RELEASE NUMBER 48 | 26
Sujittra Rongmuang, General Manager OUTRIGGER Khao Lak Beach Resort. Download High-Res Images HERE
KHAO LAK, THAILAND – When Sujittra Rongmuang welcomes guests to OUTRIGGER Khao Lak Beach Resort, she is welcoming them to her hometown. The General Manager grew up in Khao Lak and now leads a beachfront resort on Bangsak Beach, where many of her colleagues also come from Khao Lak and the surrounding communities.
When guests ask where to eat, what to visit beyond the beach or where to surf, the OUTRIGGER hosts answer from years of firsthand experience.
“Our team can tell you where they would take their own friends and family,” Sujittra said. “That is something very different from simply giving guests a list of attractions. It is personal.”
Sujittra joined OUTRIGGER as Resort Manager in 2021 and led the team through the resort’s renovation and reopening in February 2022. She became General Manager in December 2024, continuing to lead the beachfront property in the area where she grew up.
This year, Sujittra was named OUTRIGGER’s General Manager of the Year across the company’s entire portfolio. The award highlights her commitment to guest care and team support, along with the resort’s commercial performance and community work. Guests have noticed: the resort earned an overall guest satisfaction score of 95.2 from UniFocus, a measure of how well the team delivers for the people who stay with them.
“When you grow up in a place, you don’t always realize how special it is until you see it through someone else’s eyes,” Sujittra added. “Khao Lak has always been home to me, and now I have the privilege of introducing it to our guests.”
That introduction extends well beyond day-trip suggestions. Meals, conversations with OUTRIGGER hosts and the resort’s community activities offer other ways for guests to get to know the area.
“I want them to experience more than our beautiful beach – I want them to feel the warmth of the people, discover the flavors and stories of our community, and leave with a genuine connection to this place,” she said.
From the Kitchen Garden to the Andaman Sea
Executive Chef Potjanapakorn Srikhem, who has been with the resort since its OUTRIGGER opening, did not grow up in Khao Lak, but years spent cooking here have developed his knowledge of its ingredients and food culture. Guests joining a Thai cooking class begin in the resort’s kitchen garden, picking herbs and vegetables with the chefs. They then prepare three dishes before sitting down to eat what they have made. Menus include tom yum goong, pad Thai goong and banana in coconut milk, with recipes to take home.
At Edgewater Restaurant and Bar, an open kitchen puts the cooking on display, with Thai dishes and seafood served overlooking the Andaman Sea. Local musicians perform acoustic sets in the evenings, while sunset picnics take dinner onto the sand. Guests can also dine at Mala Kitchen and enjoy in-room dining.
Little ones can spend their time at the Coral Kids Club, where games and activities keep them busy, while the kids’ pool gives them their own splash zone close to the sea. Families travelling with young children can book a family garden terrace room, with bunk beds and a play area that can be screened for privacy. Parents can spend time at the pool, in the jacuzzi or at the massage sala.
The resort hosts can also help guests explore further along the coast, from Khao Lak’s surf spots to excursions to the Similan Islands when seasonal access permits. Their advice helps guests decide how to spend their time beyond the resort based on their interests.
Giving Back to the Community
For Sujittra, leading the resort also means contributing to the area where she and many of her colleagues live. OUTRIGGER Khao Lak works with local schools and takes part in mangrove restoration, giving hosts opportunities to support the community and coastal environment.
The resort has signed a memorandum of understanding with a local school to collaborate on a sustainable food-waste management program. Sujittra also oversaw the second year of a fundraising initiative involving local hospitality businesses and the wider community. Both initiatives were recognized in her award citation.
In December 2025, resort staff planted 1,500 mangrove saplings and collected and sorted 409 kilograms of waste from the surrounding area. Mangroves provide habitat for young fish and other marine life and help protect shorelines from erosion.
“I am proud when our guests tell us they have fallen in love with Khao Lak, but I am equally proud when I see our team giving their time to the community,” Sujittra said. “Hospitality has given me a career that I love, and being able to use that experience to create opportunities and give something back here makes this role particularly meaningful to me.”
OUTRIGGER Khao Lak Beach Resort sits directly on Bangsak Beach in Phang Nga province, approximately 90 minutes by road from Phuket International Airport. It is ranked No. 1 among hotels in the area on Tripadvisor, with a 4.9 rating from more than 1,600 reviews. The resort has 151 rooms and suites, plus seven standalone villas, with contemporary design and Thai accents. Every room and suite has a balcony or terrace overlooking the gardens, and four of the seven villas have private plunge pools.
Guests can enjoy the beachfront swimming pool, kids’ pool and jacuzzi, or book a session at the massage sala. The resort also offers yoga and stretching classes, Thai boxing, beach volleyball and non-motorized water sports. It is Green Key certified and hosts beach weddings and vow renewals that combine Thai ceremony with the beach setting.
Come Be Here. Reserve your stay today at www.outrigger.com/thailand/outrigger-khao-lak-beach-resort.
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