Kwan remembers being a focused and hardworking student who could frequently be found awake at 4am reading a book. Although not the top of her class, Kwan achieved her goal of passing the university entrance exam, a result of perspiration and dedication.  Kwan joined the Police Force and was admitted to study a four-year degree in Nursing at the Police Nurse College attached to the prestigious Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. Already a government employee, Kwan was a Lance Corporal during her years of study then upon graduation she was promoted to Second Lieutenant and then eventually made Police Captain, all the while working as a nurse on a variety of wards in the Police General Hospital, drawing a salary commensurate with her rank. Much as Kwan loved her nursing career, she found working on rotating shifts, especially the night shift, was impacting her sleep, her health and her lifestyle, so in 2004, she resigned her position.  Yet, since her commission as Police Captain was bestowed on the King’s authority, it remains hers for life, and is still to be found on all her government documents today.  Kwan assures everyone she has no intention to make any arrests though!

Looking for employment that would still utilise her nursing skills, Kwan accepted a job with a large private company in its first-aid department, a financial step up, though she lost her government employee health care benefits.  It was in a similar capacity that Kwan worked with Dole, a company best known for fruit canning operations, when she first moved to Hua Hin at the age of 29, contentedly single, partnership and marriage not on her radar, ready to purchase her own home. By this point in her life, Kwan’s interests had begun to pivot and she had already spent a good part of two years studying for a Masters’ degree in business, graduating in 2011. Moving to Hua Hin was not a difficult choice for Kwan as she could find all she wanted here, whether it was city facilities or nature, 5-star hotels or street food. The one thing Kwan notes as needing attention is improved beach access. In addition, Kwan had members of her wider family residing locally.

It was at a business meeting that Kwan first met Robert Imfeld, a friend of a friend.  The business venture that the trio initiated together is long gone, but the meeting sparked a friendship. Funnily enough, Robert, then 50 years old, also held no desire for marriage, yet something clicked between the pair, who had their first wedding, a Buddhist ceremony, here in Hua Hin in October 2012 followed by a legal civil ceremony in Robert’s native Switzerland the following December. The couple are now proud “parents” to their dog Bikila, a 7-year-old that they brought into Thailand from Europe.  Kwan has firmly established her place in the affections of Robert’s family and now holds both Swiss and Thai passports, having lived and worked in Switzerland for five years, becoming fluent in German during this time.

Considering current world events, Kwan remains hopefully optimistic.  She sees that living conditions for people are improving, along with health care, yet she is apprehensive about the ability of people to really connect with each other, given the predominance of social media which can reduce individuals to “robot-like” people.  Of course, Kwan has to use social media herself for business purposes, but aims to reduce its impact and influence in her personal life. Kwan tries to look forward with positivity, perhaps easier for her than for some others, as she has no children other than her much loved fur-baby who is clearly the boss of the home and has the photo to prove it.

According to Kwan, her greatest achievement has been in the transition from salaried nurse to independent business woman. Day-to-day, Kwan now just manages the various companies she owns, with staff employed to do the actual work.  The core functions of her businesses are in distributing telecommunication services, organising English language programs, branding and digital marketing as well as website design and building.  Kwan has certainly come a long way from student nurse who moved to Bangkok. 

Yet her core understanding of people and their needs, and her desire to help them, remains. While her empathy is a strength, Kwan having received many compliments on her kindness to others, it can be a double-edged sword, as it also means that Kwan can be too trusting and can end up being hurt by people who intentionally take advantage of her kind nature. Yet undeterred, Kwan still helps the elderly and is of regular assistance to foreigners as they try to navigate Thai bureaucracy. Kwan has been a member of the Swiss Society Hua Hin for many years and is the translator for its president. Her work with the society is mainly in the area of charity, the Swiss Society providing financial support to a variety of organisations including schools and disadvantaged children. If she is able to assist personally, Kwan will, or if she can’t, she will find someone who can.  It is as though she can’t help herself.

Kwan is satisfied with the life she currently leads, since it is more than she ever expected. 2024 has seen her travel extensively, both abroad and within Thailand, and there are simply no further desires with which to create a bucket list. Teenage Kwan never even dreamed of leaving Thailand yet now she is a seasoned traveller. Kwan’s greatest hope for the future is to remain healthy, so maintaining a healthy diet is a priority, though she will admit that drinking red wine is a guilty pleasure. Her favourite forms of exercise include taking Bikila on jaunts with the dog-walking group, some yoga sessions and regularly scheduled badminton games. Happy though Kwan is with the life path she has cleverly crafted for herself, there is still a lingering thought that perhaps she should have considered a career in engineering.  Kwan would have liked to build and create things as well as taking care of and supporting others.

Each new day is an opportunity for Kwan to be grateful for the way she lives her life. Kwan likes staying busy and confesses to be much better at working than relaxing. Despite the comforts of her life, Kwan leads what is still a remarkably simple existence. Her day starts well with a black, sugarless coffee in calm, serene surrounds, Kwan’s own home being her favourite place in the entire world.  The nurse in her still requires hygiene, so she can’t function without a clean bathroom. A very pleasant day for Kwan will likely include some time to watch TV, accompanied on the couch by the dog, and a pad krapow, with the fried egg of course, for dinner.

Wherever her future leads Kwan, it is sure that she will enter it holding the door open for someone else, or holding their hand and encouraging them to be confident.  It’s not so much about what Kwan does, but rather it is who she is that makes her so special.

Published 29th December 2024.