Looking back at Thai history, women have played a role in the economy just in recent decades. Their presence in the country’s economic system started only after World War II ended. As the Thai government adopted the policy to transform battlefields into marketplaces, the demand for labor surged, positioning women as a crucial driving force in Thailand’s modern economy.
However, according to research by the World Bank, 24% of women worldwide decide to leave their jobs within the first year after giving birth to a child, with an additional 17% doing so within the following five years. This decision to forgo personal career aspirations to fully embrace motherhood has explained why the number of women in executive roles is far lower than men.
These findings underline a part of what is known as the “motherhood earnings penalty,” referring to the challenges women face after giving birth. These include workplace discrimination, barriers to employment, societal expectations surrounding motherhood, and the physical impacts of childbirth.
To celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March 2025 (#IWD2025), TrueBlog sat down with “Buranit Maranphal Moskwa”, the accomplished Head of Regional Management at True Corporation and a supermom, to listen to her journey. She admitted that at one point, she contemplated stepping away from her professional growth to become a full-time mother.
Women in Tech: Pioneer on Thai Startup Scene
Buranit, a tech talent, is truly a trailblazer. She navigated Thailand’s startup landscape since its infancy, playing a leading role in shaping major players in the industry. From Groupon, the once-dominant deal aggregator, to Grab during its initial phase of ride-hailing services, and Lazada, which revolutionized Thailand’s retail sector, her contributions are remarkable. In 2019, she transitioned into the telecommunications sector with dtac, leveraging her extensive experience in the tech-startup sphere to drive transformation. She helped the company lay down solid foundation for ‘online selling’ via her role as the Head of Sales Partner and Hybrid Channels, well before eCommerce boom.
Now in her sixth year on the telecom path, Buranit serves as True Corporation’s Head of Regional Management following its amalgamation with dtac. She therefore oversees sales operations in the country’s eastern zones – Samut Prakan, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat, Chachoengsao, Sa Kaeo, Prachin Buri and Nakhon Nayok provinces. Her scope of work extends beyond just ‘creation’ to ‘end-to-end care’ based on Lifetime Value concept.
“I believe that there are opportunities in every market, whether online or offline, and even in a saturated market like Thailand,” Buranit said about her current job responsibilities, “Thailand’s eastern zone, which is under my charge, still has huge potential thanks to the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). It’s just that we need to identify new customer segments like expats, hotel staff, tourists, retirees, etc.”
Confidence Empowers Women
Born in Bangkok, Buranit had lived in this city until she decided to pursue a master’s degree in Information Systems (IS) at the University of Texas at Dallas. Back then, her chosen study field did not receive much attention from others. However, with her out-of-the-box thinking, IS represented a new perspective of the academic world. By nature, IS is interdisciplinary and integrates multiple academic fields into one cohesive framework.
“Living alone in a foreign land, especially as a woman, would not have been an option in a traditional family. But my parents wanted their children to have the best educational opportunities. Most importantly, they had confidence in me, which empowered me to believe in myself and commit to earning my degree,” Buranit explained. She further reflected that, looking at herself today in her role of a mother, she isn’t entirely sure whether she could exhibit the same strength and confidence that her mother did back then. Her mother, she admitted, has become her role model for what it means to be a mother.
During her childhood, Buranit might have not yet had a clear vision or life goal…Yet, it was during the period that she had gradually developed the” confidence” that shaped her into who she is today. Her confidence was built through adapting to challenges, overcoming pressures, solving problems, and confronting difficulties—all of which played a pivotal role in unlocking her potential.
Through the lens of traditional Thai culture, confidence can sometimes be viewed in a negative light. For instance, voicing opinions in the workplace may be seen as challenging authority rather than contributing to a discussion. As a leader, Buranit thus actively encourages her team to believe in their ideas and express themselves with confidence.
It took Buranit just two years to complete her graduate studies. But because she received a job offer upon graduation, she ended up working overseas for 10 years. Over the decade, she had accumulated international work experience and familiarized herself with diversity at workplaces. Learning the art of professional discourse, she had expanded her horizons and developed an open mindset. She therefore always welcomes open dialogue and constructive debates.
Strategic Balancing: Accelerate and Decelerate Towards Goals
After giving birth to her daughter in the United States, Buranit decided to return to Thailand, choosing to “slow down” her career momentum to spend as much time with her baby as possible until she went to a kindergarten. However, during this transitional period, Buranit did not completely abandon her life goals. Instead, she took on part-time work while dedicating herself to nurturing her young child during these formative years.
Having a child is one of the most significant milestones in life, whether for a woman or a man. However, the natural responsibilities of motherhood, along with the deep bond of love and connection between mother and child, lead many women to make the difficult decision of “letting go” of career advancement and fully embracing the role of a mother. This thought, too, briefly crossed Buranit’s mind during her journey.
“Aside from feeling exhausted by childrearing, women often want to dedicate their time to the most important thing in their lives—their children. However, when that moment arrived, I was fortunate to have a strong support system, especially my husband. He helped ease the burden and reminded me that I wasn’t doing it alone. He stood by my side, sharing the responsibility of raising our child. Everyone in our family, including my parents, played a role in this support system. This is one of the great advantages of the extended family structure in Thai society.” Buranit shared.
As her child grew older, Buranit’s confidence also steadily strengthened. So, when she was presented with an “opportunity” to fully return to a career, she grabbed it, starting as Head of Human Resources at Groupon Thailand. Her career has since continued to flourish, eventually leading her to a senior executive role with a mission to develop a telco-tech company. Although her job now requires frequent travel to oversee operations in provincial areas, her husband is on hand to ‘tend to’ their daughter – willingly brushing aside other obligations when she is away.
Support System Fuels Motherhood
Support system for moms covers not just their “husbands” but also, especially on career path, “their children”
“Whenever I go on a work trip, I want my kid to be proud of what I am doing. So, in one way, my kid is my driving force. She is the strong support system, cheering me on during my pursuit of my goals. I want my kid to be proud of me. Likewise, when my kid needs moral support, I am always there. When she is in a sport competition, I am there at the stadium. My daughter definitely has me in her support system,” Buranit said.
Given the varying contexts and limitations of each family and society, the support system for mothers may look different—sometimes it’s close friends, siblings, or parents. However, Buranit firmly believes that every mother has her own form of support system. She also strongly advocates policies like the six-month maternity leave as well as paternity leave, which significantly reduce the burdens and exhaustion mothers face during postpartum period.
“Don’t struggle with challenges on your own. Don’t think turning to support system means you are weak,” Buranit emphasized.
In her opinion, while having a child may hold back one’s efforts to pursue one’s dream, it could also be a springboard for a mother when she sets her sight on making her kid proud. Kids, after all, are parents’ biggest source of moral support and inspiration. Apart from career advancement, women should also take good care of their physical and emotional wellbeing. Mothers must also learn not to revolve around their kids only, as they will have to grow up and have their own lives.
“For me, International Women’s Day isn’t just about women. It’s also the occasion for men to realize that they, as fathers, husbands, and brothers, can all contribute to strengthening the support system. Together, we can build strong family institutions that will help society progress. Happy International Women’s Day!” Buranit said.
