The
marketing and communication manager of the very well established
Chi Chang Computer Company is an energetic young Thai-Chinese
lady, Sumalee Lukuan. She is a fine example of how Chinese
traditions can work within a family, and yet she is showing how
those traditions can become changed, as times themselves have
changed.
Sumalee was born in Chiang Mai, as were her
parents, though her paternal grandparents came from China. This
fact is one inescapable reason for the success of their family
business here in Chiang Mai. While in the west there is a homily
that runs ‘Behind every successful man there stands a
woman’, in SE Asia I could go so far as to suggest that this
should be modified to be ‘Behind every successful business
there stands a Chinese family!’
Sumalee was the youngest child in the family
and the only girl. She admits that she was spoiled as a child,
as her parents had been longing for a baby girl after three
boys. “Being the little sister can be good and also not so
good,” said Sumalee, “but you always get taken care of.”
She was educated in Chiang Mai through Sacred
Heart and Montfort College and was a good student. She admits
she did not have to come home after school and work in the
family wholesale household equipment business, but could devote
her time to study.
This was enough to give her the grades to go
to Chiang Mai University to study in the Science faculty, with
the idea of later becoming a teacher. “Science can let you go
further,” explained Sumalee.
However, after four years and her obtaining
her Bachelor’s degree, she did not head towards her hoped-for
teaching ambition. “My father believed I should join the
family business. I was hurt inside, but (being part of a
Chinese-Thai family) I did understand. I was first put into
accounting - it is the Chinese way,” said Sumalee.
The family business was going to change, as
one of her elder brothers returned to Chiang Mai after working
in Taiwan. He believed that the future was going to be in the
computer industry, a business concept 14 years ago that could
have been considered risky. The opening of Chi Chang Computer
was, however, a very reasoned approach to the business. “This
was a family decision,” said Sumalee. “We are a very warm
family and together with my parents, we discussed it. My parents
taught us to listen to each other and learn from each other,
love each other and work together.” That sage advice was
followed and the elder brother was given the nod by the family.
The household equipment business that had nurtured the family
was closed, her parents retired, and the all new ballgame was
opened.
Of course that all new ballgame was Chi Chang
Computer, the name of which comes from the Chinese language
meaning the ‘victory flag’. This new business was in every
way a ‘family business’ with Sumalee and all her brothers
involved. “Each person has their own responsibility,” said
Sumalee. Despite external appearances, it has not been all that
easy either. “Everyone works hard. We have had to sacrifice.
We are in the service business.” That their business is now 14
years old shows that the service they have been providing
obviously has met with approval in Chiang Mai.
With the eighth branch opening in December, I
asked Sumalee if the family had ideas of looking at other
provinces as expansion, but was told no. “We are sticking with
Chiang Mai because we are a Chiang Mai family.” And of course,
‘the family’ includes her parents. “They are very
proud,” said Sumalee. “Not the money side of it, but the
fact that their children are all working together.”
You really cannot separate Sumalee from
‘the family’ as it is that cohesive unit that gives them all
strength, yet will this survive another generation? I asked
Sumalee about her own son, now three and a half years old, and
whether he will be made to join the family business, just as she
had been? The answer was (for me) surprising. “I will let him
do everything he wants to do. I think he will be a pilot and not
join the family business. Even though I come from a Chinese-Thai
family I will change (the concept) and he can make his own
decisions - not like me! Everything changes, so we can change
our attitude too. Our kids should have many choices - not just
by our vision only.” (Fortunately at three and a half he
cannot read this profile, but it will be interesting to review
those words in around 20 years!)
As far as her own future is concerned,
Sumalee said, “I dedicate my life to my company. We started
from zero, but we have to take care. A business is like a tree,
you have to take care of the roots.”
When not working for Chi Chang Computer
(which cannot be very often) she likes to take in English
language movies, as she feels this helps her polish up her
English language skills, or read books. What does she read?
Books on marketing! Or lady’s magazines. She may be the
marketing manager, but above all she is a very elegant and
composed young woman.
When I asked her about her aims, you can be
sure that I was given the aims for the family business, but I
tried to pin her down to her personal hopes and desires. She had
only two items, “I want to make every day the best day of my
life.” The other was, “I want my son to be a good boy and
have a good life like me.”
When our hour was up, I must say that I had a much better
understanding of a Chinese-Thai family, enough for me to make up
my own ‘Chinese’ proverb, “The family that stays together
makes hay together” and Sumalee and her siblings deserve it.
