McThai staff have more than they can 'chew'
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McThai's chief executive and chairman Hester Chew shocked some young reporters attending his press conference last week when he told them: "I have been in Thailand for 28 years," which was apparently more or almost equal to the ages of some of the jour
Despite his long service, Chew said he still enjoys getting up early to work at 6am every day since he hardly thought he has been working.
Reaffirming his boss’ tireless working habit, human resources director Jirawat Taengjanegit said McThai staff sometimes receives emails from Chew at 3am with work assignments.
“I cannot wait if I have something on my mind. And when I wake up in the morning, I will check why there is still no reply,” Chew said, quickly explaining his HR director’s revelation.
But Chew is also known as a generous boss since he decided to pay a bonus to his staff, even though the operator of McDonald’s restaurants in Thailand significantly missed its target last year.
“We have to be ‘fair’ to our team. We need to find a fine balance, between people and profits,” he said.
Airlines set to offer DCA a helping hand
Following the safety concerns of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the Thai Civil Aviation Department (DCA) has recalled some of its retired officials as part of its emergency efforts to restore the country’s aviation standards and image. Some affected airlines like Thai AirAsia X and Nokscoot are also ready to offer DCA a helping hand.
Tassapon Bijleveld, chief executive officer of Thai AirAsia, who oversees Thai AirAsia X, said last week the company was ready to assist the authorities to solve the problem by providing extras like food and drink, funds, aviation experts and pilots if agencies ask for them. Piya Yodmani, chief executive officer of Nokscoot, said it could send pilots to help.
“They can work for just two months - April and May - before they return serve passengers,” he said.
All Power to Egat, says Japan executive
Shin-ichiro Kengaku, an executive of Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), was the only foreign executive invited to speak at a seminar organised by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) last week.
After providing the delegates with a brief background of his company and its traumatic experience during the earthquake and tsunami in 2011, Kengaku surprised everyone with his heart-felt note of special thanks to the Thai power agency for its provision of emergency generators during the fateful period.
He said the gesture helped Tokyo to avoid rolling blackouts and Egat did not ask for any compensation.
The Japanese executive spoke |in karaoke-style Thai language |that could be translated as: “Tepco will never forget its ‘rainy-day friend,” while playing a slideshow |of photos of the generator “gifts” from Egat.
Contributed by Pichaya Changsorn and Suchat Sritama
