Phuket to farewell Chris Hill, a ‘true’ expat

[webfact]

Phuket to farewell Chris Hill, a ‘true’ expat

The Phuket News

 

The funeral for well-known Phuket expat Chris Hill will be held at Wat Chalong on Monday (Aug 21). Photo: Supplied

 

PHUKET: -- A gathering of Phuket’s expat community will come together at Wat Chalong on Monday (Aug 21) for the funeral of Chris Hill, who passed away on August 6.

 

Mr Hill, who had lived in Phuket for nigh on two decades, was widely regarded as an “Old style English gentleman” and particularly well known for his wit and love of quizzes, pitting his broad education against others for fun.

 

Of note, the many expats who play in Rawai Pool League, and those of The White Hart, have expressed their sorrows for losing one of their dearest members, and expressed their dearest condolences to all who knew Mr Hill.

 

Full story:  https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-to-farewell-chris-hill-a-true-expat-63474.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-08-16

[Rc2702]

RIP Mr Hill.

[Aditi Sharma]

RIP Chris Hill. 

 

I would like to know more about Mr Hill. If anybody would like to sending me some biographical information about him, will be highly appreciated. 

[sebastion]

What's a 'true' expat? Please define what makes someone a true expat.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

[Aditi Sharma]

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Edited October 20, 2017 by Aditi Sharma
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[Aditi Sharma]

35 minutes ago, sebastion said:

What's a 'true' expat? Please define what makes someone a true expat.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
 

 

Someone who excelled in connecting his roots with his new environment, not everybody can achieve that.

Edited October 20, 2017 by Aditi Sharma
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[Aditi Sharma]

1 hour ago, Aditi Sharma said:

I would like to know more about Mr Hill. If anybody would like to sending me some biographical information about him, will be highly appreciated. 

 

I would like to know if anybody has already set to work to create a Wikipedia page for Mr Hill. Also I would like to visit his grave  and pay him my respects so will someone please direct me to where it is.

Thanks!

[NamKangMan]

1 hour ago, Aditi Sharma said:

 

Someone who excelled in connecting his roots with his new environment, not everybody can achieve that.

 

Can you explain what you mean by "connecting his roots with his new environment?" 

 

"excelled in connecting his roots with his new environment" - roots infers his heritage.  He was not Thai. As "an Old Style English gentleman" I'm sure he liked a pint, and perhaps some darts and pool, and watching the football.  These can be enjoyed anywhere in the world, no need to "connect roots" to do so. 

 

"not everybody can achieve that" - do you believe everyone should aspire to achieve "that?" 

 

Thailand is a country where it's very difficult to gain residency status, impossible to become a citizen, and a foreigner can not own land here. 

 

It's a place where, even on a long term visa, one must "report" every 90 days.  It's a place where you need a work permit to perform volunteer work, and you can't even serve a beer to a customer in your own bar. 

 

It's a place that has a two tier pricing system - one price for Thai's, and a higher price for foreigners. 

 

These are off the top of my head.  I am sure there are more examples of how an expat is not officially allowed to become "rooted" living in Thailand. 

 

I abide by the laws here.  Pay all my bills.  Do not work illegally. I'm fully insured for medical.  I'm licensed to drive and ride here.  I've never overstayed a visa. 

 

Am I any more, or less, "true" than the next foreigner living here????

 

 

Edited October 20, 2017 by NamKangMan

[NamKangMan]

1 hour ago, Aditi Sharma said:

 

I would like to know if anybody has already set to work to create a Wikipedia page for Mr Hill. Also I would like to visit his grave  and pay him my respects so will someone please direct me to where it is.

Thanks!

 

Many expats are cremated here, with their ashes being spread in a place they have mentioned to friends, or their Thai wife / girlfriend - usually a beach.

 

Visiting a grave may not be possible.  That said, perhaps family came to Phuket to arrange repatriation of his body or ashes back to the UK. 

 

There are some contact numbers for The White Hart in the link below.  They may be able to offer you some information.

 

http://www.rawai-pool-league.com/

 

 

Edited October 20, 2017 by NamKangMan

[Aditi Sharma]

2 hours ago, NamKangMan said:

 

Can you explain what you mean by "connecting his roots with his new environment?" 

 

"excelled in connecting his roots with his new environment" - roots infers his heritage.  He was not Thai. As "an Old Style English gentleman" I'm sure he liked a pint, and perhaps some darts and pool, and watching the football.  These can be enjoyed anywhere in the world, no need to "connect roots" to do so. 

 

"not everybody can achieve that" - do you believe everyone should aspire to achieve "that?" 

 

Thailand is a country where it's very difficult to gain residency status, impossible to become a citizen, and a foreigner can not own land here. 

 

It's a place where, even on a long term visa, one must "report" every 90 days.  It's a place where you need a work permit to perform volunteer work, and you can't even serve a beer to a customer in your own bar. 

 

It's a place that has a two tier pricing system - one price for Thai's, and a higher price for foreigners. 

 

These are off the top of my head.  I am sure there are more examples of how an expat is not officially allowed to become "rooted" living in Thailand. 

 

I abide by the laws here.  Pay all my bills.  Do not work illegally. I'm fully insured for medical.  I'm licensed to drive and ride here.  I've never overstayed a visa. 

 

Am I any more, or less, "true" than the next foreigner living here????

 

 

 

Hi,

 

I have to agree with everything that you have written about life in Thailand because it is very true. 

I meant a true expat reconciled his roots with his new environment; not everybody who aspires to do so is guaranteed any degree of success.

You said: "Am I any more, or less, "true" than the next foreigner living here????" My answer would, of course, respectfully, be: { }. One will have succeeded in turning my whole point on its head if I were lead into thinking to myself on those lines. 

 

 

Edited October 20, 2017 by Aditi Sharma
edit

[Aditi Sharma]

What can we learn from the life of the late Chris Hill? How to be a true expat? To be grateful to whatever you get and keep striving for the better. And not blame it on the rules and regulations in the land. No place is perfect. 

[Aditi Sharma]

I have just been informed that the late Mr Hill had even made a cameo appearance in a Hollywood movie made around Phuket. I wish to know which is that movie so that I could upload a clipping from the movie in which he appears. Thanks!

[glegolo]

I must say that for all lifes that ends here in Thailand, I am sorry of course, but for the most of us, we are in our last 3rd of our lifes, and we, probably all of us, like to enjoy this last third... The wording "a true expat" in my eyes, seems to be a pile of "s:t".. What kind of word is that in this situation.

 

Mr Hill was as I understand it, a great guy, a good friend, and a respected acquaintance. So  he was no more or no less than any other guy, of the very same qualities of course....

 

I must say that it feels a bit akward, reading this thread, so I stop now, I mean looking for biography and looking for the grave.....

 

Glegolo