Jirakit Thawornwong, also known as Mek, started his career a decade ago in his native country of Thailand. And at the age of twenty-nine, he has already made a name for himself as both an actor and a promising singer. While the latter is still in the making, one can be sure that he will reach that musical peak soon. 

Although the seven-hour time difference set us apart, Mek and I sat down over a Zoom call and began our conversation about how music became the artist’s first love.

“When I was a child, my dad took me to a concert of his favourite artist, and I was mesmerised by that. I really loved how that artist interacted with the audience and how the audience connected with the singer. I truly enjoyed the vibe of that show; people laughed, people cried, and it was wonderful to see [at that time]. And later on, I really wanted to become a singer”, Mek candidly confessed, then added that he never really thought of becoming an actor: “While companies were approaching me to sign contracts and become an actor, I always said no, as it wasn’t for me [at that time]”.

Twists of fate often lead to unexpected paths, and Mek reflected on the early days of his musical dream and shared his initial desire to become a drummer. Little did he know that a seemingly casual visit to his sister’s singing lesson would alter the course of his passion.

“Before anything else, I wanted to be a drummer, and at that time, my mum took my sister to a singing lesson, and I tagged along. The singing teacher said to me, ‘You have a good face, but as a drummer, no one will really see you. Do you want to try singing and take the class with your sister?’”, Mek explained. 

Caught between drumming and singing, Mek found himself at a crossroads. His mum, recognising the potential in his voice, encouraged him to enrol in the singing class with his sister. It was a decision that would reshape Mek’s future. Contemplating that particular moment, the artist acknowledged, “I did realise that I loved to sing, so drumming was pushed aside. When you think of it, when you are a drummer, you do have to have a drum kit and a practice room, but when you practice singing, it can be done anywhere, really”.

During this time, Mek described himself as a shy, introverted, and socially awkward individual. The singing lessons not only helped him to improve his vocals but also became a vehicle for personal growth. Mek shared, “After taking singing lessons, I have to admit that my singing teacher taught me how to be more confident, not only while singing but also performing”.

Encouraged by his mentor, Mek was advised to participate in singing competitions. The rationale was clear – it would provide invaluable experience, bolster confidence, and teach him the art of performing under pressure. With that in mind, the artist took part in The Star. Regardless of setbacks, he presented his talent on the seventh season, representing Central Thailand. Despite not securing a spot in the Top 24, Mek, after all this time, is still determined to make it as a singer. He made a second attempt on the eighth season of the show, this time representing Southern Thailand, which showed similar results. However, fate had other plans for this ambitious artist.

GMM Grammy and GMMTV, one of the main players in the Thai entertainment industry, recognised Jirakit’s potential and offered him a contract. While under contract with the company, Mek’s aspirations for a singing career did not go the way he had envisioned. Despite recording songs with GMM Grammy, the genre did not align with his Rock music dreams. Shortly after signing the contract, Mek found himself more involved in acting rather than recording music. His debut in the feature film Part Time Lover (2013) opened more opportunities for further roles, primarily in TV dramas, including Room Alone 401-410 (2014), Ugly Duckling: Don’t (2015), Room Alone 2 (2015), Kiss: The Series (2016), and various roles in the U-Prince Series in 2016 and 2017, such as Handsome Cowboy, Foxy Pilot, Extroverted Humanist, and Crazy Artist. 

In his role as Zero in the Ugly Duckling series, Mek presented his versatility as an actor. The show, adapted from a series of novels published by Jamsai Publishing, allowed Mek to dive into the character and bring it to life on screen. Mek shared his experience, saying, “Ugly Duckling is a popular novel here in Thailand. Prior to shooting, I bought the books and read them, and I imagined my role after reading the novels. I built the character based on what I read. It wasn’t too hard to immerse myself in creating Zero. Having a source to rely on is great. So, when I read those novels, I imagined the live-action film. I did my homework when preparing for this work, for sure. I [hate to admit that] I felt comfortable in the character of Zero”.

