Node characterises himself as a perfectionist who pays great attention to detail.  He admits he might indeed be hyperactive since, to be happy, he must always have a project on the go. He told me his partner, Indy, often jokes she should build him a tall, solid wall so that he can bash it down and then rebuild it.  It is her fear that one day he will face retirement and not know what to do with his time. I hope that my example will show them there is a productive life beyond the age of 60, if you look hard.

But the team of Node and Indy are in the prime of their working lives and now in the consolidation phase of their business.  Together, they have shared the dream of Turtle Bay and have nurtured it through the design phase, and then the three phases of construction through Covid times, and now are able to enjoy their business as it flourishes in post-pandemic times.

Node was born and raised in Ratchaburi but has always had a strong connection to Hua Hin.  As a boy he had two aunts in local business here and had frequent short holidays at Jamjuree in Khao Takiab as it was only a little over an hours’ drive from home.  This connection was no doubt enhanced by Hua Hin’s natural beaches, mountains and national parks.  Most Aussies, even the adopted ones like Node, have an affinity with water in all its forms. For him, water symbolises life, and most mornings you will find him happily swimming at his local beach, Sai Noi, one of the most picturesque beaches along our local coastline.

Another thing that Node appreciates very much about Hua Hin is that it is still home to its local population, despite becoming a tourist mecca for Thais and expats alike.  As a restaurateur, Node values being able to personally and directly source local produce for his restaurant, whether it be from the farm or off the fishing boats as they return to shore. He treasures each new day as a challenge, as he creates his rotating menu based on seasonally available ingredients so that customers always receive the freshest possible dishes. This is another mark of Node’s need for ongoing creativity.

The word Node uses most often when talking about himself and his endeavours is adaptive.  He is like the very water he appreciates so much, in that he fits perfectly within the environment he chooses to inhabit, in the same way that water takes the shape of its container. He is unafraid, because he knows he is able to adapt to whatever circumstance he might find himself in, provided he brings his passion for creating with him.

Looking back at his life path so far, it is clear that this is not just a baseless boast. As a young boy, raised by a Thai mother who ran a street food stall, and a father of Chinese heritage who Node admits was a “tiger father”, Node was expected to work hard to help the family.  There was no sleeping in: pitching in chopping the vegetables as soon as his mum was back from the morning market was an expectation, as was a successful school career.  Node finished Year 11 in Ratchaburi then transferred to Silpakorn University on a scholarship to study Chemistry, graduating with a Bachelor of Science.

His lecturer and mentor at university told Node that she didn’t believe he was cut out to be a scientist.  His grades were good, but she saw that he had interpersonal skills that marked him as better suited for work in a people-industry, not a lab.  So, she recommended he study Marketing, and ever-ready to embrace learning new skills, Node was headed to Holmesglen College of Technical and Further Education in Melbourne, Australia, as an international student.

While studying English, Node lived with a host family. He still maintains a very strong relationship with these people, and refers to them as his “step family”. Node graduated with an Associate Diploma in Marketing and an even better proficiency with the English language.

Node needed to work to support himself in Australia during his studies and so took a job packing and moving boxes of exam papers with the Victorian Department of Education.  This meant he needed to transfer his studies to the Business School at Victoria University, to access lectures outside of working hours. In small but incremental steps, he was promoted within the Department of Education, taking on tasks that were progressively more challenging and also better paid. Another big positive about his Australian sojourn was that it was there he met his partner, Indy.

It was while Node was on a month’s holiday back in Thailand in 2003 that he made an impulse purchase that completely altered his life path. He saw a house he loved in Khao Takiab and bought it virtually on the spot.  He had to return to Australia to hand in his resignation, then returned to Thailand to open a guest house. Yes, you read that sentence correctly.  A scientist with qualifications in marketing opening a guest house? I told you this man was adaptable.  Node prides himself on the fact that he can do almost anything, and he does, but admits he needs to learn when to say “No”.  I hope I am alive to see it, but I won’t hold my breath.

