We took the opportunity to ask director Zana Briski more about her thought-provoking and Oscar-winning documentary Born Into Brothels.

The most obvious question to ask is, with so many other causes in the world, what made you choose to go to an Indian red light district?
I first went to India in 1995 to photograph women and I spent five months photographing around the subject of unwanted girls and female infanticide. I returned to India in 1997 to continue photographing and I was unexpectedly invited to visit a project in the red light district. I knew as soon as I went there that this was the place I needed to be and I spent two years trying to gain access to be able to live in a brothel with the women so I could fully understand their lives.

What was it like, for someone who is both white and a woman, to live in an Indian red light district?
I don’t really identify myself as a “white woman” or as a “photographer” or “filmmaker.” I went there with the intention of deeply listening and understanding and in order to do that I put myself in the “shoes” of the people there as far as possible. It is very evident to me that if I had been born in slightly different circumstances, I too could have been an Indian prostitute. In fact, I’m sure I was in a past life!

What made you decide to move from just giving lessons to making a documentary?
I didn’t intend to teach photography when I first went to the red light district. It was the kids who asked me to teach them and of course I responded. But I was blown away by their enthusiasm, their hunger and their talent and I knew I had to document what was happening. So I picked up a video camera for the first time in my life and started filming as I was teaching. I didn’t even realize I was making a film until much later.

You obviously understand the power of the photo, but it is with film where the cause of the children has truly been brought into the public domain. Any other such projects in the pipeline?
I have just self-published my first photography book of my original work from the red-light district called Brothel, which is available on my web site www.zanabriski.com. I do not plan to make another film right now, but I am happily back to my own photography after five years of exclusively focusing on the kids and the film and the non-profit organization I founded, Kids with Cameras. Film is a powerful medium but I am more of a lone photographer than a filmmaker.

Lastly, can you tell us how the children are doing?
The kids are doing very well. Most of them are in school in India and Avijit is finishing his second year of high school in the U.S. One has chosen to be a prostitute but that is her choice and one that I respect.

To find out more about the non-profit organization Kids With Cameras, which is teaching marginalized kids elsewhere in the world about photography, check out www.kids-with-cameras.org.

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Most celebrities are both loved and hated. Not so “Mew” Lalita, who by and large is simply loved. Following TV stardom, Mew showed she could be more than just a soap queen by playing a murderess in Pen-ek Rattanarueng’s film noir, 6ixtynin9. Nearly eight years later, the mother of two returns to the silver screen in Pen-ek’s upcoming movie Ploy.

It’s all about timing. Tom [Pen-ek] told me about the film, and I just happened to be free during this time.

I took this role because he wrote the script himself and I trust him after working with him in 6ixtynin9. And it made me feel really good when he said that he had me in mind when he wrote the story.

Our last collaboration was a great success. I discovered another side of acting that I could do. I’ve learned to love playing a variety of characters.

I liked [Pen-ek’s] Fun Bar Karaoke—it was very interesting and the presentation was quite innovative. So I thought if I did 6ixtynin9 with him, I would be able to learn something new. It didn’t take me long to say yes.

So far I’m proud because I believe I have done the best for Ploy.

I learned from the film that everything goes the way we think it will. If we think negatively, things can go wrong, very wrong, then even more wrong.

Motherhood has changed me a lot. Now I consider things more carefully before I decide to do something.

Happiness for me is my children.

My latest book, Lor Ling Tok Tai Ton, is about my two sons. It’s a way of sharing my happiness, and those who have kids will understand. It shows how innocent and loveable a child can be.

I’ve grown used to the attention I get. On an ordinary day, people still look at me, but they don’t bother me. I can still feel ordinary and go wherever I want. But when there’s an event, fans will be there waiting for me, and everyone is watching me.

I don’t know when I stopped thinking about success, but now I don’t think about how far I can go or who I have to fight with.

I want to live a routine life of leaving home in the morning for work and getting back in the evening, focusing on the day and not the future.

Awards are not something I consider when I work. I do my best each day. If awards are my goal, I’ll have to work so hard to the point of exhaustion. Sometimes the judges like my work and sometimes they don’t. What is more important is to satisfy the director, as he is the one who chose me for the role.

