IBAP Regular Monthly Membership Meetings & Programs

HO, Ho, ho

Our December Program is also our Year End Christmas Party.

We will have Gifts for all kids & Fun for everyone of all ages. We'll be haveing a Special apperance by Santa and his helpers, and maybe another surprise as well.

This is a relaxing evening of fun and cheer, Santa & his helpers, Christmas decorations and tree and all your favorite Christmas carols.

Help spread the joy of Christmas

We'll be collecting toys for Santa to pass out at the area hospital children's wards and we're inviting you to bring along a gift to donate, wrapped or not. Last year we visited Vachira government hospital in Phuket City and it was one amazing event. If you'd like to help on our visits this year just let us know, it's a very rewarding experience.

If you have a special gift that you'd like Santa to give to your child, bring it along and talk to one of Santa's helpers to help arrange.

Regular Meeting November 11th, 2011

Phang Nga Bay Conservancy, A Day In The Bay

A review with IBAP member John Gray and invited guest Dr. Chamniern Paul Vorratnchaiphan

On 15 October 2011 more than 100 community volunteers on board 3 donated boats joined efforts in an IBAP initiative pilot project to clean about 18 beaches by collecting plastic, foam, glass and rubbish washed on shore. In total 152 bags were collected totaling over 943 kg. Several sets of pictures are posted and available through the IBAP website http://ibap-phuket.org/gallery/

Tonight will be an overview of the completed activity and a look forward to the future for this IBAP initiative.

More information about John Gray is available on his website.

Along with John Gray we will hear from our invited guest, Senior Director, Thailand Environment Institute (TEI), Bangkok, Thailand, Mr. Chamniern Paul Vorratnchaiphan, PhD. Mr. Vorratnchaipan brings more than twenty five years of experience in social planning, research, teaching, consulting and project team leading to his previous position as Director of the Grassroots Action Program (GAP) at TEI, presently, Senior Director. With a team of more than fifty professionals, consultants and support staff; Mr. Chamniern has led GAP over the past 11 years to grow and diversify in both urban and rural project activities that include research, national policy, local development plan, strategy management on natural resources and environment.

We still need sponsor support for November Contact Us

Our Program Sponsors for November 11th, 2011

Sponsor donations help offset the cost of our programs & meetings, benefiting all of us. Contact IBAP to learn more about becoming a sponsor.

Jason Beavan	Stephen Crone	Peter Smith	Richard Bell	Simone Allene	James Firth
Phuket News Radio	Acronautic	Image Asia	Global Business Services	Sea Bees Diving	East Furniture

Check out the video posted by Grant Upton, BLIP TV

Regular Meeting October 14th, 2011

Ike Nwankwo, ex NBA player and Los Angeles Laker: Head Coach Top Flight Basketball Academy

Top Flight Basketball Academy is a diversified basketball program new to Thailand founded by former UCLA and NBA Player, Ike Nwankwo. It specializes in teaching and promoting the game at the youth and High School levels.

The programs include clinics, after school programs, camps and individual or group private training sessions. Each program is designed with one aim in mind: to equip students with the skills and the knowledge to become the best basketball player they can. Students will be able to learn from an ex player and coach who has played for over 25 years at the highest levels of the game.

While in Phuket Ike would love to meet with the all of the major international and Thai schools as well as local community leaders and government officials and any owners of sporting halls or sports complexes to be able to discuss potential events like a camp or clinic. He would also like to meet some disadvantaged children possibly do a short clinic with them. Unfortunately because of current programs in Bangkok he can not spend more than one day visiting schools this time, but would love to visit as many as possible on the one day I am in town.

Contact Ike directly about meeting with him and learn more about Top Flight Basketball Academy.

Our Program Sponsors for October 14th, 2011

Sponsor donations help offset the cost of our programs & meetings, benefiting all of us. Contact IBAP to learn more about becoming a sponsor.

