Page 66 - MASALA Magazine Vol.15 Issue 3 | February - March 2024

Our spun rayon print was so popular that the
total export order to the US was about 2 million
yards per month at the time. The American
import/export department was shaken by this
number. They underestimated Thailand, as it
was considered an underdeveloped country at
the time. But when they saw the spun rayon
from us was of great quality, and we were
among the first to start printing it, they were
shocked. They declared a quota limit on
Thailand – we could only export to them
around 22 million yards per year.

The Thai commerce ministry tried to distribute
the quota as per performance, but since
other factories could not produce the quality,
Thonburi Textiles swept almost the whole
quota, 22 million yards alone. And the profit
was – I can’t even mention! [Laughs] And this
was only for export, I’m not even counting what
we were doing for the local market. And it
wasn’t just us – every factory enjoyed this peak
of the printing and dyeing industry in Thailand.

As for the lows, this industry is labour intensive. I almost quit the job after the first six months, rice and khai jiew that I cooked, and a single
It depends on cheap labour costs, raw material even going so far as to submit my registration. candle. That was how dedicated I was, and
costs, electric costs and lastly, the protection But the owner changed my mind – at that am, to the industry.

from imports by high import duties on time, I was only 22 and I’d just started my I love to go to factories and help them find
textiles. When the government declared a career. I’ll never forget what he told me: “Mr. solutions to problems, chemically, through
sudden and high increase in minimum wage; Kulthorn, do you think I don’t know what’s machinery, or even technology. I tell them,
and signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) happening to you? You’ve only been here “dig for gold in your own factory, that is,
with neighbouring countries, wherein they six months and my factory was running increase efficiency and look for ways to
abolished subsidies for the local industry and before you came, and it will keep running reduce the cost of production. For example,
cut import duties on textiles; we lost ground. after you leave. But if everyone else on the I recently saved a factory THB 3 million
We were not as competitive as compared to floor leaves, the factory shuts down. They’re per month with changes that I suggested.
countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, more important. Wherever you go, if you
and China, where labour is cheap, and raw work in a factory, you’ll run into this problem, To compete with outside markets, we have
materials (such as chemicals and dyes) are and you will have to decide if you have the to reduce our prices. How? By changing
cheaper, because they produce them in their guts to survive by yourself, or if you’re going the chemical processes of the dyes you use,
country. This, coupled with the industry to run away.” I decided to learn everything ensuring that it’s a shorter process that is still
subsidies that those countries are receiving myself and the next day, I went in and asked high-quality and safe; recycling waste and
from their governments, means that we for books from the suppliers, and I read up waste water; setting up technology such as
became less competitive. Their products are on everything to do with the industry, and I solar cells; reducing manpower and giving
much cheaper than the ones made here, and discovered my passion for business innovations your essential workers more incentives; and
that was the beginning of the decline of the and overcoming challenges. Eventually, an by increasing production through innovative
industry, and the main cause for our fall. opportunity came when I was promoted to means such as modifying machinery. For
Factory Manager after the management saw example, an owner of a factory needed to
What was it like to be at the vanguard of my enthusiasm, and I brought changes and print a type of fabric, but to do so, he had
your industry, and what challenges did developments to the factory. to buy a colour-fixing machine worth THB
you face, helping to grow the industry 12 million, which he couldn’t afford. They
from the ground up? What motivates you to keep working, even brought me in as a consultant, and I went
When I started my career as an Assistant after decades in the business? back to V.P.C.’s laboratory and tried 20-30
Printing Manager in 1972, it was the case Since I started working in 1972, I have never different recipes, and I finally found one
(and I believe it is so even now) that most had a single break for rest. I planned to retire that didn’t require the machine. The owner
of the personnel working in the field have at the age of 60, but factories call me as soon was shocked, and even I was shocked – this
no direct background or education in as they learn that I am free. Frankly speaking, was a new discovery that I hadn’t made
chemistry and textile technology. So, any today printing and processing is in my blood. in the last 52 years. I love the feeling of
new commoner in the factory would be Even beyond the duty I had to go to the discovering solutions to challenges – they
directly or indirectly obstructed from going factories, I would work 12-16 hours a day to get keep me going, and my mind sharp.
into any section to learn because the workers the work done. I remember my first wedding
are afraid of someone taking their place. Not anniversary, I told my wife I’d be home by What would you consider some of the
only that, but I’d received death threats as 6pm, but I ended coming home at midnight most notable achievements in your lauded
well, telling me not to come to the factory. because of work. Instead of dinner and a movie, career?
This was the biggest challenge. we celebrated at the kitchen table with some To this day, I’m still grateful that I was