Success for me doesn’t mean being the most famous but able to meet the expectations of the director and the team. And having an audience that likes what I’ve done. If a film I’m in becomes very popular, that’s
a bonus.

We all need freedom, but when it comes to married life, too much freedom might affect the other person’s feelings. It’s all about how we can share our freedom.

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Victor Silakong, director of the Bangkok Film Festival, talks about his latest project: a synthesis of an 18th century French play by Marivaux, Isle of Slaves, and Thai likay.

Why did you combine two relatively obscure art forms in one?
I found Marivaux and likay made a per-fect combination. Likay is low class theater. The Isle of Slaves, meanwhile, is social satire: it’s about class and manners.

Was it difficult for the troupe to adapt to the demands of Marivaux?
I had to adapt myself to the troupe. The first rehearsal was a disaster. But they soon grew very enthusiastic.

How has it changed since you began?
Before the first rehearsal, I wanted to do it in a modern style with likay. But once I started rehearsing, everything changed. I found it most interesting when I let it go, when I didn’t stick to pure Marivaux.

What are your expectations?
We’ll reach likay fans, but really I want other people to attend. The Ministry of Culture wants to teach people to wai properly, while the National Theater is empty. My dream is to see people go out and see shows: Thai, Indian, ballet, Marivaux, whatever.

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While most people his age go to Siam Square to shop, watch movies or get their hair done, 19-year-old Santasak Amornmaneekul (Saint) is there to play basketball. When he has time off his studies, the young streetballer turns the footpath under BTS Siam into his playground, flaunting his smooth moves to impress the crowds.  

Why do you play here?
I used to play with my high school friends at a court in front of Siam Discovery, but lately they haven’t set up the hoop. Also my friends have now scattered around to different universities, so it’s hard to get together for a game. I still want to practice my skills so I decided to play streetball here instead.  

How often do you play here?
Usually once a week. I am a freshman at Ramkhamhaeng University and I have to help with the family business. That’s a lot to manage at the same time. 

Do you get nervous?
Absolutely. Playing alone in front of lots of people can be nerve-racking, but I think I’ve gotten better now.

Are your parents OK with you playing streetball for money?
They are totally supportive. Actually, I started playing basketball because of my parents. They encouraged me to pick up the ball because they wanted me to be tall.

How do you improve your skills?
Streetball is different from basketball: with basketball, teamwork is the key. You need to work with your friends and score, so passing, catching and shooting are the most important basics. But for streetball, you need to learn new moves and tricks. That’s why I always look up clips from the internet and try them out. 

Your signature moves?
I am a good dribbler, so I guess my best move is the between-the-legs dribble.  

Do you want to be a professional basketball player?
Nah. I mean that would be great, but it’s not a realistic goal. Our country doesn’t support sports as much as it should. There are very few courts for us to play, and most of them charge a lot of money. Like the Red Bull X-Park on Sathorn, it used to be free, but now it charges like B200/hour. If we want a free spot to play, we have to go to a school and ask to share the court with the students there. So basketball is better off as a hobby. My future goal is to have a master degree and then open up my own business.

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We have a chat with Singapore’s Broadway Beng for more insight into Cina culture.

How do you define a chio bu?
One that is chio (sexy) and one that is bu (female).

How do you attract an ah lian?
Get a lifetime K-Box membership.

How do you to keep your long nails intact?
Nourish with ear wax.

ABC Stout or Tiger?
Tiger.

Advice for a fight?
Run!

What’s your favorite Chinese movie of all time?
Chow Yun-Fatt’s A Better Tomorrow.

What kind of music or song always gets you on the dance floor?
Technotronic’s “Pump Up The Jam!”

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Neapolitan Micky Galliano has come a long way since being brought up on a diet of disco and funk. Now churning out his own unique deep house beats on the decks of renowned London club Vertigo, we chat to Micky Guy about wearing wigs and crazy Italians.

What would it take to become the next Micky Galliano?
A natural interest in music and production. Really a talent you must be born with or develop at an early age.

