Ralph Beale, born in the UK, discovered his true home in Thailand, specifically Koh Samui, where he founded Lamai Muay Thai Camp. After initially being drawn to Thailand by Muay Thai in the early '80s, he eventually settled in Samui with his wife to raise their family. Beale values the space, freedom, and outdoor lifestyle that Samui provided for his children, contrasting it with Western urban life. He reflects on his transformative journey and expresses no regrets about his choices over the past 27 years.
I never felt at home in the West and always knew I wanted to leave. I could tell that Thailand was where I belonged.
My wife had fallen for the island just as I had. After getting married on the island in 2003, we agreed that our future wasn't in the UK but in Thailand.
Raising kids in Samui meant giving them something Western city life couldn't - space, freedom, and an outdoor existence.
Now, 27 years later, I've built a life here - helped grow Muay Thai internationally from the motherland itself, raised a family, and witnessed the island's transformation.
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