It is 11am on Wednesday, June 15. Chitpas Bhirombhakdi and her campaign crew are in front of a jeans shop next to Petchburi Road, waiting for the rest to arrive. Everyone is wearing light blue Democrat polo shirts sporting the party’s number 10. The MP candidate herself sports a polo in a darker shade of blue, matching trousers, pink Converse sneakers and a ponytail. When she sees us, she smiles brightly, greets us and then goes over to sit on top of an ice box. You’d never guess this casual 26-year-old is the daughter of Singha Corporation’s executive vice president Chuntinant Bhirombhakdi and ML Piyapas, an aristocrat close to HM the Queen.

It has been two years since the Singha heiress resigned from her position in the prime minister’s secretariat, over a scandal where she had been distributing copies of raunchy Leo beer calendars outside Government House. Now, as the Democrat candidate for the Dusit Ratchatewi constituency, she aims to one day become the first female prime minister of Thailand, with July 3 just the first of several election campaigns on her path to Government House’s highest office.

She speaks to us in English, with a hint of a British accent from her school days abroad. “I’m just trying the best I can,” says the King’s College graduate. “I can’t predict anything right now because everything comes down to the last week before election.”

Her aim is to cover the whole area of the constituency at least twice before the election. “I’m a new face. I have to work twice as hard,” she says.

We pause when a man wearing a red shirt conducts a one-man protest, taunting Chitpas and her crew with a Yingluck poster. The crew laughs it off, but we ask her if she finds it difficult when red shirts show up at her walk-abouts.

“Not really,” she says. “I respect that. Obviously, different people have different beliefs and opinions. If they have a question to ask me, I’m willing to answer.”
The sun is scorching at 11:30am as the last of the crew arrives, and Chitpas heads into Petchburi Soi 31 to start campaigning. She stops by all the shops that line the soi, along with Senator Poosadee Wansekumhaeng, and wais the sellers, customers and passersby, while her crew hands out flyers. People are polite and seem to be in awe of her beauty. Some people even shout out to tell her how beautiful she is.

From time to time, Chitpas wipes the sweat from her brow with a tissue as campaign trucks with faces of Chitpas and Abhisit pass by, playing look tung-style Democrat songs.

It is noon and a man comes to take photos with Chitpas, holding up his hand in a gesture of support. “My family will vote for you. You’ve got 30 votes,” he says. Later at a noodle stall, a woman gives Chitpas a bunch of pink roses. “You’ve got seven votes,” she says.

The crew decides to have a lunch break and we talk to an old woman selling fruits, who has just been greeted by Chitpas.

“I’ll be voting for the Democrats anyway,” she says. “Their campaign promises are good. They give school tuition, they give money to senior citizens. Abhisit gives us many things.”

We then point out to the many campaign cards from different parties she has posted on the wall beside her. “I just stuck them there. But I like the Democrats and I like the Prime Minister.”

After lunch, we talk to one of Chitpas’ assistants, Narissararat Srichantamitr. “I’m confident that she will win,” she says. “I see how much effort she puts in. She can get a lot of campaigning done in one day and walks a lot. People have also responded to her well. She may get criticism and people may say she’s young, but they see how well she can answer their questions.”

Despite her young age, it seems like Chitpas has been preparing for this moment for a long time. She tells us, “I’ve always been interested in politics since I was very young. But I’ve only had the opportunity to see politics from a management point of view, rather than actually working with the people. I try to tell them it’s probably time to let a new generation come in and have more involvement in politics.”

She switches to Thai, “As the government, we always get blamed whenever there are problems. I try to explain [our work] the best I can although I understand that people are frustrated. Campaigning can be tiring but there’s only three weeks left. I won’t give up.”

It is nearly 2pm. Chitpas and her crew walk to Chumchon Jarurat Tonsai, a slum down the road. The heiress does not look uncomfortable as she, Senator Poosadee and their crew navigate through the labyrinth of cramped homes, while cats and dogs scattered everywhere. They stop by a kindergarten and Chitpas greets the children, whose faces are all covered in talcum powder. She then goes to sit on a bench and check her BlackBerry. After a while they head out.

