Meet our expert, resident Trip Leaders
Lucky Marneenate
"Lucky is the best! He made sure everything ran on time and as promised. He did everything with a pure heart and a genuine interest in making our trip memorable. He even arranged for a group photo at the Grand Palace and gave us each a copy to remember our experience in Thailand by. He is truly one in a million!"
–Marilyn Piechota, 3-time traveler, Palm City, Florida
100% of OAT travelers rate their experience with Lucky on this adventure as "excellent"
Born in: Bangkok, Thailand
Currently resides in: Bangkok, Thailand
With OAT since: 2008
Languages: Thai, English
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Golf Management from Ramkhamhaeng University
Hobbies/Special interests: Sports, golf, jogging
Interesting Fact about Lucky: He spent his teen years in America and graduated from high school in Conway, Arkansas. And while you might expect it was his family, the beautiful beaches, or the weather that drew Lucky back to his homeland, it was actually his love of golf. Thailand has hundreds of picturesque golf courses, and the sport is so popular in the country that universities like the one Lucky attended in Bangkok offer business degrees in Golf Management.
Memorable Small Group Experience: Lucky knows that adventure travel, while exciting, can sometimes be over-stimulating, so when necessary, he says, “I will lead my group through a meditation to get rid of what we call ‘monkey mind.’” Fortunately, monkey mind—a Buddhist metaphor for restlessness and having too many thoughts in your head at once—can be tamed with a simple course of relaxation exercises.
Lucky’s Insider Tips:
Food & Dining: “As its name implies, Royal Thai cuisine—a distinctive style of cooking that traces back to the Ayyuthaya kingdom—is usually served inside a palace. But you don’t have to wait for a royal invitation to try some; instead, head to Bussaracum (Sukhumvit 55 Road), a highly regarded Bangkok restaurant where visiting heads of state have dined. The owners use a fresh and fine selection of ingredients, and even make their own chili paste from scratch. You can order a la carte or choose from several prix fixe menus, which run about $20-30 U.S. per person. And if you reserve well in advance, you can also take cooking classes here, where the master chef will show you how to make Thai favorites like geang koe wan nua, sliced beef and eggplant in a green curry sauce, and cho muang, flower-shaped dumplings filled with minced chicken.”
Special Places & Pastimes: “For a visually striking cultural experience, I recommend seeing a performance at the Joe Louis Puppet Theater (1875 Rama IV Road in Bangkok, accessible by public bus or taxi). Thailand has a long tradition of puppetry arts and wealthy families that could afford it used to include hun luang (large “royal” puppets) performances as part of their loved ones’ funeral ceremonies. Joe Louis (whose real name was Sakorn Yang-keawsot) revived the art of hun lakorn lek (hand puppets) and his troupe carries on the tradition by interpreting epic Thai stories with papier-mâché and fabric hand puppets, accompanied by a piphat (classical Thai orchestra). This is the only place in the world where you will find people practicing this art.”