• NAME: BRAD MCELROY
• BORN: SYDNEY AUSTRALIA
• PROFESSION: BUSINESS MAN, TRYING TO RETIRE
• COMPANY: THE BARBECUE STORE
• TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY: WE OPENED THE BARBECUE STORE IN THAILAND 20 YEARS AGO. IT’S A SMALL COMPANY IMPORTING, DISTRIBUTING AND RETAILING BARBECUE GRILLS AND ACCESSORIES. WE’RE THE EXCLUSIVE AGENTS FOR TOP END BRANDS SUCH AS WEBER, BARBEQUES GALORE, KAMADO JOE AND OUTBACK, AND WE HAVE STORES AND OUTLETS IN BANGKOK, PATTAYA, PHUKET, CHIANG MAI, HUA HIN AND SAMUI. WE DELIVER THAILAND-WIDE. OUR BARBECUE PRODUCTS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT HAFELE STORES. INITIALLY OUR CUSTOMERS WERE FOREIGNERS BUT NOW IT'S SPLIT 50:50 THAI AND FARANGS. INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES MAKE UP AROUND 70% OF OUR SALES, HOTELS, RESORTS AND EMBASSIES THE BALANCE. WE RECENTLY OPENED THAILAND’S FIRST WEBER GRILL TRAINING CENTRE AT OUR SUKHUMVIT SOI 39 LOCATION.
• ANYTHING ELSE: AS A SIDELINE WE IMPORT AND DISTRIBUTE BUNDABERG RUM (BUNDY) FROM AUSTRALIA. PREVIOUSLY WE OWNED A FEW COCKTAIL LOUNGES AND A POPULAR SPORTS STEAKHOUSE, TENDERLOINS, WHICH MY FRIEND BARRY SHEA NOW OWNS AND HAS EXPANDED.
• BORN: SYDNEY AUSTRALIA
• PROFESSION: BUSINESS MAN, TRYING TO RETIRE
• COMPANY: THE BARBECUE STORE
• TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY: WE OPENED THE BARBECUE STORE IN THAILAND 20 YEARS AGO. IT’S A SMALL COMPANY IMPORTING, DISTRIBUTING AND RETAILING BARBECUE GRILLS AND ACCESSORIES. WE’RE THE EXCLUSIVE AGENTS FOR TOP END BRANDS SUCH AS WEBER, BARBEQUES GALORE, KAMADO JOE AND OUTBACK, AND WE HAVE STORES AND OUTLETS IN BANGKOK, PATTAYA, PHUKET, CHIANG MAI, HUA HIN AND SAMUI. WE DELIVER THAILAND-WIDE. OUR BARBECUE PRODUCTS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT HAFELE STORES. INITIALLY OUR CUSTOMERS WERE FOREIGNERS BUT NOW IT'S SPLIT 50:50 THAI AND FARANGS. INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES MAKE UP AROUND 70% OF OUR SALES, HOTELS, RESORTS AND EMBASSIES THE BALANCE. WE RECENTLY OPENED THAILAND’S FIRST WEBER GRILL TRAINING CENTRE AT OUR SUKHUMVIT SOI 39 LOCATION.
• ANYTHING ELSE: AS A SIDELINE WE IMPORT AND DISTRIBUTE BUNDABERG RUM (BUNDY) FROM AUSTRALIA. PREVIOUSLY WE OWNED A FEW COCKTAIL LOUNGES AND A POPULAR SPORTS STEAKHOUSE, TENDERLOINS, WHICH MY FRIEND BARRY SHEA NOW OWNS AND HAS EXPANDED.