Tim Pearson	Robert Akerblom	Marcus Collins	Peter Bricknell	Wayne (Red) Graham	Robert Bennett
British International School, Phuket	MY STORAGE Self Storage	DFDL Mekong	Phuket Universal Services	Jindarin Beach Club & Resort	Rabco Construction Consultants Asia

Regular Meeting September 8th, 2011

Dr. Chaiyuth Sutheerayongprasert: Live the life and smile with Sciatica

Dr. Chaiyuth is a 33-year-old graduate of Siriraj Hospital Medical School Bangkok and a well-known orthopedic specialist. He is a member of the Thai Medical Association, Royal College of Orthopedic Surgeons of Thailand and the AO Spine Organization. His special interests are minimally invasive spine surgery, spinal intervention, spinal injections and pain management. His professional work experience has been at Siriraj Hospital, 2005-2009; Bumrungrad International Hospital, 2009-2010 and Bangkok Hospital Phuket, 2010-Present.

Our Program Sponsors for September 9th, 2011

Sponsor donations help offset the cost of our programs & meetings, benefiting all of us. Contact IBAP to learn more about becoming a sponsor.

Richard Bell	John Gray	Robert Akerblom
Global Business Services	John Gray's Sea Canoe	MY STORAGE Self Storage

View YouTube Video of August Program Speaker Voranai Vanijaka

Regular Meeting August 12th, 2011

This meeting is being made possible through the direct efforts of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT) and Greg Watkins, BCCT Executive Director.    more about British Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT) »

Program presentation will be by Voranai Vanijaka

Voranai Vanijaka, Political & Social Commentator for the Bangkok Post

Thailand - same same, but different - from traditionlist patronage democracy to capitalist patronage democracy

About Khun Voranai

• Since 2008: Write the weekly (Sunday) commentary critiquing politics and society
• Since 2010: Co-host of Morning Focus, a daily English-language news talk show, Channel 11 NBT (True Visions channel 5)
• Since 2010: Co-host of Krachub Wong Kao, a daily Thai-language news talk show, TNN 24 (True Visions channel 7)
• Lecturer, Department of Mass Media, Thammasart University

VORANAI VANIJAKA is currently a news, political and social commentator. He writes a regular Sunday column and also hosts two TV shows under the Post Publishing brand: Morning Focus is an English-language news update and commentary show and airs on NBT True Visions Channel 5 daily from 7:40 - 8:00 a.m; and Krachub Wong Kao is a Thai-language news update and commentary show which airs on TNN24 True Visions Channel 7 daily from 5:00 - 5.30 p.m. Voranai also teaches Political Communications and Advanced News Reporting at Thammasart University. But is it is perhaps his bi-monthly Bangkok Post column which has an avid following and for which he is best known in the English speaking community here in Thailand.   For Links to his writings »

"His column almost always generates a passionate discussion. Regardless of whether one tends to agree with him or not, all might agree that his commentary is often surprisingly frank by Thai standards. "Frank" does not mean in advocating one political leaning or another. It means about the real issues that underlie all that, what many do not have the insight to comment on and what most of those who do fail to comment on. Sometimes it seems surprising how he is still walking around with some of the issues and personalities his commentary tackles If Thailand's democracy is to mature and stay healthy it sorely needs more voices like Khun Voranai's."
  Jerrold Kippen, IBAP member

Our Program Sponsors for August 12th, 2011

Sponsor donations help offset the cost of our programs & meetings, benefiting all of us. Contact IBAP to learn more about becoming a sponsor.

Richard Bell	Jerrold Kippen	James Firth	Jason Beavan	John Gray
Global Business Services	Duensing Kippen	East Furniture	The Phuket News	John Gray Sea Canoe

Program presentation will be by Olaf Duensing

Arbitration, Enforcing Contracts Outside of the Courtroom

An all too common complaint of the local business community is that court proceedings in Thailand are agonizingly slow. A non-Thai businessman usually does not understand the proceedings, since the official language in Thai courts is Thai. A longstanding alternative gaining evermore international recognition, is arbitration. Arbitration is the most commonly used formal alternative to domestic court proceedings. In comparison to the local courts, formal arbitration is generally much faster, more efficient, can be conducted in the language of the parties' choosing and its final award is enforceable in most countries. However, formal arbitration may not be right for everyone in every case and if it is, there are a number of considerations and steps that need to be taken before you end up in a commercial dispute. Should you be making sure that your commercial contracts include this often overlooked yet perhaps far more preferable dispute resolution mechanism?

DUENSING KIPPEN is a boutique law firm among whose core practice specializations include advising clients in commercial dispute resolution matters including formal arbitration proceedings. Duensing Kippen will be presenting an overview of formal arbitration in Thailand.

