Boon Yongsakul is the Chairman and Founder of Boat Pattana Group. The diversified business group specializes in world-class marinas, luxury hotels, apartments for rent, and other residential and commercial properties.

Khun Boon holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Canterbury in Christchurch (New Zealand) and an MBA degree in Finance and Marketing from the Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration (Bangkok). Known for his open-mindedness and charming personality, Khun Boon speaks fluent English and has served in the Royal Thai Navy among other life experiences.

Doing a magazine about the sunny side of Phuket is literally impossible without touching on the legacy of Boon Yongsakul and his family. Property developers are rarely known to the general public, but Khun Boon is different, as his Boat Pattana Group is more than just developing properties – it is developing the community.

We were lucky to sit down with Khun Boon at one of his new projects that perfectly illustrates this idea. Located in the heart of Cherng Talay, his Boat Avenue Park & Playground is destined to become a new community center, just as the original Boat Avenue did in the 2010s. Just as Phuket Boat Lagoon did in the 2000s and Phuket Shopping Centre did before.

“I’m a local Phuketian, I was born here 47 years ago when the island was about beach, beach, and beach only. There were few hotels, but no supermarkets, no 7-Elevens, no fancy restaurants. It was all nature and simple rustic life. Nature is still highly important for Phuket’s attractiveness, but so is the infrastructure,” Khun Boon says as a foreword for the interview.

“Whatever I do, I try to think of the community in the long run. After all, I like to live here, my family is here, and I hope my children will enjoy their happy lives here. My vision of my work is the vision of Phuket,” he adds.

Khun Boon is the latest of the Yongsakul generation to make his contribution in shaping the future of Phuket. His great-grandfather came to the island as a Hokkien Chinese emigrant and made his way from a tin mine worker to a respected business owner with a great vision.

When the tin era concluded in the second half of the 20th century, the Yongsakul family had already been prominent landowners thanks to wise investments by Kong Yongsakul and Kanit Yongsakul, Khun Boon’s grandfather and father respectively.

“My mission is to make Phuket a better place not only for Phuketians but for the whole world. The beauty of Phuket is welcoming people from all over the globe – Russians, Indians, Chinese, Americans – to live safely and happily here. I think that’s really the most amazing thing about Phuket,” Khun Boon says.

Khun Boon witnessed Phuket’s transition from the Tin Mining Era to the Tourism Era and later to the Developed Tourism Era. Now the island progresses into a new stage which he defines as the Community Living Era.

Khun Boon’s contribution can be seen in brick and mortar in Phuket Boat Lagoon and Boat Avenue, Bypass Biztown, Boat Plaza and numerous residential projects ranging from Hideaway villages and The Aqua luxury condominium to the ultra-luxury Maison Marina Panwa estate.

Each of them is more than just square meters, but something elevating Phuket one step further. This is exactly what Khun Boon did in Laguna Area by opening Boat Avenue.

“I would like to give credit to Laguna for being the driver of Cherng Talay and Bang Tao development. But I thought that we want to make this area livable for people who stay here long-term. Boat Avenue started as a small idea for the community, but I must admit it grew into something sizeable,” Khun Boon says.

Boat Avenue now hosts the weekly Fun Friday Market, dozens of restaurants and cafes, various shops, and of course, the Villa Market – the area’s first big supermarket. Hard to believe, but back in the day, a Cherng Talay resident would have to drive kilometres for groceries.

“Villa Market first refused to believe in the area, so I went to Bangkok to convince the owner to open a supermarket in this area. On the day of the opening, he was very impressed, and ever since the shop’s revenue keeps going up, while I am glad to have made this area a new living community on the island. Boat Avenue has become a place where everybody come to mingle, drink coffee and do yoga, enjoy a night out with drinks and dinner,” Khun Boon explains.

We conclude our conversation with a walk around Boat Avenue Park & Playground, the next addition to community infrastructure in Cherng Talay. The evolution of the area into a residential destination dictates the need for more family-oriented spaces as well as the heath and wellness oriented. For the latter, Khun Boon now develops the Boat Galleria complex.

“My vision is to raise Phuket onto another level, lead it into its fifth era – the Ultra High Net Worth Living Era. For this, you must have good security, good healthcare, good community spaces, good playgrounds, and a good park. Where are the most sought-after locations at all the big cities? They are near the Hyde Park in London or near the Central Park in New York. You always have a park in the middle!” he continues.

“To solidify our commitment, we will continue to explore fresh opportunities and foster vibrant luxury communities in Phuket. As part of this endeavor, we’ve partnered with the emerging financial firm, Finfinite Asset, to establish The Chardonnay. Our groundbreaking luxury mixed-use project, The Petit Tycoon near Surin Beach, promises to elevate a new era for Surin,” Khun Boon concludes.

To learn more about Boat Pattana Group and the company’s projects, please visit BoatPattana.com. To stay up to date, subscribe to @Boat.Pattana in Instagram and @BoatPattanaCompany on Facebook.