We hear that you have hooked up with production outfit Sugar Shake—care to divulge the exciting projects you are working on with them?
I recently worked with them on a remix of the amazing Robert Owens track called “Come Together”—just a special project.

You have worked with so many accomplished DJs such as Pete Heller and David Piccioni to name but a few—anyone left on the wishlist?
Danny Tenaglia and Frankie Knuckles.

What's the most outrageous thing you have ever done?
I was once at DC10, a crazy club in Ibiza, with a group of mad Italian friends. We were all wearing sunglasses and wigs and they introduced me to everyone as the wife of a famous DJ.

What's the worst pick-up line you have ever heard?
Are those mirrors on your shoes? Why? Because I can see myself in your knickers.

Where do you see yourself 10 years?
Still working as a DJ as being surrounded by people and perhaps more time in the studio involved in production.

Any advice for aspiring DJs just starting out?
Believe in yourself and your musical instinct, and try not to give up when times are not so good.

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We have a serious tete-a-tete with Japan’s best international DJ.

New York-based DJ extraordinaire Satoshi Tomiie first came to everyone’s attention when he collaborated with legendary Frankie Knuckles to create the house classic “Tears.” He has moved on to work on projects like Animatrix, with such luminaries as David Bowie, and has literally partied everywhere in the world.

You started off with the piano and some jazz. What made you take the leap into hip hop and DJing?
I loved playing piano and was really into jazz when I was young, at the same time I was (and I am still) open to new styles of music. Hip hop was introduced in Japan and for some reason it grabbed me and opened the door to dance and electronic music. Later on a lot of hip hop tunes sampled the music I used to listen to (like jazz) and created a totally different form of music which fascinated me.

What can we expect from your new album?
An eclectic collection of dance and electronic music. Almost like producing two 70-odd minutes songs on each disk by using 24 tunes. I spent a lot of time choosing these songs very carefully and put them in the mix with techniques like key matching and reconstructions of loops to make it flow nicely.

Considering that you are joining the illustrious company of DJs such as Hernan Cattaneo and Dave Seaman in delivering this current installment of the prestigious Masters series, did you put more effort into it?
I always put extra effort into all the projects I am involved with. It's an honor to be part of this series and I worked very hard for it just like the other compilations and productions I have done.

As a DJ now based in New York, do you feel any connection with the scene back in Japan?
I have been residing in New York throughout my entire professional career and I go back to Tokyo three or four times per year. The foundation of my musical taste was established in Japan and even though I don't live there, my spiritual home is still Tokyo.

Outside Europe and the US, where in the world do you get really excited about playing?
Argentina. Without any hesitation or a doubt, the best crowd of the world to me. Simply amazing.

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Curating becomes art with Khairuddin Hori’s performance of curators.

While it is fairly obvious that curators share a close relationship with artists, the relationship becomes even more intertwined and complex with Trading Craft: A Performance of Curators by Khairuddin Hori. A performance by five curators (Thomas Berghuis, Adeline Ooi, Mikke Susanto, Chumpon Apisuk and Wong Hoy Cheong), Trading Craft questions the specifics of the creative process between an artist and a curator.

We quizzed Singaporean artist and LASALLE Fine Arts alumnus Khairuddin Hori in an earnest attempt to understand more about the intricacies of curating, as well as his latest baby—and came away, well, mystified.

What is the unique relationship between an artist and a curator?
Well, some artists develop very intimate relationships with curators, while others place themselves strategically with the hope that their artistic genius be noticed while dreaming of international superstardom.

We confess we’re stumped—what do you mean when you say that curating is the “fourth dimension in art”?
According to mathematics, the fourth dimensional hypersphere has a hypervolume of 1/2(pi^2)r^4. Thus, we should not only look at the production of art in economic or metaphysical terms, you know?

OK. What future do you think curating will have in Singapore in the next couple of years?
Curators coming from purely academic backgrounds will have to learn to steal for a piece of the action from curators who are equally eloquent, trained and have practiced as artists.

Does being both an artist and a curator give you a more informed perspective? If so, how?
I understand what a painter goes through when he or she says that he or she does not have enough money to replace a worn out brush.

