If you asked Vasin Srivarathanabul about what he does, the answer might range anywhere from artist, photographer, designer, businessman, website owner, lecturer to editor at Hi-Class magazine, which is his best-known career. Born in Bangkok but raised in the States, Vasin said that he is somewhere between Thai and farang, and can’t help that he might have some different points of view towards art, culture and society. His latest exhibition, Virtual Thailand, reflects this different perspective through exceptional photography and digital imaging. Virtual Thailand runs at the Four Seasons Hotel through Mar 31 .

How did you create these amazing pictures?
These images were done with joy and excitement. It took a lot of time in taking the photographs and the process afterwards. Each image was made from many hundreds of photographs stitched together seamlessly to get the whole environment in one image.
 
Where did you get your inspiration?
I really appreciate the environment where [I captured with these images]. You can feel the history as well as the future of these places. It makes you imagine whatever happened there, and what will happen next? If you remain observant, you can find charm everywhere.

How would you describe your style?
If you see the images, you’ll notice there are lots of distortions. If you have been to these places, you might not find the angle where I took the photos, because it is an image of the whole environment. These images represent the whole environment in one image: 360x180 degrees. These images can also be viewed as virtual tours through the Internet at www.at-bangkok.com. To perceive them depends on the eyes of the beholder—there are no rules.

Where was your favorite place for taking pictures?
I like places that are crowded. People are always moving, and at some point I draw attention to their motions, which pose questions to the viewer such as, “what were they doing before, and what are they going to do afterward?”

Did growing up in the US have any influence on your perception of the arts, photography, or Thai culture?
I always feel displaced—not Thai, nor farang… sometimes I feel miserable that I don’t belong anywhere. That’s why I always have the eye of an alien.

What are you working on now, and when will it be launched?
I’m working on www.at-bangkok.com, which is an online travel lifestyle guide. It’s a new, innovative media that gives a realistic impression of travel destinations, hotels, restaurants and spas. The highlight is the 360x180 degree virtual tour that you can interactively view as if you were actually in those places. This is where I get the material for my exhibition.

Why wait for Oktoberfest? We recently visited a dining hotspot along Ramindra Expressway where the food is superb and the beer flows like the Danube. Tawandang Brew House or Roang Beer German Tawandang has opened its second branch, but don’t even bother comparing it with the original. This new offshoot is family friendly and far larger, with over 2,000 seats housed in the area of approximately two football fields.

Stepping into the European-style haus, you come face to face with a huge brewing system that guarantees how fresh your glass of beer really is. The dining hall is open, airy and, unlike the original establishment on Rama III, has no pillars obstructing the view of the stage. If so desired, seats upstairs in the mezzanine afford you a bit more privacy.

As would be expected of a brew house, beer is the highlight here. Tawandang brews and serves three varieties: Lager, Dunkel and Weizen (from 0.3lt/B85 to 5lt/B1,200). Lager is best for starting your meal as it has a mild taste and smell. Dunkel is a dark beer with a flavor that is both sweet and bitter. Weizen has more bubbles and bears a pleasing aroma of fruit and malt.

The food here is awesome. Highlights are the deep-fried pork knuckle served with spicy sauce (B280), mixed grilled sausages (B220), hor d'oeuvres som tum (spicy papaya salad served with grilled pork loin, thin rice noodle and sticky rice, B150) and kalum plee thawt nam plaa (sautéed cabbage in fish sauce, B100).

Stage shows occur nightly and include anything from sexy singers crooning Thai pop hits to variety show-style acrobatics. Though it may not be as excellent as Cirque du Soleil, it’s still quite entertaining. Best of all, they perform at no additional charge!

We sat down to chat with Supoj Theerawattanachai, co-owner of Tawandang Brew House about the B100-million project.

What makes this branch different from the original one on Rama III?
First, this one is a lot bigger. Second, the hall as you can see is without pillars to block your view of the stage. It’s also a non-smoking space catering to the family crowd that populates this area. Third is the theater. All our performers are professionals of international caliber. All the elements of family happiness are here.

