A Challenging Year Ahead of Us!

What’s in it for me? What do I get from doing all this? What are the benefits of volunteering? These are questions all volunteers and professionals struggle with when considering contribution to a non-profit organization specifically to one that is not (yet) even recognized by the Thai government.

We understand your position and share your frustrations. And while companies in Thailand struggle to adapt to an ever-changing competitive arena, our task as project management professionals remains – and that is to “preach” project management processes, knowledge areas, and standard practices to our management and leadership.

You again ask: “What do I have to do this for”? There’s only one logical answer: we do it because we care. We do it because it’s part of our nature as project managers to challenge ourselves and accomplish tasks to the best of our knowledge and capabilities.

We do this because it’s the only logical thing to do and that is to educate our peers, colleagues, managers, executives, and our leadership in general on the importance of project management for companies.

We do it because we cherish planning and executing our plans. And when we realize our current challenges and those the AEC presents in 2016, our dedication grows stronger.

We have a challenging year ahead of us. Besides our monthly regular lectures, we’ve planned for many Chapter activities including and not limited to:

• Setting up a new PMI Bangkok Chapter Office at Loxley Headquarters in Klongtoey (more information soon!).
• Changing our status to a non-profit organization (more information soon!).
• One Day Event in Project Management – a one day event focusing on various topics in project management (6 PDUs earned for all participants).
• King Mongkut University of Technology (KMUTT) Course in Project Management- lecturing a course in Project Management to Graduate students at KMUTT.
• PMP Exam Preparation Course offered through the PMI Bangkok Chapter –  potentially collaborating with an REP or training provider to provide such course at a special discount to members.
• A field trip to a major project site where members and participants observe project management methodologies in an applied setting.

Again, nothing is possible without putting our efforts together as a team with one mission and that is to contribute towards Thailand’s preparation for the AEC in 2016.

Thanks for your dedication and we look forward to a successful year in project management.

PMI Thailand Chapter is a non-profit association set up in Thailand since 2001 to help promote the adoption and practice of standard project management methodologies across public and private organizations in Thailand.

Dr. Petros Rigas is President of PMI Thailand Chapter and co-founding partner for Project Victor Co., Ltd, a project management training and consulting services firm based in Thailand.