​CHAIYA RICHARD HOLT

​CHAIYA RICHARD HOLT
• NAME: CHAIYA RICHARD HOLT
• AGE: 55
• BORN: DECEMBER 24, 1962
• NICKNAME: MY MATE TERRY CALLS ME ‘TRICK’ BUT DOES IT STILL COUNT AS A NICKNAME IF ONLY ONE PERSON USES IT?
• PERSONAL MOTTO: ALWAYS KEEP THAT SENSE OF HUMOUR WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU
• COMPANY & POSITION: GENERAL MANAGER, FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS’ CLUB OF THAILAND
• EDUCATION: SHREWSBURY SCHOOL, OXFORD POLYTECHNIC (NOW OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY)
• PREVIOUS JOBS: GM ROYAL VARUNA YACHT CLUB, MD BPASIA CO., LTD, MD SINOBRIT CO., LTD
• SPECIAL TALENTS: NONE THAT I CAN THINK OF
• HOW LONG IN THAILAND: SINCE I WAS 9 MONTHS OLD
• SPECIAL INTERESTS: FISHING, GOLF, READING, MOVIES AND MORE FISHING
• IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD IT BE: A TOSS-UP BETWEEN BEING LESS OF A PROCRASTINATOR AND HAVING A BETTER MEMORY

• MOST INTERESTING EXPERIENCE: TOUGH ONE, THIS! LET’S GO WITH TRAVELLING WITH A DOCTOR VISITING HILL TRIBES IN THE NORTH LONG BEFORE TREKKING BECAME A THING
• MOST SHOCKING EXPERIENCE: HAVING A BLOKE COME AFTER ME WITH A GUN BECAUSE I WAS DATING HIS FIANCÉE – SOMETHING SHE HAD FORGOTTEN TO MENTION
• MOST INTERESTING PERSON YOU’VE MET IN THAILAND: GREAT THING ABOUT LIVING HERE AND DOING THE JOBS I HAVE DONE IS THE INTERESTING PEOPLE I’VE MET, BUT I’LL GO WITH MY FATHER BY ADOPTION – SIR JAMES HOLT – BECAUSE OF THE LIFE HE HAD LEAD
• BIGGEST BORE: ME
• HIGH POINT WHILE IN THAILAND: MY SON BEING BORN
• LOW POINT: GETTING DIVORCED

• FUNNIEST OR WEIRDEST MOMENT: BEING CHASED AROUND THE BRITISH EMBASSY COMPOUND BY A GURKHA WITH A DRAWN KUKRI AND I’M NOT TELLING YOU WHY
• OTHER THAN THE TRAFFIC, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE DIFFERENT IN BANGKOK: NO MORE LITTER ON THE ROADSIDE AND PUT ALL CABLES UNDERGROUND. BANGKOK WOULD LOOK SO MUCH BETTER
• BEST CLUBS IN THAILAND: CLUBS? THE FCCT IN BANGKOK AND THE ROYAL VARUNA IN PATTAYA!
• ANY HIDDEN SECRETS (PLACES TO SEE): SO, SO MANY. TAKE A DRIVE ANYWHERE OUT OF BANGKOK AND EXPLORE. THERE ARE A LOT OF GEMS OUT THERE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE
• SELF IMAGE: I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT THAT – TOO DEPRESSING!
• DON’T MENTION: THE GROWING BALD PATCH
• BEST HOLIDAY IN THAILAND: A FEW DAYS ON A BOAT OFF PHUKET WHEN THE WEATHER IS GOOD AND THE FISH ARE BITING!
• BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED: MY FIRST JOB WAS AT FOREMOST DAIRIES AND MY FIRST BOSS, KHUN PLOEMRUDEE, TOLD ME I COULD MAKE MISTAKES EVERYDAY BUT EACH ONE MUST BE A NEW ONE. SHE WOULD ONLY GET MAD AT ME IF I MADE THE SAME MISTAKE TWICE
• WHERE DO YOU HANG OUT: AT HOME
• MOST HATED THAI DISH EVER: ANYTHING WITH TOO MUCH GINGER IN IT
• WHERE ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE: I’VE NEVER THOUGHT OF LIVING ANYWHERE ELSE BUT IF I HAD TO NAME SOME IT WOULD BE AUSTRALIA OR NEW ZEALAN