What should people consider before deciding on surgery?
Patients should remind themselves that they live in reality. A perfect face does not come with a snap of the fingers. There are complications in every procedure. Expecting too much and paying less attention to the risks is not a safe bet.
Is a hospital always better for plastic surgery?
Getting the surgery in hospitals doesn’t mean you’ll get better results than in clinics. Some clinics have great standards that some hospitals can’t contend with. The strength that hospitals have is equipment and standardized facility sanitation.
How can I choose the right doctor?
There are so many plastic surgeons available now, due to public demand and the money they can make. It’s a little harder for us to be confident in Thailand because our system is more open. Any doctor can say they’re a plastic surgeon. Doctors that have actually been trained in plastic surgery are the ones certified by the Board of Surgery Association. Ask for certification and make sure it’s the right one. It should state the particular doctor was trained in plastic or cosmetic surgery, not something that sounds similar.
What other research should people do?
Asking for advice from friends who have had treatments isn’t adequate research. The best thing is to talk with your potential doctor and not let any of their persuasion or any type of commercializing affect your logical thinking. Doctors are not supposed to be salesmen and are required to answer all your questions. Good doctors won’t push you to do something that’s too risky, and not worth trying. My advice is to trust doctors that are honest enough to tell you both possible outcomes.
What do you think of so many Thais going to Korea for plastic surgery?
I can definitely say that Thai surgery was developed long before Korea. There is evidence of this and you will probably get the same answer from all Thai doctors. I think the fact that some Thais are flying to Korea for surgery is simply a trend. If they’re satisfied with the results, then that’s great. My advice is to make sure that if there’s a problem, you can also fly back to Korea and have it fixed.”
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My favorite line to introduce myself is… Hi, I'm Roger Sanchez, and I’m here to make you dance.
House music is… taking over the world.
No one would ever believe that I… used to sell women's shoes.
My worst gig this year was… cancelled.
My best was… Release Yourself at Mansion during the Winter Music Conference this year.
My idea of the perfect set is… one where no one wants to go home at the end of the night!
If I wasn’t a DJ I would… still love music with all my heart.
I would give anything to… spend more time with my family and still get everything done.
2010 has been… a year of transition and sowing seeds.
2011 will be… the harvest.
My experience of Singapore is… a beautiful one. I love the vibe, food and people here.
On my upcoming gig at Zouk I will… BRING IT!
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Technique & medium: Drawing, ink on paper.
What are the thoughts behind this exhibition? I use art therapeutically and I find that creating art helps me to relax, even though there’s so much concentrating going on. Lyrics of Lines is a direct result of my meditative journey. It may sound a bit religious, but to me it’s a therapy which brings me serenity.
Can you tell us about the Young Program and how do you get involved with it? P’Fon [Sukontip Ostick, founder of La Lanta Fine Arts] came up with this campaign to support and promote young local artists. She saw my work and really liked it, so she wanted me to be the inaugural artist for this program.
Why do you find lines so appealing? Lines are the most basic form of art. It’s very pure and organic because you use your hand and a pen to create a line. I am moved by their fluidity and simplicity, which, to me, is beauty.
How did you achieve this stunning pattern effect? The fabric-like patterns are purely accidental. I never really noticed it until all the pieces are complete. However, it’s important to remember that these works are intended to be abstract. They are not meant to convey anything in particular. It’s only the process of creating them that I pay attention to.
Follow up the Inspired by the fluid quality of lines at Lyrics of Lines
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How did you become VIVA!?
Thanote: The band is the brainchild of Colin Law and Eugene Eustaquio, our producer and musical director. All of us came from an audition organized by them.
What exactly is pop opera?
Eugene: When we mention opera, people tend to think of a powerful vocal, which is not the case here. Pop opera is what we use to describe a high-class and unique way of singing and representing the songs. And it indicates that the singers are classically trained.
You all come from a similar musical background. What’s it like working together?
Salith: Sharing the same classical background really helps because everyone shares the same passion and knows what they’re doing. Most of us already know each other from before, which also makes it easy to work together.
