Does being Thai affect on your designs? How?
Playfulness in design is something quite unique to our culture. In the same way that the Thais are very playful, TIMO designs, in particular the prints are very vivid, fun and made-for-adventure. The cut and details are very practical, which is also how we Thai get by on daily basis.

How do you think Thai customers see Thai brands at the moment?
Most fashion consumers are inclined to respond to the Thai brands with global recognition. A few Thai fashion brands have successfully done it. Boyy Bag, Disaya and Stresis did it just spot-on in becoming world’s celebrities favorite wears. But those success stories were hardly just about PR, but rather they are about creating designs and the look that are relevant in the current global context. But despite that, we would be so happy if James Franco were to be snapped by the paparazzi wearing TIMO one of these days.

What should we expect from your next collection?
TIMO got very good response on the first collection. This made me a bit nervous working on the second collection. The task I set for myself on the first collection was to introduce the TIMO look and its trim fitting. That’s been accomplished, so we are focusing on what we really love doing: prints. So expect bold prints in saturated, modern palettes

Technique and medium: Acrylic on canvas

What is your fasination with abstract painting?
An abstract artist can create imagery that doesn’t already exist in the real world. Not a story or narrative, but a new image, created inside the artist’s mind. There are many forms of art that re-create images we already see. I think abstract painting has more freedom in terms of the ability to imagine imagery. For example, if we compare music without words, and music with words, the sound without a narrative gives the listener more freedom to form his or her own associations. Abstract art is perceived as being difficult to understand but I think we shouldn’t put so much emphasis on understanding. Some things in this world are better to not understand. It’s a good thing to pretend to be stupid sometimes.

What is the main point of concern in your work?
To be true to myself. I make work that makes me feel good or happy­—not in order to please others. I try not to think about any rules or theory when painting, but people will still judge it in those terms.

What is the inspiration for this current exhibition, After Afterall?
The changing of the world’s climate. For me, everything is changing, all the time. Whether it’s good or bad, I feel like I can accept the outcome. This doesn’t mean that I like people who destroy the planet, but I try to do my best not to make it worse.

What is your exhibition’s message?
It’s not intended to tell anyone anything. People can come to see the kinds of images I’ve imagined, and are invited to feel however they will. Hopefully, they feel inspired to take care of the earth, and use less resources, because we use too much, too fast.

What are the differences between this exhibition and your previous exhibitions?
This theme is similar to my last exhibition, No Valid Matter. But, this one is more focused on nature. They are both about letting things go, and about accepting change. However, After Afterall is more specifically about the issue of the earth. Technically, this new work has more layers, more detail. In both I use a technique of applying paint without touching the surface of the canvas with a brush or any other tools. In this way, I, as the artist, am less likely to interfere with the relationship between the surface and the paint. These elements can work together to evolve, as in nature. This way of working can be compared to the notion of acceptance of change or evolution.

Afterafterall is on display from Jun 9-Jul 16.

Nothing beats examining the insides of something to see how it works.

I have three or four vacuum cleaners at home and I’ve “opened up” all of them except the one that belongs to my wife. She banned me from touching it because she said it’s her favorite workhorse.

Kids today have lots of opportunities and options but also distractions and pressure. I don’t see why children should be crushed with the burden of meeting expectations in their early years. There is a whole world out there beyond assessment books and worksheets.

It is all-important to find a “universal” to make sense of the “particular.” If you study aeronautical engineering with the view of wanting to design your own aircraft, you will find that all the different subjects make sense. If you study a business course, you need to have view of starting your own business. Pursuing your goal thoroughly is good education.

I’m happy with every idea that works out and serves a useful end. They all excite me; whether it’s an idea embodied in computer software, one that explains a gap in our understanding or simply a device that fills a need. I cannot recall my first invention but every new one holds excitement for me.

The fire tornado had a visible and immediate impact on my family, friends and other people.

Watching people standing a meter away from a huge flaming vortex, feeling the heat and experiencing a sense of wonder and terror, thrills me!

