THIS is a face Australians will recognise. It belongs to Jennifer Hawkins, television journalist, former Miss Universe 2004 and budding property investor.
She came to Phuket from Sydney for a few days, relaxing with her partner Jake Wall, and thoroughly enjoyed the break. Then she gave something back: 15 minutes of her time.
Now, Jennifer Hawkins is among the best-known and most in-demand personalities in Australia. These days, she even has her own designer-label swimming costumes and a portfolio of properties.
In the commercial world, 15 minutes of her time has a high value. For Ms Hawkins to offer an endorsement of Phuket is no small thing.
She could have simply continued her holiday, caught the ride to the airport, and enjoyed the memories of her return visit to the island.
But that's not her style. She took time out to accept a bouquet of flowers from Sethapan Buddhani, Director of the Phuket office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
She cheerfully posed with other Australian tourists and expat residents, and with locals who wanted to be photographed with her.
And she gave Phuket a ringing endorsement: ''It has been brilliant. We spent our time on the beaches around here. I'm all relaxed.''
Ms Hawkins travels the world for a television series, visiting a variety of destinations of all kinds. If Phuket is her holiday choice, then the island has beaten off stiff competition.
In Australia she is universally admired, and it is not hard to see why.
The flight back to Sydney will doubtless bring fellow travellers traipsing up to her seat and asking for autographs or photographs.
Among her biggest fans is Larry Cunningham, proprietor of the Chava Resort in Surin, where the couple stayed.
He organised for Ms Hawkins to meet Robert Borland, the Australian who survived last year's One-Two-Go air crash on Phuket, and his mother Muriel, another impressive woman from Australia.
Khun Sethapan and his TAT colleagues liked Ms Hawkins and what she had to say.
But when Khun Sethapan was told that most Australian women grew to such a height that Ms Hawkins was called ''Shorty'' back home, he did seem to be a little disbelieving.
In giving her 15 minutes back to Phuket, the Australian beauty won a new batch of fans, this time in Thailand.
Perhaps it's time for more of Phuket's well-known admirers to do what Jennifer Hawkins did and speak out, with a little prompting from resort managements.
She came to Phuket from Sydney for a few days, relaxing with her partner Jake Wall, and thoroughly enjoyed the break. Then she gave something back: 15 minutes of her time.
Now, Jennifer Hawkins is among the best-known and most in-demand personalities in Australia. These days, she even has her own designer-label swimming costumes and a portfolio of properties.
In the commercial world, 15 minutes of her time has a high value. For Ms Hawkins to offer an endorsement of Phuket is no small thing.
She could have simply continued her holiday, caught the ride to the airport, and enjoyed the memories of her return visit to the island.
But that's not her style. She took time out to accept a bouquet of flowers from Sethapan Buddhani, Director of the Phuket office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Know someone who could speak out about Phuket's virtues? Tell us now
She cheerfully posed with other Australian tourists and expat residents, and with locals who wanted to be photographed with her.
And she gave Phuket a ringing endorsement: ''It has been brilliant. We spent our time on the beaches around here. I'm all relaxed.''
Ms Hawkins travels the world for a television series, visiting a variety of destinations of all kinds. If Phuket is her holiday choice, then the island has beaten off stiff competition.
In Australia she is universally admired, and it is not hard to see why.
The flight back to Sydney will doubtless bring fellow travellers traipsing up to her seat and asking for autographs or photographs.
Among her biggest fans is Larry Cunningham, proprietor of the Chava Resort in Surin, where the couple stayed.
He organised for Ms Hawkins to meet Robert Borland, the Australian who survived last year's One-Two-Go air crash on Phuket, and his mother Muriel, another impressive woman from Australia.
Khun Sethapan and his TAT colleagues liked Ms Hawkins and what she had to say.
But when Khun Sethapan was told that most Australian women grew to such a height that Ms Hawkins was called ''Shorty'' back home, he did seem to be a little disbelieving.
In giving her 15 minutes back to Phuket, the Australian beauty won a new batch of fans, this time in Thailand.
Perhaps it's time for more of Phuket's well-known admirers to do what Jennifer Hawkins did and speak out, with a little prompting from resort managements.
I saw Jennifer at Jungceylon last week and she smiled and waved at several people who called to her. She really is classy. Maybe TAT should employ her to promote Phuket?
Posted by helen heffernan on December 16, 2008 11:27