At this point we stop following them. Chitpas is going to continue campaigning down the road and then go to a military base. As the music from the campaign truck fades away, we ask a nearby Isaan food seller her views on the Democrats: “Honestly, I don’t like them,” she says. “It’s been two years and they can only do 30 percent of what they promised. Not even the Prime Minister can do anything and the economy is still bad. [Chitpas is] pretty, but I don’t know if she can actually do anything.” That’s the thing with new candidates, the only way to find out, is to give them a shot. Sasinipa Wasantapruek and Aimmarin Siritantitam

Read the finale of the Campaign Trail series: Chuvit Komolvisit: The odd one out.

I was born in Nakhon Sawan. I moved to Bangkok when I was 8 because my mother was killed in a car accident.

My father couldn’t look after me. He was a long distance truck driver so I had to live with my uncle in Thonburi.

I loved every kind of sport. Playing sports with friends everyday was just the most fun.

My teacher knew someone at Thai Port. He invited them to come and see the kids playing at my high school.

I was picked to play for the youth team even though I was playing volleyball as my main sport. I played for many teams but I played the longest for Kasikorn Thai.

I was never really a success for the national team. It was partly down to me but also because the coach didn’t really appreciate my skills.
There was no financial security back then. You didn’t earn much money playing football.

You can’t play forever so I decided to ask Brian Marcar [owner of BEC Tero Sasana], who then worked at Channel 3, if I could try being a sports reporter.

My first try at being a coach for [BEC Tero] didn’t go well. Then I started coaching the Thailand youth team before getting the job at Thai Port.

Politicians get involved with football so people get to know who they are. If the team does well, everyone is happy and the politician’s reputation improves. They have to be honest with the players.

I sacrificed myself to help the team [Thai Port] with their debts. I could have walked out, but I made it so Buriram had to pay to acquire me. If the club can’t pay the player and they just quit, that’s not fair. I’m sad about leaving but I can handle it.

I get goose bumps every time I see a motorcycle driver wearing the Thai Port shirt. It’s what they love. Every time I come to Thai Port, I am still proud.

No matter where I am, Thai Port will still be in my heart and my thoughts. But I have to go. And once I leave, I put on the Buriram hat.

I prefer being a coach. I want to prove to myself that I can do it. It’s my dream to be the national coach. Once I’ve made it, I’ll see if I can handle it.

When I’ve reached my limit, my instincts tell me what to do next. It’s a strange thing.

It took a hundred years for football in Europe to get where it is. We’ve just started playing football professionally. The footballers must learn, I must learn, the fans must learn, the referees must learn, everyone must learn.

As a professional, you have to be strong in your heart, your mind, your discipline, but you also have to learn to change. It takes time.

We need to spend money on training our young teams. Right now, the Thai national team is really low on good players. So low that the same players are used again and again. This is dangerous.

Soccer and size are related. Size is essential. But, even if you’re 130 cm tall, anyone will want you, if you’re good like Messi.

It doesn’t mean anything if you score a good goal but don’t win the championship.

I am a fighter. I was raised and taught to fight all my life. That’s what I want to teach my players as well, to be serious and smart.

A coach’s career walks a very fine line; without success, who would hire you? Without my record, would Newin Chitchob have chosen me? He could choose anybody else in world.

Football is also a business. You can bring in politics or whatever, you can sell ads, anything to start making profits. You should do anything to make a profit.

Education and sports have always had a problem with each other. People who come to play sports have to miss some education.

Football is a not sport, it’s entertainment. Every fan in the crowd is our customer. If you’re entertaining, you will keep getting customers. If not, they go see another show.

I want my own football team. It won’t be for a long time, but I’ve started to dream of it.

You have to give people chances. One of my players Ekapoom used to be a motorcycle taxi driver. Or Annawin, who used to be a drug dealer. Now he plays football and earns money. This proves that these kids can change.

