Purposeful leader in holistic healing
Founder & Managing Director,
Chivitr
Purposeful leader in holistic healing
Founder & Managing Director,
Chivitr
I n a world where wellness is marketed in soundbites and sold in weekend packages, the deeper truth is often overlooked. Pornthip Noppakoon chose a different path—driven by the belief that healing is not a product. It cannot be rushed, packaged, or promised. Her journey began more than a decade ago, when a family health crisis challenged everything she knew about care. It raised a question that wouldn’t let go: what if true healing could be both clinically grounded and deeply human? That question led to Chivitr, a wellness retreat in Phuket designed to return to self, to stillness, and to what truly heals. Chivitr, which means “life” in Thai, is thoughtfully built on a verdant hillside overlooking Nai Harn Lake. Every part of it, from the Sino-Portuguese architecture to the magnesium hydrotherapy pool and herbal steam rooms, has been designed to support a state of natural harmony. The retreat blends the wisdom of Traditional Chinese and Thai Medicine with functional and lifestylebased approaches, offering personalised, deeply integrative care that treats the whole person—body, mind, and spirit.
In this exclusive conversation with CEO Outlook Global, Pornthip opens up about the origins of her vision, the lessons behind the design, and what the future of wellness must remember if it wants to matter.
Chivitr was born from a deeply personal moment. When someone close to me faced a serious health crisis, I saw how profoundly integrative healing could transform a life — not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. That experience didn’t just shift my mindset. It gave me a mission: to create a space where others could do the same. Translating that vision into something real was the hardest part. There was no playbook. Every detail, right from conceptual design and architecture to treatment protocols, required deep knowledge, patience, perseverance, determination, and purpose. Finding the right team and building trust, especially as a newcomer, was a challenge because I wasn’t just building a retreat; I was building a belief system. Now, nine years later, I see those early struggles were necessary. They rooted Chivitr in something lasting. And as we plan in a changing world, the deeper challenge is how to evolve without losing that original vision and clarity.
At Chivitr, guests shape their own journey. Some come for rest — to enjoy the calm, the beauty, the space to breathe. Others arrive with a clear health goal: healing. From the first contact, we guide and facilitate each person according to their needs.
Thankfully, we rarely need to reset expectations. Most guests discover us through referrals or our own website and arrive already aligned with our purpose: a space for integrative healing as well as a preventative approach.
A common misconception is that wellness retreats are simply luxurious escapes or temporary fixes. In reality, meaningful healing requires introspection, consistency, and a long-term commitment and discipline.
Chivitr offers an inviting blend of understated luxury and accessible pricing, defying the common misconception that wellness retreats come with limited, bland food or excessive costs. Here, every dish is carefully crafted and prepared with intention by me and my dedicated kitchen team. We embody the philosophy, “We cook with love and serve with heart,” which is evident in thoughtful touches such as heart-shaped organic brown rice and intricately carved fruits – small details that highlight our passion for nourishing and memorable meals. We design every detail to support a real transformation that continues far beyond a guest’s stay. Wellness, for us, is a way of living.
Wellness has often been shaped by nurturing female leadership, but I wouldn’t say it’s solely a woman-led space. Many renowned retreats are founded by men, and when men engage deeply with wellness, they often bring a refreshing openness and drive for results-driven protocols. Their presence normalises emotional vulnerability and expands the definition of strength for everyone. At Chivitr, I value that balance deeply. As a female founder, I seek complementary male energy, and one of our practitioners, Sam Pleitgen, beautifully embodies that — integrating masculine and feminine energies in a way that elevates the healing experience for all.
By 2030, I believe wellness retreats will shift from curated escapes to deeply personalised ecosystems, places where healing is intuitive, not prescribed. The rise in solo wellness travel reflects a broader desire for authenticity, inner clarity, and meaningful transformation. At Chivitr, we’re evolving with intention. We’re investing in practitioner and doctor training, embracing integrative technologies, and creating safe, expansive environments for individual transformation. But connection matters too. Human well-being thrives in community; that’s why our 6,600 sqm retreat balances space for solitude, inner peace, and meditation with moments of self-reflection.
I’ve embarked on a new chapter by returning to studying. Pursuing further studies is a commitment to ensure that every experience at Chivitr embodies the most current, holistic approaches to well-being. As I progress towards learning a greater variety of healing methods, I look forward to integrating even deeper wisdom and clinical expertise into our offerings, empowering guests on their path to lasting health, guided by the high standards of natural medicine. I believe one is never too old to study. Each week, my days are filled, often for seven consecutive days, with the rewarding work of guest care, meal planning, and important operational and management decisions. Yet, I felt strongly that deepening my knowledge in natural healing methods, together with updated health research and cutting-edge technology medical devices, will be more essential to further enrich the health and wellbeing journeys of those who visit Chivitr.
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