 | • WHAT ELSE: I’M PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A FOUNDING COMMITTEE MEMBER OF THE BANGKOK LIONS JUNIOR RUGBY CLUB AND THE NOT SO JUNIOR BANGKOK BANGERS RUGBY. BUT I’M NO LONGER INVOLVED, MERELY A SUPPORTER! DURING MY TENURE WITH DHL IN THAILAND I WAS PRESIDENT OF THE THAI AIR EXPRESS ASSOCIATION. • EDUCATION: SYDNEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, DIPLOMA IN REAL ESTATE VALUATION BUT I’VE NEVER PRACTICED. I BOLTED OVERSEAS AS SOON AS I GRADUATED. • FAMILY: MY WIFE CHAWEEWAN AND OUR SONS NIC 22 AND FINN, BOTH BORN IN BANGKOK. NIC GRADUATED FROM UNI IN AUSTRALIA AND NOW WORKS IN BANGKOK. FINN IS A KEEN RUGBY PLAYER BACK IN AUSTRALIA WHERE DO YOU LIVE: OUR TIME IS SPLIT BETWEEN THAILAND WHERE WE HAVE AN APARTMENT AND OUR HOUSE AT BYRON BAY AUSTRALIA. IT’S A BEAUTIFUL COASTAL RESORT TOWN. LAID BACK, WONDERFUL BEACHES. I TRAVEL TO THAILAND EVERY MONTH. • HOW LONG IN THAILAND: ARRIVED AS A BACKPACKER IN 1977 AND THOUGHT IF I COULD EVER SNAG ONE OF THOSE CUSHY GLOBAL CORPORATE JOBS IN AN EXCITING LOCATION, IT WOULD BE THAILAND! I RETURNED IN 1990 AS COUNTRY MANAGER OF DHL, THE GLOBAL DELIVERY GIANT. THERE WERE THE USUAL EXPAT BENEFITS BUT THE JOB WAS FAR FROM CUSHY. |
• BEFORE THAILAND: AFTER A YEAR TRAVELLING IN 1977, I JOINED DHL IN LONDON AS A COURIER IN THE WEST END. APART FROM WORKING IN A PUB THIS WAS THE BEST JOB I EVER HAD - DELIVERING DOCUMENTS AND PACKAGES TO THE STUFFY LAW OFFICES AND AD AGENCIES. LOTS OF RUNNING AROUND BUT I WAS FIT. AS THERE WERE LOTS OF ABSOLUTELY KNOCKOUT SECRETARIES, I HAD TO BE FIT. MY DHL CAREER SPANNED 20 YEARS. BESIDES LONDON I LIVED IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA, VARIOUS COUNTRIES IN SOUTH EAST ASIA, FLORIDA AND THE CARIBBEAN. I ALSO HAD TWO YEARS AS MD OF DHL AUSTRALASIA. BESIDES THE USUAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES, I WAS TASKED WITH NETWORK
EXPANSION WHICH I ENJOYED AND REGULATORY ISSUES WHICH WERE QUITE CHALLENGING IN THE DEVELOPING MARKETS.
• DESCRIBE YOURSELF: THESE DAYS I’M A VERY HAPPY FAMILY GUY LIVING THE DREAM AND ENJOYING WHAT I RECKON TO BE TWO OF THE WORLD’S SPECIAL LOCATIONS, WITH GOOD FRIENDS IN BOTH PLACES. IT’S IRONIC THAT WHEN I LEAVE ONE TO TRAVEL TO THE OTHER I’M QUITE READY TO DO SO AND EQUALLY READY TO RETURN A FEW WEEKS LATER.
• SPECIAL TALENTS: I CAN WIGGLE MY EARS. ALSO DRINK BEERS TOO QUICKLY. BTW THESE ARE UNRELATED TALENTS.
• LIFE HIGHLIGHTS: HAVING THE EXPERIENCE OF LIVING AND ENJOYING A VARIETY OF DIVERSE CULTURES IN A DOZEN COUNTRIES. VISITING MACHU PICCHU WHICH WAS DEFINITELY A HIGHLIGHT. A MORE RECENT HIGHLIGHT WAS THAT I WAS IMPRESSED HOW THE WORLD WAS GALVANISED WITH HOPE FOR THE WILD BOARS.
• HIGH & LOW POINTS IN THAILAND: BIT OF A COP-OUT BUT I HAVEN’T REALLY LET ADVERSITIES AFFECT HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAILAND. EVERYBODY HAS EXPERIENCES WHICH ARE UNPLEASANT FOR DIFFERENT REASONS
• WHERE DO YOU LIVE: OUR TIME IS SPLIT BETWEEN THAILAND WHERE WE HAVE AN APARTMENT AND OUR HOUSE AT BYRON BAY AUSTRALIA. IT’S A BEAUTIFUL COASTAL RESORT TOWN. LAID BACK, WONDERFUL BEACHES. I TRAVEL TO THAILAND EVERY MONTH.
