Are there any parallels between comedy and wrestling?  
Fakkah Fuzz: It’s you versus the audience. If you have them in submission with your jokes, their laughter is a form of them tapping out. Like wrestling, I'd much prefer to do it with a group of girls. And no matter how real it looks, you know it’s just entertainment. 

Rishi Budhrani: They're both unique kinds of performance art, where the audience takes joy in watching the performers getting hurt. Some specific forms of comedy, like improv comedy, have a bit more of the wrestling element. For instance, Fight Comic is six comics pitted against each other and that can be much like a Royal Rumble. All comics have their special moves and someone emerges victorious at the end of the night. And, of course, there's a referee who turns a blind eye to the bad guy's cheat tactics.  

Suzanne Shepherd: Wrestling and comedy are both shows put on to shock and surprise people.  Without the shock factor, either show really isn't that entertaining.

Quill Potter: None. Wrestlers are athletic and attractive to women. 

Why’d you decide to be a comic? Is it all it’s cracked up to be?
FF: I love connecting with people through jokes. Plus, it makes me look a little attractive. I went to a Star Trek convention once and they told me, "Nice alien make up.” I wasn't wearing any.

RB: In the day, I coach tertiary students in public speaking and presentation skills. I would always tell them that standup comedy is the toughest form of public speaking. I realized that I had to walk the talk to gain some credibility, so I tried my hand at open mic. It's changed my life. It's given me the opportunity to get paid to make drunk people laugh in countries I'd never otherwise visit. 

SS: I decided to become a comic because just the thought of it scared the tar out of me.  I think that you should do things that scare you. Otherwise, you'll probably lead a pretty small life. I'm not saying I live an important life, but I do know what "exhilarated" feels like.  

QP: I'm the promoter or the “puppet master” as I prefer to be known, so I run the show. Live comedy is awesome but not quite as good as live sex. But it's better than dead sex.

How do you know when a joke has gone too far?  
FF: I feel a joke never crosses any bounds as long as it is a proper joke and you are able to see the humor in it. However, it is subjected to how tasteful it is or if it is related to a tragedy, how soon is too soon before you tell it?

RB: I haven't had a joke taken too far. But that's more my style, I guess. I've always been more of an observer and a storyteller. So anything I say, even if it has racial, political, sexual undertones, is disguised as a story about my life, or my family etc. Or maybe, I just have a lot of issues.

SS: The audience always lets me know when I've gone too far.   Yeah, loads of stuff is out-of-bounds, but I don't think you want to print those topics in this magazine.

QP: As long as it's funny, everything is acceptable. If you get upset over a joke please don't come to Fight Comic as we often push through the boundaries of poor taste and keep on running till we are hit a wall marked “sick”.

What’s the best part about standup comedy?
FF: When the audience laughs. That way you know you're doing your job.

RB: It's like bungee jumping; naked.

SS: Waiting a long time for the audience to stop laughing so I can tell my next joke.

QP: The women—I jest. Comedy groupies are usually deranged, not hot. Music groupies are hot. I should have been a music promoter.

What’s the worst thing about it?
FF: The exact opposite.

RB: It's like bungee jumping; naked.

SS: Silence... and watching the playback and being reminded how bad my dance moves are.

QP: Having to deal with man-children, the arrested adolescences that are most standup comedians. Not that I can talk, I am the worst of the lot.

Who do you see as your greatest competition?
FF: People who prefer to read the local news. Because I'm a pretty funny guy but when it comes to comedy there’s no way in hell I can compete with our local paper.

RB: Oh, they know. We've had a word.

SS: Myself and my own self doubt. I write my comedy about things that I think are funny, but sometimes other people don't see the humor like I do.

QP: Myself. 

Where did you learn to be funny?
FF: My dad. He's pretty cracked up himself. 