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Eleen Cai Yi Jie snitched the top prize for the Singapore National Barista Championship 2007 not long ago. As she trains and packs her bag to prepare herself for the World Basista Championships to be held later this year, we quiz her about coffee-making, insomnia and prices.

So, how good are you as a barista?
I’m not into the habit of commending myself. I’ll leave it to my customers to do the praising. Just kidding. I am only a young seedling in this industry and I’m still in the process of learning more about coffee.

Tell us about your winning drink Herbal Infusion.
It is a concoction of home-made ginger syrup with a shot of espresso. My inspiration came from the memories of my mother who passed on a few years ago. When she was still around, she would always have her ginger tea whenever she had gastric problems. She would always order her favorite “teh-alia” whenever she visited coffee shops that specialized in Malay food. I came up with Herbal Infusion in fond memory of her.

What do you do with the coffee that you make for training purposes? You can’t finish it all, can you?
Of course I can’t finish it all and it’s not right for me to turn my customers into guinea pigs. But my training is usually done after operation hours, so I will try to feed my friends with the coffee to minimize wastage.

With all that caffeine, do you find it hard to sleep at night?
Of course not! Sleeping is currently my favorite past-time!

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We talk to the people in the business of serving other people.

Chet, taxi driver

Who are the worst passengers?
The impolite ones. For example, recently I stopped for a group of young girls who asked me, “Ja pai mai?” Why couldn’t they just say, “Pai mai ka?”? They sounded like they didn’t care whether I gave them a lift or not, so I drove off.

What else bugs you?
Besides the traffic, I hate cars that honk every time I pull over to pick up a passenger. They really don’t have any sympathy. This is a taxi,and a taxi picks up passengers.

Do people tip you?
Farangs, mostly—and they usually take short trips. When the meter is B35, they will pay me B50 and tell me to keep the change. Some Thais tip, too, but only five or 10 baht.

Ever been robbed?
Never. But others taxis warn me not to pick up passengers from Pathumthani or Lum Lukka because they’ve been robbed there before.

Chayanit Kritsirithanarat, flight attendant

What’s the hardest thing about being a flight attendant?
Not to lose your patience, to compromise, to be punctual, to be alert and to take care of your health.

Any “bad passenger” stories you’d like to share?
Yes, we had a troublemaker yesterday. He asked one of my co-workers for a Pepsi, but she was busy. So she asked him to wait a minute and suddenly he started shouting at her, “F*** you!” and “F*** the captain!”

How did you deal with the Pepsi guy?
She told the supervisor who reported him to the captain. He was arrested when
we landed.

Vinai Priamsati, masseur at Sabai Thai Massage

What did you do before this job?
I was a “cheer” guy in an ab op nuat. I would talk to customers and say things like, “Number 30 is cute—she’s our star.” Compared to that job, being a masseur is much better.

How much do you earn per day?
I get 35 percent. So for a one-hour Thai massage, the customer pays B200 and I get B70.

Is this enough to live on?
Well, most of my income is from tips.

Do you get bad customers?
Yes, from time to time. Gays—mostly farangs—often misunderstand our service and try to harass me sexually. When this happens, I simply say, “What exactly do you expect? We offer massage. If you’re looking for something other than that, we don’t have it.”

X, Spa supervisor at luxury resort, Phuket

What is the secret to delivering good service?
If you’re in the service business, you need to have a service mind. Then you know naturally what the guest wants and needs. For example, I was the butler of a famous designer for years. He didn’t like to talk much, but with a single glance I could guess what he wanted. That’s how you make people really happy.

Any problems?
Rich Thais cause a lot of problems and have a bad attitude. They treat you like dirt.
In general, farangs respect employees more.

What about tipping?
Some guests put money on the table at the beginning of their stay and just say, “Take care of my family.” Maybe US$100. I like that. If you tip first, you know what kind of service you’re buying. If you tip at the end, some staff might not deliver 100% because they don’t know what they’re working for.

How do you deal with rude or angry guests?
The Thai way. We stay calm, quiet, gentle and we smile. You have to be more clever than your guest.