• HOW LONG IN THAILAND: ARRIVED AS A BACKPACKER IN 1977 AND THOUGHT IF I COULD EVER SNAG ONE OF THOSE CUSHY GLOBAL CORPORATE JOBS IN AN EXCITING LOCATION, IT WOULD BE THAILAND! I RETURNED IN 1990 AS COUNTRY MANAGER OF DHL, THE GLOBAL DELIVERY GIANT. THERE WERE THE USUAL EXPAT BENEFITS BUT THE JOB WAS FAR FROM
CUSHY.
• BEFORE THAILAND: AFTER A YEAR TRAVELLING IN 1977, I JOINED DHL IN LONDON AS A COURIER IN THE WEST END. APART FROM WORKING IN A PUB THIS WAS THE BEST JOB I EVER HAD - DELIVERING DOCUMENTS AND PACKAGES TO THE STUFFY LAW OFFICES AND AD AGENCIES. LOTS OF RUNNING AROUND BUT I WAS FIT. AS THERE WERE LOTS OF ABSOLUTELY KNOCKOUT SECRETARIES, I HAD TO BE FIT. MY DHL CAREER SPANNED 20 YEARS. BESIDES LONDON I LIVED IN THE
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA, VARIOUS COUNTRIES IN SOUTH EAST ASIA, FLORIDA AND THE CARIBBEAN. I ALSO HAD TWO YEARS AS MD OF DHL AUSTRALASIA. BESIDES THE USUAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES, I WAS TASKED WITH NETWORK EXPANSION WHICH I ENJOYED AND REGULATORY ISSUES WHICH WERE QUITE CHALLENGING IN THE DEVELOPING MARKETS.
• DESCRIBE YOURSELF: THESE DAYS I’M A VERY HAPPY FAMILY GUY LIVING THE DREAM AND ENJOYING WHAT I RECKON TO BE TWO OF THE WORLD’S SPECIAL LOCATIONS, WITH GOOD FRIENDS IN BOTH PLACES. IT’S IRONIC THAT WHEN I LEAVE ONE TO TRAVEL TO THE OTHER I’M QUITE READY TO DO SO AND EQUALLY READY TO RETURN A FEW WEEKS LATER.
• SPECIAL TALENTS: I CAN WIGGLE MY EARS. ALSO DRINK BEERS TOO QUICKLY. BTW THESE ARE UNRELATED TALENTS.
• LIFE HIGHLIGHTS: HAVING THE EXPERIENCE OF LIVING AND ENJOYING A VARIETY OF DIVERSE CULTURES IN A DOZEN COUNTRIES. VISITING MACHU PICCHU WHICH WAS DEFINITELY A HIGHLIGHT. A MORE RECENT HIGHLIGHT WAS THAT I WAS IMPRESSED HOW THE WORLD WAS GALVANISED WITH HOPE FOR THE WILD BOARS.
• HIGH & LOW POINTS IN THAILAND: BIT OF A COP-OUT BUT I HAVEN’T REALLY LET ADVERSITIES AFFECT HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAILAND. EVERYBODY HAS EXPERIENCES WHICH ARE UNPLEASANT FOR DIFFERENT REASONS
• YOUR FAVOURITE VACATION SPOT IN THAILAND: WE LIKE MAE HONG SON AND WILL SOON VISIT KOH KOOD AND KOH MAK.
• BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED: TRAVEL AS EXTENSIVELY AS POSSIBLE WHEN YOU HAVE THE CHANCE. THE EXPERIENCES GAINED BETTER PREPARE YOU FOR THE JOURNEY AHEAD.
• WHERE DO YOU HANG OUT: IN BANGKOK IF I’M HANGING OUT FOR WESTERN FOOD IT'S USUALLY BISTRO 33, NO IDEA AND CHESA. FOR THAI FOOD I ENJOY THON KRUENG AND PATARA.
• FAVOURITE THAI DISH: TOM KHA GAI AND HOR MOK. ALSO PLA KAPONG KAO/SEA BASS, WHICH IN AUSTRALIA IS KNOWN AS BARRAMUNDI.
• LEAST FAVOURITE: NOT KEEN ON SOMTAM SAI POO DUM
• OTHER THAN THAILAND, WHERE ELSE COULD YOU LIVE: THIRTY YEARS AGO IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ANYWHERE. NOWADAYS CREATURE COMFORTS, FAMILY AND THE COMPANY OF GOOD FRIENDS ARE IMPORTANT. SO I’M CONTENT WITH THE AUSTRALIA/ THAILAND SPLIT.