My wife and daughter have used the term “mad scientist” to describe me. Recently, they’ve even started using “pyromaniac.” To some people, the label persists. Certainly, there are crazy ones. But I think in general, most scientists are not mad but responsible.

Those who want to do something new have at times done what many perceive as “crazy” or have “tread where angels fear to tread.” A good scientist, engineer or inventor must go against the grain to try things which many at first glance may perceive as totally illogical or silly.

We should not be conservative. We should be rebels coming up with new solutions or ideas. In some sense, the crazier the idea, the more likely for it to be original and something new! But let it also be said that being an innovator requires lots of discipline in grinding out an elegant solution. It is a lot of work to translate an idea into reality.

When I work late into the night, my son, daughter or wife will call me and say, “Dad, you better get home now or the bogeyman will get you!”

In the context of innovations, inventing and research, I live by this mantra: “Don’t be afraid to be different or to swim against the tide, when you have to.”

How did Bangkok contribute to the making of movie?
For me, Bangkok is just where you have to go. We really took a liking to the look and the feel of that area, but Bangkok—as a city—is just a beautiful, unbelievable, cosmopolitan city. I mean, I was there for about three months and still felt like I could’ve stayed longer just because there was so much more to see. But Thailand in general is beautiful.

Was it a challenge to shoot this movie there?
I think in a nutshell, Bangkok is just a very crowded, chaotic and hot city. I think we all just had challenges dealing with the crowds and the chaos, but, ultimately the movie is about mayhem and to make a movie about mayhem sometimes you have to go to mayhem. So, I think it all found its way into the movie and it helped.

How did you decide how to stray or stay similar to the story of the first film?
We thought about that all the time. That was essentially the first month of sitting in a room together—the debate over how different it should be. I mean, we kept saying, “Same, but different. Same, but different.” In the end, people are going to come to a sequel; they want a sequel because of what they enjoyed about the first one, and I think where we landed was right. You stay within the template of what the first one is, but you make the stakes higher and make it a lot darker. And the other thing that we did was to acknowledge that the characters had already been through the experience the first time. So, in the first movie, they wake up, there’s a tiger and a baby in the room. Then they go and have breakfast. They can’t do that this time. They know how bad it could get. So, I think we landed on the right blend.

Any talk of doing a third movie, and if so, what would it be?
Quite honestly, we really haven’t talked about it. We just finished the movie two weeks ago. This is the first time we’ve all been together in a while and if we were to do a third one, if the desire was there, I think we have a very clear idea where that would head. It’s certainly not in the same template that you’ve seen in this movie and, obviously, we always envisioned it as a trilogy, as you can imagine. But the third would very much be a finale and an ending.

Read the review of The Hangover ll.

What are you currently working on?
Well I've just finished my remix for Armin van Buuren's "Feel So Good" with vocals by Nadia Ali, a brand new big room mix of "Brace Yourself" will be released very soon and my new release "One Day" with remixes from the guys from Shy Brothers and Erick Strong is coming out in June. I also did a really special Ibiza mix-compilation that will be released on the Be Yourself music label on recently.

Tell us how "Troucid" came about and what were the challenges faced in making that track.
We're always looking for new ideas in the studio, and I thought a combination of house, trance and acid would sound cool together. So Benno and I worked on it in the studio, it was not easy to make it happen, but the end result is there. It is so cool to see that all kinds of DJs play "Troucid," from David Guetta to Armin van Buuren and Axwell to Sander van Doorn. In my opinion when this happens to a track, you have a real club monster!

Your latest release "Rotunda" was produced with Markus Schulz. What is it like working with him?
Markus and I met up in Miami this year at the WMC. We had been really appreciative of each other’s work and were thrilled that we were able to create some time in our schedules to hit the studio together. We got into a great flow immediately and the result of that you've heard! It was great fun working with Markus, as he's not only really professional but also just a great guy to be around!

What can we expect from your set in Azzura Beach, Singapore?
A lot of my own tracks, for sure. I can't wait to get to Singapore for the first time, and I'm sure it's going to be amazing! I'll be giving it my all, and if the people coming to Azzura are with me, we'll make it a night to remember.