What would you like to tell guests?
When foreigners come for a Thai massage, they sometimes expect that “something” will happen at the end. We don’t blame them, because this is OK in some places, but not in our spa. We’ve had some guests slap money onto the massage bed and shout, “Do it!” At this point, the girls will leave the room.

Horror stories of service gone oh-so-wrong


Pak Torungsri, 35, proofreader

Recently, I went to Big C Ekkamai to pay my Quick Cash loan. As usual, I handed the bill to the staff. An eternity passed as they tried to scan the barcode, after which I was told, “It just doesn’t work.” So what now? It doesn’t work and that’s it? I ended up walking out to pay at another branch instead. A few weeks later, Quick Cash called to inform me that my bill was overdue. It turns out that the staff at Big C scanned the wrong barcode; the one she scanned was Citibank’s. So I’ve paid Citibank twice and I haven’t paid anything to Quick Cash. The incident has ruined my record at Quick Cash. Now my credit’s not as good as before and it’s all her fault.

Suthikiat Singka, 21, photographer

The worst service I ever experienced was from a nurse at Sappasitthiprasong Hospital in Ubon Ratchathani. This lady didn’t care about the patients’ feelings at all. I once saw an old lady queuing for a long time. When she asked how long it would take to see a doctor, the nurse pointed her finger to the back of the waiting room and told the lady to sit there and wait. I don’t know if it’s because she’s tired or what, but a nurse shouldn’t behave with such bad manners.

Supaporn Padungsawat, 27, systems analyst

Just a few weeks ago, I went to a minimart on Koh Pa Ngan. There’s only one convenience store on the island, so everyone has to buy snacks, drinks, toilet paper and everything else there. The staff at the shop are very unfriendly to Thais, but take pains to please farangs. I tried to buy a snack and put it on the counter, but the cashier completely ignored me. Another place is MK Suki, next to Central Bangna. Other branches may be better—MK Trendi is good—but this one is unbearable. You have to wait ages to place your order, and the staff don’t take care of your table at all. I was very upset, so I criticized their service in the comment form. I hope they improve.

Kitisak Singsungneoun, 27, lecturer

I went to a bar—can’t remember the name—and everything was fine until I tipped the waiter. My friends and I were about to leave, when the waiter walked back to our table to give back the money that I’d tipped him. I was stunned. I’m not sure if I tipped him too little or if he misunderstood and thought that I’d forgotten my change, but it’s rude either way. A waiter shouldn’t refuse a tip. So I just dropped the money on the floor and walked out. Other tables were looking, but I didn’t care.

The Tipping Points

BK guides you through the delicate protocol of international tipping

Australia: Tipping is not widespread in Australia. Some may leave coins on the bar or tell cab drivers to keep the change. A tip of 10 percent in restaurants for impressive service is normal. But tipping in hotels and hair salons is still an uncommon practice.

UK: Tipping is preferred and expected here in places. At hotels, 10-15 percent of the room cost is already added to the bill, so no need to tip more. But for restaurants and taxis, it’s 10 percent. In hair salons, the customary rate is 2 pounds for the hairdresser and 1 pound for the assistant. No tipping in pubs.

USA: Tipping is universal in the States. In sit-down restaurants, you are expected to tip 15-20 percent of the bill; for taxis, 10-15 percent. If you go to a restaurant with a large group, however, they’ll often include a charge for service on the bill. And remember: never tip government officers.

Japan: Tipping is not practiced in Japan except in exceptional cases—a personal limousine driver, for instance.

Singapore: No tipping here, either; it’s just not the Singaporean way. A 10 percent service charge is already included in your restaurant and hotel bills. Also, tipping at the airport is strictly forbidden.

Hong Kong: In restaurants, there’s a service charge included but additional tipping is expected. Bellboys and porters also look forward to tips. But for taxis you don’t need to pay extra.

Thailand: Normally, tipping is not a must, but in some cases it can provide incentive for staff to take good care of you on your next visit. Tips of B10-20 for bellboys and waiters are standard practice. Technically there’s no need to tip taxi drivers, but if you insist on waiting for that 3 baht change, we’re not getting in a cab with you.

This May Day, Duangtawan Nilayon raises a toast to all of the workers who have to deal with our crap.

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