How did you come up with the idea for Paktor?
Joseph Phua: I was spurred to create Paktor while living in the US. After suffering the heartbreak that accompanied ending a long-term relationship, I realized how hard it is to meet people and date. Dating websites certainly helped, but they were far from perfect, particular for an Asian. This led to frustration, which brought me to the realization that if I was struggling to find a date in the US, surely those facing similar problems in Asia—where fear of rejection is much worse than it is in the US—must be going through an unbearably difficult time.

What is your target age group and why?
JP: Paktor’s target age group spans from 18 years old to people in their 30s. Singapore’s work culture with long working hours has become a hindrance to an active social life, making it difficult for them to find a suitable partner.

Why did you decide on focusing on the Asian market, even with while you were both studying in Chicago?
JP: With Asian roots, we understand the culture here and the reserved, simplified approach to dating preferred by Asia's socially conservative and introverted society.

Christopher D'Cruz: Paktor’s culturally-compliant features align seamlessly with Asian societal norms. It aims to resolve Asia’s most tempestuous dating concern: the fear of being snubbed by a potential date, at the same time easing the process of finding a partner.

Before Paktor, did you try any other dating services?
JP: Yes, I’ve tried many during my time in the US. Some good, some bad. Online ones tended to be better. Part of the reason we launched Paktor was because of the lack of similar products and services in Asia. We took some things we liked in the West, adapted them for the Asian market and launched Paktor.

Any tips for people using the app?
JP: Don't be afraid to like somebody's photo. We keep it all anonymous for you.

It can be difficult to get people to post appropriate photos of themselves. Is there any way you filter out lewd or inaccurate photos?
Charlene Koh: Paktor users login via Facebook, providing that trust factor that ensures the authenticity of the account, ruling out any photos that might be offensive. There's also a little red flag on the top right corner of each photo where users can also flag the photos that they deem inappropriate.

What are some other ideas you have in the works?
CK: We work with partners to host fun events for our users, such as the We Said So Cover Night Party at Fallabella in Bangkok last month. In Singapore we're also planning to host activity based dates or networking sessions at different outlets.

Check out mobile dating app Paktor.

I’ve been singing since I can remember. My parents were luk tung singers and my uncle had a band. My mom taught me to sing and we toured around Lampang singing at folk festivals to make a living.

I became a boxer because of my dad. He loved to go and watch boxing and cockfighting and I loved to follow him around. I also loved playing at my neighbor’s home, which was a boxing gym.

My dad spotted me kicking a punching bag one day. I did it so well he decided to send me to fight at a competition. I won by knockout.

Muay Thai changed my destiny. I was widely known as the sweet boxer who could sing. I always dressed up girly and wore makeup. It was really different from other lady boxers who were mostly tomboys and tried to be tough like a man. My alias was Namwannoi Sakboonma (Little Syrup), which matched my sweet look. I won 35 consecutive fights and became champion of the Northern region.

The Thai Championship fight in 2002 was one of the biggest matches of my life. I had to fight the Northeastern champion who was also undefeated. I won and became national flyweight champion at the age of 15. I was so badly hurt during the fight I caught a fever and couldn’t get out of bed for five days.

Young fighters have it tough compared to other children of their age. I had to wake up at five in the morning to go jog for eight kilometers before school. After school, I had to run to the boxing gym to practice until nighttime. The good part was I had a leaner, fitter body than other girls my age. 

Boxing taught me to be tough in everything in my life. It’s the toughest sport. If you fight for five rounds, you need to practice seven rounds. You have to endure longer than your rivals. 

I always used to jump from the ring straight to the stage so people knew me as a boxer who could sing well. After I won the title belt, I was signed by RSiam to become a luk tung singer and got to release my first album, Perd Jai Sao Tae, in 2007.

Doing two things at once doesn’t always work. I had to quit RSiam after one year as I couldn’t study and tour at the same time. I was really exhausted and my parents wanted me to graduate from high school first. I felt so useless as I couldn’t go out to sing or box to earn money for my family because of the contract I had with RSiam. Fortunately, they took me back a few years later.

I love all kinds of design. I love clothing, graphics and architecture. That’s why I chose to study architect at Sripathum University. Juggling being a singer and sending my homework in on time is so exhausting but I really love it. If I can’t work as a singer anymore, this can be my proper career.