Take a journey into sound with Jochen Miller on June 18, 10pm. Azzura, 46 Siloso Beach Walk, 6270-8003. $25-30 includes one drink.

BK: How long have you been selling fried pork?
Boy: About a year. I was a messenger for a company in Thong Lor before I decided to start helping my aunt sell fried pork. But the stall has been around for almost six years.

BK: Was it a hard decision to quit your job?
Boy: Not at all. It’s a family business and it’s fun because I get to talk to customers. I like jobs where I can talk to people. I persuade passersby to try my fried pork by talking to them in a friendly manner.

BK: What’s your daily routine like?
Boy: I sell fried pork every day except on Sundays, from 5am-6pm. We have Mondays off every two weeks. Weekdays are busier than Saturdays, though. Our customers are all ages from teeangers to people in their 60s. There are celebrities too, like DJ Chao Chao and Tong Tong Mokjok.

BK: Have you ever tried fried pork from other vendors?
Boy: No. But there are many vendors that have tried to make fried pork like ours. I’m confident in our fried pork, though, because each day I am able to sell 90 to 100 kilos [1 kilo is B340]. What’s special about Moo Tod Chao Wang is that the pork is soft and tasty. My family now has 16 branches, including Silom and Klongsan Pier.

BK: Are your stalls affected by the economy?
Boy: Yes. When the price of pork increased, I had to raise the prices a bit. I got fewer customers but I can still keep selling constantly. The palm oil is also expensive at B60 a bottle.

BK: Do you have any other dreams?
Boy: Like everyone, I want a good social status and good well-being for my family. If I have enough money I would expand this business and have more branches. I would also have new stalls under my own name and set it up in busy areas.

BK: If you were not selling fried pork, what would you be doing? Do you think you will be doing this forever?
Boy: I would go back to my previous job. I only came to help my aunt because there were not enough people. This is a family business and I think I should keep doing this until the next generation can take care of themselves. Interview by Sasinipa Wasantapruek and Aimmarin Siritantitam

I was born in the USA as my parents were living there at the time. My father had won a doctorate scholarship so he brought my mother with him. We came back to live in Chiang Mai when I was three.

I formed a secret gang called “Men in Black” to agitate at my school when I was in grade 11. I did it because I didn’t like that our school had accepted twice as many students as they could manage. Many of them had connections with school officials.

We climbed the school wall to break in at night and put up posters saying “no privileged children” on the wall. The teachers knew who did it but they had no evidence, so we didn’t get caught.

I started listening to music because my father listened to an English radio station in Chiang Mai where he was a newsreader. The station played international songs.

The first album I bought was Mariah Carey’s Music Box. I remembered that I went to the record shop intending to buy an international music cassette without knowing any of the singers. I ended up picking Mariah’s album just because she looked so pretty—well, back then she did.

I instantly fell in love with her music after I played the cassette. After that, I bought all of Michael Jackson’s albums and started to buy music regularly.

I started to play drums in grade nine after I asked my senior at school if I could play in his band. I also taught myself to play guitar mostly from Tommy Emmanuel’s finger-style music. I formed a vocal group with four of my friends.

I never studied music formally but I tried to listen and wrote down the notes.
I sang and played percussion in a pub every night during university. But it became impossible to do so in junior and senior years because classes were tough. Plus some of the professors were friends of my father, who is also a professor there. So I couldn’t skip class after playing music all night.

I became a member of ETC when the former lead singer of the band, Deer, got a record deal with another band, Acappella 7. The head of the band asked me to fill in. It took four years for us to have our first album in 2004.

I play drums very well when I’m heartbroken. Once my friend told me I played so beautifully that it sounded like the feelings came out of the drums. That’s what I love most about music. It’s an emotional outlet.

I’m very glad that Sorayuth Sutasanajinda [Channel 3 anchor] chose our song as Lin Ping’s song. At some concerts, the audience even asks us to play “Lin Ping’s song.” That’s pretty funny actually.

