By Robin Westley Martin
Survivor! I had listened, fascinated, to the story that Claudia Anghel had just related to me. I had first met her at a party on the busy Bangkok social scene – pre-Covid – a couple of years ago, and knew little of her hidden depths.
At the age of 19 Claudia told me she had travelled to Japan, via Romania, where she was born, and Canada. She was a small-boats enthusiast, and soon met some like-minded people in The Land of the Rising Sun, so a few of them got together, decided to get on a catamaran and go looking for adventure. They found it!
Only a few hours after they had cast off, and land had faded from view, the sky above them tuned ominously dark. The blackened clouds roiled, the wind picked up speed and force, and the waves got higher and higher as the minutes ticked by. Soon the decks were awash, and after every pitch and roll of the boat water was heading below as the boat bucked and plunged, flooding the hold.
It quickly became a rote reaction of the crew to frantically bail out the water after every surging ingress, to avoid sinking, and being sent to a watery grave as the next incoming torrent threatened to engulf them. They had been forced to tie themselves to any available stanchion to avoid being thrown from the ‘cat’ into the storm-driven sea.
The perfect storm they had found themselves at the centre of lasted for a week, and the mostly inexperienced sea voyagers remained sleepless and hungry for most of that time. There was barely time to eat, or do anything else except struggle to survive … it was all about traversing their way through the tempest and coming out safely the other side. Nothing else mattered. But eventually the power of the cyclone began to abate, and they breathed a collective sigh of relief as they sighted a coastline … they wearily limped towards a landing in their battered craft, and with their bruised bodies.
It was not to be a fairy-tale ending. Rather than being welcomed back to shore after their fight with the elements, they were greeted with suspicion rather than succour. They had arrived in waters patrolled and controlled by the US Navy. But after what they had been through – and overcome – the unwelcoming greeting they received was of little import to the battle-hardened crew. It does not surprise me that this adverse seafaring experience did not dissipate Claudia’s love of sailing, She currently has over 20 years’ experience behind her, and has taken to the oceans in everything from small dinghies to mega-yachts.
Survivor! I had listened, fascinated, to the story that Claudia Anghel had just related to me. I had first met her at a party on the busy Bangkok social scene – pre-Covid – a couple of years ago, and knew little of her hidden depths.
At the age of 19 Claudia told me she had travelled to Japan, via Romania, where she was born, and Canada. She was a small-boats enthusiast, and soon met some like-minded people in The Land of the Rising Sun, so a few of them got together, decided to get on a catamaran and go looking for adventure. They found it!
Only a few hours after they had cast off, and land had faded from view, the sky above them tuned ominously dark. The blackened clouds roiled, the wind picked up speed and force, and the waves got higher and higher as the minutes ticked by. Soon the decks were awash, and after every pitch and roll of the boat water was heading below as the boat bucked and plunged, flooding the hold.
It quickly became a rote reaction of the crew to frantically bail out the water after every surging ingress, to avoid sinking, and being sent to a watery grave as the next incoming torrent threatened to engulf them. They had been forced to tie themselves to any available stanchion to avoid being thrown from the ‘cat’ into the storm-driven sea.
The perfect storm they had found themselves at the centre of lasted for a week, and the mostly inexperienced sea voyagers remained sleepless and hungry for most of that time. There was barely time to eat, or do anything else except struggle to survive … it was all about traversing their way through the tempest and coming out safely the other side. Nothing else mattered. But eventually the power of the cyclone began to abate, and they breathed a collective sigh of relief as they sighted a coastline … they wearily limped towards a landing in their battered craft, and with their bruised bodies.
It was not to be a fairy-tale ending. Rather than being welcomed back to shore after their fight with the elements, they were greeted with suspicion rather than succour. They had arrived in waters patrolled and controlled by the US Navy. But after what they had been through – and overcome – the unwelcoming greeting they received was of little import to the battle-hardened crew. It does not surprise me that this adverse seafaring experience did not dissipate Claudia’s love of sailing, She currently has over 20 years’ experience behind her, and has taken to the oceans in everything from small dinghies to mega-yachts.
