How did you get your start in showbiz?
After finishing my bachelor’s degree in computer engineering in the USA, I moved back to Thailand and appeared in Ploy’s music video for “Dream On.” That’s how I discovered that I enjoy acting, so I decided to learn more about it. My parents don’t mind that I haven’t gone into the engineering field as they realize this is a great opportunity for me.

What projects do you have lined up?
I’ll have a lead role in a new stage performance entitled Wun Fun Tuen this month at M Theatre alongside my sister, Chereen (Nachjaree Horvejkul). Recently an Indonesian cosmetics brand held a poll on who their customers would rather meet, me or Korean singer Kim Hyung-jun. I got more votes so they set up a fan meet in Korea. Afterwards, an Indonesian entertainment company contacted me and asked if I would play a Korean doctor in a new movie because I have a Korean look. That’s my next big project.

How did you become known in Indonesia?
I was very surprised to discover that I have Indonesian fans. I think they know me as Nichkhun’s brother because 2PM once toured there. K-pop is very big in Indonesia. It’s good to know I have international fans who admire me and my work.

Do people often compare you with Nichkhun?
Definitely. People have compared us ever since I entered the entertainment business back in 2009, but we are not the same person. Nichkhun and I both studied abroad yet we’re very close to one another. I still keep in touch and support him in every way possible, though he’s usually in Korea rehearsing. I really don’t mind if someone compares me to him. I’m determined to just do my best and time will tell.

What do you make of your brother’s latest scandal (a DUI vehicle crash)?
It was a huge mistake, I think. He really needs to use it as a big life lesson and move on. It’s the type of thing that will make him stronger and help him become a better man. I’ve talked to him about the accident and told him it’s going to be okay, just don’t give up. He didn’t kill anyone. We’re all beside him, his family and his fans. If he was charged with a serious crime or fired from the band, I would be sad, but we have no right to call for anything to be done to him.

What are your future plans?
I will continue to work hard as an actor because I want to be a movie star. But if I can’t make it, I wouldn’t mind working with my mom in her pharmaceutical business. It would be great to find fame throughout Asia like my brother, so that more foreign people get to learn about Thailand. Interview by Monthakan Chantra

I have artistic parents but…my brother teaches math!

Television series soundtracks are…a wonderful way to reach people who might not otherwise have the chance to hear your music.

There’s something really magical…about writing with the person you love the most. I love writing with my husband Greg Laswell. We don’t do it often, but he’s my favorite music writing partner.

I’d like to work with…Paul Epworth. He produced a lot for Florence and the Machine and Adele and knows how to make a woman sound like a woman.

I go to bed…when everyone else is out drinking. I’m not a party girl.

Ingrid Michaelson is on September 10, 9pm at Esplanade Concert Hall.

How did you come up with the idea for the show?
I’ve always been conscious of the stereotypes people have about Indians. I have had non-Indians say that Indians are “dirty tongues twisters” right in front of me on many occasions. And I do have a law degree. I did the University of London's external program at Vanto Academy here in Kuala Lumpur in the late 1990s.

You approach racial relations in quite a direct way in this show. Why is this important?
Being subtle has its place. But sometimes, it is equally important to demand justice. In Malaysia and Singapore, we live in relative peace, which means we avoid friction with other races by swallowing racial slurs. In Indian Lawyers, we bring out racial slurs openly with humor. People realize they are not really antagonistic towards one another but instead laugh at themselves for stereotyping. They find out that much of stereotyping can be attributed to “mental typo errors.”

Share an interesting or funny incident that happened while you were rehearsing.
Well, many funny incidents actually happened in between or after the rehearsals. The actors would put to practice what they learned for the show. While having a break at a Mamak stall, they'd pretend to be lawyers and discuss law (especially when there were pretty girls sitting nearby).

If there’s one thing you’d like audiences to take away from the show, what would it be?
A wow feeling.

Indian Lawyers is on August 23-26 at Blue Room, The Arts House.
 

I’m constantly… singing in the shower. Doesn’t everyone?

Being up in the sky… blows my mind.

When I was young, I wanted to… be a magician.

The biggest challenge in spinning a mix is… making sure no one spills their drinks on me.

I would kill… to have a beer in my Jacuzzi.

I am inspired by… twilight at the beach.

My worst habit is… biting my shirt.

If I were an animal, I’d be a… black panther.

I love it when… people sing along at my performances.

