“We may not be able to stop others from littering, but we can be the beginning of change.” That’s not your typical sales pitch from a real estate developer – but Wallaya Villas isn’t your typical company.

Wallaya is a true Phuket-grown business, led by a local family that doesn’t just work here – they are here. For them, “calling Phuket home” isn’t a metaphor – it’s a responsibility, a commitment to care, to protect, and to act.

“Clean communities uplift everyone,” the company believes.

The island’s beauty doesn’t come only from stunning views or luxury homes – it comes from people who care enough to protect it. That belief is at the heart of Wallaya Villas, and it starts at the top, with Managing Director Lamphun Tangnoi leading by example.

Mr Lamphun speaks in verbs of action: to clean, to fix, to do. Whether it’s picking up trash, keeping beaches clean, or spreading awareness, he believes even small actions can create lasting ripples.

“I was born in Patong, in a local fisherman’s family. Back then, if you were from Phuket, you either became a fisherman or a trader. We’ve never really been farmers here,” he recalls. “Then foreign tourists started arriving.”

When that shift began, Mr Lamphun embraced a third option – tourism – and rode the wave of change. From renting jet skis to Japanese holidaymakers to welcoming the U.S. Navy personnel on their visits, he gained firsthand insight into the evolving landscape of Phuket hospitality.

As the island began transforming from a vacation destination to a lifestyle-residential hub, so did Mr Lamphun. In 2007, he entered the property market with one of Phuket’s first registered condominium.

But the project that brought Wallaya Villas into the spotlight came a few years later, when he and his wife Ms Wallaya – after whom the company is named – partnered with a Bangkok investor to launch Wallaya Lake View in Kamala.

“The investor looked at the land and said, ‘Are you sure you can build a village here?’ He was from Bangkok – so how could he know? But truthfully, I didn’t know either,” Mr Lamphun laughs.

The answer came quickly: the lakeside villas became the foundation for a growing portfolio of award-winning developments. As of mid-2025, Wallaya Villas employs over 700 people and counts 25 projects across Phuket – each reflecting thoughtful design, quality construction, and sustainable value.

“Our first priority is product differentiation,” Mr Lamphun explains. “We want every project to be unique – not just different from what’s already on the market, but different from our own previous projects too.”

“Second, we focus on quality – everything in the homes we build must meet top-tier standards. And third, we commit to on-time delivery,” he adds.

Underscoring the company’s commitment to excellence, Wallaya Villas Development has been awarded the Best Developer Boutique Villa at the Dot Property Southeast Asia Awards 2024.

Having pioneered the condominium market and fully developed their potential in the boutique villa segment, Mr Lamphun and Ms Wallaya are now setting their sights on a new challenge: office real estate – an entirely new frontier not just for their company, but for Phuket’s property market as a whole.

“Office spaces will definitely be the new trend from now on. If people choose to stay in Phuket long-term, they need a proper working environment – a place to connect and collaborate,” Mr Lamphun says. “You’ll see my own office building in the future, for sure. And it will definitely be in the Bang Tao area.”

As lifelong islanders, Mr Lamphun and Ms Wallaya understand that the key to Phuket’s future lies in preserving its identity.

“I believe that in five or ten years, foreigners will still want to see Phuket as charming as it is today. We don’t want to become another Pattaya,” he says. “Nothing against Pattaya – but we need to keep Phuket different, keep Phuket unique.”

At the heart of that uniqueness is nature – the beaches, the greenery, the lakes – and with it, the shared responsibility of all who live and build here.

“I hope my way, my experience, can inspire others to do things the responsible way,” Mr Lamphun says. “It all starts with caring.”

Discover the full exclusive interview with the founder of Wallaya Villas and more from RL Magazine and Railand Group on our YouTube channel youtube.com/@railand-phuket.