During the Civil War in China, The family’s Chinese medicine business was deteriorated. Along with his brother, the grandfather migrated from Hainan to Kelantan and had worked as an accountant for his relatives’ Chinese pharmacy. Aside from being an accountant, with his knowledge in herbal and forest products, he had made and sold incense sticks for additional income. Then, he started trading herbs, frankincense, and forest products; which are the raw material for medicine and incense sticks.

His grandfather married his grandmother from Narathiwat, Thailand, and settled in To-Deng district. They had run the small shop selling herbs and incense sticks. During this time, his mother was born.

Since young, his mum had assisted the family’s business in To-Den. In her teen, she came to study tailoring at Veerai tailoring school in Bangkok and fell in love with his father; a Kelantan born who lived in Sungai Kolok. After getting married and settling down in Sungai Kolok, Narathiwat, they had three children, namely, Naphanan, Nawasan, and Natthorn Rakchana; the founder of Karmakamet.

In 1971, Natthorn was born in Su-ngai Kolok, Narathiwat. In his early ages, he had wandered around between his father’s family in To-Deng; which was a Chinese-Thai-Islamic community, and his mum’s family in Bang Sae, Kelantan; which was the traditional Thai community before England had governed it. He; therefore, gained a lot of cultural influences from both families; espeacially, the Malaya Chinese culture in the Southern Peninsula.

Su-ngai Kolok is a border town in Narathiwat province near the trading center called Rantau Panjang. During his youth, Natthorn and the elders often followed their parents to visit their mother’s relatives in Hat Yai, Songkhla. They often went to Padang Besar in Sadao district, the frontier town in Songkhla. His childhood memories has profoundly reflected in Karmakamet’s aroma collections such as Ripe Apple or Chinese Pear that are not the local fruits.

His mother’s admiration in beauty is the reason she sent all her three children to study in Bangkok. Away from home and lonely, Natthorn was used to hide in his world while he had earnestly learned pure art at the College of Fine Arts. Then, he studied interior design and tailoring. He believes that interior design is the combination of all branches of art, as reflecting in Karmakamet’s uniforms and products.

After graduation, Natthorn had worked as an interior designer. One day, he met his acquaintance, Max (Sommart Phithakkingthong), and had worked on the cinema costume for the Ongkuleeman movie together. In 2003, the film received the Best Costume Award, so they use the reward to fund the establishment of the first Karmakamet shop. Karmakamet started as a home decoration shop in Chatuchak Weekend Market. During the time, his grandfather’s incense making board that was left at home inspired him to revive the family business. He and Max; therefore, started to make some fragrance products to sell at the shop. Little by little, the old family products have become Karmakamet’s main business. Natthorn, then, designed Karmakamet’s trademark from the old signage of his family medicine shop and registered the trademark.

After restoring the family’s business, he resurrected the traditional incense making formula from the family’s original recipe with a variety of fragrances. This leads him to expand the new line of pure essential oil products. During that time, people didn’t know much about aromatherapy and the feedback was surprisingly better than expected. Karmakamet, therefore, extended to its production lines and start producing scented candles, perfume bag, and many more.

When his business was prospering like a dream, Natthorn had faced a big turnover that caused him to lose the first Karmakamet shop due to a lack of business and legal experience. As a result, his company was taken over by others. The only thing left with him is the Karmakamet trademark; Karmakamet Aromatic 1971, that was registered under his name.

2006 marks the arrival of the information age; the world was evolved by the influence of digital communication. After reopening the shop at Chatuchak Weekend Market, Natthorn began a new chapter in life by spreading new branches into the department store. The store at Central World Plaza was opened on the 2nd floor with a tea house inspired by a Chinese traditional tea house in Kelantan that is a part of his childhood memories.

And a new episode in life had arrived when Karmakamet Aromatic 1971 opened the first boutique hotel in Koh Samui with the guidance of Khun Jakarin and Khun Laksawan Aksarawadiwat. Karmakamet Hotel is designed under the concept of Khun Natthorn’s incense factory during his childhood consisting of 3 houses from 3 cultures, namely, Malayu, Chinese, and Thai follow the styles of housing in his childhood. This hotel changed its name to “The Scent Hotel” and is under the supervision of the new owner as Khun Natthorn wants to focus on the fragrance business.

For over six years, Natthorn was looking for a suitable location for Karmakamet in Chatuchak Weekend Market. In 2010, a new branch of Karmakamet was opened. It is a place where you can meet Khun Max; a co-founder of Kamamakamet, and consult him on product usages and aromatherapy knowledge.

His new beginning reminded Natthon to be more aware of the true meaning of life. Inspired by old photos of the family’s Chinese medicine factory in Hainan, China, he persuaded his best friend, Chef Som (Juthamat Thientae), who he has known from at the College of Fine Arts since he was 15 years old, to be his partner in the restaurant business – the Karmakamet Diner.

To give back to society, Karmakamet decided to open a new brand called “Everyday Karmakamet.” He; therefore, built a prototype shop under the “I Love My Life” concept to showcase Thai products from small designers and entrepreneurs. The ultimate goal of this brand is to become a cooperative for small Thai entrepreneurs in the future.

Opening of Everyday Siam Center

Relocation of Karmakamet Central World

Relocation of Karmakamet Central World

After the success of Karmakamet Diner, Natthorn and Chef Som were tired of the typical fine dining and want to present a new food format that crosses over the standard boundaries in the food business. Karmakamet Conveyance portrays the new forms of art and philosophy under the “Allow Things to Happen The Way They Are” concept.