Every day, for the past two months, Anuttama “Jib” Amornvivat, a 34-year-old Pheu Thai constituency candidate, has been canvassing the streets of Huay Kwang, which would be a leisurely enough activity if her stride didn’t border on a run. Trotting alongside her, yelling out questions over the incessant barking, we soon run out of breath. But she’s not even breaking a sweat, despite the white Pheu Thai jacket, the red garland, the discreet makeup and the flowing mane of hair. We planned to simply tag along to get a feel for a day in the life of a candidate but Anuttama seemed anxious about our presence and, after a couple hours, told us she was done for the day. Here is a very short glimpse at this exciting new candidate who is very likely to be Huay Kwang’s next MP: young and foreign educated, but also heir to a powerful, staunchly Pheu Thai family.

Huay Kwang is a longstanding Pheu Thai stronghold. It was one of only five districts to elect all Pheu Thai councilors in the last city council elections. (Democrats swept all seats in 27 districts in Bangkok, a crushing win.) Despite the odds being in her favor, Pheu Thai isn’t taking too many chances with Anuttama. First of all, she is even better looking in real life than on her ubiquitous posters, which in an election, is anything but trivial. But she also has a political science degree from Chulalongkorn University, a master’s in International Business from Boston University and a master’s in International Economic Policy from Columbia University in the United States. She is currently an economics lecturer at both Chula and Thammasat, and at first glance, she could be the antithesis of the old cliches on Democrat (the party of disconnected Oxford-educated elites) versus Pheu Thai (the party of old-school patronage politics).

“Is your political color ever a problem with your colleagues at Chula. It’s a mostly Democrat school, isn’t it?” I ask.
“We don’t discuss these things. But my students are curious.”
“And can you talk to them openly?”
“It’s not really direct questions. Mostly just teasing.”

Our conversations are never much longer. When asked about policy, she gives a brief sound bite, “I’m a teacher so I believe in education.” The same quote I’ve read in the profiles that ran in the dailies. And also, “People have a lot more economic problems than we can imagine. Salaries don’t match inflation.”

But it’s not an ideal interview scenario either. Every few houses, one of the handlers racing in front of her spots someone in their backyard, then directs her to them. In the Sunday afternoon heat, most people at home are elderly, or housewives. Anuttama executes a graceful wai, then gently holds their arm, something either totally spontaneous or right out of the candidate handbook on creating rapport in five seconds flat.

The man introducing her to most homes is long time Pheu Thai district councilor, Yuth Intarapan, 67, who has recorded four straight wins since 1998. He’s able to chat amicably with the locals, and knows a thing or two about their households. When we hit a Pheu Thai pocket, matriarchs come out of their homes holding up their index (the number one) fingers, and offering assurances of their support and of her victory. “This whole house is Pheu Thai. The whole house!” one middle-age woman announces, dressed in a Pheu Thai t-shirt.

“Do you feel like this is a pointless exercise, running around wai-ing people?” Iask
“No, this is how you find out about people’s problems.”
“But you don’t really get to talk to them.”
“Sometimes you do. And you see the problems. Like this.”

Right on cue, we hit an open sewer with water so black it looks like motor oil. It’s full of trash and is not protected by a fence, so a kid could easily fall in. It illustrates her point quite perfectly. Except no one pauses to take notes or snap a picture. Nor does anyone discuss it. There are just too many streets to canvas—that is the real job at hand.

At most intersections, the big Pheu Thai campaign truck awaits. There’s a sense of being trapped in a maze, where all the streets of Huay Kwang end with the same giant white campaign truck, plastered with Anuttama’s likenesses. She has been in this maze for months—that and meetings.

“So when you’re not canvassing, you’re in meetings?” I ask.
“What makes you say that?”
“Well we’ve been trying to follow you for the past two days, and you were always in meetings. You were in meetings all morning today too, right?”
“Yes.”
“So who are you meeting with?”
“It depends.”
“These are mostly internal Pheu Thai meetings or are you meeting with local organizations?”
“It really depends.”
“Well, what about today?”
“Today was nothing specific.”

At first, I think Anuttama is just not in a talkative mood but then she steps in between my fellow writer Monruedee Jansuttipan and one of the Pheu Thai staff, just as Monruedee begins to question him.

