As the founder, chairperson and managing director of Bangkok-based Sea Tours Co Ltd in 1977, she was one of the very first people to see the attractions of the cruise product for Thai consumers and her country’s enormous potential as a cruise destination.
From the late nineteen eighties and nineties, she began developing relationships with a range of major cruise lines and river cruise operators, many of whom were glad to appoint her as their general sales agent for the Thai market.
Active role in building a client base
She herself played an active role in building a client base. Understanding that many of them were unfamiliar with what to expect from the experience, she frequently escorted small groups high end Thai guests for their inaugural sailings on upscale ships, as a result of which they became regular cruisers.
During an interview in 2014, Bencharit, a former president of the Thai Travel Agents Association revealed she had taken more than 100 cruises.
As the globalisation of the industry drove more brands to deploy ships in South East Asia, she was one of the first to recognise the potential for inbound cruise tourism in Thailand and Sea Tours remains a market leader in a market which last year brought over 580 cruise ship calls in Thai ports.
Seatrade's Chris Hayman pays tribute to Supanee
‘Khun Supanee was a remarkable lady who earned respect across the industry for her vision. As a speaker in the first Seatrade Asia cruise conferences in the nineties, she correctly predicted the huge advances which lay ahead for the industry in Asia, and she was active in encouraging the Thai ports and the Tourism Authority of Thailand to prepare the ground for the growth that would follow’ said Seatrade chairman Chris Hayman.
‘As one of many who was the recipient of her sound advice and generous hospitality, I would like to pass on my sympathy to her son, Khun Krai, and the rest of her family for their great loss’, Hayman added.
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