Khiri DMC

Willem Niemeijer and Frans Betgem are the founders of Khiri Travel. Both are still very much involved in growing the business. They ended up in Asia in the mid-80s. By that time, both were already working for years in the travel industry in their native Holland, and spend lots of time traveling the globe. The two met up by chance in Nong Khai , on the Thai-Lao border, in 1989, and friendship struck off immediately. The decision was made to catch a boat accross the Mekong and explore Laos. This was a formative experience for the start of a business relation. The early 1990's saw Indochina opening up. Cambodia held their first elections after the murderous Khmer Rouge regime and years of civil war, the US was about to lift its embargo on Vietnam and recluse Laos was slowly opening up for travelers. Frans and Willem decided it was time for a specialized travel company for the region, that had passion for travel as its foundation. Khiri Travel was born, in a modest hotel room in Bangkok. Our business has grown and it couldn't be done without the people that work so hard to create life-time experiences for our guests. Below, we are proud to introduce our office staff.

Willem Niemeijer - Managing Director

A consummate entrepreneur, Willem is often on the road promoting current businesses and exploring possibilities for new ventures. While not traveling, he lives in Nonthaburi with his wife Kritsana and their two lovely daughters, Marsha and Naomi.

Frans Betgem - Director, Research and Development

In charge of the product, Frans is often seen scouting new border crossings and pioneering new destinations and routes. When not on the road, he calls Chiang Mai his home, where he lives with his wife and a menagerie of animals.

Bangkok Head Office

Ashok Kapur - CEO

Ashok Kapur joined Khiri Travel in May 2008. He was born in India and has 16 years of hospitality industry experience behind him in various countries. As the CEO for Khiri DMC, Ashok is responsible for the inbound business development of its dedicated teams Naga, Lotus, Gold and Asia. Ashok has a Diploma in Hotel Management and an MBA. He started his career in 1993 with Taj Group of Hotels and had successful stints with Hyatt Hotels, Virgin Atlantic Airlines, American Express Bank of Canada and Radisson Hotels. Prior to joining the Khiri Travel Group, he was Group Director of Sales & Marketing at Compass Hospitality in Bangkok. Ashok is an avid cricketer and does not miss an opportunity to play the game whenever possible.

Chiang Mai Office

Supatsorn Chinsiriworawong - Reservation Officer

Let’s call her “Pat”. She’s a lovely girl and was born in Chiang Mai. She graduated with a Bachelor degree from Chiang Mai University (CMU). Pat has begun to work for Khiri Travel in May 2007 as operations officer.