BK: Why Vie Trio?
Pae: It’s a pretty straightforward name. Vie is French for life and trio means three, so basically Vie Trio stands for our three lives.

BK: Tell us more about how this album began?
Parn: Last year, I was playing cello in the musical Fah Jarod Sai and Pae just came back from the US. Both of us met Boy Takonkiet [the musical’s director] and he asked Pae to play the violin for him. And it was Boy who first came up with the idea of releasing an album together.
Pae: We are very lucky to have this opportunity. It allows us to truly express ourselves without any limits.

BK: For many people, classical music is challenging, if not boring, to listen to. How do you feel about that attitude?
Parn: It is true that classical music is considered stuffy, fit only for the highbrow. But it’s only because people have made it that way. For example, look at how classical musicians dress.
Pae: I wouldn’t say violin is that different from guitar or bass. Classical is just one kind of music. And classical music is the root of all music today, anyway.

BK: So why do you like classical music?
Parn: We were brought up with classical music in our home. Our father [Suthin Srinarong, an executive committee member of Bangkok Symphony Orchestra] is a major influence. He inspired us to pick up classical music. But he never forced us to play, though. It’s our own decision.

BK: Apart from playing your instruments, were you involved in production?
Pae: Yes, I am the co-producer of this album.
Parn: When Pae was away, we would always work through the internet. I mean, Pae would send us emails telling us exactly what to do.

BK: What are your expectations for this album?
Puy: I hope we can help people understand that classical music is not complicated or too difficult to appreciate.
Parn: From our album, you’ll see that we’ve got rock, pop or even rap. It’s obvious that classical music can be featured with different types of music.

BK: If you were not a musician, what would you be doing?
Pae: I never thought of becoming anything else. I love music.
Parn: I wanted to be a cashier when I was a kid. I loved to play as a supermarket cashier back then.
Puy: A diplomat who also plays music.

What is the highlight of your exhibition, Life - Mind?
I didn’t plan on making one particular thing the highlight of this exhibition. I’d rather let the audiences make their own decision.

Tell us about the your technique:
I used acrylic paint; in the same way I would use watercolors—blending it with water so that the colors are more translucent. My paintings are drawn with different colors and strokes and I do it using the same pace I use when I practice my meditation.

Do you think your work can have an effect on viewers?
If influence means a power to dominate other people, then it wouldn’t be in line with my ideas and what I want to achieve. I work to ease my own suffering. I just hope that my audiences will find peace of mind after viewing the exhibition.

If you painted Bangkok, how would you?
I was born in Bangkok when this city still had plenty of greenery and was a nicer place to live in. Time has passed and now Bangkok has transformed into a big pile of chaos because of the constant supply and demand of superficial things. The picture of Bangkok today is far away from the city in my dreams. So if I had to paint this city, I would paint Bangkok in a previous time, when it was much more beautiful.

Your ideal life is:
Having my mind free from all the spiritual suffering.

Medium: Acrylic on canvas.

Inspiration: I find inspiration within myself. The flying man in the painting represents my generation. This man has his eyes stitched shut but is still looking for something; it’s like most of us who are still working in order to survive.

Message and meaning: The cartoon characters are represented in different postures that represent different behaviors. The bad ones are portrayed as monsters. Those that have circlets on their head represent someone who is closely attached to the material world, and is always thinking highly of himself or herself.

How can a viewer approach this piece of work? Although my painting uses fun, colorful cartoon characters, the message and idea behind it, in fact, reflects an intense, stressful and disorganized human life. Basically, I want my audience to experience my work as something fun yet they should be aware of the hidden messages beneath.

BK: Tell us more about mun ming.
Joo: Well, it is a traditional practice of hair removal from China. Your hair is removed through the twisting of the thread. It used to be a ritual process for Chinese girls before getting married. Threading will “open” the face of the bride, making her beautiful when she ties her hair back. But now people are less strict about this custom.

BK: Who taught you how to do this?
Joo: My grandma taught me when I was young. She left China to come here, and when she did, she did this for a living.

BK: Who are your customers?
Joo: I have many regulars, but mun ming can be applied to anyone whose skin is not too sensitive.

BK: How often should one get their hair threaded? Is it expensive?
Joo: It depends on the amount of facial hair. Normally, it is once a month. I usually charge B100 per session. But the price is a bit higher for those who have thicker hair.

BK: How long have you been doing this job?
Joo: I’ve been doing mun ming for 12 years now. But before that, I used to run my own grocery store.

BK: Why do you like this job?
Joo: I love to see my customers after the threading. They always smile while looking at the mirror. It makes me happy.

BK: How’s life working on the street?
Joo: Working on the footpath is not as comfortable as working in an office, especially when it rains. Then there are no customers at all and my equipment gets all wet. But ted sa kij [Bangkok Municipal Police officers] are the worst. I had a big argument with them once.

BK: Any words of advice for those who want to try?
Joo: It hurts just a little bit but I can assure you that you will be pleased. I usually apply a special powder to the customer’s face before. It helps fight bacteria. Your face will get whiter and smoother, your pores smaller and your skin healthier. You also have to take care of your face after that by washing your face with cool water because it helps reduce the irritation. If you have oily skin, apply a thin layer of egg white on your face, leave it on until it’s dry and then rinse off.