One pivotal childhood memory for Chris is working on a building site with them during school holidays at the age of just eight.  Both men were plumbing and heating engineers and working alongside them gave Chris his first experience of earned income. Wheeling barrows full of bricks was taxing for a child and led to blistered hands but also a cash-in-hand payment at the end of the week which crystallised for Chris that hard work leads to financial reward. Chris recalls an almost idyllic childhood on Mersea Island in particular, close to the sea, the boats and his grandfather, with complete freedom and the opportunity to go crabbing.  To this day, being close to the sea, or even better, on or in it, are things that Chris cherishes.

During his high school years, Chris was a self-confessed cheeky boy. He recounts the tale of being sent home on the very last day of school by a head of year who “didn’t like me very much”.  Chris’ infraction was as simple as having his shirt signed by classmates following a long-standing tradition, but it was in direct contravention of specific directions from said head, with Chris being made an example. Chris recalls it was at a very young age that he had made the decision to be his own boss, seemingly in all matters. He wasn’t being deliberately defiant but rather exercising his freedom of choice in the face of inanity. The teacher cruelly called Chris “a waste of space”, thinking to crush him. In retrospect, Chris now realises how some of the most negative experiences of his life have shaped him to move forward with even more power and determination. Chris finds people with the power of their convictions inspirational. He sees it important that people have the courage to speak their personal truth, despite potential repercussions.

Pursuing his interest in things electronic, Chris furthered his education and completed the equivalent of an apprenticeship, working for a company dealing with data network systems, fibre optics and telephony until the company had to cease trading. Chris then made the transition to sales and quite quickly found that he has a talent in this area. Indeed, some of the most profitable of the many different sales jobs Chris undertook had commission as the sole remuneration. One defining factor of Chris’ career has been his ability to perceive and then utilise change and shifting opportunities.

Chris’ arrival in Thailand in 2000 was as a direct result of being “head-hunted” by a sales company, based in Bangkok, with branches across Asia.  Chris completed training with the company in England and sold his home, but on arrival in Bangkok, he found that the position was not quite the same as advertised so decided to leave on an expedition to explore the neighbouring countries of Cambodia and Vietnam. This was yet another example of Chris trusting his intuition and following his instincts.

On his return to Thailand while figuring out his next step, Chris trained to become a PADI open water instructor. Between 2002 – 2004 this skill took him to many far-flung places including the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, Puerto Rico and Bon Air in the Dutch Antilles.

Chris was back in Thailand in 2004 to pursue some work in underwater videography when disaster struck. Chris’ personal experience of the Boxing Day tsunami and his awareness that he is on his second chance at life have contributed to his appreciation of each individual moment of living. Chris was on Phi Phi Island with a friend as the tsunami struck. Both managed to make it to high ground and camp out overnight, unclear of the full extent of the death and destruction happening around them until the sombre light of morning revealed bodies everywhere.  It was only a spur-of-the-moment change in plans due to an interrupted night’s sleep beforehand that led to Chris not being in the total devastation zone.

It was on a trip from his base in Phuket to Hua Hin to install a system for a repeat customer in 2008 that Chris first discovered the delights of Hua Hin, but it wasn’t until 2013 that Chris and his young family moved to Hua Hin. Chris and his Thai wife Pui had their elder child, a daughter named Alissa, and were already aware that they wanted a better environment than Phuket could provide in which to raise her.  Pui and Chris originally met in Hat Yai where Pui was studying computer science at Hat Yai university at the time. Chris knew almost from his first meeting with Pui that this was a relationship worth pursuing and so used his considerable charm to woo her. The rest, as they say, is history. Searching for a more tranquil beachside location, the couple settled on Hua Hin after a visit to the beauty of Sam Roi Yot sealed the deal.

The three pinnacles of Chris’ personal focus are health, finance and family. To this end, Chris takes good care of himself by scheduling regular physical exercise sessions.  Chris is fond of individual sports such as boating, diving, climbing, hiking and running and can often be seen running along roads in the vicinity of his home, his four rescue dogs in close pursuit. Chris’ 10-year-old son Oscar is also a talented sportsman, though his passion lies in the team sport of football, in which Chris had no particular interest as a child. Today, Chris is regularly on the sidelines, cheering on his son, who will travel to Spain with the family in April to undertake a 10-day training camp in Barcelona.  Chris is one proud papa who believes that the element of fun is crucial to life, so he ensures his children have plenty of it.

At the age of 50, although he appears younger to most, Chris is now looking to establish complete financial freedom prior to his planned retirement. Pui is playing an integral part in this, with the quest again leading the couple in interesting new directions; towards building an even stronger property portfolio. They have a newly-opened business, with Pui its principal, Thailand Beach, Land & House, a land and building services company with offices in Chumphon and Phuket as well as Hua Hin. The company offers a comprehensive list of services to people wanting to relocate to the eastern coast of Thailand. One particularly attractive aspect has been the construction, now almost complete, of Tamarind Beachfront Villa in Chumphon, the company’s flagship development.

 As well as his well-mannered children, there are a number of other things which make Chris proud. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is one, alongside his constantly improving Thai language skills. Although Chris is modest about his mastery of Thai language, he is now confident using Thai in everyday social contexts and this has allowed him to open strong lines of interpersonal communications with his Thai employees. In observing them interact with Chris, it was clear there is strong, mutual respect.

Despite the busyness of his life, and currently “spinning a lot of plates”, Chris does try to prioritise time to relax, the terrace at the villa in Chumphon one of his favourite places to enjoy a drink and appreciate the majesty of the sea. Chocolate, particularly Terry’s chocolate orange, is another slightly guilty pleasure. Luckily for Chris, maintaining his goal weight hasn’t meant having to give up his favourite full-English or the occasional kebab.

Chris is a man of many passions, who chooses to live in the moment, because, as he puts it, “Now is always a good time to be in.”  He admits to having a quick temper at times, though he tries to partially excuse this by referencing his wife’s skills at pushing his buttons. Chris’ favourite day would start with a strong black coffee kick-starter followed by a scuba dive from his boat.  It is refreshing to see Chris managing to find joy in so many aspects of life, from simple sunshine to distance driving, which affords him the opportunity for undistracted reflection time: time to clarify and organise his thoughts about the multitude of daily happenings in his fun, fulfilling life.