The Honourable M.L. Laksasubha Kridakon (Khun Lak) is a stalwart in the Australian business community in Thailand and remains committed to fostering and promoting Thai-Australian ties through the alumni and is a firm believer in the Australian education system.
The daughter of a career diplomat, Khun Lak lived and studied in Paris, Buenos Aires, Canberra, and Budapest. Returning to Thailand in 1980, she spent seven years at the UN’s ESCAP Division for Women and Youth, later accompanying her husband to Prague as the first Thai ambassador’s wife before resettling in Thailand in 1993.Khun Lak believes growing up overseas shaped her approach to business, making her an entrepreneur with a penchant for detail that focuses on niche markets catering to a Thai and expatriate clientele.
A serial entrepreneur, she began in the design, manufacture, and retail of Czech crystal under the brand Krystalina. Her passion for education soon inspired First Steps International Preschool – Thailand’s first British-curriculum preschool (ages 2–5) to introduce French and German as part of a trilingual program promoting multicultural learning.
She later founded Laksasubha Hua Hin Resort, a 65-room beachfront boutique property she owned and managed for 17 years. The century-old family estate, once owned by her great-grandfather Prince Nares Kridakon, son of King Rama IV, is now being transformed through joint ventures into a premium residential condominium project.Continuing her commitment to human capital development, she established Laksasubha Consultancy, a company focused on upskilling unskilled workers in aged care and hospitality to prepare them for meaningful employment both locally and abroad.
In continuation of her noble pursuits, she plans to relaunch another international preschool next year, again based on a British curriculum – this time with a focus on sustainability, environmental awareness, and community engagement to nurture globally responsible young minds.
Among her many leadership roles, Khun Lak served as President of the Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce (AustCham) from 2022 to 2023 – the first Thai woman to hold the position since its founding in 1977 – and as President of the Australian Alumni Association Thailand in 2021–2022 and again from 2023.
She played a pivotal role in merging the Thai-Australian Association with AustCham, strengthening alumni and business ties through events, mentoring, and collaboration with Austrade and the Australian Embassy. The main objective of all her endeavours is to enhance and foster Thai–Australian relationships through shared educational experiences, paving the way for greater business collaboration and cultural exchange.
M.L. Khun Lak obtained a BA. Social Science (Politics} from the University of Canberra, A.C.T. in Australia.
The Institute of Certified Management Accountants is honoured to induct The Honourable M.L. Laksasubha Kridakon (Khun Lak) to its Social Purpose Innovator Hall of Fame for her impact on social entrepreneurship and multiculturalism in Thailand.