“Why are you talking to him?” Anuttama asks Monruedee.
“We’re just asking questions about his involvement here.”
“He works for me.”
“Yeah, but we’d just like to know—”

She switches to Thai, explaining to Monruedee that she should speak to her directly, as she can better answer her questions. In fact, she also dismisses the aforementioned district councilor as “her staff” when I ask to specifically speak to him. It was only later that we got to find out who he was by chatting to him while she was talking to some residents. Why didn’t she want us to talk to a veteran of local politics who is clearly instrumental in connecting her to her voter base? And what terrible slip-ups did she fear her staffers would make?

We all pile into the campaign truck and drive out of the residential streets and into the commercial thoroughfares. She wais right and left. Taxis honk at the truck. For a second, we’re almost having fun. But then the truck comes to a stop in an alley and we’re told that they’re done for the day and that it’s going to rain. But no one is getting off the trucks and it feels like we’re actually being kicked out. We begin to walk towards the MRT but then spot the truck a couple blocks away. We follow and sure enough, Anuttama has started canvassing the sellers and shoppers of the local market.

We later reached Anuttama on the phone who says they ended up changing plans on the spot. The real question, though, is why did our presence and questions make her so uneasy? Granted, it is unusual for journalists here to follow candidates beyond the press conferences. But given her young age and international background, we expected Anuttama to embrace an opportunity to show the press how she works. One clue lies in her conventional—and powerful—background. She is the daughter of Pol Maj Gen Sombat, former Department of Special Investigation chief, the niece of Sompong Amornvivat, a former deputy leader of the defunct People Power Party and a cousin of former Pheu Thai MP Chulaphan Amornvivat. A level 6 public servant at 31 (according to one Pheu Thai supporter we spoke to), she worked at the Department of Export Promotion, before becoming a lecturer at the big two, Chula and Thammasart universities. We would argue this is a system where people don’t like to be asked too many questions. Ironically, it’s also the system the Red Shirts described as an entrenched elite and vowed to bring down.

Ultimately, though, it is not the press who will decide if she sits in parliament. As the sun begins to set on Huay Kwang’s market, we speak to sellers she’s just greeted in the market and they all say they like her and will vote Pheu Thai. They mention crime and flooding and the fact that they haven’t seen much happen in the past two years. But most importantly, there’s inflation cutting into their profits, and forcing them to raise prices, which in turn reduces sales. With macroeconomics and a great smile going for her, it makes sense Anuttama doesn’t want anyone overcomplicating her narrative. This is Ajarn Jib, candidate #1. She is a lecturer at Chula. She believes in education. She is beautiful. Love it or get off the truck.

Read part IV of the Campaign Trail series: Chitpas Bhirombhakdi: Singha heiress making her debut in politics.

Soi after soi, hour after hour, despite the blistering sun, she never lets the loudspeaker go quiet, not even for a second. “We can’t let dead air happen while campaigning,” she says as we sit down for a quick lunch in a little soi. She is Sunisa Lertpakawat, a Pheu Thai MP candidate in Bang Kae. “I want people to hear our campaign as much as I can.”

Sunisa and ten people from her campaign have been on the back of a pick-up truck since 7:30am. She lost half a day yesterday because she fell ill and couldn’t continue campaigning, so there’s lost time to make up for. But she’s back on track, hitting the majority of sois and villages in Bang Kae, the most populous district in Bangkok. It’s an immense job, but she realizes how vital it is.

“I have only two weeks left before the election day. People expect to see my face after seeing my posters.They want to see the person who may work for them in parliament,” says Sunisa, or “Muad Jeab” [Officer Jeab] as everybody loves to call her. Even kids from the nearby school she just visited are chanting her nickname.
“If I ran for class president, I would win for sure,” she jokes as surrounding crowds of students wave their index fingers in a gesture of support.

Five years ago, Sunisa was on the front page of newspapers and all over television. She had upset her employers, the army, when she spent her vacation in England, meeting with Thaksin in order to write Thaksin: Where are You and, two years later, Thaksin: Are You OK. She’d rather not talk about that controversy though, preferring to focus on the upcoming election.

We talk to Nuch, a former public relations professional, who previously had little interest in politics, and who has now been Sunisa’s assistant for the past two months. “She has been on the truck or canvassing the streets for over a month now. She hasn’t missed a single day! She doesn’t even wear a hat because people need to be able to see her face,” says a proud Nuch. It’s clear that her face is a large part of her public appeal, something that becomes quite evident as we talk to some of her supporters.

