In a move that cements its position as Thailand’s fastest-growing on-the-water events company, Image Asia Events has been invited by the organising authorities of the Koh Samui Regatta™ to manage one of the Kingdom’s most popular yachting events. “We are thrilled that the Koh Samui Regatta comittee has placed its confidence in us and we look forward to taking this outstanding international event forward,” said Image Asia managing director, Grenville Fordham. He added that the development indicated the dilemma faced by volunteer organisers coping with the management demands of a growing event. Peter Plant, Secretary of the Koh Samui Regatta Organising Committee [right] and Image Asia's Grenville Fordham conclude the agreement at Jimmy's Lighthouse in Phuket.

“Almost every event of this nature is started by volunteers – generally people who also have ‘real’ jobs or businesses to run,” said Fordham, adding, “While you’d expect it to get easier each year, in fact the opposite is true: the better the event becomes, the better the organisers have to perform to satisfy the increasing demands of participants and sponsors for a professional event. In this context, we appreciate the continuing role of Paul Poole (South East Asia) Co., Ltd. in respect of event marketing and sponsorship support.”

Image Asia Events is the organiser of Phuket International Marine Expo (PIMEX)® and Evason Phuket Raceweek, Phuket’s ‘Green Season’ regatta, as well as the publisher of Andaman Sea Pilot, a comprehensive guide on cruising the seas anywhere from Darwin, Australia to Myanmar to India’s Andaman Islands.

Koh Samui Regatta, dubbed “The Tropical Island Regatta™”, was launched 5 years ago as a means of promoting the magnificent sailing area around Koh Samui – a great low season alternative to Thailand’s better-known western coast. The event attracts participants from all over Thailand, top racing yachts from Hong Kong and has even played host to prominent sailors from Australia, while the aura of international glamour that surrounds it has attracted sponsorship from top national and international names.

The job of organising the yacht racing in Koh Samui will fall to Image Asia’s Events Director, veteran regatta organiser Andy Dowden. Dowden is a former President of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta as well as having held the position as Chairman of the King’s Cup Race Committee for many years. He has played a key role in the development of, and is the guiding spirit behind, Image Asia’s move into the marine events arena.

Commenting on the decision to appoint Image Asia to run the Samui regatta, Peter Plant, Secretary of the Organising Committee said, “We all feel that the tie up with Image Asia Events presents a great opportunity for the Koh Samui Regatta to move forward and to strengthen its place as one of the highlights on the Asian Sailing Calendar.”

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