My family life wasn’t perfect. My dad died when I was ten years old and I had conflicts with my step dad. I left home when I was in grade 12 because I felt my mom didn’t believe in me. She thought I was a wayward kid.
I decided I would take care of myself and cut off all support from my family. I earned a living by tutoring in French and social studies. I spent only B100 a day.
What kept me out of trouble were my friends and school [Triamudom and Chulalongkorn University]. They were the twin pillars of my life.
School was like my golden age. I got to do all my beloved activities, like stage plays.
I first started DJ’ing [music shows] in 2003 but I felt really blessed as a DJ when I first hosted JudgeJudd [a news variety radio program] in 2010. I felt it was so me. I love talking about and critiquing current events. I wanted that kind of work much more than just talking about music and commercials.
The radio station closed down seven months later and I had to go back to DJ’ing [music] at FM90. It was really frustrating.
I posted clips on YouTube criticizing the Flood Relief Operation Center (FROC) officers. I just wanted to say what I felt. The first one didn’t get much attention so I did a second without any expectations, but it got massive hits and went viral really fast. It’s got more than 600,000 views now.
I was suspended from my DJ job at FM90 and got fired over the phone a month later. I wasn’t angry but I felt bad that they did it without any proper explanation.
I didn’t feel guilty after posting those clips. It’s just a door closing. Another will open. I had enough of being a DJ who just does music. And I will preserve the JudgeJudd channel on YouTube as my sacred space that commercials and politics can’t reach.
I do feel sorry for scolding members of the government too rudely. I should respect that they are senior officers in our country.
I felt angry when I was threatened. I got this call and then my car was vandalized. It’s like a dog biting at your back. If they don’t like what I say, why don’t they come to talk me in person?
The entertainment industry has this curse—people in it can’t talk about politics. They will get in trouble if they do, and have no idea who ordered it.
I want to make politics like entertainment, like it happens in the US. I want to produce TV news that’s not just reporting. I don’t want to sit in the newsroom without changing anything. My style is about critique and expressing my attitude.
There is no media in this world that is neutral, despite what textbooks say. Every reporter has a viewpoint. It depends on them to make it explicit.
I’ve stopped looking for new friends now. I am pleased with the quantity and quality of friends that I have. They’re real friends who are ready to be with me when I have troubles.
I’m afraid of money and business because these things can change people. I don’t want to be all that rich. I just want to take care of my family.
I brought my mom and my elder sister to live with me after I bought a house. I told my mom to choose me or my stepdad. She chose me.
I am proud that I can take care of my mom now. She has worked hard as a food vendor her whole life. I was quite happy when she sighed and said, “Now my life is comfortable and I’m only dying of old age.” That means she feels her life is good now.
I am not being dramatic. I don’t use politics to get people’s attention. Everyone needs to find a core in life that will make you feel balanced.
My biggest dream is to act in stage plays. They always light a fire in my heart.
Some dreams in life can only be just a dream and you have to move on with something that you like second-best.
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