Who Is ’Pong

So who is…

A freak who enjoys discovering and sharing a simple beauty of life even in a strange place

That has been the tagline for many years (probably since 2006). It becomes one of those rare constants in an unsettling life of mine. There must be something close to the core that I’m stuck to it. This is my attempt to elaborate on it bit by bit.

A Freak, that Doesn’t Fit in

It feels like I’ve been a minority all my life and am proud of it. It is not just my Thai heritage (considering that a big chunk of my adult life is in the western world) or being queer. But also it’s the way I live my life that doesn’t always fit into social norms.  Anyhow, no harm is made to anyone, not even a threat or an act of antisocial. One may raise their eyebrows (but rarely) for a moment and move on. To me, I don’t really give a toss unless my action is offensive to others, irresponsible to the environment, or could put someone in danger.  I value individuality and uniqueness and like exercising my creativity.

Discovering and Sharing, and Taking It Seriously

That is pretty much what I do for a living—as a multimedia producer. I’m lucky enough that I enjoy what I do and get paid for it. To put a long story short:

My first profession was as a copywriter in event management. Yes, I can write.

I dropped that creative job completely and moved to Sydney. Hospitality wasn’t bad but it was really frustrating not doing something creative. So I started this blog as an outlet to put my photography to the world. Yes, I can photograph.

I went to COFA for a Master degree to get back in the video production area and the result was outstanding. Yes, I can do videos.

Strange Places, where Everywhere Is

Those nine years in Sydney, mostly with the significant one, came to an end. I made a fresh start back in Bangkok at the same time with a job offer as an online producer for World Bank Bangkok Office. That went on for four years. And then I went back and forth between Washington DC and Bangkok.  Now, I’m embarking on a new adventure as a digital nomad. All of these new places, new countries, and new experiences sound exciting, right? For me, that put me through a lot of grievances before I get acquainted with them. It takes months and years. But I do it anyway when there’s an opportunity because it flexes your resilience. And also, a strange place also refers to a state of mind. There was a deep dark phase that I’ve been through. Like moving cities, I find ways to deal with it.  That leads to the last point.

The Beauty of Life, because It Calls

I see something interesting from surroundings: the chirping of birds in the backyard, texture of back lanes, abandoned chairs, discarded PPE, and decadence of celebration. There are meanings to everything. This is how I get through and get sparkled.  Most of all, I see things can get better. I have gotten better. I can get better. It could be a long way but there always be a way. Optimism drives me. I’m an idealist.

16 February 2022, Bangkok