2000–2002 – Construction of My Diving Yacht - Viking of the Orient
Photo Gallery & Story
When it became clear to me that refurbishing an old wooden fishing boat would not be the safest or most reliable choice, I began looking for a local shipyard where a new vision might take shape. Eventually, I found a small yard on the island of Koh Sireh, connected to Phuket by a narrow bridge. Most of the activity there involved building and repairing fishing boats, but one thing caught my eye: a new vessel being built in steel. It was a small sign — but a promising one.
I decided then and there to rent space at that yard.
I began asking around for experienced steelworkers, men who knew how to build ships in steel rather than wood, which was the norm at that time. That was when I met Lek — a solid, good-natured man with a warm smile and a reputation as the best steelworker in the entire area.
Soon Lek and I were standing side by side, laughing at the “crazy” idea I proposed: building a 35-meter liveaboard vessel in steel, from the keel up. But he didn’t hesitate. He just smiled with quiet confidence and said he could do it. I never searched for anyone else; Lek had his own team of skilled workers, and that was enough.
That was how it all began.
For the first time in my life, I started buying steel — tons of it.
I still remember the first delivery arriving at the yard… the excitement, the curiosity, the disbelief that this was really happening.
To this day, what amazes my friends the most is that I never had a contract with anyone. Not with Lek, not with the yard, not with a single worker.
I didn’t feel I needed one.
In that environment, with those honest Thai craftsmen, a word was a word — and every promise was kept.
The following weeks and months became a rhythm of hard work and shared optimism. Lek and I stood for hours leaning over my drawings, discussing details, adjusting plans on the spot, solving problems as they arose. Nothing was too difficult; nothing was met with frustration. There were never harsh words — only good-natured teamwork, quiet laughter, and the sound of steel taking shape under skilled Thai hands.
Then one day, something unexpected happened.
I drove to the shipyard as I did every day, but as I stepped out of my car and looked up, the sight before me nearly stopped my heart.
The hull was almost finished — enormous, towering above me — ready for the superstructure. And suddenly, as if seeing it for the first time, I felt the full weight of what I had started.
A shock ran through me:
“What have I done?”
For a moment, I stood there in disbelief.
Then life continued — as it always does.
The carpenters moved in next, performing their quiet magic.
Then the electricians, the plumbers, the painters — each of them handpicked by me, paid in cash, praised often, and always working with a sense of pride. Together we found reasons to laugh every day, even when the challenges were big.
During the entire two-year construction, not once did I hear a harsh word.
No anger.
No frustration.
No complaints.
Only outstanding professionalism and the very best of Thai craftsmanship.
One of the things that encouraged all of us was the happiness of the government official from the Phuket Harbor Department. Each time he visited to inspect our progress, his face lit up with pride. It meant a great deal to the whole team.
In that shipyard, friendships were formed that I still cherish.
One of the most touching memories of my life came years later, when all of those men — every one of them — came to pay their respects at my mother’s funeral at a temple in Phuket. I will never forget it.
In the video below, you’ll see the very first sketches I presented at the Marine Department, the day the official approval was granted, and the moment the keel was laid at the small Koh Sireh shipyard. From that point on, the Viking grew day by day — shaped by skilled Thai steelworkers, carpenters, electricians, and craftsmen who poured heart and pride into every detail.
Over the next two years, the ship slowly emerged from steel beams and frames into the vessel I had imagined — strong, elegant, and ready for the open sea.
The video ends with a moment that still moves me deeply: My mother, as the proud godmother, breaking the champagne over the bow at the launch ceremony. Her smile that day is something I will always carry with me.
Before scrolling through the photos below, just lean back, relax, and enjoy watching the story of Viking of the Orient come to life in seven short minutes.
