I loved to play eccentrically as a child, like wrestling with my brother.
I once fell into a two meter deep drain. I had tried to jump over but didn’t make it. My mom beat me so hard after I was rescued, because I could have died. I was lucky it wasn’t full of water.

My friends weren’t nerds like others might think. I think 80% of Assumption School students play hard and study hard as well.

I thought they all just played hard so I copied them. It turned out my grades dropped but theirs didn’t. I eventually realized they went home to study, while I didn’t.

I didn’t know what I wanted to be. I thought I might study accounting or engineering but I felt they weren’t cool because everyone flocked to do them.

I followed my mom’s suggestion to study pharmacology because our relatives own a drug store and it’s pretty stable. I was able to get into Srinakharinwirot University but it was too far to travel, so I dropped out and entered Chulalongkorn the next year.

Studying pharmacology made me scared of education. It was really hard, especially the exams. It’s all about remembering stuff. It nearly blew my head. I don’t want to study anything
anymore.

My friends at school always threw some extracurricular work at me like stage plays. Most of them were ugly roles that no one else dared to take.

I am not always good looking. I always play dirty or act pervy with close friends (like Alex Rendell), pinching their nipples or prodding their asses. I also have a dirty mouth.

I remember the money from my first modeling job was a really huge sum. It was about B18,000, compared to the B4,000 monthly allowance I got from my parents.

The work dried up so I began looking for a job at some pharmacy companies. That was before I took off my teeth braces. Then the work started to pour in again so I decided to give the entertainment industry a try.

The hardest thing about being an actor is to be that character completely. I was lucky that I was trained by tough directors like Piak-Pisan Akkaraseranee and Off-Pongpat Washirabanjong.

I thought celebrities were special and hard to approach before I became an actor. In fact, we’re just normal like everyone else.

I try not to let my career affect my private life. I still do what I used to do, like eat at noodle stalls in front of gas stations.

Don’t be fooled by the fame—that is the best way to balance your life.

I don’t like to go to dinner with strangers because that first meal is never tasty.

I am afraid to get to know new people because of my shyness. When I first went to Channel 3, people might have thought I was conceited but I was just too scared to talk because I might say something stupid.

Once others approach me I will talk to them openly. After just a couple of conversations I know whether this person is someone I can make friends with or not.

The best thing about love is being with someone for a long time and being honest to each other.
I play an ambitious guy in my new movie Lood See Lood. He uses his friends to be successful but doesn’t realize that the happiness he has is fake. That kind of person isn’t loved.

I don’t have big dreams. I just want to be successful and have a good life. I don’t know how to evaluate my success.

Success is not only in work but also in life and family. Now I am planning to open a pharmacy with my mom. My education would be useless if I didn’t.

There are lots of things still to happen. I have only travelled one third of my life journey. Now I am interested in behind the scenes work. I love to see the way they make films or soaps. I hope I can be a director some day.

Aldrin, Independent
The globetrotting DJ/Producer have been planting Singapore’s dance music seeds on the map with his hard-work and dedication to his craft. 2010 saw him dropping his distinctive “Aldrin sound” of meticulously crafted tunes across Asia, Europe and the Middle East, as well as his signature ONE nights at Zouk, where it all began.

DEC2010ONEDERLUST by onewithmusic

Cherry Chan, Syndicate
Singapore’s representative for the 2010 Red Bull Music Academy in London has sure made us proud with her instinctive selection of glitchy beats and trippy dub; making her role model of sorts of a quality local DJ who can be heard in joints like Home Club and La Maison.

Eclipse, Zouk
Only 23 years old this year, the newest resident to Zouk’s youthful playground Phuture, Ivan Chia aka Eclipse has been holding the fort with his signature mash up style of hip hop, electro, house and funk; and dropping them like they never went old.

Effen, Symmetry
Considered one of Singapore’s finest Trance DJ/Producer, Effen has been making a name for himself having organized jaw-popping trance events bringing in the likes of Martin Roth, Alex M.O.R.P.H, John O’Callaghan, Myon & Shane 54 and MaRLo. His personal set of techy laced trance is not for the faint hearted.