Olaf Duensing is a licensed German attorney and trained tax law specialist who has been living and working in Thailand as a consultant since 2001.   more about Duensing Kippen

Our Program Sponsors for July 8th, 2011

Sponsor donations help offset the cost of our programs & meetings, benefiting all of us. Contact IBAP to learn more about becoming a sponsor.

Richard Bell	Susan Usher	Jurgen "Jay" Birnbaum	Peter Bricknell	Kurissara Kiratiwat
East Furniture	Lady Pie	REALphuket.net	Phuket Universal Services	Xtrem Adventures Phuket

Sharanjit Leyl is a Singaporean Producer/Presenter

Sharanjit Leyl is a Singaporean Producer/Presenter. She regularly anchors Asia Business Report and Asia Today. She is also a reporter and producer on the shows along with World Business Report.

Sharanjit began her broadcasting career at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 1997. While there she reported for the award-winning show, "The Pacific Rim Report". In 1999 Sharanjit moved to Singapore where she had a similar role at the financial news service provider Bridge Information Systems.

She joined Bloomberg Television in March 2000 and moved to its headquarters in Tokyo. There she presented its main three-hour newscast, "On The Money Asia", reporting on breaking financial stories as well as major news events such as the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003. Sharanjit played an integral role in editing and influencing the content of Bloomberg's Asian programming.

Sharanjit Leyl has reported and presented from places as far afield as Pakistan, Tokyo and London.

Her interviews have included the Chairman of Starbucks, Howard Schultz; Microsoft founder Bill Gates; the Prime Minister of Pakistan; former leaders of Singapore and Malaysia; and heads of the World Bank.

Born in Singapore, Sharanjit moved to Washington D.C. in her teens with her family, where her father was a diplomat. There she earned a degree in both Journalism and English Literature from The University of Maryland College Park. She then moved to Vancouver, Canada where she completed a Masters degree in English Literature at the University of British Columbia which focused on post-colonial writers such as Salman Rushdie.

We still need sponsor support for June Contact Us

Our Program Sponsors for June 100th, 2011

Sponsor donations help offset the cost of our programs & meetings, benefiting all of us. Contact IBAP to learn more about becoming a sponsor.

James Firth	Richard Bell	Simone Allene	Uwe Heitmann
East Furniture	Global Business Services	Sea Bees Diving	HLB (Thailand)

Robert Mather

Phang Nga bay ecology, mangroves & sustainability

Robert Mather earned a PhD from Cambridge University in 1992, working on gibbons in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. In 1993-4 he coordinated a large project for the Huay Kha Kaeng-Thung Yai Naresuan World Heritage site, in western Thailand, and subsequently established the WWF Thailand Office in 1995, taking it from a start-up operation of 2 people to a nationally well-known organisation of 60 by 2004. Robert helped develop, provide technical support for, and supervise implementation of projects working on conservation of elephants, tigers, and marine turtles, as well as a number of environmental education programmes, protected areas management work and a major campaign on the illegal wildlife trade.

He also initiated a number of innovative partnerships with the private sector. Robert started to work on Mekong issues in 2001 and from 2005-2008 led WWF's Living Mekong Programme based out of Vientiane, focused on environmental issues in hydropower development, conservation of priority sites throughout the basin, Mekong Dolphins, Mekong Giant Catfish as well as wetlands management and local livelihoods. Robert joined IUCN in September 2008 and was initially responsible for IUCN's programme in 3 countries - Laos, Cambodia and Viet Nam. In addition to providing overall management responsibility and supervision of IUCN's work in these three countries, Robert has also been involved in a number of IUCN flagship initiatives in the region - including Livelihoods and Landscapes (LLS), Mekong Water Dialogues (MWD) and Mangroves for the Future (MFF). Starting in 2011 he is additionally responsible for developing IUCN's presence and programme in Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore, as well as managing a new project on Building Coastal Resilience to Climate Change in 8 provinces of Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam.

Mangroves for the Future (MFF) is a unique partner-led initiative to promote investment in coastal ecosystem conservation for sustainable development. It provides a collaborative platform among the many different agencies, sectors and countries who are addressing challenges to coastal ecosystem and livelihood issues, to work towards a common goal.

