My Visit to Starboard Headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand
I had the best time visiting Svein Rasmussen and crew at the Starboard Headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand. I was able to shoot a number of pictures and video and this is the first installment of my visit. In October, I had to go to the Philippines to handle some work meetings and another project that I’m working on but on the weekend I didn’t have anything planned. I ended up getting in touch with the Starboard crew and Svein, who owns Starboard and we started tossing around the idea of maybe flying over Thailand during the weekend. That’s what I ended up doing. Actually I was kinda scared a bit because after I already bought my tickets and was ready to go, a friend of mine who had just joined the U.S. National Guard told me that this is the most dangerous time for American tourists to travel to Thailand.
I thought to myself, “I’m kinda stuck.” I emailed Svein and asked, “Is it safe?”
He wrote back and said, “As safe as safe can be.”
I decided to go and I’m glad I did.
I packed an overnight bag to go there, jumped on a plane ended up at the Thailand airport which is super nice. The Bangkok airport is brand new. It’s probably one of the nicest airports i’ve been outside of Narita, Japan. I was met there by some of the Starboard employees and that was really fun. I didn’t know who was picking me up and the email communication was a little bit sparce so I sent them my picture and my name and all that kind of stuff. When I got to the airport, one of the employees was holding up a sign which said, “Starboard Evan Leong” then it had my picture at the back, which is kinda funny. I took a picture of that. Then the guy who was driving, he came in and he had the Starboard rash guard on. And he walked into the airport with it. Wow! this is kinda interesting. This is kinda cool, the driver even has Starboard related gear. Look at the pictures below…
Arrival at the Thailand airport. This is one of the best airports I’ve seen next to the one in Narita Japan.
I was met there by some of the Starboard employees. One of them had a sign with my name on it and my picture at the back.
I noticed the guy driving us was wearing a Starboard rash guard. Pretty cool.
This was at Svein Rasmussen’s backyard as we were getting ready to paddle across lake Taco. He lives on one side of the lake and on the other side is the Starboard headquarters.
Svein leads the paddle across Lake Taco to Starboard HQ.
Inside the Starboard corporate office.
Erik Berglihn
A drawing of the original Windsurfer by Jim Drake and Hoyle Schweitzer. Jim and Svein are good friends and Jim also designs boards for Starboard.
A shot of the lake and part of the rig that holds up the cable.
A picture of a Plumeria plant which I thought only grew in Hawaii, but I guess not.
Starboard’s corporate pool.
I took my booties with me to make sure I don’t step on something and cut my foot up.
Some of the boards we looked at.
First shaping bay. The guy wearing a cap is Starboard’s main SUP shaper.
Second shaping bay. The wall on the first picture has water flowing on it to catch the dust from all the sanding.
This is a warehouse of just prototype boards. These boards have never been ridden and there are over a hundred of them.
On our way up to the new SUP building.
Margareta Engström. She handles some of the creative works and marketing and is also a professional windsurfer.
(click thumbnail to launch video)
Does the new airport still have the massage kiosks full of creepy old men? I felt bad for the women working in them. I was there only 2 years ago. Had no idea a new airport was under construction.
I wasn’t in the airport very long and didn’t notice any massage kiosks. I was pretty amazed at how modern the airport was and the large statues which I didn’t get any pics of for some reason. The old airport was pretty run down. This new one is awesome.
evan: great report. can’t wait for more. do you know how many people work for Starboard over there? seems like quit an operation.
Linter – Thanks. Not sure how many employees but I met at least 20. You’re right, their operation is pretty awesome.
Thank you for your visit Evan, it was truly as pleasure having you over here!
At the moment we are about 40 people working at Starboard HQ.
We have now started to explore the river behind the office. It’s perfect to paddle up to the supermarket for an ice cream. Something we have to do when you come back.
Margareta – Ice cream sounds good right about now.
hey, next time you’re in the region, swing by palau and we’ll show you some of the most amazing sites on the planet while paddling with us. we brought a bunch of starboard SUPs and werner paddles and are touring the area for the next year or so or however long the paddling keeps us here. we’re introducing the sport to palau and so far, it’s better than we ever imagined.
Shauna – Thanks for the invitation although my visit to Palau may be way in the future. Send us some pics in the meantime if you can.
Evan, as Margareta’s mum, living in Sweden, it was so good to see her workplace and to listen to the interviews with her boss Svein and her.
Margareta, it was great to see the lake you described on the phone. But where were the snakes?
Hello!! I’m going to Bangkok and I would like to buy 2 inflatable stand up paddle boards there. Where I can find it in Bangkok? Thanks!!
Contact Starboard who is located in Bangkok or get some from http://www.blueplanetsurf.com and take them with you.