In-house cafe and bowling alley: Take a look inside Thai Express founder Ivan Lee's $40m GCB

Most people aim to make their homes a place that they can return to after a long day to relax.  

Local entrepreneur Ivan Lee's Good Class Bungalow, however, would make you never want to leave home to begin with.

TikTok content creator Aze uploaded a tour of Ivan's property, which spans roughly 21,500 sq ft and costs upwards of $40 million according to the Thai Express founder, on Wednesday (March 27).

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@aze.sg/video/7350663770240224513[/embed]

The four-minute video showcases various aspects of the sprawling bungalow, including a Starbucks-inspired cafe decked out in the coffeehouse's merchandise, along with its signature logo and signage.

Ivan also did not shy away from showing his spacious bedroom, which Aze described as "bigger than [his] two bedrooms and living room combined"; a huge terrace overlooking lush greenery, as well as a conference room which Ivan said he likes to use for meetings.

The three-story bungalow, which also has a basement, takes up slightly more than 15,000 sq ft of the property, while the remaining land boasts a full-sized badminton court and houses three luxury cars and two high-end motorcycles.

Explaining that he has different purposes for his vehicles, Ivan said: "I drive the Tesla more for daily life because there's no need to refuel it, the BMW sports car is for socialising with friends."

When asked about the Rolls-Royce parked in his garage, he responded: "My driver uses this car to pick people up."

The bungalow's basement has been converted into an entertainment centre, with a built-in bowling alley, karaoke room, various arcade games and a home theatre equipped with massage chairs.

Ivan's home gym, where he trains with a personal trainer weekly, is also in the basement.

He told Aze that maintaining his property costs between $8,000 and $9,000 every month, as it includes the salaries of his four domestic helpers.

"Three [of my helpers] look after my family and one looks after my mum since she's elderly," he added.

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Some netizens who came across the video were awed by the expansive bungalow and its many charms.

"His house is like some shopping mall paradise, awesome," one commenter said.

Another TikTok user said: "This guy must have done something really right in his previous life."

However, some others questioned how comfortable living in a big house like that would feel.

One user commented: "Why does it look more like an office than a home?"

"House big but cold — not cosy at all," another commenter said.

Ivan Lee: Entrepreneur and investor

Ivan Lee founded F&B chain Thai Express, which has more than 50 outlets across seven countries according to its website, in 2002 and sold 70 per cent of his share in the company in 2008. 

Ivan then dabbled in various start-up initiatives, ranging from gaming and tech to other local F&B ventures.

He notably founded technology-focused investment company Raging Bull in 2010 and, as reported by Yahoo News, invested US$730,000 (S$988,000) into Durian Moments, a local business specialising in durian delicacies, in 2018.

ALSO READ: Former National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan's GCB sold for $50m

bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com