“Don’t surround yourself with negative people.”

Stuart Pettman is a former English professional snooker player who has been living in Thailand since March 2012. In January 2015 he has partnered up with his friend Graham Hill and is now co-owner and hall manager at Hustlers Bangkok, the best pool and billiards sports bar in Bangkok. In this interview, Stuart talks about his extensive experience as a snooker player and what the transition to pool and billiards has meant.

How did you get in the professional snooker circuit?

Back in 1998 it was very easy to become a professional snooker player. Basically, all you had to do was pay the entry fees and you could play in all the qualifying events for the professional main tour. However, as time went on, not many survived as it eventually became whittled down to a 96-man tour. Fortunately, I did survive and became a member of the top 48 for many years.

Apart from the money and the fame, what was the most exciting part of playing in three World Championships and other high profile tournaments?

For me, playing in the final stages of the World Championships was nothing but painful. I got crushed 10-2 10-2 10-1 in three appearances. However, you did have the feeling of being a superstar with limousines, red carpets, banquets, and private cruises being laid on.

You are now running a business in Bangkok… What brought you to Thailand?

I’ve been visiting Thailand for many years as a tourist. In 2010 I met my wife and ended up moving to Thailand in 2012 on a permanent basis.

But, running a business in Thailand is not easy in anyway. Language barriers, culture differences and the recent political instability has not helped.

What are the differences in running a snooker hall and a pool & billiards hall?

They are very similar in many ways: you come across the same kind of characters that make the place fun to be a part of. The biggest difference I suppose is the atmosphere.

The Snooker Hall is very quiet and serious, with the Pool Hall being loud and distracting; but for me, a pool hall scene is more exciting.

You have been promoting cue sports in Thailand for so long. What are some of the challenges you’ve encountered along the way? 

Actually I wouldn’t say I’ve been too much on the promoting side of cue sports so much, however I have been actively mentoring an up and coming young Thai player called Akani Songsermsawat. He recently won the Asian U21 title at the age of 19 and also his first Thai ranking title. I really believe he is the future star of Thai snooker.

Do you miss the excitement of competitions? Are you still playing?

Yes, I do miss the excitement of the professional tour, but not the pressure and stress of it. Right now I’ve just starting playing competitive snooker after a 5-year layoff, playing in the Thailand Ranking Series. Its great fun and not serious at all but still with the competitive buzz which keeps us all playing.

You’ve met some of the world’s best pool players. As a pro yourself, what impressed you the most when you had the chance to play with them?

This might seem a bit controversial, but when I compare professional pool players with professional snooker players, there is no comparison. In my experience, quite a big percentage of professional pool players are lazy, scruffy, egotistical and over opinionated. In the most part it’s the complete opposite with professional snooker players: they are the ultimate gentlemen of cue sports and it was a pleasure to play with them for many years.

In most sports, practice makes perfect. My question to you is: how much talent do you need in cue sports to be successful?

Yes, I agree practice does make perfect in some cases. However, you need a certain amount of talent to begin with or else all the practice in the world won’t be enough. Also, a good point to make is that if you have some talent, it all depends on who you surround yourself with to take you to the next level. Don’t surround yourself with negative people.

What are your plans for the near future with regards to your involvement in Hustlers Bangkok and your personal competition schedule?

My plans are to keep Hustlers moving in the right direction and take it to the next level.

We have taken the necessary steps already and I intend to push Hustlers Bangkok all the way to its maximum potential.

Personally I don’t have any schedule of traveling to play any tournaments abroad. I had 20 years of it while playing professional snooker and don’t want to do it anymore. However, I will play Thai Division 1 snooker next year and also a few local pool tournaments.

Thank you for your time.

Photography by Photography Entrepreneurs