Albert T. Chandler

Albert Tomlinson Chandler was born in Oakland, California to Virginia Elizabeth Tomlinson and Edward “Bud” Grover Chandler. His childhood was spent in the Sierra Nevada mountains camping, horse-riding, rowing, sailing, fly-fishing, wood-splitting, and one season working with the Sierra Club ski patrol. The oldest of three brothers, his natural leadership and sense of adventure was established when, in 1958, he took his brothers backpacking across Europe for 100 days without a plan or destination, spending nights in their VW bug and hostels. By the time of his death at the age of 86, he had traveled to 77 countries and was planning to travel to three more. He also racked up two ascents to Everest Base Camp and two up Kilamanjaro during his lifetime.

While attending UC Berkeley, Albert - or ATC, as he referred to himself in writing - enrolled in the Navy ROTC as a Mining Engineering major. Upon graduation he was “Officer of the Deck” on the USS Loyalty minesweeper, protecting the Western Pacific from 1959-61. Afterwards, he took four months to travel through Central America. He attended Harvard Law School from 1961-64 where, in typical California fashion, he was the lone student in attendance wearing Levi’s jeans. Despite his East Coast degree, ATC’s first love remained the lakes and mountains of Northern California.

ATC had an illustrious legal career, working at the center of some of the biggest energy development projects of his time.

He began international transactional work at Northcutt Ely in Washington, DC, then Athearn, Chandler & Hoffman in San Francisco. In 1966, he and his first wife Nancy moved to Kathmandu, Nepal assigned by Ford Foundation’s Africa-Asia program to the Bureau of Mines with an energy development project that would become a lifetime passion. In 1968, via travels through several African and Asian countries with a baby in a basket, he returned to the USA, but not for long. Asia drew him back a year later after a two-letter negotiation leading to what was supposed to be a two-year contract as a lawyer in Bangkok, Thailand.

His legal legacy was cemented six years later in 1974 when, having made Thailand his home, he co-founded Chandler & Thong-Ek Law Offices (CTLO) in Bangkok.

Over the next four decades, CTLO transformed Southeast Asia’s energy systems through consulting on energy projects and negotiating financing for mining, oil and gas, hydroelectric, and, more recently, wind and solar deals. From Thailand to Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Nepal, and the Philippines, ATC led projects that would work toward Southeast Asian countries gaining energy independence and a place on the global energy production stage. During the US embargo on Vietnam, he was engaged by the UN for a two-week consulting job in Hanoi, earning a formal caution from the US government which he proudly displayed in his office.

In 2009 he joined Chulalongkorn University as a part-time lecturer teaching international contracts drafting and later project financing courses to a generation of Thai lawyers. He authored papers on international best practices and regional energy markets for many international forums.

In 2016, he insisted his law firm promote the fact it had a majority of female partners and associates, as empowering women was something he did in all facets of life (as the father of five daughters should). As many shared later in life, he pushed his associates to take on challenges and encouraged his firm to offer scholarships for continuing education. But, as hard as he worked them, he never hired anyone without hobbies or outside interests mentioned on their CV/resume.

ATC retired from legal practice in 2019, returning to South Lake Tahoe full-time 50 years after his first assignment in Thailand. In retirement, he volunteered his time updating his community bylaws and codes, and strengthening the reach of the South Lake Tahoe Democrat’s Club. Before retirement and after, ATC always found time to walk the dogs, learn new things, and mentor his daughters (and anyone else with passion) through their studies and career ambitions. 

Outside of work, ATC was a passionate sailor. He had built a boat as a teen at Fallen Leaf Lake, taught sailing to kids, escorted teams from Thailand to world championships, served in international sailing positions, and was an active supporter of sailors in Thai and international competitions over four decades. He served as an international judge for the sailing competitions in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and Phuket King's Cup Regatta, beginning in 1986. Known for bringing the first Hobie Cat boat to Thailand and promoting the Laser class, he was elected Commodore of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club in Pattaya from 1975-79. It was there he spent many weekends with family and friends over forty years, and met his wife of 34 years, Susan. 

One of ATC's crowning achievements was as the loving and supportive father of five women. He raised them to be world travelers, taking them on multi-country treks as young as two months old (Nima) and famously encouraging them to have always visited more countries than they were years old. His daughters could swim before they could walk. They could sail a variety of boats, navigate foriegn public transit maps, and stand up for themselves in a very big world. He encouraged their dreams, no matter what they were, and did what he could to see them happy, healthy, and thriving.

Among ATC’s other interests were the Harvard Club of Thailand and the American Chamber of Thailand’s tax and legislation committee. He was also a lifetime member of the Sierra Club.

ATC was predeceased by his brother, Harry Chandler, and his first wife, Nancy Sands. He leaves behind his wife of 34 years, Susan Kessler Chandler of South Lake Tahoe, CA; brother Steve Chandler; and five daughters and their partners, Nima Chandler of Bangkok, Thailand; Siri Chandler and Craig Gordon, and Kim Chandler of Praknampran, Thailand; Virginia Chandler and Blake Fancher of Reno, NV; and Sierra Chandler and John Yuro of Atlantic Highlands, NJ.

ATC’s legacy is one of great humor, understanding and exploration. He leaves this world better than he found it. May his memory be a blessing. 

---

At this time, we are tentatively planning a service in South Lake Tahoe celebrating ATC’s life for the summer of 2023, most likely to be preceded by memorials in Bangkok and at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club in Pattaya, where the Chandler Classic will continue to be sailed every January 1.  In lieu of flowers, please add a story about your interactions with ATC to his memorial page. Thank you.