Your beer is quite good.
Of course! The machine and most of the ingredients originate in Germany. Our beer is fermented from 19 to 28 days to produce three great tastes.

Some people think that brew houses are only for old people. How would you stimulate the younger segment of society to come here?
Is that how you guys really think? Umm… let me think about it. I’ll get back to you on that.

Brew House Details

Sip authentic German beer and catch fabulous shows at Tawandang Brew House. Open daily 11am-1am, at 51/199-200 Moo 1, Lad Phrao, 02-789-9988. MC, V.

Do you have any idea what these mud-brick domes are? They look as if they’re floating on a pond somewhere in Africa. They’re actually a lot closer to Bangkok than you’d think. Try Hua Hin. And they’re not rustic dwellings, they’re spa treatment pavilions for which The Earth Spa at the Evason Hideaways Hua Hin received a Gold Prize in the Hotel Category at the 2005 Asia Pacific Interior Design Awards (APIDA) in Hong Kong. The spa’s originality, aesthetics and environmental awareness harmonize local wisdom and modern spa concept. We got to meet two main designers from this project, Scott Whittaker and Chanaworn Longsomboon. Scott is a director of dwp cityspace and does not fit this column’s title since he’s been in the architectural design business for over ten years, but Chanaworn does—he’s a fresh graduate from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Architecture and this was his first project.

Could you describe the overall concept of the Earth Spa?
Scott: The Evason Group really appreciates the environment and sustainable development. They provide a luxury holiday experience, but they don’t want to provide a slick holiday experience. Most of their customers are middle-income workers from Germany and Scandinavia and they want to experience tropical Thailand in a quiet environment. Also, there are a lot of spas in Thailand that are fantastic, but they’re all contemporary Asian style. We saw that some tribespeople in the north of Thailand were building mud-brick walls around some of their rooms. We did some research and the place that builds with mud-brick the most is Africa. We studied African building formation and combined that with Thai traditional mud-brick building from the North.

Chanaworn: The idea for the dome shape came from the African silo that stores wheat and grain.

Scott: The water [underneath] naturally air-conditions the room; cool air comes through holes in the bottom and the shape of the dome sucks the hot air out of the top. A lot of Africans, Arabs, and Europeans once used that form of air conditioning but that tradition is lost now.

Are they made from real mud?
Chanaworn: Yes, it’s a combination of mud and rice. It’s strong because each brick is 18 centimeters thick with concrete in the core. The client introduced us to the mud-brick people so they are the ones who came up with the technology of the mud-brick; we just created the design concept.

But will they dissolve under heavy rain?
Chanaworn: Not much because of the dome shape. It reduces impact of the rain and lets it come through to the pond underneath. The surface does need to be rotated every two years, but just a little bit.

Were you surprised when you won the award in Hong Kong last year?
Scott: Yeah. All the other entries were modern spa designs; this might be the only one that stood out. I think a lot of hospitality architecture might look mostly the same. Good but the same. So people might be looking for something different.

While some of our leaders don’t seem to respect it, or even understand it, in BK-land we take democracy very, very seriously. So for five years now, we’ve asked you to tell us what you like (and dislike) about Bangkok. And then we print the results. In this, part one of our two-part 5th Anniversary celebration, we present your picks and pans for 2006. Some will jeer, some will cheer. But the numbers don’t lie.

DINING

Best New Restaurant: Koi

Over a third of our readers picked this slick Japanese fusion eatery from the other City of Angels as the best of the new. The combination of cool black decor, creative sushi and a scene straight out of LA at Koi (26 Sukhumvit Soi 20, 02-663-4990/-1) has proven to be a winner among the beautiful people.
Runners Up: Ishq, Chine Chine and Le Vendôme

Favorite Restaurants: Ishq, Guisto, Le Vendôme

We received such a wide range of responses (more than 50 different venues in all) that it would be hard to conclude which one is truly your favorite. But Ishq was technically the “winner,” by a very, very small margin. There’s something for everyone on the Pan-Asian menu, but the real attraction at Ishq (North Sathorn Rd., 02-634-5398/-9) is of course the charming colonial setting—and those restrooms.

