Where are you from originally?
Calgary, Alberta in Canada.

What made you decide to come and live here?
I had lived and worked all my life in Canada, had achieved all my business goals and so I was looking for a new challenge. Living and working in another country was something I’d always wanted to do. I’d visited Phuket on holiday many times, so it was an easy choice.

What did you do before you came to Phuket?
I was in property sales. I was a top agent in Canada for the largest real estate company in the world – Re/Max Real Estate.

Tell us about your experience working here.
I started by trying to do things the same way as I did back home, but it didn’t work. The real estate business in Phuket is based on the British real estate model, where everyone works for himself and generally don’t cooperate with others. I was used to a very strict real estate business environment where everyone must work together, cooperate with each other and adhere to a very high standard of rules and ethics.

What interests you in this job?
It’s what I’d done very successfully for 15 years in Canada and is something that I enjoy very much.

Is it difficult working here?
Too many people try real estate thinking it will be easy. In Canada, 80% to 90% leave the business within two years. In Phuket, I’d say it’s easier to ‘dabble’, as there’s no licensing for agents and few rules, but it’s still difficult to be very successful.

I call it, ‘The wild, wild, west of real estate’, as it’s an exciting new frontier open to anyone who is willing to take a chance.

Tell us something about your business.
I’m the owner of my own business, Andrew Campbell Properties, which is a consultancy specialising in property sales and development marketing. I am currently consulting for Outrigger Serenity Terraces in Rawai as well as a few other upcoming projects.

What is your work philosophy?
It may sound like a bit of a cliché, but I treat people the way I’d like to be treated myself – with honesty and respect. Phuket is a small place and if you treat others well, you quickly get a good reputation, which helps in the conduct of your everyday business. My main goal in life is to be happy, which has changed from when I was in Canada, where I pursued business success.

Whereabouts do you live in Phuket?
Chalong. It has good access to all areas of the island.

What do you like and dislike about living in Phuket?
The warm weather all year round is the biggest plus (remember I lived in Canada, burrrrr) and living on an island in the tropics always has that romantic feel to it. I don’t like the increasing traffic volumes each year. As fast as they improve the roads, more cars fill up the space.

How is Phuket from your point of view?
Probably the best place in the world to live. I can’t imagine living anywhere else. After six and a half years watching it grow and seeing all the changes which have taken place, I think it now offers everything that a foreigner needs to live comfortably.

Do you have family here?
Yes, I’ve been married for three and a half years, and we’ve one son. They’ve changed the way I look at things. I spend most of my free time with them. Being a father for the first time at this late stage in life (I’m 48), is probably the most rewarding experience I’ve ever had. I really love being a father – simple things like going to the beach, the public pools and the zoo.

Where is your favourite place in Phuket?
Kata Beach. It’s a good beach to go with children as it slopes gently to the water, and the waves are small for most of the year, plus it has lots of shade, which my wife appreciates.

For more information contact:
Andrew Campbell Properties Co. Ltd
Tel: +66 (0)86 686 2389
Email: andrewcthailand@yahoo.ca