EJ Missy, electrocaine 
No stranger to the local techno scene, EJ Missy can be spotted at top local clubs dishing some seminal and rare choons through her carefully laid selections. Leading the progression of techno via her monthly Loop nights last year and garnering a larger group of fans, 2011 looks like a sure-fire year for her.

ej missy - live at home club (loop 3) - 4/11/2010 by ej missy

Funk Bast*rd, Cosa Nostra
One half of Cosa Nostra, Funk Bast*rd together with saxophonist, Kaye have been making heads bop and feet shuffle with his delicious funk, afro, bossa and samba inspired tunes. From playing to a half-naked beach crowd at Tanjong Beach Club or heating up dance floors at the swanky off-beat club La Maison, Funk Bast*rd is the shit.

Godwin Pereira, Ku De Ta
The Godfather of Singapore’s electronic dance music doesn’t like to be labeled as that. He is as humble and down to earth as they come but looking at his credentials, Godwin has definitely led Singapore’s nightlife in more ways than one. Having lend his musical expertise to Centro, Ministry of Sound, Ying Yang and Stereolab; Godwin now dishes his musical take at Ku De Ta.

Has, Rawjak
The poster boy of our local dance circuit, 2010 has seen Has either releasing tracks through his imprint Rawjak, musically directing the soundscape of White Rabbit, Tanjong Beach Club and Overeasy or lecturing future jocks the finer ways of being a good jock. Whatever he touches turns into dance music gold, a currency that will see him being even more prominent in 2011.

Rub A Dub by has

Inquisitive, Zirca
Whether it’s wobbly Dutch house, dirty electro or mash ups, the bad boy of the decks have seen his theme nights at Zirca attended like it was a holy mass but with bass instead.

JNR, Zouk
The new face of Zouk’s discerning taste of quality dance music, JNR has taken charge of Velvet Underground’s console and slapping the dance floor with his rare disco, afro and house gems.

Timothy Chia, Head of Marketing & Events, Zouk
The head honcho for Zouk’s marketing and events team joined the organization in time to put together an astounding finale at ZoukOut 2010. Now pushing the “Zouk Live” nights to greater heights having seen Chromatics and Glass Candy kick things off last year, Timothy has his work cut out for him. Thanks to his team of passionate and dedicated individuals, 2011 looks like the most exciting year yet for Zouk and their faithful followers.

What do you love about Singapore’s nightlife?
I love the diversity, quality and safety of Singapore’s nightlife. Being able to have a good night out with so many options available (from entertainment to dining) and knowing that you’ll most probably make it back home in one piece is something many clubbers here take for granted.

What are you most looking forward to in 2011?
Throwing an epic 20th Birthday Party for Zouk! It’s not everyday that a club turns 20 and this is a real achievement which ought to be celebrated. Did somebody say bring out the bubbly?

Vinnie Quek, Musical Director, Ku De Ta 
Considered the “mood man” in the swankiest club in Singapore, Vinnie runs everything from the lighting and music, to making sure his guests are having a good time. He also considers dragging himself home at 8am in the morning a good night out; especially when that night has involved great music, an up-for-it crowd and of course, high-quality drinks.

What do you love about Singapore’s nightlife?
I love the potential that Singapore is displaying. Right now our nightlife is still in its infancy stage and I’m looking forward to seeing how it expands.

What are you most looking forward to in 2011?
Better parties and music. Also I’m looking forward to seeing the Bay Area build up, there are a lot of huge nightlife places opening up in the Marina Bay area and I’m sure that’s going to take Singapore’s nightlife scene up a notch.

Andrew Ing, Chief Operating Officer, St. James Power Station
The man that makes sure everything runs smoothly at his mega clubbing joint, Andrew says that he finds delivering an exciting time to his customers addictive. From St. James Power Station at Harbourfront to Shanghai Dolly at Clarke Quay and The Living Room and Bar None at Marriot Hotel; Andrew delivers some of the best loved clubbing experiences across the city state. But as much as Singapore is a thriving nightlife hub, Andrew would still like to see the nation turn into 24-hour party central in the near future.

What do you love about Singapore’s nightlife?
The variety on offer, there’s something for everyone.

What are you most looking forward to in 2011?
More blurry nights…

Michel Lu, Executive Director, The Prive Group
Managing the operations as well as strategic and creative direction of a variety of top notch establishments including Stereolab, Stereolounge, Privé, Hacienda and the recently launched The University Club, together with his business partner, Yuan, nightlife boss Michel Lu is indeed a busy man. Having long recognized the importance of delivering consistently memorable experiences for his clientele, 2010 was one of his most successful years yet.

