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“I’m an entertainer at heart,” says Mrs. Kamala Sukosol. Her heart may say she’s an entertainer, but her achievements as a businesswoman make that something of an understatement.
Unlike many entertainers of today, Kamala does not come from a particularly musical family. The daughter of a successful businessman, Kamala inherited her father’s innate talent for business, but her artistic gifts and her singing abilities are her own.
Educated in England and America, Kamala first discovered her voice as a student, and has been performing ever since. Thankfully she has passed on her love of music and some of her talent to all four of her children. Marisa and Krissie are both well-known performers in their own right in Thailand, while Kamol Sukosol (Sukie) is in the music industry and Daranee can certainly hold her own on stage. We will have to wait and see whether her five adorable grandchildren will follow in her footsteps. |
After receiving a Master’s Degree in International Affairs from Columbia University in New York, Kamala returned to Thailand to join her father, Mr. Kamol Sukosol, in business. Kamala is President and Owner of Siam City Hotel, Bangkok (500 rooms), Siam Bayshore Resort (280 rooms) and Siam Bayview Hotel (280 rooms) in Pattaya, as well as the Managing Director of Kamol Sukosol Electric Company, distributors of various products including medical, sound, and industrial kitchen equipments. Mrs. Kamala Sukosol has become a role model and an advocate for women’s progress in Thailand by taking civic responsibilities very seriously. She is the former vice-president of the Thai Hotels Association and the president of the Pattaya Chapter of the Thai Hotels Association. In 1985, she organized the Pattaya Annual Festival, a city-wide cultural and recreational event, and she has served on the Committee to Promote Thailand on behalf of the Tourism Industry of Thailand. Khun Kamala is also “patron” of the Oncological (Cancer) Society of Thailand, for which she has raised funds and organized its first benefit concert.Conversant in 5 languages, Kamala finds time in her travels to collect antiques and modern art. Antiques from her collection and paintings by Thai artists are showcased at Siam City Hotel in Bangkok and Siam Bayshore Resort and Siam Bayview Hotel in Pattaya. She has been featured in local and international publications, such as Town and Country, United Airlines and Emirates Airlines Magazines. She has made many broadcast appearances in Thailand and abroad, including New York Daily News, BBC Radio of Great Britain and Hello Melbourne, an Australian television program. She was interviewed by “Carlton TV’s Paul O’Grady (UKs #1 TV host) as one of Thailand’s “Most Interesting People” in April 2000 and appeared on German TVs popular program, “Life! Die lust zu leben” (0ver 4 million viewers in Germany and nearby German speaking countries) which covers the world’s most beautiful resorts and travel destinations and features segments on “celebrities & interesting people” in June 2003.
She has been interviewed by the media on a wide variety of subjects including music, lifestyle and of course sports. In 1989, she received the “Person of Achievement Award” in the hotel industry category, and was voted by the public as being among one of Thailand’s “Ten Best
Dressed Women in Business”, and then in 1993 she was awarded Thailand Tatler’s “Person of the Year”.
KAMALA, THE SINGER
Apart from her business accomplishments, Khun Kamala Sukosol is also regarded as one of the best jazz singers in the country and her inimitable style has been showcased in 18 concerts and over 20 recordings. Her annual Charity Concert raises funds for different organizations throughout Thailand and any and all income she receives from performing is donated to those less fortunate in the community. A list of charities that have benefited from her singing is attached.Fortunately, the hotel business affords her many opportunities to entertain. Whether it is an impromptu performance for guests, or a charity benefit, Kamala produces and literally arranges her own musical performances. Exuberant and charming on stage, she projects the kind of “star quality” that has attracted fans in Thailand and among travel industry professionals in various countries around the world. She has recorded songs in 8 languages and in 2003, recorded her very first song in Thai. She was delighted to record a Thai message song “Live & Learn” (English translation of lyrics attached) to encourage people of all ages to live in the real world, as part of the “Million Ways to Love – Part 1” album, by famous Thai songwriter, Boyd Kosiyabong. She is very proud that her particular recording from the album went on to become a big hit in Thailand and won the Season Award for “Best Song of the Year” in 2003/04. She was also asked to perform “Live & Learn” live at Impact Arena and to her total amazement and delight, 15,000 young Thais stood up and applauded when she walked on stage, then sang along with her.
KAMALA, AN INTERNATIONAL PERSON
Aside from her successful business and singing career, Kamala is also part of the diplomatic scene in Thailand. She started her interest in international affairs in college and it has remained a significant part of her persona since. She has many friends in the diplomatic corps of Thailand and is often sought out for advice on promotions and fund raising events for different organizations and functions. She is well respected in this community as a straightforward and honest person that gives her very best to any task requested of her. Khun Kamala is a regular guest at National Days, Embassy celebrations and informal functions for many nations. As the President of the American University Alumni Association she personally welcomed and conducted a welcome speech for the United States of America’s Secretary of State, Mr. Warren Christopher in 1994; invited to attend “The Prime Minister’s Conference on Peace Tourism” by Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of Israel in 1995; was presented with the “Golden Helm” International Award for Tourism in 1998 by the Italian-based International Public Relations for Hotels and Travel Agencies Association for her contribution to the development of tourism; awarded The Red Cross Medal of Appreciation, First Class, for her contribution to their various charities in 2001; was a guest speaker at the Global Summit of Women held in Hong Kong in 2001 In May of 1999 she was instrumental in organizing the celebration of 50th Anniversary of the Federal Republic of Germany at the Siam City Hotel. In May 2001 she cooperated with the Portuguese Ambassador to Thailand, H.E. Mr. Jose Tadeu da Costa Sousa Soares, to conduct a lecture on “Chinese Export Porcelain” followed by a highly successful exhibition at Siam City Hotel which lasted for two weeks.Kamala has also been a guest lecturer at universities, conferences and workshops both here in Thailand and abroad. She has covered many subjects, ranging from “Techniques in Business Management”, “Presenting Yourself in the World of International Business”, “Business Culture in Asia Pacific”, “The Changing Role of Women in Asia”, through to “Ethical Human Resource Management for Efficiency and Effectiveness”. Kamala has a great love and respect for the people and country of Morocco and was the only Thai Citizen to be invited to the wedding of His Majesty the King of Morocco in 2002. She was appointed President of a newly formed Thai Moroccan Friendship Association in 2002, a position she still holds, and is active in promoting strong ties between Thailand and Morocco. She is currently assisting Morocco in their candidacy to host the World Football Cup in 2010 and as an avid football fan, is in her element discussing players and politics of football. After holding initial discussions with local representatives, she must have really
impressed them, as they have expressed an interest in inviting her to become an advisor of the Thai Football Association.