RB: I never knew I was funny. I still doubt it every day. And nobody grows up thinking that they want to be a comedian one day. There's no school of comedy. It just happens. And if you're blessed enough to get roped into the avalanche of the comedy world, then you owe it to yourself and the audience to keep practicing and keep getting better. If people keep laughing, I'll keep telling my jokes. 

SS: I'm going to go with “I learnt it” only because I wasn't born talking.  I think I have always tried to be funny because I was never very good at anything else.

QP: I'm English, so unless you are funny you won't have any friends. You will probably also be beaten up for being dull.

What makes comedy worthwhile?
FF: I am a stunt performer by day, a standup comedian by night and I also work as an actor from time to time. I earn as much as a garbage collector earns. But I do what I love. No offence, of course, to garbage collectors who love being garbage collectors.

RB: I'm a trained actor, host, voice-over artist and trainer. I work in the education industry during the day and showbiz at night. So, comedy alone can't pay. Not in Singapore, not yet, at least. Comedy shows like Fight Comic give us an opportunity to share our views about the world while making people laugh. It's an opportunity to be publicly hated (or liked). You need to be ready to put your self-esteem entirely in the hands of the audience and take risks that you wouldn't otherwise take. I guess that's what makes it all worthwhile. 

SS: My income is not derived from comedy.  For me, comedy is worthwhile because I know what it's like to be sad and depressed.  I know how much it sucks, so I try to make people laugh so they don't have to feel like that.

QP: It pays OK but I have a lot of very rich connected friends so I entertain them in exchange for Champagne and caviar.

Fight Comic is on every Thursday, 9-11pm at Blu Jaz Café.

What inspired you to start Indiescapes?
Min Seetoh: Having had to opportunity to live in Sweden, the United States and Argentina, I always had the chance to live like a local and have my friends share insights on their countries with me. Heidi too, has lived in Australia, and briefly in Vietnam and Egypt. During her stays and travels, she also had the privilege of experiencing countries from very local perspectives. When we finally returned to Singapore after years of wandering the world independently, many of our friends started asking us for tips on authentic experiences when they travel and we realized that what is easily available on the market is usually the touristy and commercialized stuff. Driven by a common desire to make authentic experiences more prevalent, Heidi and I started Indiescapes.

How much do the experiences cost?
MS: A cooking experience is about US$30 (S$37) for three hours, and a day trip is US$50-70 (S$62-87). Ultimately, it depends on what the experiences involve such as the distance traveled and the comfort level.

What are some of the most interesting experiences available?
MS: Living a day like a Balinese villager. You’ll watch and interact with locals at work in the farms, be told local fables as you explore hidden spots, and dress in traditional clothing for a visit to the local temple. If you’re lucky, the host Wayan will treat you to stories from his childhood. And in Vietnam, Minh will introduce you to his favorite foods and surroundings to get you ordering and eating like a local. In Bangkok, you can get access to unknown gems and mysterious or hard-to-find places only known by local experts, with host Vincent. He’ll get you free-admission into clubs (Bed Supperclub, Q bar and Bash) and access to VIP areas.

What’s one experience you’d love to see offered that you haven’t seen yet?
Heidi Shum: I’d love to float across various skylines and horizons in a hot air balloon, all over one (long) sunrise. We’d have locals in the basket with us who’d share passionately about their country and their lives as we see and feel the enormity of the world. We’d first do Bagan, embracing the serenity of untouched ancient ruins, before switching over to New York City and be wowed by the city that is larger than life. We’ll then head over to Maasai Mara in Kenya where we watch zebras, gazelles and wildebeests travel across the plains. The North Pole is next. We’d indulge in the vast whiteness before our last stop in Melbourne. I always used to love watching hot air balloons float around my Melbourne apartment after I’ve pulled an all-nighter. We’d all get off then for a brunch of French toast with bacon at Mart130. It’s not very realistic…but one day perhaps!

