I was born to a strict Chinese family. My grandfather was very traditional. He controlled everything, from the numbers of stairs we built in a house to the amount of money we gave to others for special occasions.

It was god’s will that I should be an architect. I was very good at arts, crafts and drawing. My teachers kept telling me, even in primary school, that I should study design and architecture.

Music is another part of my life. I have been a classic guitarist since high school. I wanted to be a musician—travel to places and experience what life has to offer and then translate them into songs.

I was too self-confident when I enrolled in the Faculty of Architecture at Chula. It was my first and only choice. But then I failed.

The next year, I locked my guitar up and swore I wouldn’t play it again if I failed for the second time. But I worked hard and passed.

My first design project was when I designed a house for my aunt. When my grandpa saw it, he was so upset. He thought everything had bad feng shui and demanded I rebuild it. My aunt chose to believe him.

It was probably true but I was really upset and stopped talking to him for a while. But that was also the beginning of my interest in feng shui.

Feng Shui is just a fragment of Chinese culture. It is the way to live with nature.

I started my company and, out of several designs, my first client picked one that was based on feng shui. I realized that feng shui was an added value to my work.

Houses with bad feng shui can be adjusted without knocking everything down.

Thais also have feng shui-like beliefs. We just don’t know it. Even King Rama V once published his recommended plans for homes, based on our tropical weather.

Beware of some feng shui masters who claim to to know it all. Even in China, different provinces have different feng shui beliefs based on local geography and weather.

Don’t do what a feng shui master tells you if you don’t really want to. People must live in their own happy space. No master can guarantee long-time happiness or quick wealth.

I never get negative responses because my designs are based on my clients’ preferences.

Don’t buy a condo facing west, or worse, north-west, as you are facing the hottest sun throughout the year.

I don’t understand why we have so many buildings these days covered in glass. It’s not suitable for our weather at all.

I am no longer a hard-working architect. I am now a landscape designer who directs the overall picture and lets the architects take care of the details. I also love to share my knowledge about feng shui with others.

Architectural landscaping makes me money, but feng shui gives me happiness.

Knowledge is like a candle. I’m lighting the candle and passing it on to others, who will pass it forward. The light will still be there even when I’m gone.

There is only one truth in life, no matter how many religions exist. There is no bad religion really, because their teachings are meant to lead to peace and serenity.

Find out what it is that you love and then do it. I know what I like and I’ve never stopped learning. I don’t want to be better than others, I just want to know more.

I’ve never set an age for my retirement. This career has no expiry date.

I love songs with good meanings, ones that make people happy. I don’t like those with sorrowful feelings.

My idea of happiness has changed. I might have dreamed of a music career, but I am now very happy to be with my children. When they go to sleep, I pick up my guitar. That, to me, is contentment.

My kids are not like me. I allow them to do everything and teach them to be as happy as they can. I don’t mind that they can’t organize things for Chinese New Year. I’d just like them to be good people.

You must inhale and exhale happiness. We never know when our time is over.