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Kelly May

Co-Director

The tsunami changed many lives in Thailand, even for those not directly impacted by the wave. Kelly is no exception. Based in Bangkok since 2002, Kelly rushed to Southern Thailand upon hearing the news of the wave, determined to help in some way. Finding herself with the grim task of pulling bodies out of the rubble in Khao Lak and Phi Phi, Kelly later went on to volunteer in Wat Yan Yaos, the main collection center for all the bodies, doing a variety of jobs with the Thai Army, the Disaster Victim Identification team and the Metropolitan Police. Kelly was named 'Angel of the Andaman' by the Thai press and received international coverage for her efforts in the aftermath.

Kelly returned to Bangkok a different person after witnessing such horrors, but determined to return and help the Thai people rebuild their lives. She resigned as publisher of OK! celebrity magazine Thailand and joined North Andaman Tsunami Relief, inspired by close friend and founder, Bodhi Garrett. Dedicated to the villagers, Kelly sees Andaman Discoveries as a way of allowing the people of the Andaman to share their lives with people from all over the world interested in a more meaningful travel experience.

Thamrong Chomphusri "Tui"

Co-Director (a.k.a. "Superwoman!")

Just before the tsunami, P'Tui was due to start work in one of the resorts that was completely destroyed by the tsunami. Fortunately, she had to return to Bangkok on that fateful day to collect some documents and remained safe. P'Tui decided to return to the region and work for the North Andaman Tsunami Relief (now Andaman Discoveries) to help rebuild the region.

There is nothing that P'Tui does not do and you'll find her in the office and in village, coordinating numerous community-led development projects, overseeing the long-term scholarship program (with over 126 students) and translating for tourists so that they can really engage with the villagers. Her personable nature makes her popular with staff, villagers and tourists alike. With a history in hotel and tourism management, P'Tui's strong service mind and beautiful smile has been invaluable to the success of Andaman Discoveries.

Darunee Pakee "Cha"

Ban Talae Nok village
Village coordinator and guide

Mother of one, Cha is Ban Talae Nok's community-based tourism coordinator and guide. Cha graduated from NATR's seven-month vocational training a strong leader and determined to assist her village. Using her new skills in tourism and community development, Cha returned to her village and has been instrumental in developing and leading tourism development in her village. After conducting her own community assessment, Cha identified several needs, and located funds for several projects including community aerobics, a natural trail, the building of two paddle boats, waste management and continued training for villagers, many of who are illiterate.

Raliya Petchmanee "Noi"

Tung Nang Dam village
Village guide and homestay coordinator

Noi graduated from NATR's vocational program a more confident person and has used her new skills to become a prominent leader and spokesperson in the village committee. As well as guiding, coordinating and running a homestay, Noi helps her elderly parents on their goat farm and fruit orchard. Her cooking is legendary, and is the highlight of everyone's time on the island. Thanks to Noi, her village now has a safe floating pier, making it easier for villagers to get on and off the island. Noi's smile is an example of the warmth and kindness of the Southern people. Noi has also started an orchid conservation nursery, after outsiders took all the rare orchids from the jungle to sell.

Nartladda Klongwitti "Chim"

Tung Nang Dam village
Village coordinator and guide

Chim was the liveliest graduates of the NATR vocational training program. Despite being a busy mother of three youngsters, Chim graduated with top marks and returned to her village to use community-based tourism to empower her community. Noi and Chim are standing up against developers who are threatening to encroach on the island's conservation area. Both Chim and Noi are using funds from community-based tourism to improve the lives of the villagers and protect the island's rich ecosystems.

"Pink"

Village Coordinator and Guide

At 24 years old and a mother of one, Andaman Discoveries saw the potential in Ban Talae Nok's Pink through her enthusiasm and motivation in participating with various projects. After much training and a lot of her hard work, Pink is now leading the Youth Conservation Group and aerobics class and managing the community centre; she was the force behind Bamboo Savings Project and the recycling and mangrove conservation programmes, as well as being a home-stay mum.

Erik Rogers

Webmaster and Communications Outreach

Erik's resume includes an MS degree in polymer chemistry, followed by a diverse list of fleeting careers, including corporate scientist, sales and marketing manager, and dotcom programmer. He finally found his stride with travel when he got a commercial drivers license and joined the legendary Green Tortoise Adventure Travel. During the low seasons he embarked on worldly explorations: he ventured to Mexico, Europe, Peru, Nepal, Thailand, and Cambodia, often spending time living with villagers in home-stay situations and participating in community-development projects.

Erik developed a particular affinity for Southeast Asia. Following the tsunami of December 2004, he joined North Andaman Tsunami Relief as an English teacher, and spent ten months working with people from rural coastal fishing villages that had been devastated by the disaster. Since then he's studied Thai culture and language at the University of California at Berkeley, and is now back in Thailand dividing his time between Andaman Discoveries and the Elephant Conservation Network in Kanchanaburi.

Bodhi Garrett

Founder, North Andaman Tsunami Relief and Andaman Discoveries

Born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal, Bodhi Garrett moved to the Monterey Peninsula in California when he was seven years old, and went on to study Environmental Science and Economics at UC Berkeley. He arrived in southern Thailand in November of 2003 as the director of a sea turtle conservation project, later he joined Golden Buddha Beach Resort as marketing and conservation director. Bodhi, along with many others, lost his home and job in the tsunami.

Bodhi was approached by groups and individuals offering funds and services to help in any way they could. In a small office with a borrowed computer and tsunami-salvaged furniture, the North Andaman Tsunami Relief Fund was formed to serve the communities that Bodhi had come to love and respect. Using donations from across the globe and a dedicated team of volunteers, NATR delivered targeted, community-driven tsunami relief which has progressed into long-term post-tsunami development programs. However, without real opportunity for sustainability and self-sufficiency, programs are irrelevant to the lives of the villagers. Andaman Discoveries is NATR's way of creating concrete job opportunities in the area of community-based tourism which allows the villagers themselves to benefit directly from having guests in their village. Andaman Discoveries is a non-profit tour service that also implements a number of community development programs in tsunami-impacted villages including scholarships, support for community centers, environmental education, waste management and vocational training, at the request of the villagers.