Charitable Organizations that have Benefited from Concerts & Recordings By Kamala Sukosol
Kamala Sukosol’s concerts and musical performances have raised millions of baht for various Thai charities including:-
The Cardiac Children’s Foundation of Thailand (1982)
– to make available medical and surgical treatment to all children born with congenital heart disease and to provide transportation and accommodation for the many needy cardiac children from poor rural families.
The Thai Medical Women’s Association (1983)
– provides free medical and dental services to the poor and low-income families in the slums of Bangkok and the outlying rural areas.
The Duang Prateep Foundation (1983)
– a Foundation set up to assist neglected children and their underprivileged families by way of therapeutic, educative and rehabilitative programs rather than cash donations.
The Oncological (Cancer) Society (1991 & 1995)
- became involved at the conception and set-up of this society to educate the public on statistics and risks involved in this area of medicine. At the time, the Society did not even have paper for printing or a photocopy machine – Kamala purchased the copying equipment straight and then donated funds from her annual charity concert 1991. The Society was making such fantastic progress in their fight to save people that Kamala also donated funds raised from the 1995 Concert.
The Chaipattana Foundation (1995)
– to improve and develop the quality of life of the Thai people, the foundation helps to implement royally initiated projects.
Baan Tawan Mai (1996)
– this project provides housing and helps rehabilitate child and teenage drug addicts, giving them a chance to make a new life.
The Thai Red Cross Society (1998)
- funds raised were used for the purchase of an ultra sound machine for Chulalongkorn Hospital’s Department of Medicine and help unfortunate children in rural regions throughout the Kingdom)
The Thai Red Cross Society (1999)
- funds raised were used to purchase bedside EKG monitors and volume respirators for intensive care units at The Queen Sawang Wadhana Hospital.
The Thai Red Cross Society (2000)
- funds raised were used to assist the Organ Donation Center by providing education and on-going campaigns for the public and healthcare professionals on the benefits of transplants, the cause and effect of brain death and the process of organ donation.
The Thai Red Cross Society (2001)
- Children’s Projects – purchase two pieces of medical equipment; one to assist in the detection of abnormalities in unborn infants and the other to monitor jaundice in newborns without having to draw blood.
The Thai Red Cross Society (2002 & 2003 )
- Breast Cancer Prevention – to assist in the construction of a new Breast Cancer Center to serve women patients of all walks of life regardless of their financial, social or racial status. The project was well underway by the time plans were being made for the 2003 Concert but it was obvious that further funding was needed to see the building complete. As a result, proceeds from the 2003 concert were also donated to this Center.
“Kuadarun (Support the Children) Foundation” (2003 and ongoing)
Kamala’s share of proceeds from the “Live & Learn” album and ongoing royalties that she receives are donated to the Support the Children Foundation, which assists children with HIV (Aids) and their families in Chiengmai.In addition to the annual Charity Concerts and the millions raised over the years, Kamala has also been instrumental in the promotion of Thailand at numerous travel shows. She has entertained 250 travel agents from Italy and 400 tour-operators from Germany and in 1987 took a troop of 100 to Malaysia to promote Thailand as a great destination. She arranged displays of handcrafts and cuisine from all corners of Thailand, and of course the concert to promote “Visit Thailand Year”. She loves music and wanted a song about Pattaya to help people become interested in visiting; so she commissioned an American songwriter, Rob Fisher, to pen the music and lyrics to the song “Pattaya” which she recorded in 1985 and it is still used today to promote this seaside resort. She is referred to among peers in the industry as the “Singing Hotelier from Thailand” and takes every opportunity to perform at gala functions and conferences. Her small statue belies the amazing voice and the need to entertain and her hope is that her flamboyant style at travel shows and conferences will ensure that Thailand is always on the tip of the travel agents’ tongues.
CIVIC ACTIVITIES OF NOTE KAMALA SUKOSOL
- President, Thai Moroccan Friendship Association, (2002-Present)
- President, American University Alumni Association Under The Patronage of H.M. The King (1994-1995)
- Patron, Oncological Society of Thailand under The Patronage of H.M. The Queen (1991-present)
- Chairperson, Committee to Promote Thailand during "Visit Thailand Year" (1987)
- President, Pattaya Chapter, Thai Hotels Association (1984-88)
- Vice President, Thai Hotels Association (1984-1988)
- Chairperson, Pattaya Annual Festival, (1985) organised city-wide festival for Pattaya City
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