What experience would you host for a visitor to Singapore?
HS: There are so many things we could do! These are some of the things I do with my friends who’ve come to visit. I’d start off with the usual glitz—Orchard Road, MBS or RWS, to show them what they already expect about Singapore. After that, we’d head to the indie neighborhoods—Ann Siang Hill, Haji Lane and Arab Street, plus Tiong Bahru. Visitors need to understand that the glamour and glitz does not represent all Singaporeans. Many people, especially those who have returned from overseas have worked to build up a café culture and independent boutique scene in Singapore. It’s not all about luxury brands, expensive lifestyles and consumerism. It’s still a young movement, but definitely worth checking out. With that, we’d head to the old streets of Singapore—Keong Saik Road, Chinatown and Little India to understand how Singapore started out. We’ll then head to Pinnacle @ Duxton Sky Park for the beautiful sunset. Not MBS! Whilst there, they can learn about the HDB scheme and how it affects lives of Singaporeans. Of course, we can wander off into a conversation of Singapore politics too. We’d end the day with street food tasting through Geylang, Bugis, and neighborhoods like Blk 85 in Bedok North.

Min Seetoh and Heidi Shum run travel service Indiescapes.

What have you been doing?
We went on a break three years ago after my bandmate, Ram, got married and moved to the US and I started working full-time as a graphic designer. Actually, we both kept doing our stuff, but the fact that we lived in different countries meant we could only share it via Soundcloud or Facebook without playing gigs.

What brought about the comeback?
The organizer of Keep on the Grass, Tokin Teekanun, asked us if we wanted to join the festival once Ram was back, so we jumped at the chance. But in fact we had already planned to have our own gigs after his return, which are these two shows at Prach Preaw Studio and Lhung Reak Bar.

Can we expect a new single soon?
Yes, we’ve also been working on new songs during our time apart. Now Ram’s back, it’s the time to release a new album. Actually, I set a deadline to release our new album on May 4, but with time so short it will be released as an EP first on that day, with the full album going on sale on May 8. 

Will it come out on Panda Records?
No, we’re doing it on our own, but we perform at their festivals and events.

How has your sound evolved from the first album?
Overall, I’d say there’s nothing much different. We keep the same acoustic folk style. Two acoustic guitars are still at the forefront, only the lyrics contain different messages from the past.

Do you have any side projects?
I started to think about solo projects when Ram was not around. The idea is it would be just me and one acoustic guitar. I haven’t set an exact deadline for it as I want it to flow smoothly, but I’d expect it to be out by next year.

I wanted to be in the top 10 in the world when I was eight years old. I grew up with golf as my parents owned a golf equipment shop, so I started playing when I was five. My sister (Moriya, seven at the time) and I went to lots of competitions until we collected enough points to play in junior competitions in the US. I was Asia-Pacific champion for four years running.

Going to the US made me realize that I wasn’t all that hot as a golfer. I always won golf competitions in Thailand but there are tons of great golfers in the US.

I realized I was just a beginner, and that I’d have to really improve to realize my dreams. I did. And I became the youngest player in the LPGA at 11.

Competition between sisters can’t be avoided. Mo and I always compete together, but in the end, I can count on her to tell me what’s wrong with my game. I’m lucky that I have her. Mo has been in many competitions before me as she was a bit older, so she always knows how to encourage me and gives me great tips. Now we play different tournaments, so I have to stand on my own two feet.

I live under pressure. Playing at tournaments is intense, especially at the recent Honda LPGA Thailand in Pattaya. That day I made up my mind to play for my country, to be the first Thai to win an LPGA event. But I lost.

Pressure is actually what supports me. After I lost in Hua Hin, I realized that the reason I was under so much pressure was actually because of the support that I got from everyone who believes in me. And when I lost, I saw that those people still stood by me, and will keep following me.

I’m competitive. Competition shows you your weaknesses and allows you to improve. That’s the challenge, to go up against brilliant competitors.

Being ready can happen at any age. Whenever you feel confident to go to another level in your life, just go for it. I decided to turn pro at the age of 17 because I’d never felt so confident. Now I’m ranked at 39, and I hope playing as full time will help me get in the top ten soon.

