Tham Yau Kong - Tourism Awards Winner

Tourism Awards Winner Malaysia
Tham Yau Kong

About Myself

Born in 1961 on the island of Labuan. Graduated with Diploma in Mechanical Engineering in 1982 and worked in the engineering firm for 8 years. Due to influential by friends, joined the Malaysian Tour Guide Course in 1989 organized by the Federal Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism. Passed the tour guiding course and registered as a Malaysian Licensed Tour Guide. My career was then changed from engineering to tourism. Started to work as a Tour Executive with Borneo Memories Travel Service Sdn Bhd 1990 and later with Borneo Endeavour Sdn Bhd in 1993 as Tour Manager.Finally, established TYK ADVENTURE TOURS SDN BHD in 1999.

I started adventure outdoor expeditions since 1984.i had climbed Mount Kinabalu more than 500 times which included 1 time Kotal route and few times Hugh Low's Kiau spur up to Panar Laban. I climbed Mount Trusmadi since 1990 for almost hundred times now. Climbed Mount Tambuyokon, Mount Murud, Mount Mulu, Mount Muruk Miau, Batu Lawi, Batu Punggul and Batu Tulug. I trekked to the remoteness of Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan boundaries i.e the Borneo Triangle (Long Pasia, Long Bawan and Long Semadoh), the Kelabit Highland Trek, the Crocker Range etc. I had seen perhaps the most of the species of the carnivorous plants - <Nepenthes of Sabah> in my expeditions.

Being in the tourism industry for more than ten years, I had achieved in winning three national awards in Malaysian Tourism Gold Award. i.e BEST TOUR PACKAGE in 1996/97; BEST TOUR GUIDE in 1998/99 and BEST TOUR PROGRAMME in 2001/02. I had achieved two national records in the MALAYSIA BOOK OF RECORDS. i.e Expedition Leader in THE LONGEST CULTURAL WALK IN MALAYSIA in 1998 and Expedition Leader in THE FIRST GROUP OF CYCLISTS TO CIRCUMVENT MOUNT KINABALU in 1999. I had also created the 24 Hours Non-Stop Mountain Biking Race in Sabah Tea Garden that was recorded in the Malaysia Book Of Record in 2004. I was being confered Sabah State Awards in 1998 and 2002.