What do you love about Singapore’s nightlife?
I love that it’s growing and developing and that while it’s already really exciting, the future ahead looks even more enticing and alluring.

What are you most looking forward to in 2011?
More great concerts to attend and also more fab parties of course.
 

“N o one gives a shit about a freshly graduated student who has no name.” M.R. Chalermchatri “Adam” Yukol, son of Prince Chatrichalerm.

“I ‘ve played at almost every pub, bar and restaurant in this town. Even when they didn’t pay.” Koh Mr. Saxman

“Ifail all the time but it’s not really failure as long as you’ve tried your best.” Amata Lupaiboon, architect

“P ‘Daeng was a good brother... No matter what happened, we are still brothers, Col. Sansern “Kai Oo” Kaewkamnerd, CRES spokesman

I just want to be a normal woman.” Nalada “Mik” Thamthanakhorn, 19, crowned Miss Tiffany Universe at age 19

People keep asking me why I keep getting into debt. I don’t get offended. Life is too short.” Thep Pho-ngam, comedian

“Ithink humans consume too much. The next generation will have nowhere to live because of global warming.” Tan Passakronatee, founder of buffet chain Oishi

T hai artists are really more talented and better looking than any others in the world.” Film Rattapoom, singer, talking before his baby scandal in September

“Ithink I’ll be eternally famous.” Sek Loso, upon the release of his new album Sek Plus+

“I don’t agree with censorship.” Kong Rithdee, film critic at the Bangkok Post

“I don’t worry about taking sides even though I am a journalist.” Sarocha Pornudomsak,  TAN director

“I am not a dictator.” Artiwara Konmaila, a.k.a. Toon, frontman of Bodyslam

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BK: What are some previous projects you’ve been involved with?
Alice: It all started with a print ad for Maxim contact lenses. Then I started to get TV commercials and I was the field host for Sister Day. There are also some singing gigs every now and then. Right now I’m a VJ at Bang Channel and I’m currently in the TV series Chocolate 5 Ruedoo. As for movies, I’ll be appearing in Lood See Lood (out in 2011) and before that I was in Puan Mai Gao (2009).

BK: How did you get into movies?
Alice: A senior at my faculty invited me to the casting because he knew that I could speak Chinese and they were looking for someone who could for the part. I get to star alongside the band August.

BK: Did you always want to be an actress?
Alice: Actually when I was young I just knew that I wanted to be in the entertainment industry whether it was front and center or behind the scenes. I felt happy to be around music and didn’t specifically wanted to be an actress or anything. I wanted to work with music and wouldn’t have minded being a DJ or a VJ.

BK: How did you first get into the business?
Alice: There was this S Club Talented Boys and Girls 2008 contest run by Siam Center and Siam Discovery. It was when I first came back from the States, all my friends were studying and my term at Chula hadn’t started yet. I didn’t like having a lot of free time so I thought I’d try this out as there were all these workshops you could join. It wasn’t really a competition and there were so many workshops that you didn’t have to pay for, like VJ, MC, makeup, scuba-diving and martial arts. I got the Popular Vote and then work just started coming in after that. I thought I’d just do it for kicks.

BK: What are your future plans?
Alice: I’ll just keep doing this if the work’s still coming in so I can have more experiences. I’d like to do a musical; it’s one thing I haven’t done. But eventually it will come to a point where I’ll continue my studies, maybe get a doctorate degree. I think it would be pretty cool to be Doctor Alice.

BK: What do you have to say to women your age who want to be in show biz?
Alice: The reason I’m at this point is because I’ve been given opportunities by others. They see that there is something in me that can be refined and that I work hard. Be yourself and try to pull out the best you have to offer, whether in working or studying to show that you would be pleasant to work with and not cause problems for others. Interview by Parisa Pichitmarn

I am not the most knowledgeable person about the tsunami. But I am the one who dared to announce his findings.

I wasn’t scared. Other people might be, because if they get their predictions wrong, then it could ruin their reputation or even anger certain organizations that benefit from tourism or investments in a risky area.

The government should have believed me—then nobody would have died in the tsunami. There was a report clearly stating which provinces would be affected and all six affected provinces were mentioned. I also reported solutions and survival tips in sequential order to the Department of Local Administration.

