About Our Founders
In September 1999 Daniel Fraser and Scott Coates left the comfortable confines of the marketing and media worlds in Canada to pursue a fantastic dream: to start an innovative travel company based on the ideals of fun and personal growth. Today, Smiling Albino (SA) is a premier choice for authentic, safe and enriching personalized adventures in Asia.
Daniel Fraser – Co-founder and Director
Daniel first came to Thailand in 1995 to teach English, but not like most foreigners do. He was invited by the very revered Thai Royal Family to teach at Chitralada Palace under the direction of HRH Princess Sirindhorn as part of a university program. From the moment he touched down in the Land of Smiles he was in love. He went on to spend the next 16 months building contacts, learning all he could about the kingdom, its people and was hooked.
After graduating from Texas A&M with a degree in Commerce, he formally returned to Thailand in September 1999 to start SA and leads the company as Director to this day but it's far from his only passion.
When not designing the next big adventure, usually atop a Harley Davidson, Daniel can be found dabbling in a myriad of other areas. During his tenure in the region he's been a successful model, gracing the pages of magazines, featured in many television commercials and in 2004 co-starred in Thailand's first all digital film The Garuda. His lines were in Thai and his performance received favorable reviews. A promotional television presenter for the Tourism Authority of Thailand, he's regularly called upon to host programs about traveling the country, liaise as translator for visiting government officials and consult on tourism-related projects. He often serves as emcee at regional events and is a facilitator for a leading management training company.
Recently Daniel has jumped into television, as the host of a popular national TV show in Thailand called Long Krung (หลงกรุง), a Thai-language series investigating unique sides of Thailand and its culture through the eyes of a resident Canadian.
There are simply not enough hours in the day for Daniel and he regularly trades hours sleeping for working in the office, blazing new trails and attending industry events. His personality and enthusiasm for life and Asia are infectious. An hour with him and you're sure to be hooked.
Scott Coates – Co-founder and Director
Scott almost became a television reporter in 1999 with a major network in his home Canada, but took another path. He jumped on a plane and struck-out for Thailand to create SA. Since that time he's served as the company's Director and helped take it from offering trips in Thailand to six countries in Asia (and counting).
During his tenure with SA he's served as one of its chief adventure architects, playing a major role in exploring new corners and staying ahead of the industry. Community development (http://www.smilingalbino.com/about-us/community.php) has been an unexpected passion and in 2004 he was awarded Alberta's Provincial Award Celebrating Excellence for his work benefiting the global community, resulting in the establishment of the Scott Coates - Smiling Albino Scholarship.
A graduate of Radio Broadcasting as well as Communications with a major in Journalism, he regularly contributes to publications around the world on a variety of topics from travel, to food, music and politics. He's often called upon by international media to comment on politics in Thailand, travel trends in the region and his photography has graced the pages of many magazines and websites. He also liaises as a team-building facilitator for companies such as Johnson & Johnson, IBM and AstraZeneca.
When not working he can be found exploring, mountain biking, dirt biking, golfing and jogging, all with an eye to SA's next world-class adventure. Scott's simply hooked on being outside and literally blazing new trails. Outdoor accomplishments include cycling through Tibet to Mount Everest Base Camp, mountain biking the west side of the Annapurna Trail in Nepal, hiking the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu and hopes to learn to kiteboard soon. He's also an avid fan of Guinness and when not outdoors can be found in pubs throughout Asia.
