I was a normal kid trying to live up to high expectations because my parents (Sakesan Prasertkul and Jeeranan Pitpreecha) had this iconic status. Everyone admired them.

I tried to prove myself by being a rogue in junior high school, by smoking and playing hooky.

Things changed when I went to the US as an exchange student. I was transformed from being popular to being bullied. I learnt that if you change places, your identity is changed as well.

I stopped running away from my parents’ shadow. I started being a writer and started to comment on how our society could be better.

I was too rebellious to follow my father’s footsteps. So I chose to study economics instead of political science.

Economics sees the world as a system, without any bias. But too much faith in economics will make you heartless. Political science and economics should be combined to make this world better.

There are so many arguments about what’s good or bad about government. But the fact is, there is no way that any administration or politician could satisfy everyone’s needs.

Reducing the government’s role is something that everyone is currently talking about— shifting the influence and responsibility to the private sector and to the people.

Working for society doesn’t need to be a sacrifice. People can also earn a living and support themselves doing it.

I was nervous when I had a chance to interview Prime Minister Abhisit on television. I knew many people were waiting to see what he had to say. But I couldn’t get the answers I wanted, as he eluded my questions.

I don’t try to foresee Thailand’s future. What I think today might never come true, so I try to focus on things that can actually be achieved.

Do something instead of thinking and doing nothing. We don’t have to wait for politicians to change. Many countries succeed in making their society better through an active people and private sector.

My generation is staying away from politics. We are starting to do something for society on our own.

My goal is to create social-investment in Thailand—make people know what it is. But the problem is there are too few people in this circle. We are working too hard to look back and say, “Is it good enough?”

We can’t expect society to be as it used to be. Reducing the role of government by creating a self-sufficient culture will get people to stop having unreasonable expectations.

I went to the Red Shirt protest site because I wanted to know if it was true that they were all Thaksin’s people. Most of the people there were just rural folk. They all believed they were doing the right thing.

They made me realize how lucky I am. The middle class doesn’t have to struggle like them.

I stopped criticizing others when I realized I didn’t know enough. It’s better to listen to them, to try to solve their problems than to judge whether they’re right or wrong.

Uncertain things are certain. I thought I wouldn’t be changed but I was changed. I used to have a big ego and hate the world. But after seeing a lot of brilliant things and people, I realized I am no better than anyone else. Though, I still have standards to judge myself, I don’t judge others.

Giving myself a chance to learn about movies is the reason I decided to play Pol. Lt.Chart Wutthigrai in the Inseedang movie. I’ve tried a lot of things like being a TV anchor, a writer and playing in a band (Rashomon). People keep asking me to star in movies, so I thought why not give it a try.

I love to play music most. I love the way my band and I write lyrics, play, live together.

Not going to temples made me think I wasn’t religious. But the way to heal suffering as the Buddha taught. Dharma is nature.

The Pali and Sanskrit languages are the greatest wall isolating people from religion. They don’t understand why they’re praying, so more and more people see the rituals as pointless.

Understanding society is the hardest thing. I’m still at it—it’ll probably take my whole life.

Stop criticizing others, just make things real.