Even when you’re on top, there are always greater things that you can do. So far, I’ve done a good job, but I realize that I haven’t done a great job. The outcome was great, but I wasn’t, I still have lots more to improve on.

Golf is my happiness. I can’t say which part of my life was my happiest but I know whenever I grab my golf club, win or lose, I love it.

Every golf course has its own charm, its challenges. I like the golf course in Oakmont in the US where I played a couple of years ago. It really impressed me. I had never played a course that hard before. The more I played, the worse I got. I wish I could have a return match there.

Thailand must improve its sport science if we want to shine. People always have a misconception that children can’t train competitively, which is wrong. If you wait until they are grown up, it’s too late.

Golf requires tons of practice. When I need to fix a problem, I might spend a whole year trying to do it properly, over and over.

I still have to switch back and forth between tournaments and my school in Thailand. Luckily they help me by allowing me to do exams when I get back. I now spend most of my time in the US for tournaments.

My parents sacrificed themselves for me. They sold their cars and two houses to sponsor us. I was worried that they were taking too many risks. But as I played more and more, I saw my potential. I love what I do and they love what I do, so no matter what happens, we are confident that we can reach the world class that we’ve dreamed of.

I don’t have any regrets about my childhood. I’ve been competing since I was a kid, so I didn’t really make friends at school. But to me, the more you do, the more you have.

I love taking photos. I just shoot randomly—people, stuff, places—but I love it. Photography is an escape. I see beauty in everything. I’m not good at it but looking at my pictures makes me feel good.

I want to create a foundation to help poor kids or orphans to play golf. I feel so lucky that I have this perfect family while other kids don’t. It would be great if they had the chances that I was offered.

Stay true to your dream. I’ve never changed my dream since I was eight. I never thought of doing something else, even when I stumbled. Be patient and never forget your target is the most important thing in life.

Don’t be afraid of the outcome. I sacrificed everything for golf. But even if I’m not successful, I’ll still be happy that tried.

What inspired you to be a singer?
When I was a child I wanted to be like the members of The Beatles, my favorite band. I was fond of their unique songs. They introduced the whole world to a new kind of music and everyone loved it. That was so amazing.

How did you come to sign with RS?
I sang at many restaurants with friends for a living. Fortunately, one of my friends knew a producer named Pee Rojanadara, so one day I recorded a song and left it at his studio. Almost a year later, he called me up to say he liked it, which gave me the chance to work with a talented producer. After this, I presented many more songs to him. At last my dream came true with the song “Chan Kor Tod,” a collaboration with Bandit “Moo Muzu” Sae Ngo, after which I had my own album on RS. After that my life changed, though. I joined the army; meanwhile, my songs, “Chan Kor Tod” and “Nam Suem Bor Sai,” were top of the charts. I was listening to my own songs in the army and thinking, what on earth am I doing here?

Are you happy with the feedback for “Tee Rak (Ter)?”
I’m so happy that listeners love my new song alongside my other sadder songs. Perhaps, they may ask, “Oh! Can Ake Surachet really sing a warm-hearted song like this?” But “Tee Rak (Ter)” is an easy-listening love song, which captures that moment when you have a secret crush on someone.

Can you tell us about your accident last year?
After a gig, I was so tired and sleepy that when I went out to my balcony to collect some washing I accidentally fell from the third floor. I could have died, but luckily I wasn’t critically injured—just a broken wrist and a fractured hip. The clothes line on the second floor saved my life. After this misfortune, though, loads of good things happened to me. My story surprisingly motivated some people to change their lives for the better and it was the first time I really realized that I was famous because I was invited onto various popular TV shows. The most important thing was learning that my life is more valuable than anything.

What can you tell us about life as a soldier?
I volunteered for the army at my brother’s suggestion plus I was bored with too much partying and wanted to get more structure in life. From the army, I’ve made friends and really developed myself. I also learned about several types of weapons and improved my fitness.