I nearly lost my voice forever. I recently realized that I had been singing incorrectly all my life and it was destroying my larynx. I had to have an operation as my doctor said that if I didn’t I could lose my voice completely.

You can’t make everyone love you. I try to understand that many people hate me. If you love someone, then they can’t do any wrong, but if you really hate someone then even their breathing will annoy you. 

Haters are good at finding little things to hate. All I can do is just keep doing the best job I can.

I admit to having had plastic surgery. It’s not a bad thing that you need to hide. I had a nose job to fix my flat nose and that’s it. I haven’t had lots of plastic surgery like people think. 

You can’t always be lucky. My dad leaving us made me understand that nothing last forever. At least I still have a good relationship with him and he visits us a lot. 

Be friends with your parents. I think many teen problems stem from the fact that the parents and children aren’t close. So many times when teenagers get into trouble, they run to their friends for help, but most of the time, it’s the parents who clear it up for them.

Good spirit makes you valuable. I have met rich people and poor people and I realized that having lots of money doesn’t make you a good person. 

Remember that people only let you know the part that they want you to know. You might never know what they really are like.

How did the page start?

I was a Chula student. Our original project was to go Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) to take photos of people there. I couldn’t make it in the end, but I kept my desire to do this, right here on the streets of Bangkok. I even planned to find only Korat people living here. But when I started chatting to people, I realized Bangkok is truly a global city. There are people from all over the world living here. I did more research about this kind of project and I found “Humans of New York,” which I really loved. It’s not street fashion. I want to show everyone that there are people from all over the world who share Bangkok as their home too.

What are the reactions from people when you talk to them?

It varies but most of them are friendly. I normally approach them by introducing myself and showing them the page that I’m doing. It depends on them whether they are comfortable enough to be my “human” or not.

Who is the most fascinating person you’ve met so far?

Probably this African-American jazz-man I bumped into. He said something that quite touched me. He said that many foreigners living here feel they are better than local people, which is a dispiriting statement about Thailand. But he said he’d love to learn and understand Thai people and respect them. I found that it’s very humble for a foreigner who lives here to say that. He also showed me the picture he took with Ray Charles when they worked together in the US.

Did you ever face difficulties when interviewing people?

I actually feel safe in Bangkok. Well, I don’t go to dangerous spots. Anyway, the spot that I find has the most diversity is Benjasiri Park, next to Emporium, where you can find people from everywhere: Thais, Japanese, Westerners, people from Cameroon. Bangkok is a real melting pot.

What have you learned so far from talking to strangers?

I feel that people interact with each other less and less. They just go to work, meet only a certain amount of friends—they interact online, not on the street. I’ve learned that everyone has their story or opinion. They’re just waiting for someone to listen. I also want everyone to realize that every life in this city is interconnected. You don’t live separately and your actions will affect others in some way.

What has been the online reaction? 

Pretty good. I just created it three weeks ago and it got 750 likes from people who are all over the world, like US, Australia, Germany­—not only Thai people. But I do want people to comment more, instead of just clicking like.

What’s your next plan? 

I want to create some artistic or cultural project to develop and help people, and write articles about my experience doing this page. 

Visit Humans of Bangkok: http://ow.ly/qlsVE

People tend to get puzzled about comedy hypnosis. Tell us more about this concept of hypnosis and it’s objective?
There are several aspects to bear in mind with hypnosis. Hypnosis itself is psychological and then there is the comedy aspect. When fused together, the outcome is a very, very funny stage show. Several willing volunteers are hypnotised and make suggestions to their deep subconscious and when they wake up they will automatically carry out the suggestions given.

What’s the most bizarre occurrence with one of your participants?
Like a finger print, every one of my shows is unique. Even though the show is highly polished you never know how the participants will react when they are put to task. It's live and unrehearsed and the hypnotic induction is demonstrated live for the audience to see.

What’s your ritual just before a performance?
I have a serious ritual that I do before each show. While treading the boards back stage I clear my mind and ask the great architect of the universe and hypnotic gods to watch over me and it works. Just as important at the end of the show I always say thanks.

Are there any requirements for participants to ensure the hypnosis works?
The more people in the audience usually the more the participants for me to work with. In a large theatre with a grand stage I will work with about 12 people and smaller venues 6 is a great number to play with.

How funny do you think you are?
I have mastered this concept and have 30 years stage experience so I must be doing something right. I let the audience decide if I am funny or not.

