Thai La Ong: Pong Patanan Says Self-Belief Is Everything

Pong Patanan, the Director of the Thai La Ong restaurant group, takes a seat at the table today to share how a family-run Thai restaurant that opened in 1999 evolved into a growing restaurant group powered by adaptability, marketing, and mindset. From sleeping under the counter as a kid to walking away from a career in environmental consulting, Pong reveals how an MBA and two pivotal moments in class gave him the self-belief to go all in, back himself, and expand Thai La Ong beyond its original Newtown roots. This episode is a candid look at modern restaurant growth: funding a new venue against his own home, opening just before COVID hit, repurposing staff instead of making redundancies, and discovering that visibility plus compelling offers can transform revenue. It’s a story about calculated risk, resilience and embracing change in an industry that never stands still. You’ll also hear: Why Thai family meals are all about sharing The risky Parramatta expansion that paid off How opening just before COVID forced him to rethink everything What he learned working at Panda Express in New York Why combining ads and offers dramatically boosted sales See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.