Best Caffeine Hangout: Starbucks at Sunset Street

Our readers really love you, Starbucks! (Can we have more ads, please?) The international coffee chain where employees have university degrees and unbelievably cheery dispositions is now five for five in our awards. This year it was the old-style Khao San Road branch (Sunset Street, Khao San Rd., 02-629-5450) that took top honors.
Runners Up: Baan Rai Coffee Ekamai, Agaligo

Most Sinful Dessert: Coffee Beans by Dao

There’s the to-die-for cheesecake, but pretty much everything at Coffee Beans by Dao (47/2 Ekamai Soi 12, 02-713-2508) is worth the time you spend in the gym burning it off.
Runner Up: Le Nôtre

Most Stylish Restaurant: Bed Supperclub

This year our readers chose the white, white and white of Bed (26 Sukhumvit Soi 11, 02-651-3537) over more colorful competition. Food optional. (Who needs food when you have eye candy like this?)
Runners Up: To Die For, Ishq

Best Outdoor Dining: Vertigo

The best place to enjoy the great outdoors is from the top of a building, our readers said. And Vertigo (61/F, Banyan Tree Bangkok, 21/100 South Sathorn Rd., 02-679-1200), following a much-needed renovation (moving the stairs was a good idea), is tops.
Runners Up: River Bar, Spring/Summer/Winter

Best Place to Blow Your Savings: Le Normandie

Nothing is ordinary at Le Normandie (5/F, The Oriental Bangkok, 48 Oriental Ave., 02-659-9000), from the food to the wine to the service. You’ll spend a lot, but you’ll also get a lot.
Runners Up: Mezzaluna, Cy’an

Best Cheap Eats: Yaowaraj

The results show that we love street food everywhere, but Yaowaraj more than anywhere else. All-day and all-night, Chinatown is a great place to fill your stomach.
Runners Up: Silom Road, Sam Yan

Best Hotel for Dining and Wining: The Oriental

For the second consecutive year, the prize goes to our 100-year-old favorite, The Oriental Bangkok (48 Oriental Ave., 02-659-9000) for the quality of its outlets: Le Normandie, Lord Jim’s, Sala Rim Naam, China House, The Riverside Terrace, The Verandah, Ciao, Author’s Lounge and Bamboo Bar.
Runners Up: Four Seasons, Conrad

Best Sunday Brunch: Crêpes & Co.

Cozy little Crêpes & Co. (18/1 Sukhumvit Soi 12, 02-653-3990/-1) received the most votes in this category, which is usually dominated by gargantuan hotel buffets. In addition to the laid-back atmosphere, other reasons to visit include food promotions and a menu that changes regularly.
Runners Up: The Sukhothai, Four Seasons Hotel

Most Overrated Restaurant: Mezzaluna/Sirocco

Sorry, guys. If the management of the Dome hasn’t already tossed the BK Readers’ Choice Award Sirocco earned in 2005 for Best New Alfresco Restaurant, they surely will now. Despite receiving international recognition that they are obviously obscenely proud of, our readers don’t believe the hype about Sirocco and Mezzaluna (63 and 64/F, State Tower, 1055 Silom Rd., 02-624-9555)—and the voting wasn’t even close.
Runners Up: Koi, Mahanaga

NIGHTLIFE

Best New Nightspot: Astra

Even before construction had been completed Astra (Block C, Royal City Avenue, Rama 9 Rd., 09-497-8422, 02-622-2572) was the hot kid on the block. The place packs ‘em in nightly and attracts an impressive and ever-growing list of top international DJs.
Runners Up: Inch, 3Some

Favorite Nightspot: Q Bar

Congratulations to Q Bar (34 Sukhumvit Soi 11, 02-252-3274)! Your write-in campaign seems to have worked in this category. That’s democracy in action, for you. Don’t forget that our sister publication in Singapore, I-S, has its own Readers’ Choice Awards.
Runners Up: Bed, Astra

Best Place to Dance: Route 66

While others around it came and went, Route 66 (29/33-40 Block B, Royal City Avenue, Rama 9 Rd., 01-916-2898) has survived through the boom, bust and boom of RCA. Eurotrance has since been replaced with hip-hop, and there’s now a dress code, but the sign remains the same.
Runners Up: Bed, Astra