Any challenges?
Kamonporn: As classical singers, we’re not really used to singing with a microphone. That’s one thing we have to work on. Then there’s the pronunciation since we have to sing in different languages. Also, each one of us has had to adjust in order to harmonize. There are five of us and it’s easy to fall out of sync!
What sort of repertoire can we expect at your show?
Fueanglada: We’ll be performing pretty much everything from pop to rock, not just classical. So don’t be surprised if you hear us sing stuff from Queen.
Will you be performing any Thai songs?
Tulanan: Yes, we’ll be doing our own rendition of “Season Change” by Boyd Kosiyapong. We can’t really tell you the rest though!
Who picks the songs for you guys to cover?
Salith: Our producer gave us a selection of songs he thought we would be great at covering. All the songs are pretty well-known so we’re confident that the audience will enjoy them.
When can we expect your debut album?
Fueanglada: It should be done early next year, around January.
Catch Viva! at Dr. Thaworn Phornprapha Auditorium
Siam Motors Building.
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I was a pampered homebody as a kid, bullied at school and scared of the outside world.
I got into music tapes in sixth grade. My friend gave me songs from Gun & Roses and Aerosmith. After that, I watched every one of their music videos and started to play guitar in a band with friends.
I may have started playing music because I wanted to be accepted by friends, be in the spotlight, be the center of the universe.
I continued playing with my friends throughout university and even wrote my own songs. We sent lots of demo tapes to record companies but nothing concrete happened until I met Boyd Kosiyabong.
I didn’t want to be office worker while I was waiting for an album with my band, 7th SCENE. So I started writing for other artists like Boyd and Nop Ponchamni until I had my own album, The Million Ways to Write Part I.
If people accepted who they were without any fear, even if they want to be musicians, then we’d have a lot more musicians.
The Thai music industry has a problem with lyrics. I’ve been listening to music for 25 years and they haven’t changed one bit. Singing is meant to express your own thoughts and feelings. I don’t know who forces them to use the same words all the time.
Sometimes success can be a bad thing. A bad time in my life was when I won 20 awards in just three months. All the compliments made me afraid to write new songs. I worried they wouldn’t be as good as the first ones, that people would say I was a fluke.
Boyd snapped me out of it. He threw a book in the air. He said, “See? Everything has ups and downs.” I realized I didn’t have to be cool all the time.
I am actually a bad-tempered person, even though I write romantic songs. I am pessimistic about the world but optimistic about people. I always think about the worst case scenario.
Humans aren’t designed to be monogamous. Cheating is just a fantasy experience for men but, in fact, I think they still love their wives. When they do run off, it’s for true love, like John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who were really soulmates.
My parents divorced when I was 18. It was so tiring to stay in that psychological warfare. I didn’t want to be in the crossfire anymore, so I was pretty relieved when it was all over, and I stayed with my mom.
I don’t want to pay taxes after seeing how politicians behave, seeing their corruption and our spending money on nonsense.
People who don’t depend on the government have a good life. But for those who do, if the government is bad, their lives are miserable as well. That’s why we have the protests.
I think what everyone wants most is happiness. But some believe that money can create that happiness, which isn’t true.
If I were Bangkok Governor, I would make sure every road in the city was in excellent condition with the sign “Do not dig” so we wouldn’t have to dig them up again. I would prostrate myself at the feet of a governor capable of that.
I like the time warps in Bangkok. I like that we can have high rises as well as colorful ribbons on the spirit trees.
We are growing without aim because of visionless leaders and the excessive politeness of Thai people. We don’t know what we want to be, so we try to be everything.
I think this is because of our military-style education system. We have to salute the teacher who is always right. We also have to deal with the seniority system in universities and workplaces where seniors get promoted, like ranks in the military.
If we want to be like North Korea, that’s fine. But if we want to modernize our country, this system is not going to work.
Bangkok might be the messiest city in the world, but it’s our nature and our charm. I would rather stay here than in Tokyo where people walk about like robots.