If I had a million dollars… I would buy a house in Singapore.

My biggest pet peeve is… unreliable and dishonest people.

Sexy is… is this a new LMFAO song?

Justin Michael spins August 25 at Mink. $28 includes one drink.
 

I flirt… when I’m drunk.

If I were an animal, I’d be a… monkey. I am one.

The most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done is… walking into a pole while checking myself out from a reflection on a car window screen.

I’ve never bungee jumped but… I have jumped off cliffs.

Sexy is… the new Patek Phillipe Nautilus.

Twitter is… too fast for me.

When I was young, I wanted to… play to the trombone.

The craziest thing I’ve ever done is… eating durians till I got a nose bleed.

My worst habit is… being too nice.

I like it hard when… someone tells me off.

I get turned on when… she’s in control.

My biggest pet peeve is… bad odors.

I am inspired by… people that make a difference.

Mr. Has spins August 31 on the Zouk x W Singapore-Sentosa Cove MIXCHIEF event at Velvet Underground-Dance. $25-32 two drinks included.
 

I’m a loud and happy… drunk.

If I were an animal, I’d be a… very lazy cat.

Quantum physics… blow my mind.

My favorite comedies… are British.

I hate it when… people put the wrong things in the recycling bins.

The biggest challenge in spinning a mix is… dealing with bad monitor speakers.

I would kill for… a beer right now.

I bite… my nails. It’s a bad habit.

I hate… making the bed.

Music is… great, except when you’re trying to sleep.

When I was young, I wanted to… be an architect.

If I had a million dollars… I wouldn’t stop making music.

I zone out… the minute the TV is on.

Catchy melodies… inspire me.

Lazy Rich spins August 16 at Mink, $28 includes one drink.
 

Vasu Virajsilp,

owner of VaSLab Architecture

What projects do you have lined up?
I just finished RWB Thailand, a Porsche body-tuning studio. Now I’m working on the flagship store for Lenso (a car wheel manufacturer), a vacation house in Khao Yai, and a Christian cemetery in Chumphon.
What’s the latest architectural trend in Bangkok?
To be honest, I don’t follow the trends much. Trends come and go, but I believe really good architecture is timeless.
If you could design anything, what would it be?
I have always had the desire to design a museum. I once had the chance to design Noah’s Ark, a Christian museum in a park. But it didn’t get built. Hopefully, I’ll get another chance to complete the design and see it constructed.
What’s the most difficult thing about designing buildings?
To make decent architecture on a low budget. Actually, designing is not that difficult compared to dealing with people who don’t understand or respect an architect’s profession.
What do you think will be the next big thing in architectural design?
Architecture that can withstand and survive natural disasters.
What public spaces do you want to see more of in Bangkok?
More museums and parks would be nice. Bangkokians need more spirituality and less materialistic sustenance.

Boonlert Hemvijitraphan,

owner of Boon Design

What projects do you have lined up?
I’m working on an urban park restaurant in Bangkok and doing interior design for shops as part of the Venezia project in Hua Hin, and, of course, some private residential projects.
What’s the latest architectural trend in Bangkok?
We’re moving away from plain buildings with just the one surface or texture, to multi-layered buildings which play around with different shapes and dimensions.
If you could design anything, what would it be?
It would be a sacred place where people can put into practice the Buddhist teachings; these places are disappearing and being replaced by malls.
What do you think will be the next big thing in the architecture world?
That would be going green and getting back to nature. By going back to the basics, we will get rid of all the complicated designs and just try to make buildings that seem as natural as possible.
What’s the most difficult thing about architectural design?
It’s all about your mindset: if you believe that anything is possible, you’ll have no difficulty designing anything.
What changes can we expect in architectural design in the future?
The growing threat of natural disasters, like flooding, will prompt dramatic changes in architecture, both in terms of design and materials, in order to create stronger and more versatile structures.
What public spaces do you want to see more of in Bangkok?
It would be fantastic to have a community mall that’s somehow integrated with a park, to make you feel as if you’re surrounded by nature, even if you’re in a concrete urban environment.