• DOES THE AUSTRALIA/THAI SPLIT WORK? FOR ME IT SEEMS TO WORK VERY WELL. OUR BUSINESS IS RUN BY COMPETENT STAFF MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR OVER 12 YEARS. MY BEING AWAY FROM THE BUSINESS EVERY FEW WEEKS IS PROBABLY NOT A BAD THING! WHEN IN THAILAND I VISIT THE STORES AND CUSTOMERS. FROM AUSTRALIA I CALL OUR OFFICE DAILY FOR A CATCH UP. AND WHEN REQUIRED I CONTACT CUSTOMERS, SUPPLIERS AND OUR AGENCY. AUSTRALIA HAS A VERY STRONG BBQ/GRILLING CULTURE AND WHEN I’M THERE I’M ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR NEW PRODUCTS AND IDEAS. I DON’T FIND THE TRAVEL ONEROUS. IT’S A DIRECT EIGHT OR NINE-HOUR FLIGHT ONCE A MONTH. AND I FIND THE BREAK FROM EACH LOCATION REFRESHING AND MENTALLY STIMULATING.
EXPANSION WHICH I ENJOYED AND REGULATORY ISSUES WHICH WERE QUITE CHALLENGING IN THE DEVELOPING MARKETS.
• DESCRIBE YOURSELF: THESE DAYS I’M A VERY HAPPY FAMILY GUY LIVING THE DREAM AND ENJOYING WHAT I RECKON TO BE TWO OF THE WORLD’S SPECIAL LOCATIONS, WITH GOOD FRIENDS IN BOTH PLACES. IT’S IRONIC THAT WHEN I LEAVE ONE TO TRAVEL TO THE OTHER I’M QUITE READY TO DO SO AND EQUALLY READY TO RETURN A FEW WEEKS LATER.
• SPECIAL TALENTS: I CAN WIGGLE MY EARS. ALSO DRINK BEERS TOO QUICKLY. BTW THESE ARE UNRELATED TALENTS.
• LIFE HIGHLIGHTS: HAVING THE EXPERIENCE OF LIVING AND ENJOYING A VARIETY OF DIVERSE CULTURES IN A DOZEN COUNTRIES. VISITING MACHU PICCHU WHICH WAS DEFINITELY A HIGHLIGHT. A MORE RECENT HIGHLIGHT WAS THAT I WAS IMPRESSED HOW THE WORLD WAS GALVANISED WITH HOPE FOR THE WILD BOARS.
• HIGH & LOW POINTS IN THAILAND: BIT OF A COP-OUT BUT I HAVEN’T REALLY LET ADVERSITIES AFFECT HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAILAND. EVERYBODY HAS EXPERIENCES WHICH ARE UNPLEASANT FOR DIFFERENT REASONS
• WHERE DO YOU LIVE: OUR TIME IS SPLIT BETWEEN THAILAND WHERE WE HAVE AN APARTMENT AND OUR HOUSE AT BYRON BAY AUSTRALIA. IT’S A BEAUTIFUL COASTAL RESORT TOWN. LAID BACK, WONDERFUL BEACHES. I TRAVEL TO THAILAND EVERY MONTH.
• HOW LONG IN THAILAND: ARRIVED AS A BACKPACKER IN 1977 AND THOUGHT IF I COULD EVER SNAG ONE OF THOSE CUSHY GLOBAL CORPORATE JOBS IN AN EXCITING LOCATION, IT WOULD BE THAILAND! I RETURNED IN 1990 AS COUNTRY MANAGER OF DHL, THE GLOBAL DELIVERY GIANT. THERE WERE THE USUAL EXPAT BENEFITS BUT THE JOB WAS FAR FROM
CUSHY.
• BEFORE THAILAND: AFTER A YEAR TRAVELLING IN 1977, I JOINED DHL IN LONDON AS A COURIER IN THE WEST END. APART FROM WORKING IN A PUB THIS WAS THE BEST JOB I EVER HAD - DELIVERING DOCUMENTS AND PACKAGES TO THE STUFFY LAW OFFICES AND AD AGENCIES. LOTS OF RUNNING AROUND BUT I WAS FIT. AS THERE WERE LOTS OF ABSOLUTELY KNOCKOUT SECRETARIES, I HAD TO BE FIT. MY DHL CAREER SPANNED 20 YEARS. BESIDES LONDON I LIVED IN THE
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA, VARIOUS COUNTRIES IN SOUTH EAST ASIA, FLORIDA AND THE CARIBBEAN. I ALSO HAD TWO YEARS AS MD OF DHL AUSTRALASIA. BESIDES THE USUAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES, I WAS TASKED WITH NETWORK EXPANSION WHICH I ENJOYED AND REGULATORY ISSUES WHICH WERE QUITE CHALLENGING IN THE DEVELOPING MARKETS.
