Page 72 - MASALA Magazine Vol.15 Issue 5 | June - July 2024

Checking

Into
theFUTURE

Yuthachai ‘Top’ Charanachitta,
the CEO of ONYX Hospitality Group and Group CEO
of Italthai Group, on changing with the times, and
finding tailored approaches for their guests.

B Y AIDEN JE WELLE GONZ ALE S

As a local player, I believe
we can find great synergy
with the Thai-Indian
community to create
something exciting.

he history of hospitality is fascinating: cultures
across history have lauded it as a virtue or
even a right for strangers to be welcomed and
have their needs met. In modern times, hospitality has “We don’t simply want to be a place to stay, but we focus
grown into a thriving global industry, with unparalleled on what the neighbourhood can offer to the guests, and
services and experiences offered in hotels and resorts what activities are available.”
the world over. When I express this to Yuthachai ‘Top’
Charanachitta, the CEO of ONYX Hospitality Group Eloquent, driven, and with a clear focus, it’s easy to see
and Group CEO of Italthai Group, he laughingly agrees, that Top brings fresh perspective to both ONYX Hospitality
telling me that the industry is simultaneously a challenge Group and Italthai Group, the latter of which will celebrate
and an unparalleled opportunity. “I encourage myself its 70-year Anniversary next year. “Italthai Group is a family-
and my team by reminding ourselves of what a great and owned, privately-held group that focuses on the service
profitable industry we’re in,” he says. “It’s probably one of industry,” Top explains. “It started with trading, and moved
the only sectors in Thailand that’s doing well compared to construction and real estate, then hospitality. We’ve
to other industries.” been evolving with the growth of Thailand’s economy
for the past 70 years.
Nevertheless, at its core, hospitality has remained the
same through time: it’s about the relationship between Top started with the Group at only 24, after his dad had
host and guest. This is something that Top understands at unfortunately passed away during a plane accident around
his core, and is something that he’s focusing on at ONYX 20 years ago. “That was the turning point for me,” he recalls.
Hospitality Group, which is a hospitality management “I had to jump into the business and try to learn as quickly
company whose portfolio includes brands spanning Amari, as possible.” During his tenure at Italthai Group, Top took
OZO, Shama and Oriental Residence, covering hotels and the initiative to restructure ONYX Hospitality Group,
resorts, serviced apartments, and luxury residences. ONYX which is under Italthai Group’s management, ensuring
Hospitality Group also operates additional hospitality that they change with the times, especially in the wake
services across spas and F&B, spanning the likes of maai, of industry changes after the COVID-19 pandemic. He
Prego, Amaya, Chom Sindh, and NILA. “We tailored spoke to Masala further about their new focus, establishing
approaches to our guests for each brand, to ensure that themselves as a strong regional presence, and the longterm
every single property has its own USP,” Top tells me. partners they want to make along the way.

72 | MASALA MAGAZINE JUN-JUL 2024