I was wrong about the location of the earthquake, but the most important thing is that it did happen and caused a tsunami.

People in the travel industry might hate me but, if tourists die, that’s my responsibility.

Some provinces even banned me from holding seminars educating people about disasters.

Several wrong predictions are better than zero predictions. In developed countries they announce the chance of possible catastrophes.

More people will die unless Thais change their perceptions. Just look at the recent floods in Korat and Hat Yai.

Those responsible for broadcasting warnings to the public are simply useless. The local government in Korat and Hat Yai had been warned but they just ignored the warning. And look at the result.

Bangkok will be flooded. Building a dam to fence off the water must be national policy. The government can build seven train lines worth B70 billion but not my dam project, which costs just one train line. If we started now it would only take five years to complete.

Things are changing. The flood in Samui, for example, was unusual. The United Nations already warned us that some islands are disappearing, like the Maldives.

We can’t do anything to stop sea levels from rising. As snow keeps melting at both poles, the water is expected to rise about 1.5–5 meters. Bangkok is only about a meter above sea level. Some parts of Bangkok, like Ramkamhaeng, are even lower than sea level.

Nobody listens. Well, there are some people who are interested, judging by the long queues for my seminars.

I am just an old, retired man who tries to warn people. I feel I have a duty to save people’s lives.

The current Director General of Meteorological Department is incapable. It’s the result of political intrusions. My ex-subordinates are useless, too.

The National Disaster Warning Centers are ruined. There’s no maintenance and the staff are inefficent. It was one of the world’s best when it was established six years ago.

Changing governments has caused the center to be downsized, taking out the experts and bringing in amateurs. It’s like letting an accountant do a doctor’s job. The head of the center should receive a high salary to attract educated professionals. But it politicians just gave the job to their cronies.

Disaster warning is a small department under the Ministry of ICT. When they need to urgently warn the public, they need at least six people to approve the warning first.

The cost of recovery and rescue is much, much greater than investing in a preemptive warning system.

The level of natural disasters will increase because of global warming. We’ve never had such heavy storms before but now they come annually.

Yours days of living peaceful lives are over. Nobody can escape natural disasters, they can happen anywhere now. Don’t argue whether it will happen or not, just prepare and find out what to do to survive.

Heading north doesn’t guarantee survival. Each region in Thailand faces different kinds of disasters. If you’re in Chiang Mai you could encounter earthquakes, in Isaan you could face droughts.

What you’ve seen in Hollywood movies are not all exaggerations; it could be for real.

As a child, I was shorter than everybody else so I was the butt of jokes. My real name is Meliton, which rhymes with “skeleton.” So they called me “Meliton Skeleton” because I was thin too.

I had to step up to the plate and try to be better than them. I dealt with it by trying to come up with more ingenious insults. I always went to my father for inspiration.

When I started telling jokes, I fit in better, and the other students became friendly.
Comedy has always been a part of my family. If you were an outsider looking in at them, it’d be like watching a sitcom. My mum was a drama queen; when she was upset with my dad, she’d have a fainting spell, but she’d make sure she was beside a sofa.

When I want to do something funny, I get inspiration from my mum and how she deals with life, people, and my father’s death. We were having the wake and right in front of his coffin she was already talking about the car she wanted to buy with all the contributions. It’s a way of coping.

I first came to Singapore with a band. I was the singer. I was thinking “I’m so good, I’m going to be fabulous on stage, they’ll be mesmerized by my dance moves and everybody will love me,” but people walked out every time we were on. We were doing very good songs, but not popular ones.

There was one time I tried talking to the crowd, and this guy looked me up and down, and his friends laughed. I was humiliated, I wanted to hit him, but instead I pinched his cheek hard and said very gayly, “You’re sooo cuteee.” Everybody laughed.

After that, the band wanted me to act gay but at that time I was still in the closet. I had a girlfriend and I didn’t want people to know. I was worried. Did I slip? They dressed me up, and I lipsynched to Tina Turner. I had a skirt, a coconut bra and we didn’t have a wig so I used a mop.

At that time, all I felt was humiliation because there’s a difference between a comedian and a clown. You laugh with comedians, but you laugh at clowns. Slowly but surely, I started feeling this sense of accomplishment. I realized I had the power to make people laugh. Turning into a “comedian” was a very slow process.

