Marcel Sancho

From: Sete, France (Age 55) Business: Managing Director of Eden Village Residence

What did you do before you came to Phuket? I ran a Real Estate business in France.

How did you come to start a business, here? I arrived here in 1992 but at first I concentrated on learning the language and Thai culture. It was not until five years later that I started a business. My first business was consultancy for foreigner investments. That was 11 years ago.

What are you engaged in now? I have three businesses: one is the investment consultancy for foreigners and, on the real estate side I’m involved with the Les Cocotiers Resort and the Eden Village Residence.

Do you have family here? Yes. I have two children. My daughter is fourteen years old and my son is nine. We live in the Les Cocotiers resort on Nanai Road, Patong. From there we have a beautiful view of Patong city and the sea.

You are obviously busy. How do you schedule your time? I wake up at 6 am, take an espresso coffee and watch the sun rise; then deal with my e-mails; at 7 am I exercise or go for a walk in the hills; at 8:30 am, after breakfast, I go to my construction site until 11 am. After lunch I relax for an hour, and the rest of the day is spent with my sales team or meeting clients.

How do you spend your free time? I like to be with my family. Simple things like going to a movie or having a meal out. And

what's the hardest thing about living here? Understanding the Thai culture.

How is Phuket from your point of view? To me this island is so wonderful and the Thai people are very friendly. I think, in the future, Phuket will develop to become as important as Singapore − but will be more beautiful.

Are you involved in any outside activities? Yes, after the Tsunami I rebuilt 26 houses for Thai people, entirely at my own expense. Every month I contribute articles about business and Thai law to a French newspaper. This is to help foreigners who are thinking of starting a business here.

Also, I recently started the "CLUB FRANCO-THAI” association for French and Francophiles living in Phuket.

I am also a writer. I have published 4 books on the Internet, to alert people to the dangers of the new occidental culture.

---

Luc Montens

From: Bruges, Belgium (Age 44) Business: Managing Director of Tropical Properties

Where are you from? I am originally from Belgium. I was born in Bruges, which is a very beautiful medieval city with great architecture and a lot of culture.

When did you move to Phuket? My wife Annick and I visited Phuket on holiday for the first time in April 1998, fell in love with the place and settled here in May 2001.

What did you do before you came to Phuket? We had our own business in Belgium. Since Annick and I both love music, we had our own record store.

Did you come here intending to set up a business? Yes. For the first two years we had a beach restaurant in Patong and then we got in to the real estate business purely by chance. We run Tropical Properties as a team. I do the customer contacts and Annick handles the office administration.

Why did you choose Phuket? Phuket is the ideal mix of eastern and western culture; all the charm of the East, combined with the comfort and convenience of the Western world.

How do you spend time with your family? In our free time we like to relax. Sit by the pool, go for a walk, and go to the movies, restaurants…

Whereabouts do you live in Phuket? I live in Kamala. I have been living there from the very first day and like it there. For me it is ideal. As I have my office in Patong, it is only about 10 minutes driving and it is very quiet.

What do you like most about living in Phuket? The lifestyle. We can experience the holiday feeling amongst the tourists.

And what's the hardest thing about living here? The traffic is terrible. People need to be educated on road manners and discipline.

How is Phuket from your point of view? Phuket has changed a lot in the seven years we have lived here. The infrastructure is improving and there are many more things to do now.

Could you tell us about your lifestyle? We don’t go out too much. I have always done a lot of sports and spent time in the gym. A few months ago I bought a race bike and I really enjoy riding it. It is a lot of fun and a pleasant way to stay healthy and lose weight. We are both members of BBAP.

---

Thitipong Kingkaeo

From: Phuket, Thailand (Age 35) Business: System Development Director of Sukko Culture Spa & Wellness Resort

Are you originally from Phuket? Yes. I went to kindergarten and high school here and then to Chulalongkorn University for higher education. After, I started a computer shop but I had a lot of problems in the first few years because I did not have experience in marketing and management. Now the business is running smoothly. Around 2002 I began working as an IT consultant for Sukko Spa and as the company grew this became a full time job.

Could you tell us briefly about your job? My job is to manage the IT functions – equipment maintenance, networks, programming and graphic design. I am also responsible for e-marketing, and am the photographer for the studio.

What is your work philosophy? Because of my engineering background I approach every problem in a planned and systematic way.

What is your approach to life? I am a serious person so I always try to give my best.

Could you tell us about your private life? I am married to a Phuket lady who also works at Sukko. We stay with my family in Chalong.

What’s your view on how Phuket is developing? I treasure the old culture – a combination of Thai and Chinese beliefs which valued hard work and the family. The pace of life was easy and benefited the residents. These days there are a lot more people and we have become locked in an over-commercialised rat race. All this effort seems to be aimed at pleasing the visitors and as a result the island way of life suffers. It doesn’t have to be like this.

Could you tell us about your life style and free time? I am the sort of person who likes an established routine. I enjoy going to the beach and taking in a movie at Central on a Sunday. I play badminton with friends. My hobby is photography and I also enjoy reading and surfing the internet.

Are you involved with any social activity or charity? I am a member of Chulalongkorn University’s alumni committee. Every year we organise activities for the alumni.

Have you ever encountered any hardship of life? No, I have been very fortunate. I dread the thought of losing someone close. The most important thing in my life is my family. Whenever there is a problem they are always there to lend a hand and give support and encouragement.