I personally think Lin Ping and our song, “Sing Mee Chee Wit Tee Riak Wa Hua Jai” (“A Living Thing Called Heart”), are perfect for each other. Plus, we’re from Chiang Mai. A Chiang Mai panda and a Chiang Mai band, it’s like we were destined to meet! But I’ve never seen her.

The first days of my monkhood were really confusing when I was ordained earlier this year. I was so worried about my work. I couldn’t rest my mind. All my life has always been so busy.

My advisor monk told me to practice meditation. It allowed me to look into myself and discover the cause of my suffering. It was like waking up in the middle of an invigorating waterfall. It was the brightest moment.

I wanted to stay in the monkhood a little longer but I had to get my projects done. Now I still try to find some free time to practice meditation.
I want to enhance my music skills as much as I can. I also focus on getting better at drums because I want to be a professional in this field.

We’re releasing our songs in EPs because we feel that every song in the album is single-worthy. We don’t want any of them to be left out. Our new album, PUSH, is out next year.

I hate exercising in fitness centers. It always makes me feel uncomfortable. I love wake-boarding. If I’m free, I go for half a day. I love the water, the sun and the vastness of the sea.

If I were the governor of Bangkok, I would implement ways to improve fast transportation. I might build a special motorcycle lane and create a formal motorcycle taxi system.

I want to be like Joey Boy. He has achieved all that he has wanted and has become an expert in the field he loves. He no longer makes music just for money, but because he truly loves it and wants to help others. I want to be like that too. Interview by Kanyanun Sunglaw and Nuchanat Prathumsuwan

When did you start playing music?
18 years ago in England. I listened to Gun N’ Roses and I saw their lead guitarist, Slash, and I wanted to play guitar like him. So my mom bought me a secondhand guitar, and I formed a band with my friend. Back then our sound was more like rock, punk and hardcore, but now that I’m getting older, I do more slow stuff, more chill and acoustic. As for Thailand, I came here to travel and really loved the culture, the people and the language, so when I went back to England, I wanted to compose a song in Thai. I wrote it in English and had some Thai friends translate it.

How did you get in touch with Parinam Music?
Over a year ago, I was here looking for a studio. I had a meeting with Poom and played him some of my music. It went from there. I provided them with the melody, and the entire band at Parinam helped me compose the Thai lyrics. It’s difficult singing in Thai but the more I practice, the better I get.

How would you describe Aplin’s sound?
It’s called acoustic percussion. It involves playing not just the strings of the guitar, but rather using the body of the guitar as well to create a beat while you sing.

Is it difficult to mix your English melodies with Thai lyrics?
I’m not the person who composes in Thai so for me the music is very much an English melody but with Thai lyrics. And that’s why our music has something different to offer. Because I’m not Thai, I can’t write with the Thai mindset. I try to create something new for Thai people to listen to, like when I listen to Thai music, a lot of it sounds similar. So, I try to bring something fresh and hopefully people will like it.

How do you like playing here?
The British music industry is hard to break into. If you want to be famous, you must sing in a certain way and dress in a certain style. But for Thai music, there is a lot of room for doing what you really believe in and being yourself. But the audiences also are different in style; Thai audiences focus on the lyrics while in England, people focus more on the music and the melodic line.

I was singing “Kae Nan Ang,” the song by Pla Nin Tem Ban at the recent Fat Radio T-shirt Festival. That was the first time that they wanted to officially introduce me as Aplin. I played in Bangkok before, actually, but nothing on a large scale. There were more than 500 people at the festival. I was sweating backstage and had my eyes closed through half the performance.

Medium and technique: Oil and gas tanks.

What was the process behind this exhibition?
It started from my concern over environmental changes which are mostly created by humans. So, I selected a medium that is manmade and used it to get across a message from the small living creatures. What would they say about the world today if they could speak?