Best Place to Chill: Spring/Summer/Winter

With a huge lawn that must make condo developers drool and comfy all-weather cushions, the seasonal complex on Soi Promsi (199 Soi Promsi, Sukhumvit Soi 39, 02-391-2747/-8) was our readers’ top chillin’ space, barely beating out the Four Seasons’ courtyard bar Aqua. Don’t forget your mosquito repellent.
Runners Up: Aqua, Distil

Best Place to Ogle Beautiful People: Bed

The white backdrop and futuristic lighting make everyone look like a model at Bed. (Well, almost everyone.) That’s three years in a row.
Runners Up: Escudo (21.2%), Nang Len/Escobar (19.2%), Route 66 (12.2%)

Best DJs: Astra

No surprise! Astra was voted #1 by a large margin.
Runners Up: Café Democ, Narcissus

Best Drinks/Bartenders: Q Bar

With a w-i-d-e range of drinks mixed by sexy bartenders, Q Bar wins this one legitimately.
Runners Up: Syn Bar, Inch

Best Parties: Chivas

It’s not just our sales department that likes Chivas and their raucous parties—our readers do too, by nearly a two-to-one margin over the first runner-up. When’s the next one?
Runners Up: Heineken, Redioactive

Best Live Music: Saxophone

Outside of hotels, there aren’t many places to hear real live music—especially jazz. (See below.) But over the years Saxophone (3/8 Victory Monument, Phayathai Rd., 02-264-5472) has deservedly earned a reputation for excellence despite being neither “hip” nor “chic” nor “trendy.”
Runners Up: Brick Bar, Tokyo Joe’s

Best Jazz: Saxophone

Attracting uni newbies, professional musicians and everyone in between, Saxophone is our readers’ choice for jazz, just barely beating out Brown Sugar and Bamboo Bar.
Runners Up: Brown Sugar, Bamboo Bar

Most Overrated Bar: Q Bar

Wait a minute. Your Favorite Nightspot is also the Most Overrated?
Runners Up: Bed Supperclub, Distil

Best After-Hours Bar: Sin Bar

There were too many different venues to count (are there really that many speakeasies in Fun City?), but Sin Bar (34 Sukhumvit Soi 11, 02-252-3274) was your favorite. Don’t worry: Cops don’t read BK.

Most Embarrassing Place to be Seen at 5am: RCA

What the hell are you doing at RCA at 5am? (Well, it’s better than the police station.)
Runners Up: Nana, Police Station

SHOPPING

Local Fashion You Like Most: Greyhound

As long as dek-naew fever is still hotter than girly, tribal or avant-garde—and hi-so youngsters still have money to burn—the prize goes to Greyhound and Playhound by a huge margin.
Runners Up: Sretsis, Issue

Best Mall: Central Chidlom

Sometimes bigger doesn’t mean better. Central Chidlom (Ploenchit Rd., 02-655-7777) packs plenty of products into a modest space, allowing you to cruise the entire mall before deciding on a purchase. Try that at Paragon and your feet will kill you.
Runners Up: The Emporium, Siam Paragon

Best Market: JJ

We love a shopping spree on the cheap, so JJ Market is the biggest and best—and most popular by far.
Runner Up: Suan Lum Night Bazaar

I’d Blow A Month’s Salary On: Clothing

Clothing is one of life’s necessities. Why not buy something new to wear each day?
Runners Up: Shopping, Traveling

Most Wanted Tech Toy: iPod and Plasma TV

A tie! They’re equally hip, chic, sleek and cool, so pick up an iPod if you’ve got a few thousand saved up, or a plasma TV if you’re really loaded.
Runners Up: Laptop, Xbox

R&R

Best Spa: Devarana

An extensive menu of treatments and standardized services make Devarana (Dusit Thani Hotel, 946 Rama 4 Rd., 02-636-3596) your favorite spa year after year.
Runners Up: I.Sawan, Divana

Favorite Way to Stay in Shape: Gym (29.8%)