Where do you usually play gigs?
Mostly I play at my close friends’ hangouts that I used to play before becoming famous, like About Hip (Prachacheun Road) and The Local (on Rangsit).
 

How would you describe your music?

Honest. As a singer-songwriter, I'm a big fan of story-telling. My lyrics might be a little cheeky in some respects and some in the new record are a little raunchy but heartfelt.

Who are your musical influences?

That's an endless list. I used to listen to Bryan Adams and Cat Stevens when I was younger and shadowed them on the guitar while I listened.

Why did you decide to move to the US?

I love the UK but the weather in California and its beache give me so much energy! There are fantastic songwriters and producers in the States and I really wanted to crack the US market. I needed to base myself there since it’s such a big country.

Any embarrassing Spinal Tap moments on stage yet?

I love that movie. Nothing outrageous but I was the opening act to a crowd of thousands and trying to get them to sing along. I turned around and tripped. Everybody burst out laughing but I got a standing ovation when I finished the song.

Do you think you had bigger success in Asia?

Yeah it’s bizarre really. I think there’s a big following for male singer-songwriters especially in the English-speaking countries like Singapore and Malaysia. Azimin Saini

Timbre Music presents Joe Brooks at Timbre @ Gillman on May 22.

What does the Vegetarian Society (Singapore) do?
We aim to heighten awareness about the impact of consuming animal products on our health, the environment and the other living beings we share the planet with. This lets people make enlightened choices about the food they consume. We work towards this goal through various activities, such as producing free and high-quality educational materials for distribution, giving talks, food demonstrations to schools and the public, and outreaching with public exhibitions.

VSS also aims to give support to people transitioning towards a vegetarian and vegan diet through many ways. Our website features an extensive listing of local vegetarian outlets and our forum is a good platform for people to ask questions about health and nutrition, or to highlight new vegetarian eateries, etc. We also promote social gatherings among vegetarian food lovers, such as through the Singapore Vegetarian Meetup Group (which currently has more than 2,000 members), and we organise educational tours locally and abroad (such as visits to organic farms). And of course, most recently, we are running the Veg Buddy Program.

Why did you decide to start this Veg Buddy Program?
I realized through interacting with many Singaporeans that there is a growing collective consciousness about the tremendous health benefits of a plant-based diet, the destructive environmental impact of meat production and the horrors of factory farming, especially in the young generation. While many people are able to sympathise with the vegetarian or vegan cause, they are reluctant to try to change their diet because they think it's difficult or impossible. There are also many people who have tried to change their diet but have failed to do so successfully. So I decided to start the program to show the participants—and Singaporeans generally—how fun and easy it can be to adopt a veg diet for a sustained period of time. I believe that with the access to proper information and a support group of experienced vegetarians and vegans, anyone can successfully finish the Program if they wish to.

What sort of activities can participants expect?
They can expect a welcome launch event with a sumptuous dinner cooked by the mentors, as well as a movie screening about some startling nutrition research and the health aspects of going veg. They will also receive a Veg Starter Kit packed with lots of useful info, such as basic nutrition advice, where to eat out in Singapore, what resources they can use for cooking at home, as well as restaurant vouchers to kickstart their exploration of the delicious veg options in Singapore. Other events will include a free cooking lesson that will feature simple and delicious recipes, and which will include an introduction to raw food as well.

How exactly will a participant's mentor act as a guide?
At the very minimum, a participant’s mentor will be there to help him or her with any related questions or struggles, such as having difficulty finding healthy veg food near his or her home, school or workplace. Aside from that, it’s really up to the participant and the mentor to decide! If they both want to, they could be visiting restaurants and cafes or cooking veg meals together, for example. It really depends. Aside from the participant’s direct mentor, there will also be an online support group comprised of all the mentors to guide participants in their journeys.

What can they hope to get out of this program?
We hope that they will come out of the program with a more informed and enlightened relationship with food, a much better appreciation of what having a vegetarian (or vegan, if they so choose) lifestyle is truly like, as well as a better understanding of themselves.