Are there any fears about something going completely wrong or disastrous on stage?
I ensure before I start work that everything is in place, the sound equipment, props, ambience and more. This limits the chances of problems that may arise.

How would you describe your personality off-stage?
My personality off stage is very similar to on stage. I have a very cheeky demeanour which has carried me through life pleasantly so far.

Can this therapy really help smokers quit? How do you answer your critics who think it’s nothing but a conjob?
It's a really powerful tool when used professionally for therapeutic uses. I have helped hundreds of people to stop smoking however they must want to really stop for it to work. Regarding critics, once they witness my abilities it changes their whole mindset to hypnosis.

How self-conscious are you?
I am very self-conscious and my radar is always on to ensure I am ready to react to anything that my crazy life can project at me.

If there’s someone you’d love to hypnotize, who would it be?
One person I would have loved to hypnotise would have been Albert Einstein. Who knows what other amazing things he could have done with the power of his mind?

Alan Bates, The World's Greatest Comedy Hypnotist performs from Nov 28-30 at Aquanova. Tickets at $48-$58 from Sistic.

We heard the Detroit edition of Laneway went great! How was it?
It was one of the greatest musical experiences of my life. To host our event over there with one of the year’s most exciting line ups and see all these local people embrace us… it was like the first Laneway in Singapore which also goes down as a career highlight.

Looks like Laneway is here to stay. Any other territories planed for expansion?
Our plan for Asia is to make Singapore a destination festival and develop the brand into Asia. We see Laneway as being a future Coachella type event of the region.

What’s so special about Laneway in Singapore?
The local people getting so excited about the coolest music on earth and the incredible site.

Biggest challenge about organizing a concert of this magnitude?
Communicating with all markets constantly and keeping everyone on the same page.

Do you miss St. Jerome’s Bar? Tell us more about it and what are some of your fondest memories there?
My favorite memory is when Jerome and I used to drink Melbourne cans in the front bar on a Sunday and host the Summer Series. We had so many laughs, met so many people and spawned a music festival in between.

What do you have to say to the critics of Laneway?
Thank you critics! All opinions help us try and make our event better. There will always be doubters no matter what you do but passion and belief always override any fear of failure.

Any fears about Laneway losing its identity?
Not yet. We are getting a global name so we do need to be careful. 

What do you think Laneway will be ten years from now?
Small, boutique, highly personal, a true customer service experience and possibly multiple days at no larger than 15,000 per day.

Twitter and Facebook is really helping the marketing efforts. What do you make of that?
Social media is key for us and our team in Singapore understands it very very well.

Top songs on your personal playlist right now?
"Tether" by Chvrches and "Old" by Danny Brown.

St. Jerome's Laneway Festival 2014 takes place at The Meadow, Gardens by the Bay on January 25. Tickets at $150 from Sistic.

There’s been plenty of talk about proposing that women undergo National Service. Do you think that’s far-fetched?
Women today are more empowered and independent. I believe the latest decision is that the Singapore Armed Forces will not draft women for National Service but volunteer opportunities for us will be expanded. I have no doubt women will be able to contribute meaningfully in these areas.

What do you think of all the alternative runs happening in Singapore? Do you think the running scene will run out of ideas? No pun intended.
Alternative runs have a certain appeal and add a refreshing dimension to Singapore’s running scene. They are a good complement to the more serious runs and add variety. The Great Eastern Women’s Run combines fun and competition. Our Live Great 5km Fun Run is ideal for casual runners while we also have categories such as the 21km half marathon for the serious runners

We have no doubt about the difficulties women face in juggling their duties. Does Singapore make it conducive or otherwise?
In Singapore, women are relatively more fortunate in the workplace than their counterparts in Asia. Working women enjoy good support from the government and from most organisations. Great Eastern is no different. As a LIFE Company, we believe that a healthy workplace is where employees, both women and men, can maximise their potential and are more engaged and happy. Our unique employee benefits programme – LIFE Programme – focuses on helping employees live healthier and better. Employees are given incentives such as LIFE points to take charge of their health. One point is equivalent to $1 which they can use for themselves and family members. Heath and wellness activities are organised every month, such as health talks and mass walks around the office vicinity to motivate employees to keep healthy.

