"Imagination is the start to creating the world's most incredible innovations," says young executive Pitchyen Hongpakdee, who recently launched his own innovation, a waterproof computer keyboard.

Pitchyen, otherwise known as Thomas Hong, 29, is the founder of three IT firms: Smart ID Group, Celebrity Co and Platinum Corp.

After graduating from Assumption University in 2000, he began work as an international coordinator for Trading Plus, the distributor of Spy Wine Cooler and Chatemp. He left after only one year to work for a succession of companies such as Blue Elephant Bangkok, BJC Marketing and Siam Gypsum.

"I changed my work frequently because I wanted to learn several kinds of business and use my creative skills for each company," he says.

At Siam Gypsum he was named "Innovation Champion" and given responsibility for the whole corporate innovation process. He launched four new products in four months, tripling sales revenue in one quarter.

His favourite hobby is collecting digital accessories, and he's so committed to it that his friends and other IT experts refer to him as the "gadget guru". He buys gadgets with special design and functions when travelling to other countries.

"My bed is surrounded by thousands of gadgets. I live with them day and night," he says.

The world of gadgets and his regular travels finally led to his total immersion in the IT business.

In 2002, during his work at Siam Gypsum, he and a friend in France set up Celebrity Co. It became active in the integrated-circuit trading business, with marketing in Europe.

Celebrity grew so rapidly that three years later he had to quit Siam Gypsum. "I really enjoyed working there, but our company moved a production plant from China to Thailand in a bid to control product quality in 2005 and I got too busy to work at two places at the same time," he explains.

Meanwhile, he managed to buy out his partner, making Celebrity a 100-per-cent Thai company. It deals with world leaders in the manufacture of IT products.

In the same year, he expanded his business by establishing Celebrity's subsidiaries, Smart ID Group and Platinum Corp, in order to strengthen the company's sales and marketing in Asia.

Smart ID focuses on distribution of consumer IT products and service for dealers in Thailand and Platinum Corp, founded in Hong Kong, is responsible for all logistics and supply-chain operations with dealers in China and Hong Kong.

Smart ID is a distributor for Taiwan-based Acrox Technologies, known as one of the world's leading makers of computer peripherals. Pitchyen also works as a product developer for Acrox.

"I always fancy the idea that my products will be known worldwide one day - like Bill Gates' Microsoft - and due to my cooperation with Acrox, my dream is coming true," he says.

His products have low production costs because of Acrox's economy-of-scale production. "Can you believe that the world's first waterproof keyboard sells at a price of Bt199?" he says of his own innovation.

Pitchyen's business strategy for Smart ID Group this year includes the introduction of a new innovation to Thailand's digital-accessory market every quarter. The company will focus on expanding its service centres to support its dealers and will conduct more marketing campaigns.

As a result, Pitchyen believes Smart ID will achieve revenue of Bt100 million this year.

He says Smart ID must speed up its development of new service centres because all of its products have a lifetime guarantee - an important strategy to attract customers.

"We sell innovative products at cheap prices, and it's difficult to make people trust in their quality. Therefore, we offer them the guarantee and this pleases them."

"Although I am not an expert in doing business, I believe innovation will become more and more important in the future," Pitchyen says. "Any manufacturers who cannot create and differentiate their products will face a tough job to sustain their business growth."

When asked about his goals in the IT business, he responds: "I absolutely expect all my companies to grow aggressively - just like other businessmen do."

Moreover, he hopes he will succeed in creating or developing an IT innovation that becomes as famous as Microsoft or YouTube.

"People tell me I am crazy. They do not believe that Thai people can make it," he says. "But do you know what? With unfaltering determination, I believe that Thais do not lose out to anyone in the world."

Chalida  Ekvitthayavechnukul

The Nation