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Oriental Hotels GM in Bangkok retires |
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March 04, 2009
by Amrit Rashmisrisethi  Kurt Wachtveitl, the general manager of famed Oriental hotel or more than four decades in Bangkok, announced his retirement at a dinner he was hosting for the wine critic Robert Parker.
The 72 year old veteran, said he would step down in May also credited with transforming the riverside hotel that was built in 1876 from a charming but aging Bangkok landmark into one of Asia's leading hotels
'I decided tonight to retire,' he told diners at the hotel's Le Normandie restaurant Tuesday evening. 'I better take care of my grandchildren.'
Mr Wachtveitl joined the hotel in 1967 at the height of the Vietnam War when the Thai capital was a preferred destination for American soldiers seeking R&R. Formerly The Oriental Bangkok, the hotel was rebranded in 2008 and changed its name to The Mandarin Oriental.
'I loved every day, but taking care of a big hotel like the Oriental takes all your energy,' said the elegant, German-born Wachtveitl. He said he plans to travel in South America and will then decide whether to return to the hotel business. 'I may need to return to work if the economy gets much worse.'
He made the announcement at a dinner presided over by Parker and attended by members of the Thai business elite and the American ambassador to Thailand, Eric John.Content navigation Previous: 13-member Indian contingent for Thailand Open golf
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