Surf House Phuket won the Venue of the Year and Community Service awards at a small ceremony on January 29, just days after celebrating their 2nd anniversary.
“Thailand is really leading the charge with these venues,” said Andrew Thatcher of Whitewater West. “This was an obvious choice. We have 180 venues around the world and Phuket is special to us because it’s the model moving forward.”
Thatcher explained that Surf House’s focus on building and fostering relationships with the local community, specifically with youths, have made it an ideal venue.
“We work a lot with the local kids. These kids have an opportunity to learn and train with us. They represent Phuket as a province and can compete against people from all over the world,” said Surf House General Manager Joe Ang.
“What these awards mean is that the market is going to gain more confidence in Thailand, specifically in Phuket, where beach entertainment and surf culture is concerned. A lot of people are going to find out that Phuket has more to offer than just restaurants and clubs.
“We’re grateful for these awards, we have seen that this kind of sport (flow boarding) could generate benefits for the tourism industry in Phuket,” said co-owner Wallop Nadan.