So, Sea Harmony, a guest house and café, was born, and still exists today.  Luckily for Node, Indy is a qualified accountant, a CPA (certified practicing accountant) as we call them in Australia, and she is the most money savvy of the pair, formulating the bulk of the business and financial planning while Node is the ideas-man and the hands-on project manager. Sea Harmony is a guest house which has a group of highly valued patrons.  Originally it had a café/restaurant on site, but with the opening of Turtle Bay in Khao Tao, the food arm of the business moved there, with Sea Harmony maintaining its place as a bed and breakfast guest house.  Some of the guests became family during the pandemic.  With restrictions changing daily, seemingly on a whim, Node managed to take advantage of the fluidity of the situation, thanks to his loyal customer base. He cooked meals and fed them to foreigners stuck in Thailand, and sent out a daily Line menu for takeaway meal purchase.  When the situation was at its worst, he even had locals with their own homes booked into rooms at the guest house so they could eat there. A very nifty work-around indeed, from a man with great interpersonal communications skills, to ensure a continued income, whilst meeting a pressing community need.  It really should be no surprise Node makes friends wherever he goes.

I was fascinated to learn that when the architect initially asked Node and Indy to provide a single photo of their inspiration for the project, he received a photo of the Sydney Opera House.  Their vision was related to the spirit of the Khao Tao village, with its headland named for the turtle, and its shrine to the turtle, but this was also matched by the sweeping lines of the SOH with its overlapping curved sails, which Node told me was reminiscent of a mating turtle pair.  It is amazing how people view the same thing quite differently, though their personal cultural lens.

Node explained to me why Australia is so dear to him.  It is there where he really discovered himself, where through meditation and something similar to a SWOT analysis, he was able to look to his future with clarity and embrace its challenges and potential. And although there has been a lot of work to get to where Turtle Bay Eco Luxe is now, Node really feels like he hasn’t worked a day, as he is so good at making his work feel like relaxation.

Indeed, the Covid times were in some ways fortuitous for the development of Turtle Bay.  The contracts were signed in March 2020 just as Covid restrictions took hold.  Node had ample time to focus wholeheartedly on the design and decoration of the main restaurant building.  He used local plants and materials in innovative ways to create a welcoming, harmonious ambiance, with a nod to both the bone structure of fish and the helix structure of DNA.  He sourced cloth from the local Royal Weaving project and meticulously bent and shaped bamboo sticks. Because of the downturn in business during Covid, even some of the essential construction supplies were available at very discounted prices.  The finished product is a monumental gallery showcasing Node’s creativity and the dedication of his team.

The restaurant officially opened in late 2020, with the 3 accommodation pods and the accompanying pod fitted as an open-air lounge and recreation area opening some six months later.  Turtle Bay Eco Luxe is a unique development in this area of Thailand.  With its high standard of luxury, and only a capacity of 3 couples a night, individualised service is a given, along with gastronomic excellence.  The price of a night’s stay is comparable with the top hotels in Hua Hin, but much more Instagramable. Node tells me the usual demographic of the staying guests is a Thai couple in their 40s or older. There is a strict rule of only 2 people per pod, and child guests under 10 years of age are not allowed, for obvious safety reasons.

Strangely enough, Node doesn’t see the Turtle Bay Eco Luxe as his greatest achievement to date, as it is actually still an ongoing and evolving project for him.  Rather, he sees his greatest achievement as living the way he wants to be, the way he wants to live. Each day he is keen to learn a new skill, to develop self-sufficiency and self-reliance, yet at the same time utilising his leadership skills in a mentoring roll, to empower the members of his team to become the best they can be.  He doesn’t have much of an ego, and limits his direct involvement in online promotion, preferring to focus holistically on the team.

As a teenager, Node would never have seen himself cooking as he does now.  Back then, chopping vegetables for his mum was a chore, but now the development of an innovative, seasonal menu is a rewarding challenge.  Given the opportunity, Node would encourage his teenage self to work a bit harder to discover his passions a bit earlier.  But the Node of today is a well-travelled, well-balanced man as a result of his experiences, so perhaps things happened as the fates would have them.

Node has quite a simple personal philosophy of life. He respects all living things, and understands that to bring happiness to others, you first have to find your own happiness. Although friends might say he is crazy, aside from some impulsivity, Node is a very centred person.  He derives joy from simple pleasures such as his daily swim, finding and purchasing the freshest ingredients at the local market and preparing simple, traditional Thai food to be shared with guests, family and friends.  He loves animals, the French bulldog being a favourite, and he makes a great surrogate parent to the turtle hatchlings he is currently raising.

I wish him many more clutches of eggs, and many successful hatchings.  Let’s hope the humans of this world start taking proactive measures to protect our environment, as global warming is already meaning the vast majority of Node’s baby turtles are female.  Balance in our world is key.