Kurt Wachtveitl has been General Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok since 1967. A graduate of the Lausanne Hotel School in Switzerland, he studied Philosophy at the University of Madrid, as well as History of Art and Literature at the Dante Alighieri School in Rome, acknowledging these experiences as having helped him to appreciate the intricacies of hotel business.

Prior to coming to Thailand in 1965, Kurt Wachtveitl was with the Hotel Beau Rivage in Lausanne, the Trois Couronnes in Vevey, the Suvretta in St. Moritz and the Hilton Hotel in London.

In October 1967, at the age of 30, he was appointed General Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok. In his over 40 years as general manager, Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok transformed from a 100-room Asian legend into an international reference hotel proudly steeped in history.

Pursuing the literary tradition that resonates deep in the culture of the hotel, in 1979 Kurt Wachtveitl lead Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok in joining forces with surrounding ASEAN countries to establish the elite Southeast Asian Writers Award (S.E.A. Write Award). In collaboration with His Royal Highness Prince Prem Purachatra, the Italthai Group of Companies, and Thai Airways International Public Co. Ltd., this prestigious award was created to honour writers and poets in the region, showcasing its literature to an international audience.

Ever attentive to Thai culture, Kurt Wachtveitl plays an active role locally through membership in various organisations.  His vision to develop young Thai nationals in the hotel industry resulted in the launch of The Oriental Hotel Apprenticeship Programme (OHAP) in October 1990.

Also, in July 2002, he pioneered and launched “The Oriental Professional Thai Chef Programme” (OPTC), a three-month course accredited by the Thai Ministry of Education to create professional “Oriental Thai Cooks and Future Cooks” to take on Thai chef positions overseas, and ultimately become ambassadors of Thai cuisine to the world. 
Kurt Wachtveitl is a recipient of Thailand’s Royal Decoration of Fourth Class (Companion) of the Most-Exalted Order of the White Elephant, as well as of the Order of Merit, presented to him by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1987.  He was also bestowed the French Distinction Internationale titled “Personnalite de l’année 1991” (Personality of the Year 1991) in the hotel industry.

“We have always added new things to the hotel,” says Kurt Wachtveitl who, in October 2006, received the highly distinctive Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) Lifetime Achievement Award in Hong Kong, which is presented to an outstanding leader in the hospitality industry for his or her accomplishments and contributions to the hotel industry, exemplifying dedication, diligence, commitment and passion in guest satisfaction.

In 2008, Kurt Wachtveitl was bestowed the “Royal Cypher Medal” Decoration by His Majesty King Bhumibol of Thailand for his dedication and continuous support of The Royal Project under the Patronage of His Majesty.
In yet another prestigious accolade, HOTELS Magazine, USA named him “2008 Independent Hotelier of the World” for “putting in his full, heartfelt effort for more than 40 years as the leader of one of the world’s iconic luxury hotels…”

Kurt Wachtveitl’s commitment and dedication have created a world-class hotel that is cemented in tourists’ and travellers’ memories. In his words: “If you give personalized service, the bottom line will follow.”

Mr. Kurt Wachtveitl is married to Penny Bunnag, and they have three children: Inka, Kim, and Carla, and two grand daughters.