Last year we had yoga fever, but this year more of us are getting sweaty at the gym.
Runner Up: Yoga (26.9%)

How I Unwind on the Weekend: Shopping

Shopping is in Thais’ blood!
Runners Up: Beach, Movies, Sports, Sleeping

Best Weekend Gateway: Hua Hin

For the second year, Hua Hin is your favorite for its surf, sand, spas and society—call it the Hamptons of Thailand.
Runners Up: Samet, Phuket

Best Asian Gateway: Hong Kong

We shopping addicts confess: We love Hong Kong for its grand sale season.
Runners Up: Singapore, Seoul

City Living/Culture

Personality of the Year: Sondhi Limthongkul

Sondhi’s outspokenness shook up the government. His charisma won him the support of thousands at Hyde Park and the votes of BK readers.
Runners Up: Tata Young, Tony Ja

Most Overrated Phenomenon: Siam Paragon

We’re not surprised you picked the paragon of excess as Most Overrated. But to be fair, we should point out that you answered this question over one month ago, before most of the shops had opened. And we don’t get Rotiboy, either.
Runners Up: Rotiboy, Academy Fantasia

Best Thai Movie: Puen-Sanit

We can all relate to the pain of unrequited love. This sentimental story stole our hearts.
Runners Up: Tom Yum Koong, The Tin Mine

Best Gallery: Thailand Creative and Design Center (TCDC)

This newcomer became the talk of the town in no time with its inspiring exhibitions. First it unearthed the roots of urban workers from the northeast with an Isan Retrospective, then Japanese design. You chose the TCDC (6/F, The Emporium, Sukhumvit Soi 24, 02-664-8448) by nearly a two-to-one margin over the runner up.
Runners Up: 100 Tonson Gallery, Gallery F-Stop

Concert/Show/Party That Rocked Your Socks Off: Backstreet Boys

Voting was before the Bangkok 100 Rock Festival…
Runners Up: Chivas Parties, Rain, Tata Young

Best Thing About Bangkok: Food

Lonely Planet rates Bangkok as the Best Foodie Destination, and you agree. Our capital caters to its greedy mouths everywhere whether the forecast is rain, shine, or riots!
Runners Up: People, Nightlife

Worst Thing About Bangkok: Traffic (47.1%)

Yes, we all know that. Governor?
Runners Up: Pollution, Hot weather, 1am closing

My Quality of Life In This City Would Improve If…: Traffic Improved

As always.
Runners Up: Better public transportation, More money

Between…. You Preferred…

Mall and Market - Mall (60.6%)
Beer and Wine - Wine (64.4%)
Vodka and Whisky - Vodka (52.4%)
Skytrain and Subway - Skytrain (72.1%)
Golf and Tennis - Tennis (56.7%)
TG and PG - TG (76%)

Haven’t Been There Yet…But I Will: Chiang Mai Night Safari

It’s obvious that you think animal nightlife is interesting. We accept that, but wild meat…ummm.
Runners Up: Siam Ocean World, Sondhi in the Park

So Unhip It’s Cool: Wang Lang Market

Again, we prefer shopping to food or shows. So Bangkok’s best place for secondhand and vintage items gets first place for selection and variety.
Runners Up: New Light Restaurant, Scala Theater, Sala Chalermkrung

Not Looking Forward to in 2006: Return of Bird Flu

We love chicken (when it’s cooked).
Runners Up: Getting to Suvarnabhumi Airport, FTA

Favorite Offbeat Entertainment: Concerts in Lumpini Park

Classical tunes, lush gardens, beautiful people, cool breezes—perfect for a Sunday picnic.
Runners Up: Foreign films at House, Goethe Open-Air Cinema

Most Ridiculous Fashion Trend: Hip Hop and Wrist Bands (tie)

You are not Thaitanium. You are not a professional athelete.
Runners Up: Low-cut jeans, Micro skirts/shorts

Most Alarming/Annoying Trend: Korean Wave

Autumn in My Heart, Full House, Dae Jang-Guem, My Sassy Girl, Rain, Seven, Won Bin—we’re up to here in kimchi. What’s next? Beware the Japanese wave.
Runners Up: Gay-vague, Gigs, Hip-hop

Next Big Thing: New Government/Prime Minister

You got it!

