A Mother’s Strength Is Never Written in Reports But It Lives Between Every Line

The Story of Wilailak Fungthanakun – Company Secretary, Delta Thailand

"There are days when I feel like I can’t go on. But if I look deep within my heart, I always find the answer. For me, that answer is... my children and my company."

Every organization has those quiet heroes, individuals who work tirelessly behind the scenes without seeking recognition, applause, or the spotlight. At Delta Thailand, one of those steady forces is Wilailak Fungthanakun, known affectionately by her colleagues as “P’Fung.”

In her role as Company Secretary, Wilailak is a professional communicator and a key coordinator across the organization. She plays a crucial part in bridging the board, executive leadership, and stakeholders with precision and grace. But beyond her professional identity, she’s also a devoted mother of three, raising her children with wholehearted dedication.

These two demanding roles have always moved forward in parallel in her life. At times, one may take center stage, but both are integral to who she is. She is a mother, a leader, a pillar of strength, and a dependable presence both at home and at work.

And through it all, she has led with just one thing: her heart.

An Unexpected Beginning
Wilailak joined Delta on July 1, 1997, stepping into the company as a personal assistant to an executive. For nearly 15 years, she poured her heart into the role and never imagined doing anything else. "At the time, I really loved my job. I had no intention of changing paths. Supporting the executive, making sure things ran smoothly that was something I knew I was good at. It gave me a real sense of purpose."

However, life has a way of presenting unexpected turns. As the company continued to grow, so did the demands of leadership. Mr. James Ng, whom she once supported and who now serves as Chairman of Delta Electronics (Thailand), saw something more in her, a potential ready to take on a bigger challenge. He encouraged her to take the next step forward into the role of Company Secretary, a position that would require her to work closely with the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). She would be responsible for coordinating quarterly and annual board meetings, handling complex corporate governance matters, and overseeing high-level compliance reporting. "At first, I hesitated. I had never pictured myself in a role like that. Although when he said he saw potential in me, it made me reflect on what I was truly capable of. So finally, I decided to give it a try."

That leap of faith marked the beginning of a new chapter one that would define her professional legacy at Delta.

When Change Feels Like Starting Over

Stepping into the role of Company Secretary was, for Wilailak, as such changing careers entirely. Though she held a degree in English, crafting formal board-level minutes and corporate reports was a brand-new skill set one she had to build from the ground up.

"Everything had to be incredibly precise from word choice and language tone to technical content involving finance or legal matters. Each board meeting would last for hours, sometimes half a day, but I had to summarize everything clearly, accurately, and in a format appropriate for official corporate documentation."

It was a demanding shift, and she had to navigate this steep learning curve while simultaneously fulfilling her role as a mother of three a responsibility that, of course, comes with no pause button.

When Exhaustion Reaches Its Peak

“There was a period when I looked at myself in the mirror every morning and said, ‘I want to quit.’ I was completely drained. I truly felt like I had nothing left,” Wilailak recalls. “But I knew I couldn’t walk away because I had a family to take care of.”

She describes that time as the darkest chapter in her professional life. The relentless pressure from back-to-back meetings, the urgency of producing detailed reports in tight timeframes, and the never-ending responsibilities of motherhood led her straight into a clear case of burnout.

Fortunately, her then-supervisor, the CFO at the time recognized the toll it was taking on her and offered her a lifeline: a one-month unpaid leave of absence to focus on healing, both physically and emotionally.

"That break meant everything to me. I got to take my kids to school, pick them up, and truly be present as a mother something I had rarely experienced because my job never waited."

When she returned to work, she brought back a renewed spirit and a different perspective, one deeply influenced by the teachings of Thai Buddhist monk Luang Por Pramote. His words “Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta” (Impermanence, Suffering, Non-Self) helped her internalize the truth that happiness and suffering are both fleeting.

