My mom [famous singer Suda Cheunban] forced me to study music when I was young because she couldn’t bear that her daughter not be good at music. But she never wanted me to be a singer.

She threatened to tear up my RS contract if I stopped studying, when I was set to release my first album in 1998. She wanted me to do something else, not this fleeting career.

Looking back, I am amazed by what I accomplished. It was really hard work. I had to study and work at the same time. But I loved it, and I was young, so I didn’t feel tired.

I’ve never lied to myself about anything that I’ve done. I don’t see offers as opportunities to make money. I have to be happy about them, because only then I am confident that I will do a good job. I also don’t want to be a burden for anyone. Entertainment projects involve loads of people. And if I can’t pull it off, others will suffer, too.

I faded out of singing to work as a radio DJ. I had to train for nearly a year before I could host a radio program at RS, then I moved on to Virgin Hits 105.5.

iHere producer Rosie Wongsurawat [John Winyu’s sister] noticed that I could speak good English, even though I never studied at any English schools. We created an English internet TV show called Good English with Momay, but it wasn’t that successful.

I loved watching instructional make-up clips on Youtube and always did my own make-up. I found out that these clips are really popular. These women aren’t famous but they get millions of views.

We first did the show as a women’s lifestyle program called Momay Paplern but the make-up clips were the most popular, so it finally became a make-up show.
Thai girls always hire a make-up artist for their special day. But can’t you be pretty every day? I try to give tips to girls so they can be pretty by themselves. Just a couple of good pieces of cosmetics can make you shine.

I also have “enough is enough” moments where I will go out without make-up. It’s because I am too exhausted. And I want my face to take a rest.

I buy every cosmetic piece I use, and try it on myself, so there’s a lot of credibility. It’s important to screen products for the audience because they will use my test as a reference. I won’t let any product on-air if it’s not good enough, though people try to pay me to do that. I would be rich by now if I accepted all the money I’m offered.

Beauty with awareness is important. I never want to have white skin because I know that I am yellow.
We live in a commercial world where we are fed with images of beauty that make Thai girls desperately want to be light-skinned.

I don’t like the Thai education system. Good education isn’t just about giving you knowledge but also about giving you an idea of what you want to do in your life. Thai kids just hear that you have to study so you will be successful, then go to famous universities so that you’ll have successful lives. But it’s not always true.

I love to read and collect books. Books are the only media that don’t disturb you while you’re absorbing the content. Not like the internet and TV, which always have something popping up to distract you.

I force myself to travel twice a year. I love to travel alone. My favorite destination is New York. I go to The Metropolitan Museum of Art every time I visit. I can spend days in there.

Travel gives me peace of mind. I wish Bangkok would have more museums and galleries. It’s just full of malls.

I dream of having my own cosmetics line and I want to do it globally. I know it’s going to be hard but Anna Sui or Bobby Brown wouldn’t exist if they hadn’t started somewhere. I hope to do it in the next five years.