{"id":27674,"date":"2026-05-29T18:37:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T11:37:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.koktailmagazine.com\/?p=27674"},"modified":"2026-05-29T18:37:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T11:37:18","slug":"friday-future-lister-what-it-means-to-create-change-for-alex-rendell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.koktailmagazine.com\/th\/2026\/05\/29\/friday-future-lister-what-it-means-to-create-change-for-alex-rendell\/","title":{"rendered":"Friday Future Lister: What It Means to Create Change for Alex Rendell"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe environment is dark,\u201d Alexander Rendell tells us, reflecting the urgency of today\u2019s environmental crisis, but for the CEO of EEC Thailand, change can begin through education, awareness and the next generation.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As we sat down with Alexander Rendell, a British-Thai actor, it became clear that his world now revolves far more around education, sustainability and long-term impact than celebrity. Behind the familiar face is someone who has focused on how environmental awareness can move beyond social media trends and become something people genuinely carry into everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Environmental Education Centre Thailand (EEC Thailand), where he serves as co-founder and CEO, Alex has spent years creating programmes that bring children closer to nature through direct experience rather than classroom theory alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What makes his perspective stand out is how grounded it feels.  Throughout the conversation, one thing became clear: for Alex, education is not separate from change. It is where change begins. As EEC enters its 11th year, we look back at the experiences and ideas that shaped his vision and explore what he believes needs to happen next.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Early Nature Memories<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Long before environmental education became his full-time focus, Alex\u2019s connection to nature began through acting. Travelling across Thailand for filming exposed him to forests, mountains and places far removed from Bangkok\u2019s landscape. Between early call times and shooting in natural settings, something shifted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWhenever we filmed in places like Khao Yai, surrounded by nature, everything just felt better. My acting flowed more naturally. Leaving the city helped me focus. Everything slowed down.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The feeling started even earlier. At 10 years old, a trip to Phi Phi Island and an elephant rescue left a lasting impression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI remember helping elephants when I was 10. Experiences like that stayed with me.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Later, life in Bangkok sharpened the contrast. Studying at Chulalongkorn University, long commutes and constant movement felt overwhelming. Diving trips became an escape and gradually pulled him closer to the environmental path he now leads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EEC Through Edutainment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What began as personal interest slowly evolved into EEC, where his early work focused mainly on conservation before expanding into something broader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cOver time, I realised it was never only about the environment. One side was conservation, but the other was education and life skills. These experiences were helping people grow. We saw children gain confidence, families reconnect and organisations build stronger relationships. That\u2019s when I realised EEC could become a platform for real change.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Rather than relying on lectures, Alex and his team built EEC around edutainment which combines education with entertainment through hands-on experiences shaped by his entertainment background. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe always try to make it fun. Environmental topics can become boring very quickly if people don\u2019t feel involved. That\u2019s why we focus on activities and direct experience rather than just sitting and listening.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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