“She’s really beautiful, like in the poster,” says a housekeeper as the campaign car passes by, while Sunisa makes a self-deprecating joke about not looking exactly like in her posters. Her skin is a touch sunburned from the weeks’ work. Sunisa knows she cannot rely on her pleasant looks alone, though. The bigger issue, according to one of her campaign managers, Passawin Pingoompee, 42, is that she is really new in this area, and that the campaign might not be enough to introduce her to people. “That’s why today we’re rallying mostly in the residential neighborhoods,” Passawin says.

Despite being a newcomer, Sunisa works like a professional campaigner. She tells her assistant to write down every problem that people tell her about during her walk-abouts and seems to know what will win her audience’s hearts. During the day, when senior citizens are at home and the youth are out at work, Muad Jeab talks about how Pheu Thai will raise money for elders. When she is addressing factory workers, she talks about how the minimum wage should be raised to B300 per day from B215. She shows mock-ups of energy credit cards when passing lines of taxis and makes promises relating to education policy when parents are talking their kids home from school. And who knows, perhaps free public Wi-Fi will get the youth vote?

Of course, it’s not just policy platforms that win votes. A shirtless man shakes her hand and says, “Please bring back Thaksin if you are elected. I really miss him.”
“I will try,” says Sunisa.  Another family takes Sunisa by the hand and bring her into their home to meet their grandmother, who cannot walk. They say how much they love the Red Shirts. The grandmother says what a big fan she is of Pheu Thai, touching Sunisa’s ponytail as though she were a little girl. “Come see us after you win the election, OK? Or I’ll spank you,” says the grandmother.

Out on the street again, we take some time to gauge people’s reactions. After all, they are the only way Sunisa can win. Supawee Soontornsaratool, 51, the owner of a garage says he loves Pheu Thai and definitely wants to vote for her. “I don’t know much about her,” he says. “I just heard about her from the books that she wrote about Thaksin. I normally vote for Pheu Thai anyway. When Thaksin was PM, the economy was better. Now everything is so expensive, but our incomes remain the same. Also, I want a woman to be our prime minister too.” Supawee said.

Jessada Waenkaew, 41, an acrylic shop owner, feels the same. “The economy is bad. Inflation is high. Drug problems are worsening. It used to be better when Thai Rak Thai was in power. I hope they can do the same this time,” he says.
Despite what appear to be unwavering allegiances to parties over individual candidates, voters aren’t necessarily blind. Jessada also adds, “If they still can’t make anything better, I will change my vote.”

Read part III of the Campaign Trail series: A day in the life of Anuttama Amornvivat, a pretty face with the brains to back it up.

It’s 8am and we’re supposed to meet Tankhun Jitt-itsara, the Democrat MP candidate for Don Muang (Constituency 12). Located at the furthermost points of the MRT and BTS plus another 20 minute cab ride, the Don Muang constituency is pretty far-flung from the center of the capital. The problem is, there’s no sign of him. We ring his mobile over and over, but no answer. Not even a text. Didn’t he tell us to meet him here? This is not the best way to make a first impression.

An hour later, he finally calls and tells us to cab over to a modest one-floor building with blue Democrat signs scattered everywhere. Inside his offices are a handful of people in blue getting ready to campaign for Tankhun, and against Pheu Thai’s political powerhouse, Karun Hosakul.

Tankhun waves us into his office. While his attire—brown, sporty leather shoes, slick, black pants, and a blue, Gingham shirt—suggest he’s come a long way from the shy, short-shorts-wearing pretty boy in the 2000 hit Thai film Satree Lek (Iron Ladies), glimpses of boyish charm do surface even while talking about the serious subject of politics.

“There are two things in politics: ideology and benefits,” says the new, 32-year-old politico. “Some politicians are so consumed by the benefits they receive that they forget about the ideology they once had when they started.”

The odds are stacked against him. Numerous sources predict that he’s going to lose the battle for a constituency that has been an epicenter of political turmoil. But he remains optimistic.

