Page 71 - A Life Well-Lived Is a Beautiful Memory

To Bhanu:

A Toast of Red Wine

and Friendship

Ludovic Lacrosse
13 March 2024

During almost three decades in Thailand, I have had the privilege to meet many wonderful
personalities. They were colleagues and business partners, but also people I informally came
across. Many of them were relatives or friends of colleagues.
From 2009 to 2011, I worked on the Energy and Environment Partnership Program with the
Mekong Region, together with Divina Blanco, who was the Financial Advisor of the Program.

During those three years, I had the chance to regularly meet with Bhanu, Divina’s husband, who
drove her daily to and from our office at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). That provided
us with a chance to chat and get to know each other a bit better every day.

It did not take long for me to understand that Bhanu was a prominent professor of Economics
at Thammasat University. Divina was proud to tell me about her dear husband’s achievements.
His competence in macroeconomics was internationally recognized.
Our relationship soon turned into friendship. We had regular lunches together when Bhanu
had classes at Thammasat Rangsit Campus, next to AIT. We talked about all kinds of not job-

related subjects, as we had many common fields of interest. Red wine was one of them. I was
always happy to treat him to a glass of one of my favorite wines. He was eager to know more
about the different grape varieties. His favorites were Shiraz, Merlot, and Malbec.

I had a lot of admiration and respect for his personality. He was indeed so humble, despite
his brilliant career, and so careful about people. He was such a loving husband who would always
be by Divina’s side, making sure she got what she needed, and driving her wherever she needed
to get to.
Thanks a lot, dear Bhanu, for these great moments we shared. They generated wonderful

memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life!

Ludo

Bhanupong Nidhiprabha 71