Born into a pineapple farming family, mountainside in Sam Roi Yot, Pun was the youngest of 4 siblings, all daughters.  The family led a typical rural, local, lifestyle and indeed Pun was 16 years old before she had an opportunity to venture to the “big city, to Hua Hin”. At that time, Hua Hin was viewed by many Thais as purely a place for tourists.  But much strife had already befallen Pun in her life by then.

Pun’s favourite childhood memory is of her mother’s return home from her weekly trip to the early morning market in Pranburi, loaded with the many ingredients she used to create delicious foodstuff for the family.  Pun never got to go with her, as she was getting ready to attend school. Pun recalls that she and her sisters were all excellent students and role-models at the school, and took leadership roles in their classes, jobs they took quite seriously, by all account.  Pun’s mother passed away at the young age of 46, when Pun was only 10 years old.  Further tragedy faced the girls only 2 years later when they also lost their father.  The four of them, all still children, had only their grandmother to provide for them.  Pun will always be grateful to the teachers at their local school, who took every opportunity to ensure the orphaned girls’ needs were met, often providing them with small jobs to supplement the meagre family income.

Pun and her siblings lost their grandmother just about 8 years ago now, at the fine old age of 102, always cared for at home by Pun and Sumalee.  Pun herself has no wish to aspire to more than 70 years of age (at this point in time anyway) though she did indicate that she would regard anything over 70 as a bonus.

Having a family of her own now is a very fulfilling experience for Pun.  She met her now husband Em during her first year in Bangkok to attend university. Pun didn’t actually like Em much when she first met him, and certainly wasn’t entertaining the idea that he might be boyfriend material.  However, a turn of circumstances saw her group of flatmates evicted from their accommodation, and since Pun was in an even bigger city, with few acquaintances and even fewer friends, Em’s offer of a place to stay was very welcome.  A damsel in distress and a knight in shining armour story it would appear, the rest is history.  The pair have been together some 22 years, married for 12 of those and are parents to 2 handsome young boys, Prem (9) and Plume (3).

Pun and Em work together in the real estate and property management industry and now have their own company, although they have worked for other people in the past.  Pun is proud of being her own boss and has worked hard to ensure she and her family are financially secure, and will remain so no matter what challenges the future may hold. Pun appears to be the steam-engine of the partnership, maintaining firm organisational and financial control of the business, while Em provides great insight and considerable technical and technological expertise on the marketing side.

Their business, SPM Property has become such a successful competitor in the crowded property market in Hua Hin on the back of Pun’s honesty and forthrightness. She is a consummate professional in all she does, her word is her bond and she guards her good reputation fiercely. Pun has a very open face and readily admits she is an awfully bad liar, so will always stick to the truth since she will undoubtedly be caught out if she doesn’t!  The most memorable compliments she receives are about her honesty. Pun’s personal take on how to make other people happy is to really listen to them, and let them know they have been heard.

Pun is very measured and quite humble when asked about her life’s greatest achievements so far. Although the couple reached their goal of designing and building a Thai style country home in Nongyaplong, Sam Roi Yot, about 30 kilometres south of Hua Hin as a retreat for themselves and their extended family, Pun says that in hindsight she would reconsider if able to do it again.  Much as Pun likes travelling, whether it be international trips to Switzerland, or simple, local overnight getaways to capture happy memories in photos or trips to her beloved Chiang Mai, she just can’t find sufficient time to justify the expense of maintaining her lovely county home, what with her busy work schedule and having a child in school.  Pun also confided that when she is able to travel there, she invariably spends half her time cleaning the home. Pun loves cleanliness and get annoyed if she spies stray hairs on the floor. So, the getaway is often not as relaxing as all members of the family need. Pun denies having a bucket list.  There is no doubt she would like further international travel for her family, but is it a necessity?  For Pun, the answer is a resounding “No”.  She is content with what she currently has, and her biggest hope for the future is that her boys grow up, surrounded by the love of a happy, stable extended family.  Pun has been able to leave her worries in the past and focus solely on the joys she finds in the present.

While acknowledging there is still more she wants to learn, Pun has become very adept at using social media to further her business.  She understands the importance of branding and posts on Facebook on a daily basis, also utilising other platforms including Line, WhatsApp and YouTube to engage with potential clients. Pun sees a gap in the market she would like to fill, and is investigating the possibility of providing mortgage consultancy and practical assistance to her Thai customers, to smooth their way through what can be a difficult and time-consuming process.  A further goal is to become a property developer, and this is a completely foreseeable event, given Pun’s drive, clarity of vision and determination. If she could give her teenage-self a single pearl of wisdom, it would be to not wait until you finish university to start your business.  It is the same piece of advice she has already broached with her nine-year-old son.

For Pun, true relaxation is to be found in disengaging from her phones (yes, she has several and she is constantly receiving notifications) and moving into nature.  Her garden is her happy place, where she is able to ignore the demands of work and family for a while, and focus all her attention in just one small area.  It is almost as if gardening is a form of meditation for Pun, allowing her to live “the simple life”, even if only for a few hours. Pun is, however, in perpetual motion.  Sitting just reading a book seaside, or even being on the couch engrossed in a movie, are just not possible for her. She says she doesn’t actively exercise, but her healthy diet and constant activity have seen Pun shed all the baby weight she accumulated with the birth of her boys, who she says she couldn’t live without.

Pun sums herself up as tidy, honest and hard-working. She is satisfied with the family she has grown, the successful business she has nurtured and the relatively small, close group of friends she cherishes, her husband having the status of chief friend. Pun values the wise counsel she receives from her friends and is confident they will always have her back.  She is a lucky woman indeed.