“There are three things [that will make me MP of Don Muang],” he says. “Making Don Muang airport ASEAN’s trading capital and an aviation school, extending public transport lines to the area and further to Rangsit, and being a role model to students.”

Our chat is interrupted as two people come in for a campaign strategy shake-up. In the midst of the intense brainstorm Tankhun turns to us and asks, “Is there anything you want to add? I want to know what you think.”

We don’t know if he actually cares or is just pretending to. But we choose to see a starry-eyed optimist who seems to truly believe that if everyone just talked things over, Thailand would be a better place.

“Thai people tend to keep their opinions to themselves but talk about it later behind each other’s back. We’re often kreng jai, which makes the whole society less sincere,” he says.

At 11am we hop into his decade-old, pearl blue Toyota Corona and head over to the police station. He tells us with a slight air of defensiveness (and a little bit of pride, as well) that this is the very first car that he bought himself.

He’s driving like he’s on a mission, weaving in and out of traffic. He pulls into the police station and by the time we gather our bags and leave the car, he’s already filing a second contestation against Karun. Allegedly, Karun has spread rumors that Tankhun’s father was so ashamed of his decision to drop his Chinese last name that he grew sick and died. The first one was about Tankhun’s vandalized posters.
“It’s not true or relevant at all,” Tankhun says of Karun’s allegation. While he’s writing a long formal statement and taking care of paperwork, we slip out with K, his personal assistant, to grab a quick coffee.

“It’s hard to trust people, especially in politics, and especially when you’re new,” K says. “Everyone in Tankhun’s campaign team has known him for years.”
It’s a little bit past noon when Tankhun gets out of the police station, heading to the Ban Somdejchaopraya Rajabhat University in Thonburi for a lecture.
“We have 45 minutes to get there, so we have to go fast,” he says, revving the engine.

Just on time, Tankhun slips on a blazer and steps on the stage facing an auditorium full of students. He speaks to them about the usual­—life, love, and the importance of education—referring to himself as P’ instead of a more formal title.

The lecture ends. We leave as fast as we came. In between saying bye to the university advisors and giving an autograph to a student who rushes right in front of him, his only rest is inside the car on the way back to his office, where we get back onto the campaign truck.

We ride with the people in blue, over a bumpy road, watching Tankhun and his team greet everyone while their loudspeaker blares out old Thai songs. Despite being a newcomer, many people support him during his on-foot campaigning.

“It’s nice to see a new face in this area. It could be a huge challenge for him since he is stranger to the locals,” says Worachard Patinuntakul, 37, a Don Muang local. “If he could really turn the Don Muang Airport into something, we could start selling things here again.”

Though most greet him with open arms, one man was not so thrilled about him being around. “It’s always the same. They always come with great promises. But nothing ever happens. I don’t even know who I am going to vote for,” he said, on the condition of anonymity.

It gets dark, and the market starts filling up. We decide that it’s time to part ways. When Tankhun sees that we’re leaving, he offers some advice:
“Watching the game and playing the game is different,” he tells us between shaking people’s hands. “But you have to do both at the same time. You have to step outside of the game to see the bigger picture and the next step.” Clae Sea and Ubonwan Kerdtongtawee

Read part II of the Campaign Trail series: A day in the life of Sunisa Lertpakawat, author of Taksin-themed books and Pheu Thai's rising star.

What inspires you to travel?
For me, its to escape after a big project, the pace of life is too quick in Singapore; going overseas allows me to have some quiet time to reflect on myself.

What aspect of traveling do you find the most difficult to do?
Planning the itinerary; I'm an impulsive person who moves with the flow.

How do you maintain health and fitness when you are away?
Hmm i don't, holiday is all about letting loose!

What is your most treasured possession you have picked up while traveling?
Friendship, people who are also travellng on their own.

Describe your most memorable holiday.
My last trip to Bangkok, I was on an ecape from work. I was eating alone in a noodle house and met another Taiwanese tourist who was also escaping from her relationship. We had a great time sharing our stories and we travelled together it was all unplanned.

Which restaurant or bar in which foreign city would you go back to again and again, and why?
NO BLACK TIE in KL, it’s just a stone’s throw away from Singapore. I love the jazzy austostic in the place and the cripsy soft shell crab taste great!