We have numerous women-only runs in Singapore these days. How will this run stand out?
We believe in going the extra mile to create a memorable race experience for our 14,000 participants. Each year, we add a new dimension to our Run to make it that much more special. We were the first to introduce a series of regular fringe activities prior to the race day. These included pole dancing, Pilates, healthy cooking workshops and circuit training which were very popular with and well-received by our participants. Ours is the only run to feature a Powder Room where ladies can freshen up after their run at the Floating Platform @ Marina Bay. Special touches included wet wipes, perfume and cotton pads. From a survey we conducted, we found that majority of women want to keep fit but are held back by work and family commitments. Support from family and friends are also important to them. So this year, we upped the ante. On race day on 10 November, we will be organising something special just for family members, friends and supporters.

Three qualities that define a woman?
Strong, giving and confident.

The Great Eastern Women's Run takes place on November 10 at The Float@Marina Bay.

What inspires you?
As part of my job, I get to travel all around the world, meet new people and share this great drink with them. I enjoy life, and love to see people enjoy themselves.

Who’s the most interesting person you’ve ever met?
I’ve met many people in my job: Queen Elizabeth the second, Barack Obama, Tom Cruise and Tom Jones. Queen Elizabeth was a superb person.  She has a great presence and was a great guest when she visited the home of Guinness, the Guinness Storehouse.

What’s the strangest beer you’ve ever tasted?
That’s a tricky one! Beer has taken on all sorts of tastes and profiles over the years. Today's craft brewers are adding interesting ingredients to their brew, some of which are quite novel, and make for fun experiences for consumers.

Would you ever consider changing your job?
No. A lot of people can become a brewer, but to be a master brewer, you would have to truly understand the soul of the product, the passion that goes with making the beer. I’ve got lucky to get this job, fell it in love with it, and with Guinness. I have a science background, and understanding of chemistry and physics is key, to bring the ingredients together. There is never a dull day in my role, you’re always growing—you never stop.

Have you tried local beers like Jungle Beer and Archipelago? What do you think of them?
These guys do a great job and are helping grow the beer market. I love to see interesting new beers being developed locally.

What’s next for you?
More launches of the new look Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, visiting consumers, and speaking with them. Singapore is the first market to launch the new packaging which is an amazing achievement. My next stop will likely be Africa where the new look roles out next.  

What's the big idea behind Giift?
We come from the financial industry where financial products have become more and more digitalized, monetize-able and exchangeable, so with the increasing popularity of loyalty and card programs, our first idea was to have these more digitalized, monetize-able and exchangeable. Our second idea was to connect both the beneficiaries of such loyalty and card programs, and their issuers, such as retailers, in a Network. The same way you have the social network Facebook or the professional network Linkedin, you now have the loyalty and card programs network Giift.

What were the challenges of getting it going?
From the start, we wanted Giift network to be global, so we had to build a platform that would be multi-use (points programs, vouchers, gift-cards), multi-currency and multi-language. To do so we had to build a major data base of programs. That, as a start-up, was challenging, but also very exciting.

What was it about Singapore that made it a good place to start?
We wanted to build a technology platform—Singapore is a tremendous hub for technology—and to build an international network. Singapore is a good hub for travel and offers one of the best labour forces in the world, unmatchable infrastructure and access to a market of 2.8 billion people within a short flight. It’s a place where talent embraces the world, creatively and innovatively.

How has the response been?
The Company is still very young but so far people have been very excited about the value we offer to both parties, being part of the new network and joining the next “Linkedin.”

What plans do you have for the coming months?
We believe in innovation, so our plan is to bring, every two months, significant new features, technology and monetization options. In the meantime, we’re launching (in October) our Sales force to start engaging with even more businesses in Singapore, China and the US.

What is it that makes Giift stand out from the competition?
We are a network rather than just a transaction platform, and we manage all types of loyalty and card programs. We also offer a complete set of services in 50+ countries. Our philosophy is to leverage the benefits of loyalty and card programs both for issuers and members.

Have you noticed different usage in the different markets you operate in (are loyalty programs more popular in Singapore, for example)?
Yes, for instance gift cards are very popular in the US and China, but memberships are more common in Singapore. But at the end of day, the benefits of loyalty and cards programs are always the same and this is what we enable. In addition we do it in a way that is very social.