I feel so lucky that I am still able to play music at this age. Music still motivates my life. Doing what you love is the best thing in the world.
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BK: How did you guys come together?
Krin: I first knew Tob at university and we played music together. Then we met Sam and Vat who studied at different places and we started to play together.
BK: Why did you name yourselves Art Floor?
Krin: It’s actually doesn’t have any meaning. I have used it with other bands before which split up. But I liked this name so I asked everyone if we could use it; they said OK.
BK: How did you join RS?
Krin: We had been playing at the pubs before RS opened a music space for creative indie music. So we went for an audition and they signed us on for their first indie segment band.
BK: Weren’t you worried that RS would change the style of Art Floor?
Krin: We weren’t. No one comes and tells us what to do and what to write.
BK: What makes Art Floor stand out from other bands?
Krin: Our bassist can dance! Well, it’s probably because of the format of the lyrics that are more poetic with instruments that stands out quite well. There is happiness, sadness, and depth.
BK: Tell us about your new single “Fon Pram”.
Krin: After we put out our EP last year, we came back with this new single which ended up climbing the charts on radio stations like Fat FM.
BK: Is the new album different?
Tob: We added more rhythm and more hard rock because our last album had too many slow songs which wasn’t great for making our concerts lively.
BK: What do you think of bands covering other songs when they play in pubs instead of their own material?
Tob: Well, it’s really difficult to be a big band with loads of hit songs. There are very few bands in Thailand that have like 15 songs which everyone knows.
Krin: It’s a way to advertise yourself by playing two of your songs and one song by someone else.
BK: Did you have any unusual experiences in concert?
Krin: We accidentally played for some kindergarten students. We went to the wrong school while touring universities in different provinces. The kids were crying and some of the mothers just carried them out but we continued anyway. Interview by Narisa Pokunchanan and Heyun Kim
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My family is a bit diverse. I won’t say too much but I grew up in an environment that was a bit like the School of Hard Knocks. My mom’s side is made up of SPGs with families in almost every continent.
Primary school was interesting; my family was poorest then. My mom was very thrifty and would always buy clothes I could grow into. I was mocked when I was in Primary One because my school pinafore reached the ground. By the time I was in Primary Six, everyone was still making fun of me because my pinafore was too short.
I learnt how to use a penknife to cut my Bata shoes to create friction so I could use them for a longer time. Being thrifty made me more creative.
It’s always been in me to want to make money but the truth is, I was really comfortable in Ogilvy where I used to work. I had a really good job and I had a lot of respect for my fellow peers who were really working with the best mindset you can find in the industry. I was really comfortable and wasn’t at that age where I liked unpredictability.
I tendered my resignation two weeks after my dad was diagnosed with brain tumor. I watched him lose his motoring skills. I drove him to the hospital thinking it was a stroke. It was quite an experience: The doctor was going to send him back home, saying that it was normal for old men to lose their motoring skills; but I told him, “Are you telling me that I have more common sense watching House than you who’s been in medical school for five years?” I insisted on a scan and true enough, it was brain tumor.
Goodstuph was two weeks old when a representative from Nike came forward and said, “Come, Pat. I will give you business.” I didn’t even pitch anything. The lady had not worked with me before but she knew I was hungry.
It’s amazing how things come together. It helps that I’m a bit shameless too. I think it’s really important when you want to start a business to know what you’re good at and what you’re not.
You can start a business in two ways: You can either take a bank loan or receive government funding. But I didn’t want any of that. I wanted to stay in the black. I didn’t want to be in the red.
My biggest pet peeve is people who put a price to their integrity. Starting my own business allows me to see everything upfront, including the dirty side of things.
I’m the sort of friend who would bail on you for a movie but would be the first to be there if you’re about to jump off a building. The problem is there are more people who want to watch a movie then jump off buildings.
As a woman, you have to work harder to prove yourself. It’s also important not to overcompensate. To work in a fast paced environment, you need to be emotionally detached. Time management is key; something’s got to give. If your career matters most to you, you can’t complain about not having a social life. You have to up your game.
