Narong Thasananipan never thought about becoming a businessman when he was a civil servant with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). Today he is president of Seafco, a successful construction company.

Seafco is a market leader in deep-foundation works in Thailand, with a 45-per-cent market share. It has specialised for more than 30 years in large-bore piling, diaphragm walling and conceptual design.

Ital-Thai Travi is second in the market with 25 per cent. It is a subsidiary of Italian-Thai Development, the biggest contractor in Thailand.

Narong says he never imagined getting involved in business until his elder brother Supoj, the founder of Seafco, died in an accident in 1976 after establishing the company seven years earlier. He decided to resign from the BMA and inherited the company from his brother.

As he knew little about business strategy, such as marketing or targeting customers, it was quite difficult for Narong in the early stages. But he tried to learn everything.

"I started from zero. Initially, I did not pay money into the firm, but I dedicated myself with my experience in civil work to completing my brother's objectives. Today Seafco is listed in the Thai bourse and is one of the strongest construction companies," says Narong.

In the beginning, Seafco had registered capital of Bt3 million. That gradually increased to the present figure of Bt200 million.

Seafco's revenue for 2006 is expected to leap 100 per cent from the previous year due mainly to the booming property sector. Many developers have created new condominium projects in the heart of Bangkok and along the mass-transit routes.

Narong could be a good example for Thai businesspeople. With the current economic sentiment, some might be suffering from the interim government's economic policy. Those who have taken a dim view of the progress of the economy might even compare the present situation with the economic crisis in 1997 and be discouraged, but Narong retains a positive outlook.

In 1980, Seafco entered into a joint venture with Stent Foundation, the famous UK deep-foundation firm, and founded Stent Seafco with registered capital of Bt3 million. Stent Seafco later changed its name to Balfour Beatty Thai. At that time, Seafco obtained sophisticated production technology from its overseas partner to develop the company.

Finally, there was a conflict between Seafco and its partner. Stent Foundation ended the matter by pulling out its capital from the joint venture.

Narong recalls that his company was affected by the split, but progressed until the economic crisis in 1997. Though it was a tough time, Narong survived the crisis by using the company's deep-foundation tools in other ways, particularly in ordinary civil works, roads and factories.

"Our company was affected by the economic crisis like many business firms. We had to delay investment, so we did not have work on hand at that time. But I was proud that Seafco never had non-performing loans," he says.

Seafco recovered in the Thaksin Shinawatra era. The economic policy of the former government aroused the economy and gave it the potential to grow. At this time, Seafco became one of the strongest construction companies in Thailand.

Narong believes his company is ready to play its part in the proposed mega-projects, particularly in civil construction of the mass-transit system. Nawarat Patanakarn and Obayashi from Japan have invited Seafco to be one of their partners in bidding for the five mass-transit projects.

"Absolutely, Seafco will join in the bidding. I believe that we can share in these big projects," adds Narong.