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Michael Nurbatlian strode across the lounge, all welcoming smiles, and asked me if I needed a coffee or tea. That set the tone for a relaxed and engaging chat, with a contrasting backdrop provided by a turbulent Andaman Sea, its breakers pounding the granite boulders beyond the vast infinity pool. For this was Kata Rocks, one of Phuket’s iconic resorts, with its 34 sky villas, perched on a rocky promontory directly overhanging the infinite ocean.

'Infinity' is a keyword here. For the sky is literally the limit in terms of the resort’s aim to please its exclusive clientele; Michael's position is marketing director of 'Infinite Luxury', the cutting-edge design and development company which operates the flagship resort.

He has come a long way in a relatively short space of time; proof that youth – Michael is 30 – is no barrier to giddy heights when you have the passion, the application and the intellect to go with the ambition.

Michael has an unusually cosmopolitan background. A member of a distinguished Armenian family who moved to Beirut in the late 19th century, his father – whom he refers to as his 'best friend' – was the Lebanese Ambassador to Thailand. So it was hardly a cause for surprise that Michael should decide to pursue his career here.

Schooled in Switzerland, he thinks in French and speaks impeccable English, but the culture with which he identifies most closely is that of Buddhist Thailand and oriental philosophy. He also speaks Armenian and Arabic.

Originally he thought about becoming an architect, for Michael has a lifelong interest in the visual and arts, but decided on marketing after a BA in Political Science at the American University in Beirut. Then followed an MBA – the qualification which has unlocked so many doors for so many future CEOs – at the prestigious Glion Institute of Higher Education in Montreux, Switzerland. The topic? "The Impact of Digital Branding on Guest Loyalty in Luxury Hotels in Thailand." After that, Phuket – with its high-end hotels and life-style resorts – was a natural destination.

Ever wish you could fly like a bird, soaring and diving effortlessly with the wind in your face, and experience views of this beautiful island from a new and exciting perspective? Phuket now offers you the chance to do exactly this. It’s called parasailing. The parasail is a specially designed parachute which you wear, and which is then towed behind a speedboat; suddenly you are airborne and looking down on mere mortals. There are several operators on beaches and prices start at 2,000 baht.

Phuket Bird Park has just opened on Chaofa West Road not far from Sukho Spa. It boasts more than 100 bird species – macaws, hornbills, eagles and owls from Asia, Africa and South America on 22 acres of land. There's a garden with a natural waterfall, thus keeping them close to their natural habitats. Open daily from 9am to 6pm. Enjoy bird shows three times a day at 10:30, 1:30 and 3:30pm. You will be impressed how well a flamed-coloured parrot named 'Andaman' will help you feed the birds. Entrance for children 300 baht, adults pay 500 baht.

Ingredients
• 50g curry powder
• 50g onion
• 30g spring onions
• 30g celery
• 1 egg
• 200g blue crab
• 50g red chili peppers
• 150ml condensed milk
• 20ml palm oil
• 50ml soy sauce
• 20ml 'Mae Pranom Brand' chili oil
• 30g white sugar

Method
Take the fresh crab and deep fry for one minute. Take out and allow to cool. Take the legs off the crab and cut the body in half. Cut the vegetables into 2cm pieces except spring onions and celery; reserve these for garnish.

Place a wok on the burner at high heat. Add the oil and vegetables and cook for two minutes, stirring the vegetables with spatula.

Add the curry powder and white sugar and cook for one minute, continuously stirring, then add the egg, chili oil, and condensed milk. Add the crab and the remaining ingredients. Cook for another minute. Place in a bowl and garnish with the spring onion and celery. Serve with jasmine rice and Thai condiments.

Lobster cake (one serving)

• 100g rock lobster meat
• 1 egg white
• 20g breadcrumbs
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch of ground black pepper
• 1 pinch lemon zest

Salad
• Rocket salad
• mizuna
• red coral
• cherry tomatoes
• carrot
• white radish
• cucumber
• extra-virgin olive oil
• balsamic vinegar

Aioli
• 15g Thai seafood dipping sauce
• 30g mayonnaise

Method
For the lobster cake, first finely chop or mince lobster meat then mix with egg white, seasoning and breadcrumbs. The cake should be firm but not hard. Sear the cake in a hot frying pan or griddle with a squirt of oil until a golden brown crust forms on each side then remove from heat.

Pick the salad leaves into small pieces and finely julienne the carrot and radish. Toss with balsamic and olive oil. Arrange salad on the plate with rolled cucumber slices, and then lay the warm lobster cake on top a spoon full of aioli.

Built more than 20 years ago, it depicts scenes of times past with life-sized mannequins, the main tableau featuring the legendary Phuket Heroines, Lady Chan and Lady Mook, whose clever battle tactics saved the island from the invading Burmese forces in 1785. Another scene shows King Rama I honouring the sisters for their bravery and bestowing them with the titles Thao Thepkrassatri and Thao Srisunthorn.

In the last issue, I wrote about the kind of incidents that visitors to this great Kingdom can encounter and provided some tips about overcoming or mitigating issues such as: road traffic accidents, being asked and legally obliged to carry and present identification at all times, and avoiding losing your temper and violating very strict laws relating to insults.

Amidst a backdrop of foreigners visiting other countries and falling foul of laws they don’t seem to have brushed up on, such as the Australian nationals who were recently arrested for displaying the Malaysian national flag on their underwear at a Formula 1 event, it seems appropriate to consider that every country has its own set of laws, rules and regulations. It isn’t a country’s obligation to inform every visitor what they should and should not do. In the age of ‘millenialism’ it seems there is a use of information gathering devices, but not enough use of the information available on them to ensure cultural sensitivities and legal obligations are properly dealt with.

Here are some practical tips for common issues that arise in Phuket that can assist with ‘brushes’ with the law as set out in this Part 2 of a 2-part article:

Consumers of products and goods in Thailand frequently ask legal counsel whether liability can arise from ‘misleading advertisements.’ Essentially, the question is posed as such: "I was promised something in an advert
I saw and the product I purchased due to the advert is not what was promised. Do I have any claim for compensation?"

One legal mechanism that has been used to ‘police’ advertisements in Thailand is the Consumer Protections Act of 1979, which created a number of rules about the advertising of, and the sale and purchase of, goods and services in Thailand. The Act also created a so-called ‘consumer protection board’ to accept complaints from consumers about the sale and purchase of goods and services.

Generally, the Consumer Protections Act provides certain rights to ‘consumers,’ which are defined as "person[s] who buy or obtains services from a businessman or person[s] invited by a businessman to purchase goods or obtain services…" Therefore, in order to qualify for protection under the Act, a person must be a ‘consumer’ and must have purchased, or at least have been offered for purchase, goods or services. Once falling under this definition, the Act provides broad protections, and indeed Section 4 of the Act specially states that a consumer is entitled to the following:

1. The right to receive correct and sufficient information and description as to the quality of goods or services;
2. The right to enjoy freedom in the choice of goods or services;
3. The right to expect safety in the use of goods or service;