What are the top holiday destinations that you are yet to visit?
Cuba because of its culture and colors.

Who is your favorite traveling companion?
Myself

What is your ideal holiday?
No itinerary, just taking my own time off.

What is the one item that you never travel without (and we don’t mean your passport or iPhone)?
Hmmm my toiletries. Am pretty anal abt it.

What is your best tip about packing?
Pack your essential items, the rest you can buy when you arrive.

What is your best tip about choosing a hotel?
It’s best checking out from friends; I don't really trust Internet.

What is your best tip about getting to know a new place?
Talk to the locals.

Which place have you visited and never wanted to leave (and why)?
Brastislava! It’s a simple town in Slovakia where the weather is great and you can't help but taking your time to scroll on your own looking at the old archietechture.

What inspires you to travel?
To explore, to be inspired, to remember that the world is a lot bigger than my everyday reality.

What aspect of traveling do you find the most difficult to do?
Looooooooooooooong travel time, be it on the plane, train or car. Not being able to physically move around is just as tiring as moving around!

How do you maintain health and fitness when you are away?
That’s a tough one as most holidays are about indulgences! I have no idea!

What is your most treasured possession you have picked up while traveling?
A black nylon multi-compartment travel sling bag that I bought in London over 15 years ago. I have been using it for each and every single trip since then!

Describe your most memorable holiday.

It would have to be my 5 days out on a yacht in the Andaman Sea on a sailing course. We’d sail from island to island during the day, then drop anchor, relax and crack open beers surrounded by glorious sunsets. Pure bliss!

Which restaurant or bar in which foreign city would you go back to again and again, and why?
I had the yummiest lunch of grilled chicken, papaya salad and beer from a beachside stall at Surin Beach in Phuket. No names nor a specific address – it’s the very first stall on the left as you head down the street to Surin beach!

What are the top holiday destinations that you are yet to visit?
I am eyeing Sri Lanka at the moment.

Who is your favorite traveling companion?
It would naturally have to be my boyfriend. 

What is your ideal holiday?
Something along the lines of my sailing course/holiday would be pretty ideal. I get to work out and pig out and still feel pretty good! Being away from people and busy cities is great too.

What is the one item that you never travel without (and we don’t mean your passport or iPhone)?
LIP BALM.

What is your best tip about packing?
Go minimal and bring things that double up (or triple up!) as something else. For that purpose, a sarong or shawl always comes out as a winner for traveling.

What is your best tip about choosing a hotel?
Definitely research online and read all the reviews and comments before you book!

What is your best tip about getting to know a new place?
To not have an expectation about a new place!

What is your best tip about navigating trains, planes and automobiles?
Research and plan but don’t worry if you get it wrong sometimes and just see it as part of the journey!

Which place have you visited and never wanted to leave (and why)?
Being a Tastemaker for the Mr & Mrs Smith hotel guide, I have had the privilege to stay at delicously luxurious resorts but I would have to say that my nights at the Anantara Phuket Resort & Spa took the cake! I loved the private villa that I stayed in, especially for its outdoor bath and pool—all under the open sky!

Do you find it challenging combining theater with music and comedy?
There's a comic element in all music and classical can also have a funny twist to it! Playing the violin and acting took a lot of time and effort in front of the mirror to do simultaneously. I'm not sure what my housemates thought.

What was your most memorable performance and why?
There’s a great tradition of silent comedy in Italy and audiences there are warm and appreciative. One performance culminated in an argument between our cellist Flora and a lady in the front row. Flora wanted to serenade a good looking Italian man but his wife wasn't very happy with it!

What’s life like away from the spotlight for the cast?
There's a lot of time spent in the "Pluck Truck" travelling to shows. A highlight of our last visit to Malaysia was going to see the elephants. I got dumped straight from an elephant's back into the river which was pretty wild. The elephant must have thought so too because he immediately did a huge poo that floated past my head.

How do you prepare for a show?
Apart from the five hours of tantric yoga and the 80 laps of the Olympic swimming pool that I swim, I spend at least 10 minutes getting my cufflinks nice and shiny. That last bit is unfortunately true.