In 2021, Mek portrayed a couple of diverse characters in two well-known shows, An Eye for an Eye and The Player. In the former, he brought Kam to life, while in the latter, he portrayed the intriguing character of Matt, a role that holds a special place in his heart.

Reflecting on his roles, Mek chuckled, saying, “Looking back at An Eye for an Eye, I must admit I did forget about that”. He then laughed and added, “It depends on how immersed I was in a character. If there was not much to it, it is hard to keep old roles in mind. When it comes to Matt, I loved that role. For both roles, I did prepare as much as I could to make them memorable for the audience. You have to also understand that sometimes, for supporting roles, the characters are limited, so they tend to slip away from an actor’s mind. But if you ask me which role I found more interesting, it was definitely Matt’s character”.

A year later, Mek took on the role of Khuafah in Sky in Your Heart. The show, adapted from the novel Star and Sky by Peachhplease, showed that the actor can find himself in varied roles, including a BL role. Discussing his portrayal of Khuafah, Mek shared, “The show was adapted from the novel, and obviously, I read it ahead of shooting. That said, it was a bit tricky to be like Khuafah, as he was described as a tall and handsome young man. It was slightly superficial, to be honest; he felt very unreal when it came to his looks”. Mek laughed and commented further, “Having said that, there were a few traits in Khuafah’s character that are similar to mine as well, so I did enjoy playing him. The good thing was that there were times when I could improvise and add a few things here and there to make his character more exciting. I was lucky [that I was given a green light to do so]”.

As we discussed Mek’s acting experiences, I discovered his charming and witty personality. He brought a delightful and interactive element to our conversation, making it thoroughly enjoyable. Hearing his narrative and gaining insights into his career within the entertainment industry showed Mek’s courage and resilience. As the saying goes, adversity can build strength, and Mek is undoubtedly moving ahead despite the challenges he has faced. My curiosity also led me to inquire about his future as a singer, and this is what the artist had to say: “Going back to the times when I was under the company, I did get a chance to sing and record songs. Unfortunately, the songs I was told to sing weren’t in the style I wanted. But after leaving the company, I am planning to work on Rock music and hopefully release some music this year”.

Following our conversation about singing and Mek’s work with the company, he openly shared that, as an independent artist, he now feels unbridled and unrestricted, and he looks forward to his future projects. He expressed, “I am truly content; I can pour my passion and hard work into my future work. My goal is to create my own music and craft my own lyrics, and I’m excited to be in charge of my musical direction. I have complete autonomy, with 100% control over my artistic work now”.

As we spoke about Mek’s musical influences, it was exciting to discover a diverse range of artists that will surely shape his future music-making. A surprising mention was Bring Me the Horizon, a British rock band. Equally surprising was learning that Mek honed his English language skills while watching Russell Brand and his comedy shows.

Moving to a more relaxed topic, we explored Mek’s hobbies and leisure activities. Among his favourites are reading books, spending quality time with friends, and attending music festivals in Bangkok. He definitely knows how to make his life exciting!

As our long conversation neared its conclusion, I asked Mek about his future acting plans. With excitement, he revealed an upcoming show titled My Stand In, set to be available on the iQiyi channel, where he portrays a morally ambiguous character. The show itself is based on the novel Stand-In Ship by Shui Qiangcheng, and it’s the first Chinese web novel to be adapted into a Thai drama. And, despite the incoming TV projects, Mek expressed his keen focus on enhancing his singing career in 2024. I can only say this: move forward and don’t give up, Mek!

Written and interviewed by Maggie Gogler

Featured image courtesy of Mek

_{View of the Arts is an online publication that chiefly deals with films, music, and art, with an emphasis on the Asian entertainment industry. We are hoping our audience will grow with us as we begin to explore new platforms such as K-pop / K-music, and Asian music in general, and continue to dive into the talented and ever-growing scene of film, music, and arts, worldwide.}