• DESCRIBE YOURSELF: THESE DAYS I’M A VERY HAPPY FAMILY GUY LIVING THE DREAM AND ENJOYING WHAT I RECKON TO BE TWO OF THE WORLD’S SPECIAL LOCATIONS, WITH GOOD FRIENDS IN BOTH PLACES. IT’S IRONIC THAT WHEN I LEAVE ONE TO TRAVEL TO THE OTHER I’M QUITE READY TO DO SO AND EQUALLY READY TO RETURN A FEW WEEKS LATER.
• SPECIAL TALENTS: I CAN WIGGLE MY EARS. ALSO DRINK BEERS TOO QUICKLY. BTW THESE ARE UNRELATED TALENTS.
• LIFE HIGHLIGHTS: HAVING THE EXPERIENCE OF LIVING AND ENJOYING A VARIETY OF DIVERSE CULTURES IN A DOZEN COUNTRIES. VISITING MACHU PICCHU WHICH WAS DEFINITELY A HIGHLIGHT. A MORE RECENT HIGHLIGHT WAS THAT I WAS IMPRESSED HOW THE WORLD WAS GALVANISED WITH HOPE FOR THE WILD BOARS.
• HIGH & LOW POINTS IN THAILAND: BIT OF A COP-OUT BUT I HAVEN’T REALLY LET ADVERSITIES AFFECT HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAILAND. EVERYBODY HAS EXPERIENCES WHICH ARE UNPLEASANT FOR DIFFERENT REASONS
• YOUR FAVOURITE VACATION SPOT IN THAILAND: WE LIKE MAE HONG SON AND WILL SOON VISIT KOH KOOD AND KOH MAK.
• BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED: TRAVEL AS EXTENSIVELY AS POSSIBLE WHEN YOU HAVE THE CHANCE. THE EXPERIENCES GAINED BETTER PREPARE YOU FOR THE JOURNEY AHEAD.
• WHERE DO YOU HANG OUT: IN BANGKOK IF I’M HANGING OUT FOR WESTERN FOOD IT'S USUALLY BISTRO 33, NO IDEA AND CHESA. FOR THAI FOOD I ENJOY THON KRUENG AND PATARA.
• FAVOURITE THAI DISH: TOM KHA GAI AND HOR MOK. ALSO PLA KAPONG KAO/SEA BASS, WHICH IN AUSTRALIA IS KNOWN AS BARRAMUNDI.
• LEAST FAVOURITE: NOT KEEN ON SOMTAM SAI POO DUM
• OTHER THAN THAILAND, WHERE ELSE COULD YOU LIVE: THIRTY YEARS AGO IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ANYWHERE. NOWADAYS CREATURE COMFORTS, FAMILY AND THE COMPANY OF GOOD FRIENDS ARE IMPORTANT. SO I’M CONTENT WITH THE AUSTRALIA/ THAILAND SPLIT.
• DOES THE AUSTRALIA/THAI SPLIT WORK? FOR ME IT SEEMS TO WORK VERY WELL. OUR BUSINESS IS RUN BY COMPETENT STAFF MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR OVER 12 YEARS. MY BEING AWAY FROM THE BUSINESS EVERY FEW WEEKS IS PROBABLY NOT A BAD THING! WHEN IN THAILAND I VISIT THE STORES AND CUSTOMERS. FROM AUSTRALIA I CALL OUR OFFICE DAILY FOR A CATCH UP. AND WHEN REQUIRED I CONTACT CUSTOMERS, SUPPLIERS AND OUR AGENCY. AUSTRALIA HAS A VERY STRONG BBQ/GRILLING CULTURE AND WHEN I’M THERE I’M ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR NEW PRODUCTS AND IDEAS. I DON’T FIND THE TRAVEL ONEROUS. IT’S A DIRECT EIGHT OR NINE-HOUR FLIGHT ONCE A MONTH. AND I FIND THE BREAK FROM EACH LOCATION REFRESHING AND MENTALLY STIMULATING.
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