Which are some of your favorite songs to perform and why?
I never get bored of our Jimmy Hendrix tribute. I get to improvise, so it's different every night. I play the violin with my teeth. I'm not sure if my dentist would agree to this.

You've dived off the stage to steal a shoe from an audience member before. What can we look forward to this time?
Without giving too much away, there are Pluck antics aplenty in this show. Suffice to say those people sitting in the front row better not have any jealous partners!

Catch PLUCK: Musical Arson! on Jul 7-17, 3pm, 8pm. DBS Arts Centre, 20 Merbau Rd., 6733-8166. $48-68 from Sistic.

What inspires you to travel?
One of the reasons that inspires me to visit a certain destination is its history. I like to go to historical places like Petra in Jordan, Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, the Great Wall in Beijing, Colosseum in Rome. It’s truly amazing how the human beings managed to build those things in the ancient times.

What are some of your favorite destinations?
European countries like France or Italy. They have a great combination of art, culture, food and shopping! I love visiting art museums or just walking around the city to see the architecture.

Favorite travel tips?
Stay in a hotel with a unique character. Don’t be afraid to try local dishes, and, if you have a chance, mingle with the locals. Sometimes they can give you great tips!

What do you miss about Bangkok while you are away?
Spicy Thai dishes like tom yum or som tum and grilled chicken. They’re always my go-to meal once I’ve touched down.

What aspect of traveling do you find the most difficult to do?
Language barrier.

What can’t you leave home without?
Cash, credit cards and my smart phone.

What has been your most memorable holiday?
My short trip to Singapore with my mom. It was great because we both enjoyed our trip together.

What is the best restaurant, café, bar that you have visited while traveling?
I can’t remember the name of this restaurant. We drove up on the mountain near Rome, and it’s just a small eatery with chic décor. The highlight was definitely the exotic views of the city.

What are the top holiday destinations that you are yet to visit?
I would love to visit Santorini, Mykonos and Machu Picchu in Peru. I hope that will happen soon!

Who is your favorite traveling companion?
My camera and, of course, my smart phone. It helps me stay in touch with others everywhere I visit.

What is your ideal holiday?
Anywhere with a good place to stay, a good place to eat and open-minded travel companions who are up for good times.

What inspires you to travel?
Curiosity in the unknown, and the magical feeling I get when I find something new and undiscovered!

What are some of your favourite destinations?
Northeastern Thailand for sure - as well as quiet corners of Chiang Rai and Nan. I also love Vietnam and Laos, as well as northern England.

What are your travel essentials?
A laptop and my Canon camera - as well as a good pair of jogging shoes. You can learn and see a lot in a new destination by going for a run through it.

Favourite travel tips?
Bring multiple plastic bags to easily organize clothes - and keep wet things separate. Also I always try to get into the local music scene of wherever I'm going. It becomes the soundtrack of the adventure.

What do you miss about Bangkok while you are away?
The international scene and of course the amazing street food!

What aspect of traveling do you find the most difficult to do?
Packing and unpacking. I hate it and it never gets easier!

How do you maintain health and fitness when you are away?
First thing I do in any new city is survey my surroundings with a long jog. This also helps me get oriented. Also I try to find hotels with a good fitness room, and if not i try to include something active in my sight-seeing, like hiking or cycling.

What can’t you leave home without?
An iPhone!

What is your most treasured possession you have picked up while traveling?
Oddly I don't keep many. Just great memories which maintain far more value.

What has been your most memorable holiday?
I was 18 years old and backpacked around Europe--mostly solo. The location was amazing of course, but stepping into a different world so young was an adventure in itself.

What is the best restaurant, café, bar that you have visited while traveling?
The old TeePee Bar in groovy Chiang Khong, Chiang Rai.

What are the top holiday destinations that you are yet to visit?
Bali, Bhutan and Myanmar.

Who is your favourite traveling companion?
The duo of my sister and brother-in-law. We have the most fantastic fun traveling together!

What is your ideal holiday?
Lots of activity and fitness mixed with spectacular sights. Actually Smiling Albino's active trips in Chiang Rai and the motorcycle trips in Isaan are the perfect mix of adventure and comfort.