You were born in Isaan. Has that influenced you in this exhibition?
Not directly, but I previously I lived on a farm where there were small creatures such as field crabs, dragonflies and other tiny insects. First, I was just interested in their beauty and strong bodies as they were wrapped with a hard shell. Later, I noticed that these small living creatures have their own natural way to adapt themselves to changes in nature or even signal to us environmental events, like the tsunami.

So, it is was the tsunami that made you focus on marine creatures?
Not only the tsunami, actually. Basically I focused on marine animals because their shape goes well with my choice of medium. But what I would like to highlight is all the environmental changes from global warming to earthquakes. For example, the phenomenon of a hermit crab using an empty can as a home. They used to use empty shells for habitation but as our seaside is being destroyed, they adapt and it acts as a signal for us to notice these changes.

Is there any meaning behind your use of a lot of contrasting colors?
Actually, the color from my sculpture is the original color of the oil and gas tanks, you can still see the writing on the sides. I just mixed them in an artistic way and added the idea of capitalism to my work. I do intend to make it attractive as actually the crabs are naturally a very beautiful color. The use of contrasting colors is to get the audience’s attention but once they step closer, they’ll realize that it was made from a dirty oil tank. Hopefully, this will create an awareness among the audience about the effect of their own actions.

Your latest exhibition deals with the misled youth roaming around Bangkok's streets. Why did you choose to focus on these kids?
I feel like street kids are viewed as ghosts socially. No one can see them, like air. Like stars, if you lose one, nobody cares. But their youth is very pure and very alive. The kids in YOUTH are dangerous, but I want to make them look fun. I don't want to make people feel pity. I am interested in their smile, rather than how poor they are. They have a hard life, but they still have a smile. They have fashion and style. They do their hair and they have hormones. Youth is fun.

What kind of gear did you use for the YOUTH Exhibition?
A FujiFilm camera I got in Japan for 1000 baht and some expired film.

Why such low grade equipment?
I wanted to link it with [my subjects' lives]. They don't know death. They don't know time. Time and death don't matter. In their lives, everything isn't perfect, so I don't want to use perfect equipment.

The expired film gave the photos a very ghostly, enchanted feel. Did you plan on this? Did you retouch anything?
All of my photos and the ones in YOUTH are analogue and never retouched. I think they way the photos turned out is charming. But it was all by chance. I never think, “today, I want to shoot this.” I just bring my camera with me everyday and see what comes of it. I don't know the effect of the camera. I follow the idea and make it happen.

Your unorthodox style has created some very original photos. What is your technique?
My technique is less about photo skill, and more about communicating with people to share something with me. I want to find ways to open my subject's hearts. The essence of a photo is something I put on film. That's what a photo is. It's not about quality. Quality doesn't mean photo. If you can print it, see it and feel something, that's a photo.

Your subjects are dangerous people in dangerous places. Has anything ever happened to you?
Thailand has a poem, “If you want a tiger kid, you should go to tiger mountain.” If you want to document violence, then go to the ghettos. Two years ago I was taking photos of motorcycle taxi guys. I couldn't say I was a photographer because I was undercover. Somebody saw my flash and hit me on the head and I was knocked out.

How would you describe your art?
I never say I'm an artist. I'm a photographer. I follow ideas. I don't follow the camera. I can use any camera to make a photo. My background in fashion and my fashion sense makes my photos different than other journal photographer's. After that, I just have fun meeting strangers on the street.

Is your work political?
My work is political. Photography is how I make my point. I think all violence comes from politics in some way. Politicians never make people think about education. Education is very important, especially for these kids. They're always like “make money, make money,” but money comes from education too.

When did you realize that you wanted to be a documentary photographer?
During my Bachelor's degree, I focused on being a fashion photographer right up until my exit thesis. I changed my thesis last minute to documenting what I knew best: my hometown, Bangkok.

What was your upbringing like?
My family wasn't rich, but they gave me good advice. It was hard going to University. I couldn't go out with my friends because I never had money. That's why I didn't start smoking and drinking. I think I'm lucky.

YOUTH is on display from Jun 4-26 at BKK Arthouse, 3/F, BACC.