PHUKET, Thailand -- After growing his family's extensive pearl farming business, Phuket entrepreneur Amorn Intorncharoen decided his next venture would be to build a luxury yacht on Thailand's famous beach island.
Amorn's Free Bird was the only locally made vessel on display at the annual Thailand International Boat Show earlier this month in Phuket. The 11-meter, four-level pleasure yacht with five bedrooms and topped by a jacuzzi-equipped flybridge is priced at 300 million baht ($8.6 million), a steal compared to similar-sized boats made by the European and Australian brands preferred by Amorn's fellow enthusiasts.