The Thailand National Coordinating Body (NCB) was approved by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on the 31st August 2007. The Chair of the Thailand NCB, the Director General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR). At present the NBC is comprised of 22 organisations represented by 26 members (including two consultant advisors). Seven of the represented organisations are governmental, seven are international non-government, four are national or local NGOs and three are academic institutions. There are no private sector representatives. more information »

IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development.  more information »

We still need sponsor support for May Contact Us

Our Program Sponsors for May 13th, 2011

Sponsor donations help offset the cost of our programs & meetings, benefiting all of us. Contact IBAP to learn more about becoming a sponsor.

Jason Beavan	James Firth	Jerrold Kippen	Brad Kenny	Jaspal Singh	Your Name
The Phuket News	East Furniture	Duensing Kippen	Environmental Solutions	Navrang Mahal	Your Company

April Program Speaker: Michael Ma

A Most Awarded Gentleman...

Michael Ma rockets through life with a dynamism, creativity, environmental philosophy and social conscience that is encapsulated in the IndoChine Group's eclectic and colourful mix of bars, restaurants, clubs, villas and resorts across four countries, three of them in Asia.

Michael is the inspirational leader and friend of political and business leaders, royalty and celebrities from around the world behind IndoChine's nutraceutical cuisine, world class, international entertainment; its "green" philosophy and a social contract with the community that have earned him and his company numerous awards.

His approach: Push the Boundaries of Influence.

"I like to push all barriers of influence through our cuisine, restaurant designs, and our contemporary lifestyle concept, our commitment to environmental sustainability and entertainment that reaches all age groups. IndoChine must stay ahead of the game. We do this by constantly refreshing ourselves, by being consistent. We strive to be the best at everything we do, or it is not worth doing in the first place."

All of his various activities - the restaurants, the environment, the CSR - have led him to be a highly awarded individual, something he is modest, but proud about. The awards include the Green Leadership Award by the Asia Pacific Entrepreneur Awards [APEA] in 2010; Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006; Food and Beverage Entrepreneur of the Year at the Hospitality - Asia Awards 2004-2005; the 2002 Austrade-Austcham Young Entrepreneur Award and one of the Top 12 Entrepreneurs in the ASME-Rotary Board Entrepreneur of the Year awards.

Michael also serves on a number of advisory boards to share his experience. He has served as president of the Spirit of Enterprise, which promotes and advances entrepreneurial spirit in Singapore; on the Singapore F1 Grand Prix working committee to help establish Formula One's first night race in Asia; he is a council member of the STB Tourism Consultative Council [TCC] the Singapore government's Action Community for Entrepreneurship [ACE]; and a member of GEMS [Go the Extra Mile], a campaign to push service standards in Singapore to an international level.

IndoChine Was Born   In 1999 Michael opened his first IndoChine restaurant, IndoChine Club Street in Singapore, a combination of Asian lifestyle with colonial influences inspired by his Asian upbringing. Growth, driven by Michael's energy and innovation, was rapid. By 2010 IndoChine group had restaurants in Singapore [11] Hamburg, Germany; Jakarta, Indonesia and Phuket, Thailand.     visit IndoChine website

March Program Speaker: John Gray

Phuket's Resident Explorer

AN EVENING WITH CAVEMAN QUIXOTE

Here's self-glimpse of John "Caveman" Gray

January 17, 1989 may be the darkest day in Phuket's history - when a Neanderthal named The Caveman arrived in Phuket looking for some limestone caves to explore by sea kayak. The Caveman was well experienced, having explored the volcanic version of sea caves in Hawai'i, and making an EMMY Award Documentary "Moloka'i's Forgotten Frontier with Hawai'i' news anchor Gary Sprinkle.

Practicing "Ecotourism" and "Community-Based Ecotourism" before the words were invented, Gray came to benefit Thailand and Thai People, bring a Green Economy via "Natural History By Sea Kayak Since 1983" to the islands off Phuket. Twenty-Two years later, Ling Yai (the Big Monkey) finds himself protecting the habitats he commercialized from high volume, low quality copies with no understanding or respect for Nature.

In the process, Gray won 9 major ecotourism awards and has done over 300 video shoots for TV crews around the World. Hundreds of publications wasted paper telling lies about the Big Buffoon. (The only trust is below that beard hide movie-star looks!)

Feeling the ground with his size 16 bare feet, Caveman predicted the Tsunami when the ground was still shaking and reported the potential disaster 100 minutes before the waves hit Phuket. There was ample time to warn not only Phuket, but India and Sri Lanka had the word gotten out, but the police response was Gray must be a hysterical Farang on drugs, so Gray's warnings were ignored with the loss of thousands of lives.