Pitupong Chaowakul,

owner of Super Machine Studio

What projects do you have lined up?
Classrooms, a small hostel with student facilities. In addition, my office has been very lucky to work on a growing number of culture-related projects. These are very diverse but mostly fun. We are also designing the Big Mountain Music Festival, as we do every year.
What’s the latest architectural trend in Bangkok?
Perhaps buildings with expensive vertical gardens—that’s what I’m noticing many people are incorporating into their projects.
If you could design anything, what would it be?
Police stations. I think they are very interesting in terms of the complexity of the social issues they have to deal with. From what we see in the news, it’s a soap opera in a building: husbands and wives quarrelling, drug dealers and delinquent kids misbehaving. But at the moment, they look very boring. I would like to make them more transparent, friendlier, more fun, more like social facilities that people aren’t intimidated to go into and spend time in. 
What’s the most difficult thing to design?
Definitely a house! Most people who come to an architect office looking for someone to design their house are doing it for the first time. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it just adds to the process. Sometimes architects are like psychologists standing between a couple fighting over different requirements. It’s not always like that, but designing a good house is a very delicate process. It requires time, effort and understanding. I don’t purposely avoid such projects, but over the last ten years, I have only designed one villa in my hometown.
What’s the next big thing in architectural design?
Buildings made with 3D printing technology. It’s not new but it’s started to become more widely available, if only at a prototype level. The technology is already used for objects like furniture. And when it’s cheap enough to be more readily available, it will change everything. Buildings will be built directly from a computer into their physical form. 
What public spaces do you want to see more of in Bangkok?
Museums and libraries. Bangkok needs ten times more of these. It would be nice to have just as many libraries as 7-11s. Wouldn’t it be fantastic to go around the city and see people reading, chatting and learning, instead of shopping or watching soap operas?

Pok Kobkongsanti,

owner of Trop Design

What projects do you have lined up?  
We just completed several projects, including the Hilton Pattaya, Casa de La Flora, Prive' by Sansiri, Zense Gourmet Deck and Quattro by Sansiri. At the moment, we are working on projects in Thailand, China, Singapore and India. In Thailand, we’re mostly working on high-end residential projects and some design for hotels like Hotel Indigo in Phuket.
How has landscape design changed over the past few years?
Over the last 5 years, developers have started paying a lot more attention to landscape design. Now it has become one of the best marketing tools to sell to their customers, for both hotels and condominiums. 
If you could design anything, what would it be?
We would love to design a public park or a plaza.
What architectural/landscape design trend has to go?
All trends will eventually go out of date, but personally I would say those that waste natural resources for no
reason at all.
What’s the most difficult thing about landscape design?
Even the simplest task can be the most difficult if you want to create something new. At my studio, we are trying hard not to copy other designers, or even our own projects.
What’s the next big thing in landscape design?
Going green and environmentally friendly. With global warming, I think this is a matter of urgency. Over the past 20 years, we have continually destroyed the environment, without a second thought. Unfortunately, we no longer have that luxury.
What public spaces do you want to see more of in Bangkok?
Footpaths that pedestrians can actually walk on without having to worry about cars or motorcycles.

I had wanted to work in diplomacy because I was good at English. But I ended up studying communication arts at Chula with the plan that I would move on the following year.

This faculty helped me find myself. It made me so happy to meet and communicate with people of many different backgrounds. Everyone was so unique.

I was president of a movie club. I loved watching movies and dreamed of one day being in one.

Everyone has a turning point. Mine came when I had to choose between being a flight attendant or an actress.

I choose to take risks in life because I believe true security can be found doing what you love to do.

It gives me great joy to take what’s a character on a piece of paper and turn it into a real person with real dimensions. That magical moment is why I chose to be an actress.

Acting is about believing, not pretending. You have to learn your character and really believe in them to achieve the purest portrayal.

I’ve grown up with GTH [one of the largest film studios in Thailand]. I started out as an intern, then worked with them as a freelancer before getting my first role in M.A.I.D (2004).

I used to get rejected due to my looks. But I didn’t take it too seriously because you can’t really tell anything about someone from a resume. It’s more stressful when people get to know you and they still don’t like you.

I don’t care when people say I’m not beautiful, because I am in love [with doctor-cum-singer Smith “Oak” Arayaskul]. But I’m still an ordinary person who feels sad sometimes. I don’t stay down for long, though, because I know I didn’t do anything wrong or lie to anyone.

I always get upset when I watch the political news. What the heck are these people doing to my country? We used to live in peace but now our country is in trouble.

Face your problems then move on. This advice might sound cliché, but I still find it difficult. I try to figure out my problems by myself rather than crying to others. But when I look back at some of the tough moments in my life, I feel that I was so silly!

