Andrew Stocks: Catering to Golden Agers’ Needs and Yearnings
We drove down from Bangkok to the coastal beach towns of Cha-am and Hua Hin to meet Andrew Stocks, the CEO of Sunshine International, at one of his newest residential-hotel resorts, Sunshine Prestige, that caters solely to retirees. We were surprised, as we were at a beach resort, when Andrew, a tall, well-built, impressive man, came to greet us at reception, looking very smart, in a dark blue, silver pinstripe suit and white, flat-crowned Panama hat, ever the English gentleman. More than a handshake, he greeted each of us with a warm hug and then led us to the restaurant and its patio, overlooking a shimmering pool with some residents lounging under bright orange umbrellas, where we would conduct our interview.
Andrew seemed to know everyone, residents, guests and staff, and he warmly greeted each of them, sincerely asking with true concern how they were, how their day was going. And this we learned, this kindness and concern, was, as he says, at the heart of his success in the property development and hospitality fields. So, once comfortable, we began…
Can you tell us briefly about your background and what brought you to Thailand?
I was born in Colchester in the northeast of Essex and, at three, we moved to Devon in the southwest, which is famous for its coastline and moors, about two hours from London. My parents had a holiday park to accommodate family vacationers, and I seemed to spend more time helping them than focusing on school.
At the age of nine, or in 1979, we began wintering in Thailand. My first days here I hated—the food, the smells, the heat, and just the overall culture shock—but after a week, I began to fall in love with the country and, especially, its people, their warmth and their kindness. And each winter, we would return. We would stay at the Royal Garden Hotel, in Pattaya, one of Bill Heinekei’s first resort properties.
Then, at the age of 23, I decided to leave my family and their business and set off on my own, so I headed to Thailand, a country I knew, but with no set plans for my future.
_553378015.JPG)
So, what did you do after you arrived?
Well, I looked around and travelled some and then decided I should do something, so began doing charity work. I also became acquainted with Mrs Constance Heineke, Bill’s mother, and she became a close friend and mentor, providing me with invaluable advice and contacts until her passing. A Thai friend then introduced me to a Thai acquaintance of his that he felt I would get along with, and he has been my business partner for the past 25 years. Our first project was to build a resort together in Bang Saen with a golf course, which sold very well, and after that, we invested and built a number of residential projects, villages with luxury pool villas, clubhouses and golf courses, which over time, we sold off to collect the capital to invest in our next venture, the Sunshine resort residences and hotels that cater to the elderly.
What inspired you to focus on the ‘golden ages' sector?
To begin, I have to say, I have always loved to be around older people. I don’t know why, but I’ve always been drawn to the elderly, and I saw how many of the older people I knew who had been living in Thailand began to need more assistance and care,. Because of this, they were unhappily choosing to move back to their home countries to find the services they required. I saw this meant there was a gap in the Thai hospitality industry that needed to be filled and that I could do it.
Most of the projects I have been involved in since Bang Saen have been in the Cha-am–Hua Hin area. This has been my home for the past 25 years. While there are many resorts and residential estates clustered in and around these towns which have been drawing many tourists for abroad who then decide to buy a property here and settle down, most, or virtually all of these do not offer the services that retirees require such as medical and added assistance as they age and become weaker and frailer.
But they still have much more in their lives they can enjoy, especially, if they are provided the care and assistance they need, and so this is what our Sunshine International Resorts and Spas offers, permanent residences, condominiums and long-term hotel accommodations with support services, usually at a minimum of one month. We now have six properties, what we call, “Worry-free Retirement Residences”, with more under construction and planned for Phuket, Chiang Mai and Pattaya in the years ahead.”
As you began to complete and open your resorts, five years ago, the Covid pandemic struck. How were you able to cope and survive?
January 2020 initiated, or was the start of hard times. We were just getting our projects started, like this one, Sunshine Prestige, was just being built. We had no customers buying properties, no guests arriving at our Sunshine Hills, Sunshine Tara and Sunshine Nara. And my partner and I were firmly opposed to laying off, or making redundant, any of our staff, which numbered a few hundred. We and I, personally, had to sell most of our assets and barely scraped by. I wasn’t sure if we would be able to survive. BUT, we did, and now, as we rebuild, we are once more thriving. Throughout this down period when many cancelled their purchases, I continued to focus on marketing through Facebook advertising and promotion. I myself have as many as 200,000 local followers, that is in Thailand, and over 500,000 to 600,000 worldwide. Many of these followers are also quite active, and I am continuously receiving questions and requests. I always want to recognize each person’s needs and try to solve them as best I can.
_871946452.JPG)
I understand you have recently completed a book, Beyond the Comfort Zone, about your life story. Can you tell us something about this?
Well, so many were asking about my life and how I had achieved all I have that it seemed easiest to tell them all through a book. I’m not a writer per se, but felt if I could do it, this could possibly help some. Now, Beyond the Comfort Zone should be in bookstores early next year. Even though I’m not a reader either, there are two books that I read that greatly influenced my life, and I do recommend them: Don’t Worry, Make Money and Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff about money, both by Richard Carlson. I hope my book can also educate and inspire as I talk about my life, its rewards and tribulations.
What would you say is at the core of your story?
I’d say it’s about one’s concern in giving and not worrying about receiving. I do believe if one does good, the rewards will come. My life has had its ups and downs, but I feel I have been blessed through giving. I try to show my love for everyone through kindness. This is how I live my life and how I operate my businesses.
We understand you continue to be involved in charity work; can you tell us about some of your projects?
To begin, I am quite proud of the Sunshine Children’s Home that we established in 2010 in Hua Hin. We proposed the idea and were able to raise over 30 million baht in donations. The orphanage right now cares for about 35 children. With all my other responsibilities, it became too difficult for me to manage, so I set up a foundation and gave this to the community. Not so long ago, the world-renowned singer, Alicia Keyes, who had heard about the project and is very keen on helping children in need, came and spent an afternoon at the home with the children and staff. She showed true interest, not many even knew about her visit; it wasn’t to garner any publicity.
Another project I initiated was working with Villa Supermarket in Hua Hin to ask shoppers to buy an item of food to donate to those in need when shopping. We collected their donations as they left the store and then shared these with those residing in the poorer housing of the city. Unfortunately, the project stopped when Covid struck and was never reinitiated.
Do you have any final thoughts you would like to leave with our readers?
I would just like to say I know I have been fortunate, but I accredit a lot of this to being a loving person, and I recommend that every one of you live with love and do all you can for others. You will find you will be blessed in return.
The next morning, before we left, Andrew met us for breakfast, which was very kind and considerate as he had so much to do before heading to England to celebrate Christmas with his parents. He was dressed casually now in what you’d expect at a beachside resort, polo shirt and Bermuda shorts, but he said this was unusual because he almost always wears a suit as he meets many people during his day. Still, it was nice to see him more relaxed and casual, like we were now joining a friend for breakfast. And I think this is the vibe he conveys with each person he meets, and it is why his residents, guests and staff are so happy to know him.
_1622366336.JPG)