So once that's all said and done, what are some of the health benefits of going vegetarian?
Compared to people on typical omnivorous diets, vegetarians tend to consume less saturated fat and cholesterol, and they tend to consume higher levels of fiber, magnesium, vitamins C and E, antioxidants, carotenoids and phytochemicals. More specifically, nutrition research has shown that eating a vegetarian diet contributes to a reduced risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and certain types of cancer.

Does that mean all vegetarians are healthy?
It's possible for vegetarians to be unhealthy as well—theoretically, you can be vegetarian by consuming lots of junk food (such as French fries, potato chips, deep-fried food, and highly processed mock meats) without having to ever eat any fruits or vegetables. In that case, it's not surprising if you don’t reap any benefits from a vegetarian diet at all. The key is to know how to eat well and healthily.

How does one get the full set of nutrients from a vegetarian diet? Any tips?
Eat from a wide variety of whole foods (food in its natural, unprocessed state). You don’t have to worry about getting the exact balance of nutrients at every meal, because having a balanced diet generally will help you get the full set of nutrients over longer periods (such as in a day or in a week). Without going into what you need to eat to obtain a particular nutrient, I encourage getting most of your calories from whole grains (like brown rice, whole-wheat bread, rolled oats, barley and quinoa), vegetables (especially dark and leafy greens), legumes (like chickpeas, beans, lentils, and peas), nuts (especially almonds and walnuts) and seeds (like flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds). A daily vitamin B12 supplement would be great too.

Is mock meat really considered going vegetarian?
The short answer is, strictly speaking, mock meat is vegetarian as long as all the ingredients are vegetarian but a particular person might choose to exclude it from his or her diet due to personal reasons. For example, some are weirded out since mock meat tastes uncannily similar to real meat. Others think that focusing on mock meat invites comparison to real meat and indirectly continues to support the consumption of meat. There are also vegetarians who are concerned about the environmental impact of mock meat, mainly because most mock meat are made with soy, the farming of which has been associated with devastating the rainforest. Yet again others avoid mock meat—or at least, the highly processed types whose ingredients lists comprise of unintelligible chemical names—for health reasons.

What happens if they give up, or fix their craving for, say, a quarter pounder?
Of course, we would encourage participants to turn to their mentors when they feel like they want to give up, and the mentors would do their best to prevent that. But if that fails, and a participant caves in and grabs a quarter pounder, it's not the end of the world. After all, the 21-Day Veg Buddy Program is a promise made by participants to themselves and nobody else. We'll encourage him or her to evaluate the experience with the mentor, and discuss ways to prevent the situation from happening again (such as possible meat substitutes he or she can turn to when cravings hit). Everything is a learning experience!

Any parting words of advice to would-be vegetarians?
1) Be very sure about your motivations for going veg, and when you feel yourself wavering, remind yourself what they are.

2) Be curious about the impact of food on your health, the other living beings we share our planet Earth with, and the environment. Find ways to stay updated on the latest news in such areas – the Internet makes it very easy.

3) Transitioning to a veg diet means discovering a whole new world of cuisine that you likely have not tried before. Personally, I only realised how much good vegetarian and vegan food there is in Singapore after I became vegan. And two years ago, I would never have heard of things like nutritional yeast, chlorella, kamut, agave nectar, amaranth, Liquid Braggs Aminos and gourmet raw cuisine. So above all – have lots of fun and never stop exploring!

Veg Buddy Program runs from May 18-June 8. Registration closes May 3.

How did your journey begin?
A love of music and a vision to do something that was completely unique. What started out as a few digital doodles has turned in to a career that is taking me around the world and meeting amazing people. Next stop: India and Nashville. There's a contrast.

Which musician(s) blew you away?
The ones who can change your mood like Pink Floyd, Muse, Coldplay, The Stones, BB King and The Clash. Great music is timeless. If you still get it 30 years on it means something. Many of today's artists are media-created five-minute wonders.

