"After 15 months at the helm, it is time to say goodbye and regretfully handover the reins as Executive Director of AustCham Thailand.

It has been a privilege to be entrusted with the responsibility of leading AustCham and I will be forever grateful for the wonderful opportunities this role has brought me.

I have had the pleasure of meeting and working alongside thousands of individuals and groups who proudly represent various industries and ethnicities from across the globe. Not only do I have the utmost respect and admiration for these people, but I have learnt so many invaluable lessons along the way; particularly from those who display such resilience, passion, positivity and determination, despite the constant challenges being put before them.

It has been an honour to work alongside such an insightful, inspiring, supportive and cohesive Board of Directors who generously volunteer their time and remain dedicated to strengthening the Chambers value proposition.

I am also in awe of the output achieved by such a small team of AustCham employees who demonstrate unwavering commitment and hard-work as they strive to achieve the best possible outcomes for the Chamber.

I am proud of what AustCham has achieved over the past year or so; from the 80+ events we have delivered, our success with the Asian Business Engagement Grant two years running, staying abreast of the latest business issues, securing funds to deliver a highly successful conference and Australian Alumni Awards program, supporting our members during a politically turbulent period, advancing our internal capabilities and infrastructure, remaining financially strong and generating a healthy surplus despite tough economic times, laying the foundations for a new website and Chamber app, continuing our efforts to expand and strengthen networks, and implementing several new strategies which will add greater value for members and sponsors in years to come.

I love what AustCham stands for; our commitment to strengthening trade and investment and bilateral relations between Australia and Thailand; the breadth and diversity of our connections and membership, and our values which inspire us to be inclusive, responsive, respected and work collaboratively with others.

AustCham Thailand is clearly an exciting place to be and with its strong foundations and an exceptional leadership team in place I’ve no doubt it will continue to deliver first class services long into the future.

My journey with AustCham Thailand has been an extraordinary one and I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

Thank you for the fond memories and I look forward to crossing paths with many of you in the future. "

Renee Bowman

Executive Director

ESB Sundowners

It is time to network and mingle on the Eastern Seaboard hosted by AusCham and held together with the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (AMCHAM),the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT), the German-Thai of Commerce (GTTC) and the South African Chamber (SATCC). AustCham is pleased to invite members and friends to join us.

SMEs 'lack understanding of Asean economic integration'

Despite Asean economic integration coming closer, Thai businesses are still short of in-depth understanding about it, says a survey by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC).

SME’s on YouTube: 7 Top Tips

When someone mentions social media as a business tool, most people think of Facebook and Twitter. Because it’s a video platform, YouTube may not initially seem like a suitable platform for marketing a small business—but now that comments on YouTube are tied to Google+, it’s a more social and influential platform than ever.

Australia has its head in the sand

Reading the paper of late, it really is striking that we spend so much time talking about countries like Greece -- a small economy with a population of about 11 million -- and very little time talking about say Vietnam (90m people), Indonesia (250m people) or Thailand (70m people).

Thais hit the road to draw Japanese firms

The government has kicked off an ambitious roadshow in Japan in a bid to attract more Japanese investors to Thailand after the dawn of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) later this year.

Thailand Maintains 7% VAT Rate until October 2015

Thailand’s ruling National Council for Peace and Order has extended the 7% VAT rate until 30 September 2015.

2-Year Holiday for land, building taxes

Amid the growing outcry over the planned land and buildings tax, the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) is rushing to soothe worries by providing a two-year grace period after the law takes effect and another two years of discounted tax rates before charging the full rates.

Read more

Promotions for AustCham members

Discover a variety of promotions and good deals from AustCham members.

Panel Discussion: “How will Thailand’s National Legislative Reform affect the Private and Public Sector” 24 February 2015, Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok

Investment Perspective for 2015 and beyond, 26 February 2015, Servcorp, 18th Floor, Park Ventures Ecoplex

Annual General Meeting, 3 March 2015, Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok

March Sundowners, 3 March 2015, Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok