Phuketindex.com Magazine Vol.36

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Phuket

index.com

TM

Phuket

City of Gastronomy Page 16

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People Focus

P.16

City Focus

P.44

Chef Talk

P.56

GM Talk

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EDITOR’S NOTE Phuket

Dear readers,

index.com

TM

Phuket

City of Gastronomy Page 16

P.12

People Focus

P.16

City Focus

P.44

Chef Talk

P.56

GM Talk

This time of year in Phuket is called the Green Season; it’s raining yet we have sun almost every day – the best of both worlds! On rainy days the best thing to do is to check out local dishes in Phuket Town and when it’s sunny why not chill out with a seafood bask at XANA Beach Club at Angsana Laguna Phuket? (front cover).

In this issue we focus on food as Phuket has been named as a City of Gastronomy

by UNESCO (P.16-22)... Check out our People Focus - one of Phuket’s most famous chefs is Alessandro Frau (P.12-14)... Learn about Laguna’s CSR ‘CSR is our corporate DNA’ (P.36-38)... A ‘new generation’ business lady, Jenny - catch her lifestyle and ideas (P.40-43)... Visit Renaissance Phuket & Spa and chat with the chef who puts his heart into his sweet delights (P.44-46)... Discover an executive person who has overall responsibility of Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach (P.56-58)... And don’t forget to check what’s happening in Phuket in our Events Photo Albums (P.24-35)...

See you next time!!!

Phuketindex.com’s Team

Publisher Guide Vision Limited Editor in Chief Jormnapa Utuchkul Phuketindex.com Team Arnat Utuchkul, Nunghatai Cholchawalit, Sirisawan Hemtanon, Paradorn Promkird Advertising Enquiries dos@guidevision.com Subscription Enquiries subscription@guidevision.com Tel. +66 (0) 99 391 4056, +66 (0) 61 749 9392 Fax. +66 (0) 76 240 750

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CONTENTS MAY 2017 - JULY 2017

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Interview 40 - Nantaporn Amornpyroj (Jenny) Assistant General Manager of the Royal Paradise Hotel & Spa

Chef Talk 44 - Chef Rungsimet Para, Pastry Chef at Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa

GM Talk 56 - Trevor May: General Manager Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach

People People Focus

40

12 - Alessandro Frau, Executive Chef & Owner Acqua Restaurant Phuket

City Focus 16 - Phuket: City of Gastronomy

16

12 10

www.phuketindex.com

56

44

Lifestyle & Travel

Social

Charity

24 - Event Photo Albums

36 - Laguna Phuket, Community Relations & Corporate Social Responsibility ‘Developing Sustainable Communities’

25

28

Restaurant Guide 48 - Acqua Restaurant 50 - Savoey Seafood

Signature Dish

31

52 - Raw beetroot, carrot and brocolli and hummus wraps

Spa 54 - Quan Spa at Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach

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36 54

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Lifestyle - People Focus

dro

Alessan

Frau

Chef Executive & Owner rant u a t s e R a u Acq Phuket

A

s Phuket has been chosen to be a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a ‘City of Gastronomy’ in this issue of Phuketindex.com magazine we focus on food. One of Phuket’s most famous chefs is Alessandro Frau; executive chef, owner and the man behind the tremendous successful of Acqua Restaurant in Kalim. Let’s get to know him...

Can you tell us a bit about where you’re from and how you started as a chef?

I come from Italy. Sardinia exactly, an island in the Mediterranean Sea, an island full of colours: from the blue and emerald-green of the sea to the green of the countryside, through to the colours of the food, culture, and traditions.

Sardinia is very famous for its beautiful beaches and amazing sea, an island where the food culture it is very strong, taken very seriously and with passion by almost all Sardinians. Food is also a big part of our culture and Sardinia offers us a wide range of natural ingredients from seafood to the agropastoral products of the countryside.

I Italians, think we, have

cuisine in the

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blood

ACQUA When I was living in Sardinia I had a very close relationship with the sea: ranging from surfing in the winter to relaxing on a beautiful beach in the summer, to fishing all year around, so I really had a life built around the sea but I didn’t forget the countryside. During the winter I spent a lot of time immersed in the green, foraging for things like wild mushrooms, wild asparagus and other natural products and herbs of the countryside. This was a very touching experience in my childhood and I will keep these memories all my life.

When I finished my studies in Sardinia I moved to London to study English and, to pay for my studies, I had to work. The first job I got was in a restaurant and I was lucky as it was the beginning of the enlightenment in my heart and my passion for cooking and the restaurant environment…

Then I started to work at the famous Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane, London. I believe that this was the school where I learned all the important aspects of this job: from the basics to the fine-dining cuisine…

This passion led me to a never-ending study of food, ingredients, cooking techniques and restaurant environment.

This was not just a job for me, whenever I had free time I liked to go in bookstores to find the ultimate chefs’ books, magazines or to follow the blogs or chefs’ websites on the internet or go dining in all best restaurants, absorbing knowledge and experience that today are part of my knowledge and philosophy in my cooking style. This never ends and throughout my career I keep following the evolution of dining to adapt myself to the latest trends and food experiences.

What led you to become a chef?

I think we Italians have cuisine in the blood and enjoy a special approach to food. Even if someone is not a chef, normally he/she is still a pretty good cook, the reason may be because we spend one third of our time at home, cooking with family and friends and enjoying life around food. Having already this as a start and arriving in an international city like London which was full of top restaurants, top chefs and top food, there was a marriage of my blood and all this and this connection exploded into a passion that is still very much alive in me today and in my life’s vision.

Image Copyright Acqua Restaurant

Lifestyle - People Focus

To be a chef sometimes is not as easy they say but if your energy is always lit up with passion, you will not feel the pressure, the long hours in the kitchen, and the confrontation with thousands and thousands of customers every year, so I think passion is the main ingredient in my life that made me become a chef.

How would you describe your personal cooking style now?

My personal cooking style is first influenced by the ingredients. After a long search for ingredients I select the perfect ones, then I have to find the inspiration, the story behind that and I have to elaborate a cooking technique, choose colours, the presentation and, most important, the balance of tastes.

Another important aspect of my cooking style is the experiences of my childhood up until today, from my life in Sardinia and the memories that stretch until nowadays with all the new trends and cooking techniques and ingredients.

Besides all this, I would describe my cooking style as evolutionary… in continual evolution, changing year by year.

What is your favourite cooking station in the kitchen?

I don’t have a favourite cooking station.

I like to cook at all the stations, but I have to say that the most difficult is the pastry station, as with pastry you have to cook by the book, it’s not like the others stations that are more natural and based on skills, sensations, and emotions.

To be a complete chef you have to be experienced in all the stations and love them all. You have to build your career on a complete program where you can experience all stations in the kitchen and love them all in the same way.

Wood fired roasted suckling pig with saffron and violette mush potato and broad beans

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Lifestyle - People Focus Tell us about the concept for the Acqua Restaurant

selected from Italy and from all over the world. We keep our Italian philosophy and culture, transfer it to modern cooking techniques, evolution of ingredients and trends, but I always keep a close link with our Italian roots.

Acqua is my own restaurant concept, coming from all my work experience around the world, from London to Mexico, from Paris to Sweden, to of course Italy and in particularly Sardinia.

Why did you choose Phuket for your project?

All my experiences, my memories, my best moments were assembled all together in the conceptual idea called Acqua!

I was the Executive Chef at The Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket for four years. I was running all kitchen operations for all its 12 outlets,

Poached Maine lobster sardinia style,

marinated in fine extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, tomatoes, onions, celery and potatoes

within the company or stay in Phuket and open my own restaurant, so here I am, Acqua Restaurant, Phuket.

What are the restaurant’s most popular dishes?

We have many popular and signature dishes that have been created during these last eight years. We also have iconic dishes that have been on the menu since we opened and of course we cannot remove them as they are our customers’ favourites like pan-fried US scallops with rougie foie gras, peperoncino jam and truffle pumpkin sauce. A new entry is sous-vide cooked octopus salad, with taggiasche olives and micro herbs and one of the latest and maybe the most popular is the 45-minute slow cooked eggs on a Parmigiano Reggiano fondue, crispy pancetta powder and Italian fresh black truffle.

I cannot forget to mention our wood-fired suckling pig, served with violet and saffron mashed potatoes, broad beans and a suckling pig sauce. I must stop here as the list could go on and on, you’d better come and try and see…

Any last words?

Image Copyright Acqua Restaurant

My

cooking style

is

evolutionary…in continual evolution.

As to my cooking philosophy, Acqua started in 2009 and year by year we have adapted ourselves to the continue evolution of life, ingredients, cooking techniques and trends. There have been various structural changes in the building and design in the restaurant because I believe it’s crucial to always be different and adapt ourselves to the particular ‘era’. Now it’s 2017 and it would be wrong if we stayed the same as in 2009. This is the mistake that many restaurants make, and part of the reason behind this is that there’s no passion or they may not come from a professional restaurant business background and some even improvise in this business and they don’t have the experience…

Our concept is 100% authentic Italian food, focused on the best ingredients

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with 130 chefs. It was a different time than now and the Sheraton was one of the most iconic hotels in Phuket. We had as guests several Presidents and the level was very high at that time.

When I started I was 27 years old and to be in charge of a big operation was a big satisfaction for me. The passion was always there and day after day I was learning something new; I became what I always had dreamed to be, an Executive Chef for a very important hotel company. I was living my dream and Phuket was just the perfect place to live it!

After four years at the hotel I felt it was time for a change; I knew Phuket enough and Phuket knew me so I had the choice to move to some hotel

As we say in Italy “Non e’ tutto rose e fiori” (“It’s not all roses and flowers”) which means that I have to say that to open a restaurant here in Phuket wasn’t that easy. First of all we were a destination restaurant in the middle of nowhere on the coast of Phuket, so we were not in a city centre where people can see you. Before people knew about us it took over two years of difficult times, also dealing with Phuket’s seasons. It wasn’t easy at all but we believed in our concept and ideas and we kept going strong finding ways to let people know that we were there, working on giving our customers memorable experiences and appreciating the customers as the best ambassadors to promote our restaurant.

Our determination has been always focused on our philosophy of the restaurant’s concept and to create unique experiences for our customers. Today Acqua Restaurant is the most awarded restaurant in Phuket, and the most awarded Italian in Thailand. We are mentioned in all the best restaurant guides in Asia and not only that; we got one of the best awards as one of the best wine lists in the world from Wine Spectator and we just got named few weeks ago, as ‘Best Restaurant in Thailand outside Bangkok’ from Thailand Tatler 2017. We are defi nitely very happy and proud.

Lifestyle

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Lifestyle - City Focus Phuket : City of Gastronomy

Phuket

City of Gastronomy

I

n 2015 UNESCO declared Phuket a Creative City of Gastronomy. This good news was like a New Year’s gift for locals.

There are only 18 cities worldwide which have been given this status and Phuket is also the first city in Thailand and indeed ASEAN to win this award. Behind this success is Dr. Kosol Taeng-utai, one of the research team that provides academic information to UNESCO.

Tell us about yourself Dr. Kosol Taeng-utai

I am an obstetrician and currently the president of the Peranakan Association. I also am a coordinator for UNESCO in the City of Gastronomy network.

How did you come to work on Phuket culture and what do you do?

I’ve been a consultant to President of Phuket Provincial Administration since 2004, the time of Khun Anchalee Vanit Theppabut. And I’ve worked with Khun Pranee Sakulpipat in promoting the Peranakan culture until now. Back then, I was a representative of the Peranakan Association in Malacca and coordinated meetings. The Peranakan Association exists worldwide and Phuket is one of the top 15 major associations since its inception in 2006. The most important role is to work with the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture (STA), under the Ministry of Culture to promote Phuket as a City of Gastronomy since 2002.

What is a City of Gastronomy?

Dr. Kosol Taeng-utai The President of Peranakan Association 16

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UNESCO is an organization that promotes world culture and is also involved in education and science. The main project is to elevate a city as being on the World Heritage List, which is a tangible group of buildings, landscapes, and important archaeological sites. At the same time, there is an Intangible culture project called the ‘Creative City’, which started in 2004. There are seven types of Creative Cities and these are; a City of Film, a City of Music, City of Literature, City of Design, City of Crafts and Folk Arts, City of Media Art and a City of Gastronomy. Actually, there is no clear definition of the word ‘gastronomy’ in Thai, but we interpret it as generally pertaining to food.

Lifestyle - City Focus Phuket : City of Gastronomy UNESCO will focus on both the original (authentic) culture and new things that have developed from the original (creative), and the main part is conservation but nowadays, it also pays more attention to innovation, so to manage this creative city project is quite difficult because when we talk about food, we must encompass traditional and new creative food starting from raw materials from nature, processed ingredients, the food industry, cooked food, food export and catering.

How did you present Phuket as a Creative City of Gastronomy?

We did not understand how to present Phuket to UNESCO at the beginning and didn’t fully understand the application process on the website.

Each question had a limited number of characters, while we had a huge amount of information so we needed to compress it and select the main subjects only. We were assisted by Khun Savitri Suwansatit and Khun

We sent three pictures to describe Phuket,

not just

food.

Pornthip Kanchananiyot from the Ministry of Education, who helped screen applications and coordinate with UNESCO. Moreover, we also had help from the Phuket Rajabhat University to translate the contents.

After that, we had to select three pictures to represent Phuket and not just food photos.

So we decided to send a scenic view of Phuket and one of a local dish while the last one was a picture of a grandmother teaching her nephew

to cook, showing the warmth of the family. This was the winner of the photo contest organized by the Peranakan Association. All are within Phuket’s Gastronomy concept, Good Food, Good Health and Good ‘Spirit’. The word spirit means the beliefs or values that come from families and communities that can be forwarded to future generations.

Because Phuket people consider eating to be a way of life, so Phuket’s gastronomy does not just have a list of dishes or ingredients, but also family backgrounds and details of chefs.

pushing for a city development strategy to support the City of Gastronomy but we have to plan ahead and analyze thoroughly because this is not just a public relations stunt. What benefits can we reap from this? This certification will affect all restaurant operators, whether they are street vendors, restaurants and even catering services, and they will have to figure out what to do to be able to bring provincial development about.

This complicated application form meant that many cities could not pass the test. But some cities that didn’t pass nevertheless came to see us but we did not even know that they were representatives of UNESCO to explore the city. In 2015 there were over 10 applicants, but only five could get the certificate.

Phuket was one along with Parma from Italy, the world’s leading city in the ham and cheese industry.

Food Safety This is considered

What are Phuket’s advantages in being a City of Gastronomy?

The first big advantage is that people around the world get to know Phuket in another perspective in addition to being a beautiful island and a tourism destination. Secondly this award means another perspective and one we can teach our children, meaning the food industry. Being declared a City of Gastronomy is not a permanent status. It must be assessed every four years, by estimating how much we are supporting the urbanization of Gastronomy. We have to develop and support the movement for example by recently organizing the Phuket Gastronomy Symposium at the Marriott Merlin Beach.

Where does Phuket go from here?

The direction of our development does not depend on me alone.

It depends on Phuket people, Phuket’s leaders as well as government and private sector altogether. Now, the province is

To attain the goal, there are 4 major issues we call the 4 ‘S’:

the weakest issue as because of the hot and humid weather, food can spoil easily. This is a special concern and is currently being certified internationally but there are also many non-certified restaurants in Thailand.

Food Satisfaction This can

be divided into traditional flavours and fusion dishes. Many recipes that take a long time to prepare are distracted from the original taste.

We have to find the identity of the original taste then maintain it.

Service

Good service requires dedicated staff members. But good service does not come from service personnel only; it also comes from the management who must be an excellent role model. If the organization selects people who have ‘service minds’ there will be no problem. Moreover, other details must meet the standards, such as a plates, cooking utensils, dishwashers, etc.

Sustainability

This is expected

by UNESCO. It’s not just concerned about people but nature and the environment must be involved, too. Avoiding leftovers, not wasting supplies, not pouring used fat down the drain and trying to use reusable products. This last ‘S’ is everyone’s responsibility. If we attain and maintain these 4 ‘S’ Phuket can continue to be a world-standard City of Gastronomy and a good example for other cities.

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Lifestyle - City Focus Phuket : City of Gastronomy

Phuket’s local dishes are a combination of many cultural influences which include Chinese, Malaysian and Thai nuances. Some have the familiar tastes of Peranakan food from Penang, Malaysia and Singapore but some are different. We ask the key players of Phuket’s high-end five-star hotel restaurants what they think...

Suthikiat Khongkhatitham Culinary Executive Sri panwa Phuket

What’s your favourite Peranakan/Phuket dish?

I’ve been living here for over a year now and my favorite Peranakan/Phuket local food is o-tao.

Why?

I like this dish because I personally love taro and oysters and both are in the dish and also the spicy sauce is great and the tang of the charcoal. I recommend this to all of you whenever come to Phuket.

Why should people try Peranakan/Phuket local food?

I’ve tried a lot of food in Thailand but nothing quite like Peranakan/Phuket local food. The spices and the southern taste combine to make a unique flavour. So I’d like to invite all of you, both Thai and foreigners to come to Phuket to enjoy the beaches and the local food. You’ll fall in love with this amazing cuisine here.

O-Tao

the dish looks like an oyster omelette – a mix of flour, taro, small oysters, pork crackling, spring onions and spicy sauce. Serve while it’s hot and eat with bean sprouts.

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Lifestyle - City Focus Phuket : City of Gastronomy

Warodom Kanmaen

Director of Food & Beverage The Naka Phuket What’s your favourite Peranakan/Phuket dish?

My favorite Phuket dish is moo hong or stewed pork belly Phuket-style.

Why?

I like moo hong very much as it’s a special dish. When you eat it with tom som (Phuket sour and spicy soup) and nam prik it’s an amazing experience; salty and sweet moo hong, sour tom som, and spicy and sour nam prik.

Why should people try Peranakan/ Phuket local food?

For those who have never been to Phuket I really want to tell you that you have to try the local food, because the taste is unique. Especially moo hong, made with pork belly stewed in water with soy sauce and sugar, its taste is sweet and salty. The tender pork really melts in your mouth. And now you can buy it packaged and take it home.

Moo Hong pork belly stewed with black pepper, garlic, coriander roots, five-spice powder, anise, cinnamon, red soy sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce and cane sugar. Best to eat when still hot and served with rice.

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Lifestyle - City Focus Phuket : City of Gastronomy

Wannah Nontamit Food & Beverage Manager The Royal Paradise Hotel & Spa

What’s your favourite Peranakan/Phuket dish?

Naam prik goong siap

Why?

Its taste is unique; sweet and sour, perfectly combined with the salinity of Phuket shrimp paste. And it has unique of smell of grilled smoked shrimp (goong siab). Using high-quality grilled smoked shrimp is an important part of this dish. The shrimps should be grilled as in the original method of Phuket’s Sea Gypsies and should be as fresh as can be. One more important ingredient is shrimp paste and this should be high quality too, as it adds a smooth fragrance. The dish should be served with soft-boiled vegetables, and you can add lime juice according to your taste. For me it matches djenkol bean fruit (look nieng) and bitter beans (sa tor).

Why should people try Peranakan/Phuket local food?

If you have a chance to visit Phuket and want to try a real local experience you have to try Phuket local food. There’s so much to choose from; savory food, sweet food and unique fruits like pineapples.

Naam prik goong siap a dipping hot and spicy paste made with green Thai chili peppers, garlic, shrimp paste, fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar and dried shrimps or prawns.

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Lifestyle - City Focus Phuket : City of Gastronomy

Mr. Roberto Conrad

Executive Chef Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort What’s your favourite Peranakan/Phuket dish?

Definitely crab meat curry with rice noodles, geng nuea poo bai cha-plu or mee hoon - geng poo.

Why?

What a great dish – I particularly like the solid chunks of succulent crab meat in a spicy broth that is balanced to enhance the delicately sweet flavour of the crab meat without masking it.

Why should people try Peranakan/ Phuket local food?

As a port town, Phuket is a surprising melting pot of cultures, if you’re new to Peranakarn cuisine Phuket is a great start to this culinary adventure.

Mee hoon geng poo

Geng poo is Phuket-style yellow curry with crab meat usually served with rice noodles (mee hoon) and fresh vegetables

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Lifestyle - City Focus Phuket : City of Gastronomy

Martin Schaumburg

Director Food & Beverage Angsana Laguna Phuket What’s your favourite Peranakan/Phuket dish?

So far, I haven’t had much opportunity to taste Peranakan cuisine, but I tried, bak chang which is glutinous rice parcels, filled with pork, winter melon and peanuts. It’s a great light meal or snack.

Why?

I like bak chang, firstly for its taste and consistency with a good balance of spice and richness from the glutinous rice and secondly because it reminds me of the time I lived in South China where you can find zongzi dumplings with a large variety of fillings, typically around this time of the year during the Tuen Ng - Dragon Boat Festival.

Why should people try Peranakan/Phuket local food?

Peranakan cuisine is a great part of Phuket’s food heritage and presents a unique blend of Southeast Asian flavours and cooking methods – surely something visitors should try when traveling to Phuket.

Bak chang

a traditional Chinese dish, in Phuket it’s usually wrapped in bamboo leaves. You can find bak chang at local morning markets.

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Lifestyle - Event Photo Albums

Wedding in Styles Fair 2017 at Novotel Phuket Phokeethra On Saturday 18th February Novotel Phuket Phokeethra held a ‘Wedding In Styles Fair 2017’ at the Grand Ballroom. The event had a fashion show of wedding dress trends for this year and a concert of live music.

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Lifestyle - Event Photo Albums

Sunday Brunch @ Dream Beach Club On Sunday 12th February, Phuketindex.com was invited to attend a Sunday Brunch at Dream Beach Club, located on the stunning Layan Beach. Guests can enjoy a brunch from 12.00 to 15.00 every Sunday. To make a booking please call +66 (0) 98 048 3500.

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Lifestyle - Event Photo Albums

Laguna Phuket Food & Music Festival 2017 On Saturday 4th March, Laguna Phuket held a Laguna Phuket Food & Music Festival 2017 at Canal Village. The event featured live culinary demonstrations

by Australia reality cooking competition Master Chef and Asia Judge Chef Audra Morrice, and pop-up concept food booths serving tantalising international and Peranakan cuisine, a food truck and a dining garden accompanied by vibrant professional musical performances including bands’ performances by aspiring youths

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Lifestyle - Event Photo Albums

Elvio Cogno Dinner at Acqua Restaurant ‘The Master of Barolo’ On Monday 6th March, Acqua Restaurant held a dinner night ‘The Master of Barolo’, a Master Barolo dinner with owner and winemaker Valter Fissure from Elvio Cogno Winery in Piedmont.

The guests enjoyed five wines and a fivecourse dinner; highlighting the famous Barbaresco Bordini, the Barolo Cascina Nuova and Barolo Ravera wines.

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Lifestyle - Event Photo Albums

International Women’s Day with NARS On Wednesday 8th March, Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort invited the NARS luxury cosmetic brand to organise an exclusive makeup workshop for Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra’s ambassadors on the occasion of International Women’s Day. The aim of the event was to encourage women to be more confident in their work and daily life.

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Lifestyle - Event Photo Albums

Street Food on the Beach @Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach On Tuesday 7th March, Phuketindex.com was invited to join an authentic Thai Street Food setup on Nai Yang Beach with great views of Nai Yang Beach and chill-out music during dinner. This beach buffet is available every day from 18:00 to 22:00. Reservations are recommended, subject to changes in the weather. To make a booking please call +66 (0) 76 625 555.

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Lifestyle - Event Photo Albums

Blood Donation Camp @Sleep with Me Hotel On Thursday 16th March, Sleep with Me Hotel, Vachira Phuket Hospital, and the Phuket Red Cross Office held an established temporary blood donation centre reception at the meeting room in the hotel. Many people attended the event to make a donation.

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Lifestyle - Event Photo Albums

Press Conference Thanyapura partnered with Sports Camp Australia (SCA) On Monday 27th March, Thanyapura Health & Sports Resort held a press conference at the View Room ‘Thanyapura Health & Sports Resort and Sports Camps Australia to Host Interschool Sports Games and Sporting Programmes’.

Thanyapura Health & Sports Resort partnered with Sports Camp Australia (SCA) to organise interschool games and sporting programmes from 2017 – onward. On this occasion Thanyapura Health & Sports Resort also announced their new Garden Wing, a healthy and wellness concept resort and guests enjoyed ‘Mindful Meals’ from their healthy plant-based cuisine.

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Lifestyle - Event Photo Albums

Schawarzkopf Professional Spring/Summer 2017 @Renaissance Phuket On Tuesday 25th April, Schwarzkopf Thailand held an event “Schawarzkopf Professional Essential Looks Spring/Summer 2017” at Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa. The aim of the event was to introduce the new product “Strong Bonds”, the guest is professional hair stylists in Thailand.

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Lifestyle - Event Photo Albums

Private Birthday Party - Khun Natthakanya Saengpho (CEO of Paradise Group) On Monday 1st May, Andara Resort & Villas held a Private Birthday Party for Khun Natthakanya (Apple) Saengpho (CEO of Paradise Group) at Silk Restaurant & Bar, Andara Resort & Villas.

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Lifestyle - Event Photo Albums

Press conference “Singha Phuket Open 2017” @Laguna Golf Phuket On Wednesday 17th May 2017, Laguna Golf Phuket held a press conference to announce its official hosting of the inaugural Singha Phuket Open 2017. The conference was addressed by Mr Virat Patee, Director of Sports Authority of Thailand, Phuket, representing Phuket Governor; Mr Jakraphong “Jay” Thongyai, Commissioner, All Thailand Golf Tour; Mr Suang Chantra-Urai, Manager, Sports Promotion Department, Singha Corporation; Mr Ravi Chandran, Managing Director, Laguna Phuket and Mr Paul Wilson, AVP, Group Golf Director representing Laguna Golf Phuket.

Singha Phuket Open 2017 was held from Thursday 25 – Sunday 28 May 2017 at Laguna Golf Phuket.

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Lifestyle - Event Photo Albums

Singha Corporation give beach umbrellas to place at Patong Beach On Thursday 25th May 2017, Khun Urairat Ngamdecho Trade Marketing Director at Boonrawd Brewery Co.,Ltd and Khun Maetapong Upatising Managing Director at Phuket Seevalee Co.,Ltd. as representatives of Singha Corporation give beach umbrellas to Patong Mayor – Chalermluk Kebsup. The beach umbrellas will be place at Patong Beach.

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Lifestyle - Charity

Laguna Phuket Community Relations & Corporate Social Responsibility ‘developing sustainable Communities’

O

ver three decades ago, Laguna Phuket was a tin mine and after the end of the tin mining era, the area was left neglected and ‘damaged’.

But with the establishment of Laguna Phuket in 1984, the rehabilitation and cleanup of Bangtao Bay began. Once up and running Laguna brought jobs to locals and that subsequently led the community to security and wealth with a new economic dynamic. Thus a new chapter began; the era of tourism.

Image Copyright Laguna Phuket

Image Copyright Laguna Phuket

Laguna Phuket is a network of hotels, properties, restaurants, services and leisure facilities that provide a wealth of jobs and a complete lifestyle for local, regional and international guests. It is a community nestled within a community.

Phuketindex.com has the great honour to talk with Khun Prae Sunantaraks, Director of CSR & Community Relations of Laguna Resorts & Hotels PLC, and permit holder of Laguna Phuket Kindergarten. At the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Laguna Phuket CSR projects, we have her here to share about its stories, projects, and so much more.

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Image Copyright Laguna Phuket

Image Copyright Laguna Phuket

Lifestyle - Charity

Who is involved in the running of the Laguna Phuket CSR?

Image Copyright Laguna Phuket

Image Copyright Laguna Phuket

Image Copyright Laguna Phuket

CsR

is our corporate

dnA and we believe that we have two hands. One to receive

and one is to exercise that.

Everyone is encouraged to get involved in CSR planning and its implementation. We are like one big family with a diversity of backgrounds, ethnicities, and ideas, which makes us unique in our own way. I think it is important to exercise our CSR commitment together. As human beings, we all need to have a sense of having control in creating our future, a future that is not only for us but for those that we truly care about.

We are very fortunate to have a big team of thoughtful, hardworking, and fun-loving CSR professionals.

Our CSR programming is being driven from both top-down and bottom-up, which means we listen to what our stakeholders need as much as we try to implement the vision of our leadership. It’s comforting for me to work with and for people that care about what’s going on in the world that we live in and the future world that our children will be living in.

give and we need to

Please tell us about Laguna Phuket CSR It’s been 30 years now of our CSR commitment to developing sustainable communities. Be it business community or local community, we believe that we are part of the sustainable growth not only in Phuket or in Thailand, but also everywhere that we operate.

Our corporate ethos is developing sustainable communities. This implies looking at how we as individuals and as corporate citizens can bring about positive change in our community.

There is an old saying that says, ‘one lives not for oneself but for one’s community’, and this, I believe, is our roadmap for a sustainable journey.

Sustainability also means we will not focus on just corporate or shareholder profits, but rather seek to do what will keep our environment and people healthy, which is a true long-term profit for everyone.

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Lifestyle - Charity What are the Laguna Phuket CSR’s main objectives?

We can talk all day long about what Laguna Phuket does in CSR, but I’m not sure if you have the time! Let me put it simply that being socially responsible is basically our moral DNA. We focus on five areas: 1) Cultural diversity, 2) Educational empowerment, 3) Social equity, 4) Health & sports promotion, and 5) Environmental preservation. We have many long-range focus programs that are also serving national priorities for sustainable tourism development, and also serving the needs of our local community. For example, Laguna P h u k e t Ki nde r g a r t e n w hi c h w a s established in 1992 to educate our young ones to become responsible and concerned citizens; over the past two decades, over 3,000 children have taken part in our preschool program.

What projects are you working on at this time?

We have an eventful year of CSR activities. Our annual tree planting is happening in May of each year, and we

Fund, a fund set up earlier in March this year to celebrate the Laguna Phuket 30th anniversary, and to aid a nutrition program for over 400 Phuket-based orphans.

The fund-raising activity will take place on June 3 and I hope that we have a lot of engagement from our athletes and guests.

How can people get involved in raising awareness and money for your charity?

It’s very simple. Drop us a line at csr@lagunaphuket.com or call us at 076-362315. We’d be glad to share ideas and join hands with like-minded CSR enthusiasts.

If you were to tell the world one thing: what would it be?

If you want it in a small nutshell, I think I would say ‘be honest, be trustworthy’. It’s one of the human qualities besides kindness and courage that I value. A lot is

About Prae

Sunantaraks Khun Prae is originally from Kanchanaburi Province but found that her passion about children is realised at Laguna Phuket where she’s been working for over three years. Her recent post is Director of CSR & Community Relations of Laguna Resorts & Hotels PLC, and permit holder of Laguna Phuket Kindergarten.

“I’ve always wanted to run a kindergarten; it is something very dear to me. I like to get up every day and come to work knowing that I will be seeing the children, being part of the creative learning activities not only for the children but for the parents and for the wider community which the children of Laguna Phuket Kindergarten will be infl uencing. I began in Bangkok setting up the Little Light Project to help blind children to ‘see’ the world. Now I can continue in similar work, but with a wider community impact in Phuket.

have planted nearly 30,000 trees over the course of 10 years. For the month of June, it’s about the International Marathon that our CSR will take part in and will organize a fundraising activity to support the Children First

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accomplished when one shows integrity in how we treat ourselves and others, because people can do great things when they can safely trust each other. I believe, in order to live a meaningful and purposeful life, one must start with honesty.