 | The stirring tale she had related to me had made me intrigued to know more about Claudia Anghel, she had sparked my curiosity. Claudia was born in Romania, and moved to Quebec, Canada, when she was still a kid. She went through high school there, learned English and French, and after graduation her itinerant spirit tempted her to seek out places even further afield, finally deciding upon a trip to Japan, an exotic place that had stirred her interest. She spent six years in Japan, taught English and French, learnt Japanese, improved upon her English skills, and also began looking into the world of business. Claudia then attended several business colleges back in British Columbia, Canada, and also gained experience in Ireland and around the world. All the while picking up valuable knowledge and making connections, as do most people who travel extensively. Claudia, as the new millennium ended its first decade, was by now a lass full of confidence, which I imagine she actually always has been. Apart from her free spirit, love of travel and thirst for knowledge, she told me she has also been a TV comedian, a model, and has been featured in some large-scale advertising campaigns. No shrinking violet is this girl. |
And so, let’s jump forward to Thailand, where Claudia arrived in mid-2016. Soon after coming to The Land of Smiles she wasted no time in making her presence felt, and one of the first things she did was to connect with the expat Canadian community by becoming President of the Canada Friendship Society, which led to a position as an advisor to the Board of CanCham (Canadian Chamber of Commerce). The foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand proved to be fertile ground for Claudia, and she has made many friends and connections through them, and is either an official or unofficial advisor to several, most notably from the countries of Scandinavia.
Claudia is also the Founder of WaveOne, her own company she formed in 2018, that specializes in business solutions, “Unpredictability leads to opportunity, opportunity leads to unexpected solutions.
WaveOne focuses on pragmatic win-win applications for businesses individually by applying sustainable solutions, as well as uniting them together with leading partners in the non-profit / public sector. WaveOne brings together media, foreign embassies, chambers of commerce and government. From these bridges that we build together, there are incredible opportunities and potential that can be unleashed,” said Claudia.
After first connecting with Claudia through the social scene of Bangkok, and now knowing her for a couple of years, and becoming her friend, I have gradually become aware of what her business strengths are; she is a master at connecting people and companies together. She is a business strategist who is able to move in and out of ‘boxes’… she quickly grasps what a particular business needs in order to move it forward.
Claudia is also the Founder of WaveOne, her own company she formed in 2018, that specializes in business solutions, “Unpredictability leads to opportunity, opportunity leads to unexpected solutions.
WaveOne focuses on pragmatic win-win applications for businesses individually by applying sustainable solutions, as well as uniting them together with leading partners in the non-profit / public sector. WaveOne brings together media, foreign embassies, chambers of commerce and government. From these bridges that we build together, there are incredible opportunities and potential that can be unleashed,” said Claudia.
After first connecting with Claudia through the social scene of Bangkok, and now knowing her for a couple of years, and becoming her friend, I have gradually become aware of what her business strengths are; she is a master at connecting people and companies together. She is a business strategist who is able to move in and out of ‘boxes’… she quickly grasps what a particular business needs in order to move it forward.
She is an elite observer and solution seeker. She is able to clearly visualise the largely imperceptible, build solid relationships, find the key people, and identify gaps or loopholes. Claudia aces problem-solving – cultural, legal, or country specific. She is a generalist, focused on long-term thinking with immediate solutions and ideas to overcome any barriers that get in the way of her clients’ desired outcome.
These are the attributes that I have come to understand after many conversations with Claudia, more often than not in a coffee-shop or bar. She is a girl that can party with the best of them. She is an Amazon. She knows how to enjoy herself, but the next morning in her office she is good to go, and with her perfect poise and exquisite classic elegance and style she is a force to be reckoned with in any business environment.
But, perhaps most importantly, she is fun to be around. Claudia is effervescent, vivacious, full of fizz and is truly genuine. She is ready to put a shine onto your business, and a sparkle into your social life.
These are the attributes that I have come to understand after many conversations with Claudia, more often than not in a coffee-shop or bar. She is a girl that can party with the best of them. She is an Amazon. She knows how to enjoy herself, but the next morning in her office she is good to go, and with her perfect poise and exquisite classic elegance and style she is a force to be reckoned with in any business environment.
But, perhaps most importantly, she is fun to be around. Claudia is effervescent, vivacious, full of fizz and is truly genuine. She is ready to put a shine onto your business, and a sparkle into your social life.
■ Chef Thomas LE GOFF
A French Pastry chef who has worked for many Michelin star restaurants, including La Marre aux Oiseaux (1 star Michelin), Yoann Conte (2 stars Michelin), L'Auberge des Glazicks (2 stars Michelin) Brittany France Restaurant Flocon De Sel (3 stars 2017 Michelin) and now at Thai Airways as a Pastry chef.
THAI Catering's Royal Orchid Dining Experience
Open every Wednesday to Sunday from 09.00-14.00 hours.
Thai Airway Head Office Building 2, Vipavadee Rungsit Road.
A French Pastry chef who has worked for many Michelin star restaurants, including La Marre aux Oiseaux (1 star Michelin), Yoann Conte (2 stars Michelin), L'Auberge des Glazicks (2 stars Michelin) Brittany France Restaurant Flocon De Sel (3 stars 2017 Michelin) and now at Thai Airways as a Pastry chef.
THAI Catering's Royal Orchid Dining Experience
Open every Wednesday to Sunday from 09.00-14.00 hours.
Thai Airway Head Office Building 2, Vipavadee Rungsit Road.
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