Four hundred people attended the sensational grand opening party of the 255-room Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort in Phuket, 4 April. Guest of honour, Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut, cut the hole ribbon along side Outrigger senior executives and the company’s founding family who had flown in from Hawaii for the occasion.
Others flew in from Japan, Korea, Australia, Germany and the united kingdom. Outrigger cultural ambassador Kaipo Ho sang a standard Hawaiian blessing to turn gratitude to the Thai hosts. On a unique night characterized by the simple mixing of Hawaiian and Thai hospitality, Outrigger family played a key role inside the celebrations, including, Dr. Richard R. Kelley Chairman of the Board Emeritus of Outrigger Enterprises Group, Dr. Charles R. Kelley, Chairman of the Board of Outrigger Enterprises Group, David Carey, President and CEO, Melvin Kaneshige, Executive Vice chairman, Real Estate and Development, and Darren Edmonstone, Managing Director, Asia-Pacific.