Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort Honours Life-Saving Associates, Honest Local Cab Driver

Aug. 24, 2009 - PRLog -- Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort, led by General Manager Rudolf Borgesius, on 20 August 2009 hosted a cocktail reception in honour of three lifeguards who saved a guest from drowning, an honest local cab driver who returned a wallet left by a guest, an associate’s Silver Medal finish in the recent Asian Martial Arts Games, its executive chef’s contribution to an event which successfully raised THB 3.8 Million for charity and the resort’s inclusion in Travel + Leisure Magazine’s prestigious World’s Top 100 Hotels 2009 list.

U-thit Damsanit, Surachet Janwana and Viroon Chuasaman – part of Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort’s Australian gold medal standard-certified lifeguards – were praised for their swift and efficient coordination and courage in saving a guest from drowning at the risk of their own safety.

Jongdee Heamkeaw, an associate of the resort’s Sports & Recreations department since 2004, was commended by Mr. Borgesius for her sterling Silver Medal victory in Pencak Silat in the Asian Martial Arts Games held in Bangkok recently. The Songkhla-borne Jongdee is also a gold standard-certified lifeguard.

Executive Chef Philippe Gaudal was one of sixteen talented Executive Chefs from five-star hotels in Bangkok and Phuket who prepared an eight-course menu for a charity dinner held on 27 July 2009 in Bangkok. The event, which was presided over by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, raised THB 3.8 million. Proceeds of the event will go towards Her Royal Highness’s Sai Jai Thai Foundation as well as to underprivileged children at ban Kob Dong, Doi Ang Khang in Northern Thailand.

For his honesty in returning a guest’s wallet which contained USD 1,000 and credit cards, local cab driver Peerasuwat Khaitat received a small gift from the resort as well as a rousing ovation from everyone present at the event. His selfless act “especially given the current economic challenges experienced everywhere, is admirable and worth emulating” added Mr. Borgesius.

The event also paid tribute to all Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort associates for the resort’s achievement in being the only seaside hotel in Thailand to be included in this year’s prestigious World’s Best 2009 Top 100 Hotels and Top 15 Resorts in Asia as voted by readers of the internationally-circulated Travel + Leisure Magazine.