Silpakorn building campus at Impact site

“Our new city campus is set to serve the needs of the hotel, hospitality and MICE [meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition] businesses,” Phitak Siriwong, management science dean at the Phetchaburi Information Technology Campus, said yesterday.

The project consists of Bt90-million five-storey and Bt500-million 20-storey buildings on a Bt200-million, 10-rai (1.6-hectare) site.

The mid-rise is expected to be completed next year. The tower will be part of the following phase. Its construction is expected to take three years.

The university has joined with Switzerland’s Vatel International Business School to offer a double business administration programme for hotel management, and exhibition and event management – a first in the country. 

Students might spend about Bt240,000 for the four-year programme.

Loy Joon How, general manager of Impact Muang Thong Thani, said Thailand faced a shortage of skilled labour, particularly when hosting big events. The company deals with this problem by hiring contractors to supplement its 1,500 staff.

Despite the recent bombings in the South, the country remains as a major venue for international events, as it has suffered no losses of booked events.

Pornthip Hirunkate, vice president of the Thailand Incentive and Exhibition Convention Association, said Thailand’s MICE workers needed to improve their foreign-language skills to enhance service and capability. 

TICA urged stakeholders to help upgrade overall service quality to international levels.