“Kids have this special power over me.

They remind me of my happy days in the kindergarten – my childhood memories that I treasure. So I like to be able to create happy days for the children of Laguna Phuket Kindergarten so that they can enjoy loving memories now and can revisit these memories as often as they want to. I’ve been working with Laguna Phuket for just over three years. Time fl ies when we’re having fun!”

Lifestyle - Interview

Nantaporn

Amornpyroj (Jenny) Assistant General Manager of the Royal Paradise Hotel & Spa 40

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Lifestyle - Interview

I think get up

if we

early

we’ll have

Image Copyright the Royal Paradise Hotel & Spa

time to do more

Image Copyright the Royal Paradise Hotel & Spa

P

huketindex is honoured to chat with a ‘new generation’ business person, a working women, a young blood local business tycoon. Khun Nantaporn Amornpyroj also known as Jenny who works at Royal Paradise Resort & Spa in the role of Assistant General Manager. She also helps manage her family’s automobile business Siam Nissan A.R. Co., Ltd. Jenny shares her story, lifestyle and thoughts with us.

Please tell us about your background

I got a bachelor’s degree from the Accounting Department at Chulalongkorn University and later decided to continue my Master’s in Hotel Management as this would help me to run my family’s business which is hospitality.

This year is my fourth working at the hotel.

What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?

I think if we get up early we’ll have time to do more. It also means more preparing time for any work I’m dealing with. I think good preparation leads us closer to a perfect outcome. When I see satisfying results from my efforts, I’m very happy and this is what pushes me forward. Getting up early allows me to have more time for my family as well.

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Lifestyle - Interview

Image Copyright the Royal Paradise Hotel & Spa

What’s your favorite quote?

It’s part of Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford commencement speech where he tells graduates “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” We never know how much time we have left in our lives so there’s no reason not to follow our heart.

Sometimes what you think might be diff erent from others. Just don’t let their opinions draw you out from your own inner voice. We should insist on our intention and pave our way to our own goal. I agree with Jobs and this is what I’m holding on to for a long time.

I’m a ‘new generation’ person who has stepped in to work with other senior colleagues. Sometimes our opinions are not the same but if I think doing so will improve our organization, I will insist and bring changes for the better and I believe that the (subsequent) outcome will make everyone happy.

Who has been your greatest inspiration?

My inspiration in everything, no matter if it’s in my life or work, has been my parents. As for work, my parents started from nothing and now we have a family business and many staff members to take care of.

I can see their spirit and dedication in it all the way through. I see how they

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“ time

also show me how to be a perfect couple. It’s so simple – the way they take care of each other.

Your

is

limited,

don’t

so waste it living

someone else’s life.

”

– steve Jobs

have been taking care of the staff and see them as part of their family and many of our staff have been working with us for over 10 years. As for living, my parents live an ordinary life. To me they are a good sample for living a ‘sufficient’ life following the philosophy suggested by our beloved H.M. King Bhumibol. In other ways, my parents

How do you generate new ideas?

I’m lucky that I’m surrounded by a good team. Often my ideas come after I’ve talked to my colleagues and staff members on every level. To be able to touch and talk to people is in my character and I often get new ideas from workers who spend lots more time with the guests than I can.

If you worked in a restaurant, what role would you like?

If I had to work in a restaurant I’d like to be a ‘food runner’ – a person who coordinates and liaises between the kitchen and the wait staff. In a banquet situation the food runner is the key person who coordinates each team. The position might be overlooked by others but I think if we didn’t have them, the event or the guests’ dining experience might not be as good. I think this seemingly tiny function plays an important role in the whole system that makes up a restaurant.

Lifestyle - Interview What are your hobbies?

I like to travel though actually after I started working it’s been quite difficult for me to do that due to my responsibilities. But I still believe that travelling is very important for people who work in the hotel industry. Travel opens up your world; you meet a lot of people from different places and it helps you learn and understand people with preferences other than yours.

It helps you improve your service capabilities. Traveling also works like a detox for me and a relief from work… it helps recharge my batteries and makes me come back with positive energy. If you asked me about the destination I like the most, I’d say it would be Barcelona, Spain. The architecture is very beautiful and unique while the locals are also nice and helpful and the cost of living is acceptable there.

What makes you happy?

What makes me happy is to see my parents happy. They’ve been taking care of me all my life and I’d love to share their burdens, to help them take care of our business, and spend quality time with them like dining out and traveling together. That’s enough for me.

Image Copyright the Royal Paradise Hotel & Spa

Image Copyright the Royal Paradise Hotel & Spa

Where you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years, I would like to make the Royal Paradise rank among the very first workplaces people would choose to be in. I’d love to make people in our big ‘family’ happy and then to expand the happiness into the local community in which we live. I believe that businesses cannot just grow alone without helping others and that good ethics are as important as academic matters and that development in both aspects is needed to build up a child in order to make this society better.

Image Copyright the Royal Paradise Hotel & Spa

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Travel - Chef Talk

Interview

with CHEF

RUNGSIMET PARA

Pastry Chef at Renaissance Phuket Resort & spa

INTERVIEW

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Travel - Chef Talk

R

e n a i s s a n c e Phuket Resort & Spa is a five-star resort known for its wonderful location, great facilities, and impeccable service under the management of the Marriott Hotels brand. This luxury getaway destination is located in the far north of Phuket Island, a perfect area for those who seek peace and tranquility. Phuketindex has enjoyed a good relationship with the hotel since its opening in March 2010 and we always hear about its good reputation and strong involvement in charitable activities and community service.

It’s been our pleasure to share information about this quality organization.

The hotel now ranks second place for hotels in Mai Khao area on tripadvisor.com and has enjoyed a ‘Certificate of Excellence’ year after year.

Now Renaissance has new chef joining their culinary team, Mr. Rungsimet Para.

We had a chat with him.

success perfect is a

combination of opportunity and ability Please introduce yourself I was born in Nakorn Srithammarat Province, in the south of Thailand. I started my culinary career over 13 years ago and worked for some years in Bangkok, Pattaya, and a year in the Maldives before I came to be part of Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa.

Image Copyright Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa

Tell us what inspires you My brother is my inspiration and my mentor. Years ago my brother was a pastry chef at a five-star hotel in Bangkok, the place where I also began my career. He gave me the opportunity to work part time.

I had zero experience and as you know it’s not easy to be accepted and employed by a five-star hotel with the lack of qualifications I had at the time. It’s almost impossible, but I got it and I realized later how valuable this was. The first day I worked there after I finished work, my brother and I had a dinner together. He asked me, “What did you do today?” I answered, “Nothing. I only took care of the buffet.”

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Travel - Chef Talk

My brother was very angry and called me useless saying, “You were of no use today.” I started to get angry too and asked “Why”? Well, he began to teach me telling me that this was the perfect time for me to learn and that I had to be more enthusiastic about learning so I told him, “Tomorrow I will do better” and he gave me a chance saying, “Okay. You can try.” Well, the next day I went back to work and started to take note of everything. I wrote it all down and I asked questions. After we finished work, my brother asked me again. I then told him everything I learned throughout the day. He was satisfied.

It became our routine that after work we would have dinner together and my brother would ask me “Do you know how to do this? Do you know how to make that?” so I had to learn more every day to be able to answer him.

chef who puts his heart into his sweet The

delights

Mango Sticky Rice Mousse

Please tell us a bit about the special dish that you’ve created The special dish I would like to present today is called Mango Sticky Rice Mousse. This is an all-time favourite and the dish brought me ‘1st Gold Medal in Desserts’ at the 2016 Hotel Asia Exhibition & International Culinary Challenge held in the Maldives.

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Tell us about the restaurants at Renaissance Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa has three main restaurants; the first is called Loca Vore and it serves all-day dining. The second is beachside and is called Sand Box Restaurant and Bar and it features light lunch options during the day and offers a BBQ and special cocktails changing everyday starting from 4.30pm. The third restaurant is called Takieng and it serves up captivating Thai cuisine for dinner in a relaxed setting overlooking Mai Khao Beach.

Chef Rungsimet Para has put his heart into the sweet delights he creates and leads his team to deliver what’s best for their guests. His Mango Sticky Rice Mousse and a lot more now awaits you at Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa.

9.00-24.00

Travel - Restaurant Guide

Alessandro Frau

Acqua Restaurant

Following a black-and-white theme that gifts the restaurant clean lines and a good sense of proportion, Acqua’s design fully complements an all-round satisfying dining experience. The restaurant has imaginative lighting, nowhere more so than at the bar. Trendy without being gratuitously chic, cutting edge without going over the top and spacious without being cavernous, Acqua’s décor balance practicality and aesthetics in a fine dining environment in Phuket.

Chef and Owner

Acqua Restaurant is the first of a series of restaurants designed by Alessandro Frau, as Alessandro dedication for culinary doesn’t stop to cooking but also to project and design restaurants and concepts. Chef Alessandro Frau was the Winner of Iron Chef Thailand on November 2013. Find more about Alessandro by visit www.fraualessandro.com In 2013 Acqua Restaurant was appointed as one of the Best Italian Restaurant in Phuket and Thailand from Ospitalita’ Italiana in the World.

Guide Cuisine: Italian Reservation: Recommended Dress Code: Smart-casual Open: every day from 16:00 – 23:00 Mobile phones allowed: Yes Car parking: Yes Credit cards: Accepted Tel: +66 (0) 76 618 127 E-mail : reservations@acquarestaurant.com GPS/DD: 7.916537, 98.290996

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Recommended Dishes 45-minute slow cooked egg on a Parmesan cheese fondue, fresh black truffle and crispy pancetta powder

Sous-vide cooked octopus salad, marinated in extra virgin olive oil, lemon and vinegar, fennel leaves, celery and taggiasche olives DOP

Pan-fried USA scallops with duck liver, chili jam and truffle pumpkin sauce

Trenette pasta with Alaskan king crab in its own jus with sliced Sardinian tuna bottarga

Wood-fired roasted suckling pig, saffron and violette potatoes, broad beans in its own sauce

Â

Where Italian dining experience meet art and passion

324/15 Prabaramee Road – Kalim Bay - Patong - Phuket Tel 076 618127 email: reservations@acquarestaurantphuket.com www.acquarestaurantphuket.com

Travel - Restaurant Guide

Savoey Seafood supit Jararith Asst. Manager

Open since 1980, Savoey Seafood is considered one of the landmarks of Patong Beach. This popular and bustling restaurant not only has a wide array of fresh seafood but also offers competitive prices.

Baked lobster with butter and garlic sauce

Savoey Seafood is a large, open-plan restaurant with a seating capacity of 400 plus, but you would never know. Despite its size, with 50 staff members the service is excellent, polite and considerate.

Tom yum koong

Savoey Seafood is very popular and getting there early is recommended.

It would be a real shame if you missed the opportunity to dine at this first-class seafood restaurant during your stay on Phuket.

Stir-fried crab with spring onions, ginger and garlic

Guide Experience: Seafood and Thai cuisine Reservation: Recommended Dress Code: Smart-casual Open: 10:30 – 24:30 Mobile phones allowed: Yes Car parking: Yes Credit card: Accepted Tel: +66 (0) 76 341 171 – 4 E-mail: info@savoeyseafood.com GPS/DD: 7.894471, 98.295719

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Recommended Dishes

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Stir-fried crab with curry powder

Steamed fish with lime juice and chili sauce Deep-fried fish with sweet chili sauce Stir-fried mussels or clams with roasted chili paste sauce Oven-barbecued fish Stir-fried mixed vegetables in oyster sauce

Travel - Signature Dish

Preparation - vegetable wrap sheet - extract the vegetables; carrot and beetroot separately - spread each extracted vegetable with a spatula in a flat-circle shape on a non sticky paper - dehydrate the wraps at 115°C for 12 hours

Hummus - match the main vegetable (carrot/ beetroot/broccoli) selected for hummus with the corresponding wrap sheet - blend the main vegetable with chickpea, lime juice, and Himalayan salt - cut avocado into pieces - cut cucumber and capsicum in sticks

Coconut yoghurt - blend coconut milk and coconut meat together until smooth - mix the ingredients with curry powder and pea protein - add some probiotic - heat the yogurt until it reaches about 40°C then settle to room temperature - leave at room temperature for 48 hours - after two days, chill the yogurt in refrigerator for seven days

Raw

BEETROOT, CARROT AND BROCOLLI AND HUMMUS WRAPS

Salad Mix all ingredients; diced ripe mango, cherry tomato, avocado, rocket leaves and pomegranate

Ingrdients: 100g 50g 100g 210g 1g 3g 650mg 50g

carrots beetroots broccoli chick peas lime juice Himalayan salt avocado cucumber

50g 10g 30g 30g 10g 50g 50g

capsicum kale mango cherry tomatoes pomegranate rocket leaves (arugula) coconut curry yoghurt

experience

Get

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Presentation - spread hummus on the wraps - place vegetable (avocado, cucumber, and capsicum) on the spread hummus spread - roll the wrap - put the salad on the side topped with coconut yogurt

Thanyapura Phuket Tel: +66 (0)76 336 000

Travel - Spa

Quan Spa

at Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach

Q

uan Spa presents a pampering experience that you should not miss out on with high-standard treatments in a relaxing atmosphere at Nai Yang Beach.

No matter how hard your day or week, a good relaxing spa treatment will make you feel better and help you recover. Quan Spa is a place where you’ll find yourself in peace and a place to refresh your inner energy.

Quan Spa is located at Marriott Resort & Spa Nai Yang Beach in the northwest of Phuket Island. This little oasis of tranquility provides four treatment rooms with a comprehensive range of spa treatments.

It’s a wonderful experience even to step inside this peaceful place.

The spa tucked away in a beautiful location in the middle of the resort.

Your therapist will welcome you with a refreshing towel and drink that will set you in the mood for the total relaxation that’s just about to begin.

You’ll be escorted to the changing room and the adjacent steam room. After this the therapist will guide you to a treatment room in which the hygiene and ambiance are ensured to meet high levels. My treatment – a back massage – is perfect for those who work in an office. A singing bowl is a tradition that announces the start of the session and my therapist kindly asks if the temperature and pressure is right for me. The therapist’s firm hands begin to work on my back and her technique gradually sends me into deep relaxation with the help of soothing aromatic oil. Her elbow and other techniques are combined to solve my problems area along the meridian line of my back. Half an hour has gone by without me noticing until the ‘singing bowl’ wakes me up and announces the end of session.

Your therapist then allows you to have some private time and when you’re dressed and ready a hot drink is waiting for you.

Quan Spa’s pampering experience is something you should not miss and once try it you’ll be back for more.

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Travel - Spa As the property has limited treatment rooms, an appointment is required.

Treatments such as body scrubs, body wraps, couple’s massages, eye treatments, facials, foot bath, hair & scalp treatments, massages, kids’ services, manicures/pedicures, waxing are all available.

The Opening hour 09.00 - 20.00 hrs

Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach 92, 92/1 Moo 3, Sakoo, Talang, Nai Yang Beach Phuket, Thailand 83110 Tel. 076-625555 Facebook: Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach Instagram: phuketmarriott_naiyang

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Travel - GM Talk

General Manager Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach

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TREVOR MAY

Trevor May

Travel - GM Talk

T

his issue’s GM Talk in Phuketindex.com features an interview with the General Manager of Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach, Mr. Trevor May. Trevor has been with Marriott Hotels for 25 years, living in Thailand for almost two decades; now he’s come to Phuket to work with the iconic Marriott Hotel on Tritrang Beach just south of Patong.

Image Copyright Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa

What motivated you to go into the hotel industry?

I actually started in hospitality by default. My background is fi nance and accounting. I was studying at the time so I started to work in hotels on a part-time, it was a job that helped pay the bills at the time.

What attracted you to work in other countries?

Image Copyright Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa

My home country is Australia.

I started working with Marriott at Surfers Paradise Resort & Spa in 1992. In 1998, I was working in Sydney and Marriott asked me if I would be interested to move to Bangkok – an opportunity which was very appealing to me although I did buy a return ticket in case things didn’t work out…

But now I’ve been living in Thailand since 1999. I’ve worked in different locations including Bangkok, Phuket and Rayong and this time I’ve been back in Phuket for one year now.

Did you work on your degree while working in the hotel industry?

As I mentioned, I was studying and I started worked in a hotel called the Ramada on the Gold Coast. I was working part-time to get my degree.

Image Copyright Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa

Making me motivated is the hotel’s success www.phuketindex.com Image Copyright Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa

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Travel - GM Talk here. So what’s important is that the staff provide service and an experience to our guests so that they have a memorable stay.

What advice would you offer to those who are inspired to become successful in the hotel industry?

It’s not an easy job that you’re doing. How do you keep yourself motivated?

Making me motivated is the hotel’s success. I saw myself back then sitting in an office working 9 to 5. But as I look back I would have found that a boring life, compared to running a hotel that operates 24 hours, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. If the hotel is successful then they say it’s a choice hotel where guests want to come and stay. That’s what keeps me motivated. Every day thinking of new ideas of how to make improvements to the hotel so that our guests recognise the efforts that we put into it so that they keep coming back.

At work what puts a smile on your face?

When I get feedback from our guests that they enjoy staying with us and look forward to coming back again in the future. That’s what puts a smile on my face. It’s talking to the guests and getting positive feedback.

What are the most challenging issues you are facing in your current job?

Finding the right people to work in the hotel is the biggest challenge in Phuket.

Why? Because there are a lot of hotels in Phuket and Phuket doesn’t really have any unemployment. Quite often there are more jobs available than staff wanting to work. It’s fi nding the right person who wants to work in a hotel. I want them to work here because that’s their passion, not necessarily just for money.

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1992

Started working with Marriott at Surfers Paradise Resort & Spa

1998

Worked in Sydney

1999

Came to Thailand

What is the single best quality your employees can possess?

Being service-minded. People save their money to be here and they could be saving money for 6 months, 12 months or longer to come and have a vacation

Image Copyright Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa

Starting out in hotels is always a challenge. When you’re young you’re not sure what your strengths are as they will only develop over time. Being patient and listening to advice their managers may give them, and one the hardest parts is that you’ll find yourself working when your friends are off. Working in a hotel is very challenging and the biggest challenge is if you work 7 days a week, 24 hours a day when friends might be working in different industry and are off, whether it’s Songkran or a special holiday period. They just got to have passion to work in a hotel because it’s quite challenging when family and friends are off enjoying life.

What do you think about Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach?

This is an iconic hotel in Phuket which been around since 2000.

It’s a great hotel. I would say that we’re close enough to Patong that if guests want to enjoy going out, shopping and eating, they’re close enough to do so. But they are also far enough away that they can relax and enjoy the charm of Phuket, and to enjoy a relaxing holiday.