How Motherhood Reshaped Her Leadership Approach
“Everyone carries some kind of burden in life. We often don’t know what others are going through. That’s why I’ve chosen to start with myself to lead with empathy and to do my best in every role I hold, whether as a colleague or as a mother.”
Motherhood taught her to listen more, speak less, and meet people where they are, rather than rushing to judge.

A Day She Will Never Forget
It was the morning of Delta’s Annual General Shareholders’ Meeting, one of the most important events on her professional calendar. But it also happened to be the day her daughter was due to start first grade. "That morning, my husband called and told me I had forgotten to print our daughter's enrollment form. He said, ‘You’re always thinking only about work.’ I broke down in tears. I felt so guilty." Despite the emotional weight, she gathered herself, focused on the critical meeting ahead, and made sure everything went smoothly. Then she made herself a quiet promise: when it comes to her children, she would never again let herself be caught unprepared.
What helped her through that day, she says, wasn’t just personal resilience, it was the support of her husband, who stepped in when she needed him most, and the kindness of her colleagues, who extended their hands just when she was about to fall.

Lessons Passed Down: What She Teaches Her Children
Wilailak has carried one core message into her parenting "If you feel like you can’t do something, don’t give up too quickly. Every problem has a solution you just have to keep looking for it." She constantly encourages her children to think beyond what’s in front of them and not to stop at early signs of success. This mindset echoes her own journey, especially when she stepped into the highly demanding role of Company Secretary. She chose not to give up and embraced the opportunity for growth. It’s a life lesson she now passes on.

“My daughter passed the entrance exam for the international engineering program at Thammasat University while she was still only in Grade 11. For many families, that would have been more than enough to celebrate. However, I was inspired to spark her curiosity further drawing from my own work experience and exposure to the engineering field. I began to see that today’s engineers need a third language, such as Chinese. So, I encouraged her to explore international universities, for example those in Taiwan. But she took it a step further doing her own research and discovering that China is a global leader in engineering and technology. In the end, she was accepted into one of China’s top engineering universities, and she’ll be starting her studies there this September.”

Her Children Understand the Work She Does
“My kids have seen it all, late nights, exhaustion, moments of discouragement, and the times I’ve had to pick myself back up,” Wilailak shares. “They may not always say much, but I can see it in their eyes that they understand, and that they’re proud.” While they sometimes grumble in the way kids do wishing their mom could rest more, she knows those comments come from a place of deep care and love.
With a soft, gentle smile, she adds one more tradition that keeps her grounded:
"Every year, without fail, I travel back to Chiang Mai to see my mother. No matter how busy work gets, Mother’s Day is the one time I pause everything, just to go home and hug my mom."

A Message from the Heart to All Mothers at Delta
"To all the mothers at Delta, you are truly incredible. So incredible, in fact, that sometimes you may not even realize it yourself. Balancing a full-time job whether in the office or on the production line while also carrying the responsibilities of motherhood is no small feat. For the mothers working on the manufacturing floor especially, I see the value in every sacrifice you make. Every extra hour of overtime you choose to work just to make life a little more comfortable for your family that means something. Even on days when you’re exhausted, when there’s barely time to rest, you still stand strong in your role as a mother, giving it everything you’ve got.This Mother’s Day, I hope each and every one of you takes a moment to look at yourself with pride. And please remember this… You are amazing."

A Mother’s Message to Her Beloved Children
“To my dear children, I want you to always be patient, diligent, determined, and keep seeking knowledge for your life, not merely for your careers. I hope to see you grow into individuals who are skilled both professionally and personally. I wish for you to be thoughtful, kind, and emotionally wise and someone who understands others and works well with them. I truly believe you will lead a life of meaning and value and continue to inspire those around you just as you always have with me.”

Happy Mother’s Day to All the Amazing Mothers at Delta
From the heart of one mother, still standing strong beside this organization with love and unwavering faith.

About the Author (Editorial Team)

DET Corp Comms

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