Love truly does bloom in the oddest of places; from romance over bananas to an unlikely bond over business correspondence, and cultures colliding in the western hemisphere. While Valentine’s Day might have come and gone, as we bid farewell to the month of love, we look back at three society couples who share with us their stories of romance, relationships, and their key to ever lasting happiness.

Full of a bubbly, vivacious energy, there’s something about power-duo Kornkanok “Lek” Yongsakul & Kanison “Pid” Premprasert that you can’t help but envy, yet at the same time love. Both successful in their own field, their love is one of doting encouragement, hustling hand-in-hand, and shared happiness. We sat down with the two to talk about their love story — from meeting as potential business acquaintances, to discovering a life-long partnership, all while maintaining a relationship that is genuine and true.

Love can come from anywhere.

“‘Is this the real Lek?’ I remember receiving this very blunt and out-of-the-blue question in an email one day, from an account director at Salesforce,” Lek recalls, when we ask her about how the two first met. Said account director would, almost two years later, become her husband. “It was just so direct, it piqued my attention,” she looks back fondly.

From Pid’s side, he’d done a considerable amount of research on Lek, although the initial intention was to service another account — Lek’s family’s Boat Lagoon Yachting. Little did he know that business correspondence, and back and forth meetings, would later blossom into something much more personal. Once they exchanged Line IDs, it was almost fated that two would become one. “He never did secure the account,” Lek says with a laugh, although something much more real and valuable was obtained.

Be real. Promise what you can deliver.

“There was never any over-promotion of what we could do for each other, which I think is a problem many face today,” Ped tells us frankly, and we can’t help but agree. There’s definitely something very special and grounded about Lek and Pid that’s undeniably admirable. “Guys over-promise and create high expectations, and wonder why women get upset when they don’t deliver.”

“And women perhaps aren’t upfront enough with what they need,” adds Lek, who happens to be — to the great appreciation of her husband — very straightforward. In fact, the two can’t remember the last time they fought — though Pid recalls the only challenging time being the beginning of their relationship, when he was first introduced to Lek’s taste for the finer things in life. “Her objects of desire are usually quite lavish and that can be quite intimidating for a guy.”

Of course, Lek resolved that issue rather quickly by confirming that this is her thing. “I said, ‘I’ll take care of my own shopping thank you!’ and it has been smooth sailing since.”

Expect to be surprised.

“On our first real date, I was a bit nervous,” Pid admits, “I was spending most of my time in Singapore and wasn’t really up-to-date with all the new restaurants in Bangkok. I also knew what a trending foodie Lek is, so I called her up with great trepidation to ask her what she’d like to eat. To my surprise she already had it handled in a very business-like fashion. She asked, ‘Where are you coming from. Okay we’ll meet halfway, and in that area, there is restaurant 1, 2 and 3. You pick out which one you like. There were many moments like that, that made me realise this is no ordinary woman!”

It’s not about changing one another, but growing together.

Lek and Pid’s relationship is one that shines with a genuine tone, mostly because both — a little older and wiser — know who they are, and have already achieved their own independent successes. “We didn’t need to change for each other, but instead we grew together,” Pid points out, “and the intersection of our shared interests is vast.”

“We both like scuba-diving,” Lek adds, “he got me into marathon running, and we both like photography.” On this point, Pid agrees: “yes, I like taking the photographs and she loves being in them!”

Know when to go big.

Despite their usually laid-back way of doing things, Pid had no plans to hold back when it came to proposing. The affair, which took place at Lake Blausee — a national park in Switzerland — took quite a bit of planning, to put it lightly. “There are only 10 days in the year, in autumn, where the intense blue colour of the lake perfectly complements the gold of the leaves. And I chose Switzerland as that is where Lek went to boarding school. I even told my mother to come with us so she could take pictures. She was so excited she almost forgot to when I got down on one knee.”

Lek, naturally, had no idea and was, as she put it, “having a very bad hair day, and was wearing a yellow sweater! I was also more focused on what time the trout restaurant closed.” But alas, the question was popped, a ring presented, and photos taken. The wedding was planned in under a month — the couple giving a party of 500 the best possible time. The next morning, both woke up as husband and wife, and felt like nothing had changed. It wasn’t a new chapter, but a beautiful continuation of their story.

Find out more about Kornkanok “Lek” Yongsakul & Kanison “Pid” Premprasert in our February 2020 issue, available in all leading bookstores nationwide.

Photographer: Vatcharasith Wichyanrat

Videographer: Prach “Mega” Khananuruks

Jewellery: Cartier

Location: Lady L, Nai Lert Park