Meet Anchalika Kijkanakorn, the Thai hotelier redefining luxury resorts through wellness and meaningful travel

I WAS BORN in Bangkok in 1971, and grew up in a family where roles were clearly defined but influence was not always where it appeared to be. My father, who ran a real-estate development business, was seen as the strategist while my mother quietly ran the engine of the family: managing finances, raising us and ensuring everything functioned seamlessly. That dynamic shaped my understanding of leadership early on; that true control often sits behind the scenes and that execution is as powerful as vision.

I HAVE A younger brother, Goff, but we didn’t see much of each other as I went to study in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States, when I was 13 years old. I was quite a nerd; I finished my studies at Pascal High a year early and then finished my undergraduate study a year early, too. After my initial degree in marketing at the University of Texas at Arlington, I took a master’s degree in international business studies at the University of South Carolina, in Columbia.

WHEN I HAD free time, I loved to travel alone to places that were off the beaten path, which included trips to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Similar to other young people, I was confident that nothing would ever go wrong and, fortunately, it didn’t; those were some of the best times of my life. I particularly remember enjoying the national dish of Uzbekistan, called plov (rice and lamb), and the landscape of the Fergana Valley, which was like Eden on Earth.

I WENT TO Cuba when (US president Barack) Obama was threatening to end the blockade, and I was determined to get there before the American cruise ships and tourists from Florida changed the island. What struck me most was that the country was full of music. Everywhere you go, in a small cafe or restaurant, someone picks up a guitar and the music just happens. It’s magical.

I ALSO TRAVELLED around Europe by rail and slept on the train to avoid paying hotel fees. When I look back on it now, I think, “How could you do that? It could be dangerous.”

I BEGAN MY career outside hospitality, spending over a decade with GE Capital across Asia, Europe and the US. Alongside this, I have always loved horses and when a friend suggested I visit the Thai Polo Club in Pattaya, I became an amateur polo player. I used to wake up at 4am to drive to Pattaya to practise on weekdays, then stay over the weekend for matches, playing for the all-female Pink Polo team. It was incredibly exciting, although I was never a particularly strong player. After a couple of serious falls – breaking my hip and a finger – I decided to retire, especially as the sport was becoming too dangerous and my children needed more of my time.