Sometimes you need nothing more than someone to listen to your issues. I have more than half a million followers on Twitter and they often reach out to me about their problems. I reply when I can, if it seems their family members are in trouble or something. But I ignore them if it’s something like a cheating boyfriend.

No one is as stupid as a woman who is in love. This saying is from an ancient Vetala tale and even though it has been said for more than 2,500 years, I think it still applies today. Some women want to die because they don’t feel loved. That’s just absurd.

The young generation must lift their heads out from their mobile phones and social networking to embrace reality. They can learn so much from their family and from meeting real people. They also have trouble speaking because all they do is chat online and read headlines and tweets.

You have to find a balance between work and life. Even though I work seven days a week, I always find time for my family, whether it’s eating dinner with mom and dad, dropping my niece off to school or taking a trip with my grandma.

The world is our oyster; there is so much to learn. I’m not content to slave away and wait until I’m too old to do what I truly want to do. That’s no way to live.

You’re not a failure just because you don’t succeed at everything. If you keep on thinking that your life sucks, it will be that way until you die. Believe in yourself.

I love to read up about the history of a place before I visit, so that I can experience the hidden stories.

I don’t like e-books. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great innovation, but I love to hold a book in my hands. I love the feeling of reading printed word on paper.

Bangkok is the perfect city. I’ve been to many of the world’s leading cities, but none compare to here. There are great benefits to our chaos. In Europe, every shop is closed at 5pm, but here we can eat and shop at any time. We’re colorful 24/7.

How did you become Mae Baan Mee Nuad?
I just did it for fun. I started uploading pictures on my personal Facebook account and my friends suggested that I created a fan page of my own. I think there are a lot of people who have ideas like mine but they don’t have enough courage to execute them. But I’m beyond hesitating. I want to be a housewife and I have moustache. That’s all.

Do you work on this alone?
Many people think it is some huge production. They always ask me what camera I use and how I edit photos. But the truth is I only use an iPhone and a few applications like Camera 360 and FilterMania 2. There are just three people on my team, including me. I even cut all the costumes by myself.

What is your artistic message?
I think my message is that you don’t need to be a woman to be a housewife. There are no rules for living your life. For example, the light and composition are carefully studied, but the model is not perfect.

Is your family supportive?
My parents, who are in Satun, have no idea that I am Mae Baan Mee Nuad because they don’t get involved with the digital world. But I think my sister knows, maybe. Anyway, my boyfriend knows it’s just what I do for fun and he’s happy for me.

What are you doing these days?
I just graduated in film and video at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang and I’m continuing a master’s degree in strategic communication. I’ve also just applied for a job.

Will people at your workplace know about Mae Baan Mee Nuad?
I want to separate Mae Baan Mee Nuad from my real world because not everyone can accept it. I once had a job interview and they said they hate gays. I walked away from the room when I heard that. But I normally don’t get bullied because people around me accept who I am.

Where do you think Thai society stands on these issues?
Thai society tolerates homosexuals, but it does not fully accept us. Thai people realize and respect our abilities, especially in the fields of creativity and entertainment, but when it comes to careers in government, they don’t accept who we are. I also don’t like how most people expect us to be funny all the time. I want society to see what we can do apart from having a hilarious personality.
Find Mae Baan Mee Nuat at http://on.fb.me/MaQJM8

Who are your biggest comedic influences?
Dan Clarkson: We are both huge Monty Python fans and love their surreal style and unique approach. Growing up watching Saturday Night Live re-runs also helped push our love for spontaneous improvisation.

How difficult was research on the Harry Potter series?
DC: Not very. To be honest, when you sit down with a tub of popcorn and butterbeer to watch the movies (and get to say it's for work), life becomes pretty good!

What were the biggest challenges putting together the show?
DC: Getting it down to seventy minutes. The first draft ran closer to seven hours. We try to remain loyal to the books, but often do find ourselves replacing 500 pages of plot with a silly hat and funny voice.

Have you ever had a Harry Potter fan take the show badly?
Jeff Turner: Not that we know of. However, if we ever get anything wrong on stage—due to a slip of the tongue or a mental block—they are not shy to correct us. Loudly!

How do you keep the performance from getting old?
JT: We constantly surprise each other. Dan tries to make me laugh on stage. The audience loves it! Also, a fair proportion of the show is improvised. That forces each version to be different.

Potted Potter is on September 4-16 at DBS Arts Centre home of the Singapore Repertory Theatre.