Are these soundwaves in any way philosophical?
They are my own interpretation of a song. If the musicians like them then it is all good with me. I never set out to be an artist so everything else is just a fun journey. Let the song be philosophical.

Which artists' "energy" do you dig most?
It is all about the mood you are in and where you are. If I am running give me Audioslave, System of a Down or Queens of the Stone Age or any high energy beat. If I am relaxed at home I will listen to blues.

What other mediums would you like to explore with?
3D printing techniques and working with oversize resin blocks where the image becomes translucent and can be enhanced by subtle lighting. Also we are working on large building projections for exhibitions in the UK and US.

Ever rejected any artists?
I would offend people if I named names. I like to work with artists who write their own songs and ignore mainstream pop which is more about PR and looks.

What sort of art do you personally dig?
I enjoy art that is uplifting, humorous or tells a story. Dark and moody is not for me. I have wasted enough time on the negatives already. The art you like will probably reflect the person you are.

Soundwaves is on through May 31 at Icon Gallery.  

When I first started spinning… I just stayed in my room for nine months watching YouTube videos and practicing six to seven hours a day.

Song requests are… fine as long as they’re not weird.

I go weak in the knees for… Barbara Palvin.

I’m ashamed to admit that… I watch Gossip Girl.

Nothing beats… Ippudo’s Karaka-men on my cheat day.

The track that always gets me is… Zedd’s “Clarity”.

DJ Inquisitive spins at Avalon on Wednesdays and Fridays, 10pm onwards.

What exactly is Boundary about?
The inspiration for Boundary came from the unrest in Bangkok back in 2010. I’d never really cared much about the protests until then, when I saw how it truly affects us all, including through people’s reactions on social media. I met a soldier who volunteered in the three southernmost provinces of Thailand and was called to Bangkok to help break up the protests. I followed him to his hometown in Sisaket, which lies at the heart of the Thai-Cambodia political dispute over Preah Vihear Temple, where I started to shoot footage for Boundary. Talking to the villagers and observing the situation, I realized things were very different from what got told on the news. I didn’t want to tell a one-sided story, though, so I crossed the border into Cambodia for another perspective. Basically, Boundary acts as the medium to bring the untold story of Preah Vihear into the public sphere—something that the title also refers to.

Have you experienced any governmental intervention before?
Not directly, only from seeing what happened to other filmmakers like Tanwarin Sukapisit with Insects in the Backyard and [director of photography] Manit Sriwanichapoom’s Shakespeare Must Die.

Did you have any idea that it would be banned?
To be honest, I really didn’t expect that the film would be banned as it had already screened at the Salaya International Documentary Film Festival where it received a positive response. Some people who watched it even told me that it’s a film that all Thai people should watch, because while it presents different lines of thought, the underlying message is that we can make compromises and live together. 

What did the censorship board say about the ban?
In the letter, the committee said that the method used to tell the story is inappropriate as it’s contradictory to what appeared in court. They concluded by saying that the film could lead to the instability of Thai-Cambodia relations. But I feel the opposite. Personally, I believe it will create a better understanding of the problem.

You decided to appeal against the decision?
I didn’t think the film should be banned at all. I requested the 18+ rating for Boundary, because people that age are mature enough to understand right and wrong, as they have the right to vote. To ban such a film is to look down on the intellect of your people. You might be afraid that the content could lead to an international dispute—but, personally, I believe disagreement and civilized debate can help develop this country.

But they then reversed their decision?
I think the reaction on social media helped me to get people’s attention giving me the chance to speak out and share my experiences regarding the film. I then received a call from the censorship board saying that the original decision was not from the board but a sub-committee. The board watched the film and just asked me to mute the sound for two seconds at the beginning of the film (which said “Let’s celebrate 84th Birthday of HM The King”). I agreed to do it as it’s actually not the main part of the film and it won’t change the message without that sentence. Now my next step is talking to the theaters to try and finalize the screening schedule.