Where were you guys?
Clint: I was in Los Angeles, where Scott is now, while Dave is in Calgary. We had our own bands, but kind of stayed away from the scene for a while. Just not in the focus of the limelight because we needed that break. After six years, we decided to be back in the
spotlight.

Why did you choose Bangkok for the debut of your album?
Clint: Cause my dad lives here. He came here about two years ago to teach English. And he wanted Bob to come down with me and take a look at Thailand and be here a couple of days and sort of tour around. Bob came down first and kept messaging me to come down here to check it out. So I flew down here and basically never left. We’ve been here for about six months, and we decided we would make an album.

This album’s going to be sold all over the world?
Bob: First around Southeast Asia. We’ll focus on breaking into Thailand before breaking into other countries.

What’s the difference between Same Same and the Moffatts?
Clint: The Moffatts was a four-piece band—four different ideas and opinions. And now, it’s just the two of us; the sound is a bit different. I think we’re kind of in the middle of what the Moffatts started out as and what the Moffatts ended up as. It’s kind of a merging gap.

What kind of music is in this album?
Clint: We were kind of extreme and went from one end to the other and really tried to find the balance in-between. It’s influenced by different styles of music. And so when we write, we kind of draw from everything. But I’ll say it’s more of a pop album.

What about people who say you guys are so yesterday?
Clint: We’re not yesterday, we know that. Because we make the music that we like today, we know what we’re doing right now and where we are. I understand that they’re looking at something in their own point of view. But for us, we just put our records for today, for us.—Phongsathorn Koaysomboon

For the latest news on Same Same, visit www.samesamemusic.com.

She’s all that and a bag of chips—a producer, a composer, a singer, a writer, a painter and a traveler. No matter where you look, Jeab Wattana has her hand in everything, and she never ceases to amaze us with her broad range of talents. Like a magician with a great vanishing act, Jeab has come and gone, appeared, disappeared and reappeared, delivered and launched an impressive series of songs, books, babies and albums. Her latest effort is a new album, Ticket to the Moon, which confirms her tough spirit and “survival of the fittest mentality.”

I began by composing music, then worked as a co-producer all the way up to producer, where I had to take charge of the entire album process. I did a lot of checking up on artists to see how they should look, sing, and perform.

I’ve met so many people in the music industry, especially in the early indie wave. At the time a lot of people who were working behind the scenes came out of the woodwork and started doing their own thing, recording their own albums and writing their own songs.

I love producing the most, especially for talented up-and-coming artists. I was a producer for Ya Ya Ying’s first album, and I was very happy with the way that turned out. Now, I want to produce for other people but it all depends on time, place—and budget also.

I’ve got to wear a couple different hats. As a producer, I can do what I want. I can sing, be creative and compose songs that will help communicate my thoughts and ideas.

People know me as Wattana and my music style is very distinctive. I like other music styles too, but I think it would be weird for me to sing younger kids’ songs—which I happen to enjoy. It's better that I save that for when I'm producing for other people.

Big or small, it doesn’t matter. The same still applies for both. With my own company, I deal with things like budgeting, mass media promotion strategies or managing artists in the same way as I did at Grammy.

Even today’s indie labels are doing really well, so it’s great to see that size doesn’t matter just as long as you’ve got the mind and spirit to make the best music that’s as true to your heart as possible.

I’m in good company. There are other people who have been doing exactly what I’ve been doing for the past 10 years like Modern Dog, Joey Boy or Nop Pornchamni.

I don’t always have to launch an album every year, so it gives me time to compose and get back to my roots as a songwriter.

Everything’s changing in our society today. People’s preferences are different than they were before; tastes in music are really changing. There’s always something new.

Fads come and go, but there are a bunch of artists who will last through this change. For example, Big Ass and Body Slam—‘cause they’re doing it all by themselves, they’ve got talent and one day they’ll probably produce in the industry, as well.

Motherhood has forever changed my life because I’m not the center of attention anymore. I’ve got other people that I have to love and take care of.