People don’t take gay guys seriously; they think they’re funny party animals; not serious about life and always joking. If my insults came out from a straight man they wouldn’t sit well, but with a gay man, it can be put down to him just being bitchy.

The thing about comedy is, you reach a point where you start thinking, “Is this mine? Did I read it somewhere?” I’d listen to a comic and think, “I’ve been using that line forever.” A comic once said, “There are only 10 jokes in the world, comedians just learn to tell them in different ways.”

Singers can sing the same song every night but people will still request it. No one requests jokes. No one says “You tell that joke very well! Can you tell it?”

 As the cult show gears up for its debut staging in Singapore, leads Haley Flaherty and Richard Meek (who play lovebirds Janet and Brad respectively) tell I-S that Rocky Horror Show is above all, a lesson on being the person you want to be.

What does it take for you to get into character?
Haley Flaherty: It’s so easy. I just do the vocal exercises and stretches, head into makeup and wardrobe and I’m her! It’s so much fun.
Richard Meek: The minute I’ve got my glasses on, I’m Brad—it’s so quick.

Really. So what’s your favorite scene?
HF: I’d say my favorite bit is the opening of Act Two, which has the bedroom scenes.

Which character do you like most besides the one you play?
HF: I quite like Riff Raff, the old butler in the castle. He commands the operations and yet he has to submit to Dr. Frank N. Furter.
RM: Of course I like Dr. Frank. He’s just got all the fantastic songs. Anyone would love to play him; he’s so horrible yet so wonderful.

We have to say; the show has quite a reputation here. Aren’t there any moral lessons we can take from it?
HF: It definitely teaches you to always have fun and be what you want to be. It reminds you to really enjoy life.
RM: Yeah, you shouldn’t just hold on to your dreams. The musical visualizes the concept of freedom so well. If you want it, go for it and do it! I have no idea why the show was banned. I understand that some of the topics in it are quite risqué. But while it is sexually free, it is also humorous.

Describe The Rocky Horror Show in three words.
HF: Fun, crazy, different.
RM: Funny, sexy, loud.

Catch the show Jan 5-16, 3pm, 8pm at the Esplanade Theatre, 1 Esplanade Dr., 6828-8377. $68-148 from Sistic.

My favourite line to introduce myself is… what is a nice person like you doing in a terrible place like this?

House music is… Dead? A feeling? A spiritual thing? Not everyone understands house music.

No one would ever believe that I… I'm a very good cook.
My worst gig this year… has yet to come.

My best… was at Tokyo's AIR club.

My idea of a perfect set is… when everybody gets their groove and smile on.

If I wasn’t a DJ I would be… a chef.

I would give anything to… be a chef.

2010 has been… pretty good.

2011 will be… quite better.

My experience of Singapore is… always very tasty.

On my upcoming gig at Zouk I will… go eat cereal prawns so I'm in the best of moods for the rest of the night. 

Groove to the sound of the French maestro on Dec 25, 10pm at Velvet Underground, Zouk 17 Jiak Kim St., 6738-2988. $30-35 includes two drinks

Technique & medium: Interactive installation.

Why hybrid technology?
The name actually refers to the fusion of technology. I’m very interested in energy and electrical power. Technology makes things very convenient, so we tend to take it for granted.

What inspired you?
I want the viewers to start noticing things in their everyday life, take a close look at them and see how they function. Hence, all of the art pieces in this exhibition consist of many parts and employ several mechanisms. They’re all interactive.

Can you tell us about this piece?
This installation is modeled after a living room. What’s special about it, however, is that the sofa is wired to the chandelier made out of gas pumps. You can activate the chandelier by sitting on the sofa. The harder you bounce on it, the brighter the light gets. It goes to show that it takes effort to acquire energy.

Your works have always been interactive, why’s that?
Art should be fun and dynamic. It should enable the viewers to reflect on a certain thing by allowing them to get involved and interact with the piece. A metaphor is also easier to convey through this device. In this exhibition, you’ll get to interact with a car without an engine, a blender and an oil tank filled with water.

What’s next for you?
I’ll continue to focus on the issue of energy and power. And of course, they’ll be interactive!

Keeping up with Porntaweesak Rimsakul at Hybrid Technology