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“I came across the wordplay ‘strong work ethic’ on a T-shirt at the Chatuchak Market in Bangkok a while ago,” says 27-year-old Mark Teo. “It was one of those moments when you recognize something and it makes sense to you.” His self-reflecting statement might not immediately strike a chord, with the audience but the work that resulted surely will.
Thirty of Mark’s photographic favorites have been selected and each image speaks volumes about his subject’s expressive nature. Featuring some of the most prominent local and international athletes and artistes in the action sports and street scene, Mark’s attraction towards the raw energy of these activities is evident in his works. “I don’t think there have been many photographic exhibitions featuring this genre here,” he says.
From the flawless turntable play of hip hop DJ Koflow, to the seamless dance moves of iconic local B-Boy crew, Radikal Forze, and the gravity defying aerial stunts of top local wake boarder, Sasha Christian, Mark somehow articulates each individual’s expressiveness through still photography. His images seem to create a sensation within his viewers, an indescribable emotion that his images are “moving.”
All proceeds from the sale of his works will go towards the Straits Times School Pocket Fund (SPMF). Mark hopes to raise at least $10,000 for the SPMF, which caters to youths from under privileged families. “It is apt that through this exhibition of works featuring youth culture and action sports, we also try to raise some money for charity as a form of giving back to society. Hopefully people will be in a giving mood, seeing that it is Christmas.“ It's hard to argue with that.
Strong Play Ethic is on from Dec 18-31 at #01/02-05, 36 Armenian St., 6337-7535. Free.
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Well-loved all across the region for her dulcet voice and impeccable stage presence, Malaysian superstar Dato’ Sheila Majid is the voice behind chart-topping R&B classics such as “Legenda” and “Sinaran,” which appeal to both urban music lovers and heartland aunties alike.
What was most trying point of your career? Oh, it was really challenging at first to get people to accept my music. People used to tell me that my music wouldn’t sell but with perseverance, I managed to maintain a reasonable fan base.
Any extraordinarily happy moments? There are so many; I can’t possibly recall all of them! But I’m so happy I have reached the 25-year mark. It’s been a real privilege to touch people’s emotions like this. All my stadium concerts have been pretty amazing. The most memorable experience I’ve had is quite possibly the year when I won Best Song of the Year at Malaysia’s Anugerah Industri Muzik for the song “Ku Mohon.” It was incredibly special to me because it was my first shot at songwriting.
You’ve released a truly impressive seven studio albums in your career. Name some of the songs that have truly stuck. All my albums are special. Everyone still listens to them. I know this for a fact because I still get requests to rerelease my albums. That is why I’ve just put out a box set of all my recordings; it’s for all my fans.
It’s been 25 years but we must say, you don’t look like you’ve aged a day. What’s your secret? Let me put it this way: I love what I do, I’m amused by my audience and I’m passionate about my music. There’s no secret to it; I’m just happy. I also exercise regularly because it’s really part of my job. I work on my endurance and stamina. That keeps me fit.
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“I am not a DJ anymore; I only perform my own music,” says Hans-Peter Lindstrøm without batting an eyelid. His releases are considered as raw as they come, as his unassuming detachment from marketable new trends sees him creating what he wants, whenever he feels like it. As DJs struggle to find their niche by chasing the idea of success, they scurry to create (or remix) that one track that’ll either shoot them to international acclaim or plummet them into the abyss of insignificance. This is clearly not something that concerns Lindstrøm.
Indeed, his refusal to follow the easy route to stardom has seen him become more sought-after than ever in the industry. “I stopped listening to new music when I stopped DJing many years ago,” he says, adding,” I’m just trying to make interesting music. I’m not even sure if it's topping the charts!”
Take a listen to iconic jazzy number “Granada” or his floor-filling drop “Lovesick” and you will be able to tell what a Lindstrøm tune sounds like. His contemporary disco influence is made up of popping guitar riffs, glittering synths and melodic after-effects, all morphing into a distinctive and unforgettable aural experience—certainly one of the best sets to look out for this weekend at ZoukOut.
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