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Published on January 28, 2008

"I would like to enlarge this business in Thailand. So my company will set up a big facility in Bangkok in order to complete our objective," managing director Gareth Twist said last week.

The company started by retrofitting a 52-metre vessel and converting it into a super-yacht in Bangkok last year. It recently received an order to renovate a 60-metre vessel into a floating palace with a swimming pool, elevators, Jacuzzis, theatres, karaoke rooms and 12 bedrooms.

 "Super-yachts worldwide are being sold for US$6 million [Bt200 million] to $120 million, according to their size. The company is now calculating the budget for yacht decoration, so I can't disclose an investment figure right now," Twist said.

The target customers are the wealthy, agents and brokers of super-yachts, but the company does not anticipate much local business in the beginning. After the current project is successful, the company should start receiving attention from local clients, he said.

There is some interest from Southeast Asia, particularly Hong Kong and Singapore, in having the company decorate super-yachts.

Yacht Solutions offers yacht management, project management, yacht agency and yacht charter services.

It has undertaken many major and minor yacht refits in Phuket.

After working in the marine business in Thailand for seven years, the company believes the market here has huge potential to be developed in the future and the country could go further to be the region's marine hub.

There are highly skilled local workers in the yacht business here and Bangkok is a great place to grow this industry due to its facilities.

If the government cooperates to promote this business, the local market will flourish, Twist said.

"This business can bring lots of revenue from international clients to Thailand. I would like people to recognise Thailand as a centre of super-yacht improvement and decoration in Asia," he added.

Yacht Solutions has local partners in architecture and marine engineering to cooperate in the project, but invites local interior decorators, electricians and carpenters to join in.

Nalin Viboonchart

The Nation