We try to teach our children to be good people and to respect all the beautiful things in life.

I’ll be around for a very long time. I love this industry, and I’ll always want to be a part of it. I can still produce and sing even as I get older, so I’m trying to do it like a pro.

If Madonna can do it, so can I.

We have only one world, so let’s live together in harmony. Religious strife and discrimination should be things we only talk about in the past tense. We’ve got to remind ourselves that we have to work together to make this a better place. That’s why I chose the song, “World,” as my first single—to inspire and bring people together.

Yarinda Bunnag serenaded us with her emotive voice years ago when she was with GMM Grammy. After gaining some fame, she left to get a degree in architecture. However, her passion for music never waned so she returned to the music industry, but this time joining much smaller label Smallroom. Though we miss her shocking-pink hair, we love her new look as a ser indie girl. Now donning two hats as a daytime architect and an afterhours music artist, she insists that both are important to her and wants to continue doing both things at the same time. See Yarinda perform at the Emporium Music Festival this month.

How is the Yarinda of yesterday different from today?
Obviously the hair—and I’ve also grown up. I have more chances to perform live now while in the past it was just writing and singing and other people would handle the arrangements. It’s more fun working now and the sound is much fresher as we play live when we record and keep playing till we are pleased. When I was in a big record company, everything was comfy, but it’s a bit different and more tiring now that I have to be in charge of everything myself.

How have people reacted to the new stuff so far?
It’s great; it’s beyond my expectations.

Working two professions at the same time, how do you manage your life?
Weekdays, I am a full-time architect and then I do music after working hours and on weekends. It’s fun, it’s like a retreat.

But how do you dedicate a hundred percent of your energy to both jobs and do everything well?
I don’t know, but I can, and the outcome for both jobs are great. I talked to my friend in the music industry who does only music and he said that he can’t meet his goals and deadlines as there isn’t any pressure. This pressure that I have, for timing, for instance, pushes me to meet my objectives rapidly.

Any exciting concerts taking place soon?
Not really, but the Emporium Music Festival is supposed to be fun, as I will perform with my friends from Smallroom and I can also watch other people perform as there’re so many bands and artists that I like. I’ve actually known about this festival since last year so I’ve had some time to warm up. I’ll perform many songs off my album but I can’t be specific as to what. You’ll just have to see at the show.

What’s your next project?
I am working on the next album. I plan to have about 10 songs and only five songs have passed the arrangement stage. It might be launched towards the end of this year, I think.

Why have you entered so many contests?
I knew my future would be in advertising. So I entered a lot of competitions to gain more experience. Every award would be a great accomplishment and something I could include in my portfolio, so it would help me in my career.

Why did you choose to compete in the print ad category?
Personally I prefer commercials, because the audience is able to grasp ideas easily and quickly through motion and sound. Print ads are pure advertisement—you have to communicate with people with pictures alone. So it’s more challenging, as an ad needs to be really exceptional to attract people yet simple enough so that the ideas are easy to understand.

What was the assignment you were given?
The product I had to sell was Benlo, a supplement drink for women. I had to present Benlo as something that would make women’s skin look flushed and healthy.

How did you do it?
The concept comes from the product itself. Because it nourishes the skin internally, from inside the body, my concept was “Beauty From Inside.” It’s hard to describe the genre of my work; it combines pure art with commercial marketing. In this one I used old-fashioned Thai illustrations.

Why do you think you are able to win?
Three reasons: My work achieved the objective. It was different from the others. And it was weird.

How do you see yourself in the future?
I see myself as one of those cool advertising people. So now I’m trying to get a job at an ad firm—it’s hard, I know, but it’s worth a try. I’m also interested in the production side of advertisement and commercials.

Are there any commercials you’re really fond of?
The recent ad by DTAC, the one with Khun Pa lying down and acting funny. It looks so Thai and is full of humor. It communicates to the audience in the easiest way—people don’t need commercials that are hard to understand. Another one might be the Thai Life Insurance commercial.

Who would you most like to make an ad for?
Any children’s foundation.

How would you advertise BK?
A new lifestyle you don’t have to pay for.