Following is a CV of achievement :-

1993	:	One of the organizer to organize the "Men and Machines" breakthrough expedition to Long Pasia. This was a convoy of 4WD expedition for the first time to drive into Long Pasia, a remote village situated at the Sabah and Kalimantan bordary.
1994	:	Was invited by the Sarawak Tourism Board to the Sellection Trail of the adventure race RAID GAULOISES in Kuching. It was an eye opening for adventure sports tourism and after returning to Kota Kinabalu, created the mountain biking tourism called "Eco Tourism On Pedals".
1995	:	Recommending Long Pasia to the WWF Research Officers and guided them for their Research and Conservation Projects.
1996	:	Guided the Executive Producer of the CNN Traveller News Ms Sheila Hula to the Summit of Mount Kinabalu and the programme was featured in CNN Traveller News in April 1997.
1997	:	Guided the Tourism Malaysia Gold Award judges to the Summit of Mount Kinabalu and won the Best Tour Package Award for the year 1996/97.
1998	:	One of the Event Founder and the Race Director for the Mount Kinabalu International Mountain Biking Race at the foothill of Mount Kinabalu. Programme Planner and Expedition Leader for the "Walkers Of Borneo". The expedition was recorded in the Malaysia Book Of Record as the Longest Cultural Walk in Malaysia.
	:	Confered the Sabah State Award "ADK".
1999	:	Together with UK business partner MR. ROBERT JONES (borneo-travel.com) established TYK ADVENTURE TOURS SDN BHD. ( Posters : One • Two )
	:	Organizer and Expedition Leader for the first group of cyclists to circumvent Mount Kinabalu and was recorded in the Malaysia Book Of Record.
	:	Programme planner and local Chief Cordinator for the British SENSE Borneo Mountain Biking Challenge participated by 192 Briton.
	:	Guided the Tourism Malaysia Gold Award judges to Kudat, Kg Tinangol Rungus longhouse and Kota Belud tamu. Winning the award for the Best Tour Guide for the year 1998/99.
	:	Founder of Miki Jungle Survivor, an adventure jungle programme in Miki Survival Camp in Kg Kiau at the foothill of Mount Kinabalu.
2000	:	Programme Planner and local Chief Cordinator for the British SENSE Borneo Mountain Biking Challenge participated by 120 Briton.
	:	Planner and Chief Guiding the *Eco Challenge Adventure travel 2000*.
2001	:	Assisted Brendan Tours, USA to package Eco Challenge Adventure Travel 2001/02.
	:	Tourism Malaysia Merit Award for the Best Tour Programme 2000-Pulau Tiga Adventure 2 Days 1 Night[Picture]
2002	:	Guided the Tourism Malaysia Gold Award judges to the Summit Of Sabah World Heritage and winning the award for the Best Tour Programme 2001/02.[Picture]
	:	Confered Sabah State Award "ASDK".
	:	Assisted world adventure race pioneers Mr John Harword and Mr Ian Anderson in an arieal recce around Mount Kinabalu.
2003	:	Race Designer and Director for the Tabin Wildlife Conservation Conquest in Tabin, Lahad Datu.
	:	Created and Race Director for the Sabah Tea Adventure Race in Sabah Tea Garden, Ranau.
2004	:	Location Manager for the national TV3 event-Explorace. The event was held in Kota Kinabalu in February and in Sandakan in September.
	:	Created and Race Director for the 24 hours Non-Stop mountain biking race in Sabah Tea Garden in Ranau.
	:	Appointed by Sabah Society to recce and trace the SANDAKAN to RANAU DEATH MARCH. More info here : Picture 1 • Picture 2 • Route
2005	:	Appointed by Sabah Society to coordinate and operate the commemorative *Sandakan-Ranau Death March* from 16th to 25th August 2005. On the newspaper : One • Two • Photos
	:	Established mountain biking routes in Kudat Peninsula.
	:	Winning two *Tourism Malaysia Awards 2004* for the following:- a) Best Tour Package - Educational Tourism 2004 b) Best Tour Operator - Innovative 2004 c) Merit Award - Best Inbound Tour Operator 2004 [More photos available here] Awards : One • Two • Three
	:	Established www.sandakan-deathmarch.com Press Release : One • Two
2006	:	Officially opened Sandakan Death March Track 15-20 March 2006 by Lynette Silver based on full information from "Sandakan A Conspiracy of Silence".
	:	Tracing Exclusive WW2 Relics Photo Gallery : One • Two • Three • Four
	:	Promote ROCK CLIMBING IN SABAH Photo Gallery : One • Two
	:	Joint Venture MESCOT promoting Batu Putih eco tourism - www.misowalaihomestay.com Photo Gallery : One
2007	:	19th Feb 2007 - Revisited The Coleman Estate Home, Pitas, British North Borneo Base HQ of Operation 'Agas' 1945/ Photo Gallery : One • Two
	:	1st March. Exploring Beluran tourism potentials. Photo Gallery
	:	6th March 2007 - Majer Gort Chester grave inspection with Tan Sri Datuk Chong Kah Kiat, Former Minister of Tourism, Environment and Development. Photo Gallery
	:	11th Jun 2007, breakthrough trekking CROCKER RANGE SALT ROUTE in 17 hours. Please visit SALT TRACK
	:	Guided South Australia Senator Anne McEwen and her friends walked through Sandakan Ranau Death March Route from 8 to 20 July 2007. More : Photo • Card Press Release : One • Two • Three • Four • Five • Six * Speech (in Australian Parliment) *
	:	Winning Tourism Malaysia Award 2005/6 on 22 July 2007 for the following:- BEST INNOVATIVE TOUR OPERATOR - Death March Tour Innovation Merit award for MIKI JUNGLE SURVIVAL - 2 days 1 night Merit award for SANDAKAN DEATH MARCH - 3 days 2 night Press Release : One • Two • Three Certificates : One • Two • Three
	:	30th Aug 2007 Lynette Silver's book "Sandakan. A Conspiracy of Silence" Sabah edition launched. Photo Gallery • Press Release
	:	September - Established "BATU PUTIH ADVENTURE 3 DAYS 2 NIGHT"
2008	:	9th-10th Jan: Mountain biking through Sandakan Death March track from Ulu Dusun to Bauto created SANDAKAN DEATH MARCH TRACK CYCLING ADVENTURE. Details
	:	19th Jan 2008 visited Tenom Fatt Choi Coffee Cabin and Coffee Factory. Then established TENOM COFFEE ADVENTURE - 2 days 1 night tour package.
	:	18th Feb 2008, TYK Adventure expedition team whitewater rafting from Kenipir to Matupang created SANDAKAN DEATH MARCH RAFTING ADVENTURE.
	:	7th March 2008 - Raft to Rugading and visited a hotspring and Layung camping site. Then created a 2 days 1 night adventure tour package called KULANGAS HOTSPRING ADVENTURE & SURVIVAL (KHAS).
	:	18th MArch 2008. Created RUGADING ADVENTURE TOUR.

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