What have you been working on most recently?
I have just published a new novel called “Moonstone – The Boy Who Never Was” about a sixteen year old gay kid living in Reykjavik in 1918. He’s an orphan, obsessed with cinema and a girl he sees as the double of the great French actress Musidora. When the Spanish flu epidemic hits the town, hundreds start dying and he finds himself in a new and challenging situation as a helper to one of the doctors.

Which piece(s) of your work are you most proud of—and why?
I like the clarity of “The Blue Fox”, the intensity of “From the Mouth of the Whale” and the wrong-headed comedy of “The Whispering Muse.” And I am very proud of my contribution to the film “Dancer in the Dark."

How did the success of The Blue Fox affect your work?
It showed me that it is in the local history and stories of society that an author finds the strongest material. Before The Blue Fox I imagine there might be such a thing as the ‘global’ novel. Now I know that if you want to tell a truly universal story, you have to speak from the smallest platform. It has made me more courageous in bringing stories from my small country.

Do you have a set daily routine?
Yes, I go the same cafes each day, visit the bookshops or library and research on the internet, but when it comes to writing, I stay in a former fisherman’s hut on the south coast of Iceland. There I have a very strong regiment of work, food and sleep, so I can write 12 hours per day.

What is it about Reykjavik that inspires you and did you feel similarly inspired when living in London (or elsewhere)? 
Reykjavik is home so gives comfort and peace, but it can become dull and predictable. It's such a small city, there are times when I feel the city centre is just an extension of my living room. So occasionally, staying in London or Berlin has been important to me. It gives perspective and takes you out of your role as a known entity within your community. And there are more book shops, cafes and libraries to visit.

What role do you see for poetry in the present day or is it the same as it has always been?
The art of poetry is perhaps the most mysterious of all human activities. It is the most ‘useless’ thing a man can do, the most unprofitable and most difficult to explain to others why you can’t help doing it. And still a new poet is born every day. There is immense hope in that.

We understand you’re a big fan of Bowie. What did you think of his latest (surprise) album?
It’s a bit too nostalgic at times but I think Bowie was right to allow us to join him on his journey to his past selves, and therefore to our past as teenagers who did everything to merge with the amazing imagination and emotional power.

How different is composing and playing for contemporary dance to composing in general?

Léo: We can’t just make beautiful music and get away with it. It all depends on what goes best with the performers’ actions, sometimes it can be anything from majestic to dirty. I read Jean Genet’s The Tightrope Walker to get inspiration and help with interpretation.

Nathan: It doesn’t work like composing film scores. We take a more contemporary and experimental approach where untraditional techniques are used. It’s a totally different thing from performing the usual jazz or classical music, too.

What sounds can we expect to hear?

Nathan: People are here for the dance and they don’t want to hear us all the time which means we can’t be overpowering. The music is minimalist, repetitive patterns and a lot of improvisation.

Léo: We know when to provide ambience and in what scale and mode, but only a few scenes are fixed. Despite employing Arabic scale and modes, it is far, far away from the traditional Arabic music I usually play. 

Do you think live music adds an extra something to the performance?

Nathan: I think this is one of the first times that Jitti has featured live musicians. Seeing where the music comes from rather than just hearing it play from speakers should provide some extra freshness. We’re interactive with the dancers too; they come toward us and we respond to them, so it should be engaging. 

Léo: Normally, dancers rehearse with CDs; the music never changes. It puts more challenge on the dancers, too, because with us it changes a lot, so they have to listen to what we play, just as much as we have to observe their actions, to interact. There’ll be plenty of hidden details and nuances.

What’s your experience been like working with Jitti on this project?

Nathan: You don’t feel like he puts you in a box and tells you exactly what you have to do. He’s got crazy ideas and is not scared to do things that the audience might not expect. He changes all the time. He never stops changing his mind, you know. 

Léo: I have worked with other choreographers who gave me freedom, too, but in a way that made me play inside my comfort zone. With Jitti, it’s another story; he pushes us to create. When my idea gets turned down, I’m encouraged to come up with a new one, which helps the creative process.

As an insider, do you have anything to say to people attending the show?

Léo: Try to know a little about the subject of the show beforehand. It should give you the material to absorb or interpret the whole performance better.

Nathan: It’s a combination of contemporary dance with performers, one trained in ballet, one in hip hop and one in Thai classical dance. That, along with saxophone and oud, makes for something surely never seen before in Bangkok.