Graham was born in 1950 and went to school in Sydney, following up with a degree from the Bradford University School of Management in the UK.
He was involved with the World Expo Authority in the production of Expo 88 in Brisbane, Australia, moving to Thailand not long after.
He first came to Phuket about 20 years ago to make videos for the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the King’s Cup Regatta, hotels and marinas.
He kept one foot in Phuket and the other in Bangkok. Multi-talented, he was at various times involved with magazine publishing (Phuket Magazine), property sales and property management on Phuket – he organised at least two property shows in Hong Kong and Singapore – and industry, spending several of the past few years advising and setting up a factory for what he delicately called “a major aerospace company in Seattle”.
In business he was known for his honesty and his ability to bring groups of disparate characters together in ways that benefited all – and sometimes even him.
But most of his friends in Phuket – and there are hundreds – will remember him for his bluff personality, his perfectly timed and often scurrilous jokes, his skill on the piano, his many small kindnesses with no expectation of repayment and his absolute disdain for political correctness.
He once described himself as “stupid sometimes, brilliant sometimes”, and his favourite activities as “eating and drinking, watching football and telling lies”.
Many bars on the island, and many of his friends’ hearts, will feel emptier for his absence.
Arrangements for a funeral are to be made at a later date.