I hope you all had a merry and restful Christmas period. I myself welcomed in the New Year on the warm beaches of Thailand with my family, which was a relaxing holiday but also fascinating. We spent a few days in Bangkok exploring the city, before enjoying some well-earned R&R on the beaches of Khao Lakh.

Although I had visited Bangkok before, way back in ’87 (as I frequently reminded my younger fellow travellers), I still found myself surprised by many aspects of the culture and the city. Among the things that struck me most were the welcoming nature and kindness of the Thai people, the cleanliness of the city and country and the attractive and delicious food.  In particular, the fact that this bustling city, filled with technology and constantly evolving, also somewhat hidden amongst the skyscrapers and monorail lines, are the signs of tradition and religion in the forms of temples, statues and shrines.

The amalgamation of new and old, modernity and tradition in this city was unique to see. Beautiful, ornately decorated temples nestled next to a sleek monorail station an example of the combination of these attributes that, although opposite, work in harmony to create a metropolis of culture that thrives every day.

As we celebrated the arrival of the New Year, and started making our resolutions of how much we were going to change, and announcing all our intentions for 2018, I reflected on the success of a city like Bangkok that, while embracing change and evolving modernity, also had a firm grasp on tradition and the attributes that are the foundation of the city, making it famous worldwide. With that in mind, as we enter 2018 ready to make changes that will enhance our careers and (hopefully) lead us to happiness, we must also take time to focus on the things that have lead us to the successes we have so far achieved. The characteristics that we must celebrate in ourselves should be worked upon as we look at what we might change in ourselves as we take on a new year. Thus, as within the city of Bangkok, we see the new and the old coming together to achieve the career goals that we set ourselves.

Here at ABPM, we are on hand to provide you with the tools needed to enhance the skills you may already have, as well as arm you with what else you may need as you set out and embark upon your career goals for 2018.

Rej Abraham Managing Director