There was a time when Krissada Sukosol Clapp was known as "Noi Wong Pru", referring to his status as a frontman of an early 2000s indie rock band. There was another period when he was known as Kriss, the creative director of The Siam Hotel, his family business. But in the past few years, people have started to recognise this wiry man, whose nickname is Noi, as a film actor. In his latest motion picture role, Krissada both gets to act and sing: Luk Thung Signature, in cinemas now, is a musical featuring five intertwining love stories, all connected by luk thung country music.
"Prachaya Pinkaew, the director, once said that he wanted me to be in his country music film because my look is such a contrast to luk thung, which would make the film interesting," said Krissada. "Sure, country music is different from who I am but since you're living in Thailand, pretty much everywhere you see people listening to luk thung."
Though the genre is not exactly his forte -- Krissada is a rocker by instinct and by training -- he still sees it as the genre representing pure Thainess.
"I respect luk thung immensely. I do believe that it's the purest form of Thai music and I like it because of the drawling voice, which in its recognisable style, is the technique that everyone can master," he said.
In the film, Krissada plays a business CEO who locks himself in the toilet whenever he stresses out. One day, he hears a cleaning lady (played by Kaimook Rungrat of The Voice) crooning a luk thung song, and it totally blows him away. When the cleaning lady finds out that there is someone in the toilet, she runs away while the CEO tries to track the owner of that beautiful voice.
It's a given that since this is a story about music, Krissada has to sing luk thung in the film. He said it is not much of an obstacle, since his character is tone deaf anyway.
"I was just copying my brother [Sukie Sukosol, a musician] who cannot sing. It was fun acting in this film," he said, laughing.
Krissada's first foray in acting dated back into his 20s when he was living in New York. He took theatre as his minor in college, then tried out for stage roles in many companies. But life in the Big Apple was not a bed of roses.
"If you know about acting, even when you're the best you learn that doesn't mean you can survive in acting. Especially in the US where it is highly competitive," said Krissada. "One of my American friends told me how lucky I am to be Thai-American because it means that I have two markets. If I don't succeed in one I still have the other. I am fortunate to have Thailand as my fallback."
He turned his back on New York when his brother was setting up a band, Pru, and asked him to return to Bangkok and join their musical venture as vocalist. He also hoped that being involved in the band would give him a chance to enter showbiz in Thailand.
The band debut in 2001 was a huge success. That was when people started to remember Krissada, not only for his half-raspy, half-bellowing voice but also for his stage antics -- Krissada going wild with his hands and feet adding to Pru's appeal in those days of the indie boom.
"[Because of my movement on stage] many people thought I took ballet classes when I was a kid, but I never did. I was just improvising," he recalled. "Getting on stage to me is like a kid giving a talk to everyone in the classroom. It was so scary so I have to move and feel my body as an instrument. I really try not to be me."
Pru defined the sound of the early 2000s, and it's Krissada's soft-roar that foregrounded the polished grunge of the band. And still, they peaked quickly and the band members went their separate ways after the second album.
Despite the time he had spent with Pru, Krissada always spared time to pursue his dream of acting. Though showbiz in Thailand is less competitive, he still found it not easy.
"I thought someone would ask me to be in a film but no one did. So I had my acting resume done and gave it to directors I wanted to work with," he recalled. "You can't just think that you are the singer and everyone will come after you. You have to go out for your job. You have to make it happen."
Since then, he has featured in different movies often in edgy roles. For example, he played a godsend drummer in the surreal comedy Thawan Yang Wan Yu (Bangkok Loco); a psychopath in 13 Game Sayong (13 Beloved); and a violent gangster in Unthaphan. Luk Thung Singature is his first feel-good role.
"The job of an actor is to try as much as possible. I just want to experience different things," he said. "Filming is where you can be surrounded by great people."
Krissada said that the young generation does not know him as a singer anymore. Instead, they recognise him more from his movie roles. But he hasn't left music altogether despite his involvement in film and in managing his family hotel. Krissada is about to finish his seven-years-in-the-making debut solo album, which will be released midyear.
"I have many personas. Some people might still know me as Noi Wong Pru where others called me by the name of characters I played. In the hotel world they know me as Kriss who created The Siam Hotel but if I go antique hunting then they know me as 'Sia Noi' because I know in depth about the antique world in Bangkok.
"I wear different hats in each passion I have which is quite enjoyable as I get to become different people. My passion in life does not rely on a single outlet. So if one does not work I will just wear another hat and take on a different role."
Krissada Sukosol.
Krissada Sukosol in the film Luk Thung Signature.
