For Mr Chiruit, music is a big part of life. When he was an exchange student in Canada in 1988 at the Old Scona Academic High School, he was a lead singer. When he studied at Kasetsart University, he joined the KU band as a vocalist, singing songs by Elvis Presley and the Beatles and show tunes from The Phantom of the Opera.
Nowadays he often receives invitations to sing as a guest at concerts. He also likes to hit regular music clubs to sing and meet friends.
Apart from his working life and music, Mr Chiruit stays close to home on the weekends rather than travel, as he has to take care of his teenage son, a student at Bangkok Patana School.
Mr Chiruit, who began serving his four-year term on May 15, 2017, says his remaining years in office will be spent trying to move the bureau forward. The convention business in Thailand ranks 25th in the global market in terms of number of events, while the exhibition business is tops in Southeast Asia in terms of occupied space, ahead of Singapore.
A variety of tourist attractions and value for money make Thailand a desirable destination for meetings and incentives for foreigners, Mr Chiruit says.
The Mice industry has grown for decades and continues to be a bright spot. One indicator is that many hotels have invested in their own convention and exhibition centres and assembled their own Mice sales teams.
"So my job is helping everyone get business," Mr Chiruit says.
Singing takes up a lot of Mr Chiruit's free time.