The Caveman is now predicting a Nargis-like Cyclone hitting the Andaman Coast some time in the next 20 years.

If you have nothing better to do and can find a babysitter for the kids (Ling Yai is so ugly children in attendance will have nightmares for years to come), venture down to Thai Naan for an evening with the Caveman. After a lifetime of adventure starting with swimming in the ocean at six months, Caveman has enough stories to cure your insomnia for years to come.

See you on the water,
  Ling Yai (Thai for 'Big Monkey') AKA John Caveman Gray

John Gray, owner of John Gray Sea Canoe, is one of the most colorful iconic people on Phuket Island. John's leadership and stewardship awards trail behind him through provinces, countries and continents. From guano to emergency rooms, and board rooms to estuaries John is a treasure. This will be a great evening.

We still need sponsor support for March Contact Us

Our Program Sponsors for March 11th, 2011

Sponsor donations help offset the cost of our programs & meetings, benefiting all of us. Contact IBAP to learn more about becoming a sponsor.

Jason Beavan	Peter Bricknell	James Firth
Class Act Media	Phuket Universal Service	East (Phuket)

February Program Speaker: Michael Doyle

Michael Doyle, partner, Seri Manop & Doyle and author of Doyle's Practical Guide to Thailand Business Law 3rd Edition

Partner Mr. Michael Doyle Mike Doyle is a U.S. attorney and partner of the Bangkok based law firm Seri Manop & Doyle and contact person for the firm's regional practice. He is the co-author and contributing editor of the recently released book Doyle's Practical Guide to Business Law in Emerging Countries in Asia which can be found on www.amazon.com and Doyle's Practical Guide to Thailand Business Law 3rd Edition which can be found on www.asiabooks.com . He has practiced in developing Asia since 1996 and his primary fields of practice include merger acquisitions, dispute resolution, real estate, FDI and cross-border transactions.

Mr. Doyle attended Ouachita Baptist University, University of Kazakhstan in Alma Aty, Kazakhstan, University of Arkansas School of Law and Cambridge University, Cambridge, England. Mr. Doyle has been admitted to the American and Arkansas Bar Association and is a frequent public speaker in Thailand and the region.

Mr. Doyle has published over 50 articles in English language publications such as the Bangkok Post, The Nation and many other magazines and trade journals and in Thai language publications such as Krungthep Turakit. He is also a guest lecturer at Thammasat University in Bangkok.

Founded in 1992 by Mr. Seri Chintanaseri and Mr. Manop Nagadatta, Seri Manop & Doyle specializes in providing professional legal services to both Thai-based and international clients on corporate matters and commercial transactions.

In a world where 'form over substance' is chosen by some, Seri Manop & Doyle remains resolute in its belief that our clients deserve:

• Professionally reliable and relevant legal solutions
• Personalized understanding of their business objectives
• Seamless and punctual communications
• Bi - lingual capabilities
• Top quality legal services for a reasonable fee

Questions can be submitted in advance by email by sending to programs@ibap-phuket.org.

Our Program Sponsors for February 11th, 2011

Sponsor donations help offset the cost of our programs & meetings, benefiting all of us. Contact IBAP to learn more about becoming a sponsor.

Andy Andersen	Robert Bennett	Jason Beavan
Phuket Blues Rock Festival	Rabco Construction Consultants Asia	Class Act Media

Regular Meeting January 14th, 2011

January Program Topic: Networking

This is our annual membership networking meeting for members & guests.

For several years we've started off the new year with a networking meeting with fun activities where everyone attending will meet everyone attending. So, if you're new to Phuket or new to IBAP or one of our old-hands we'd like to see you joining in to help meet and greet.

Bring along plenty of business cards and be ready to make very quick 18 second introductions about yourself and your business, face-to-face. We'll show you how, we'll lead you through it, it's all lots of fun and very effective. It is certain that many long-lasting business introductions will be made.

Our Program Sponsors for January 14th, 2011

Sponsor donations help offset the cost of our programs & meetings, benefiting all of us. Contact IBAP to learn more about becoming a sponsor.

Peter Bricknell	Olaf Duensing
Phuket Universal Services	Duensing Kippen