Virahya "Gina" Pattarachokchai has kept the same Instagram profile picture since January 2016. It was a picture of herself standing next to her supermodel coach and mentor Metinee "Lukkade" Kingpayome, during the final round of The Face Thailand Season 2 -- the modelling-themed reality TV show. That night, the aspiring model and actress was declared the show's runner-up, not the winner as she hoped.
TeamCrisKade members congratulated Virahya, who said she won because of a group effort. Kantana
"I've been disappointed with myself since that day," admitted Virahya, 26, during our recent meeting. "I've won so many challenges on the show. I could've won the Final Walk too. Just one step away, and I didn't give it my all."
Slaying several runway and photo shoot challenges, Virahya had always been hailed as a strong competitor, with many people anticipating she'd be crowned the winner. But for the Final Walk -- the last runway challenge in front of live audiences to determine the season's winner -- she said she failed to give it her all as she wasn't able to handle the pressure of everyone's expectations.
"In each step that I took, I knew I was going to lose."
Since that day, Virahya has used the said photo for her every profile picture online, and even on her phone. A reminder of past mistakes, she said.
"I'll never be in that point again," she vowed. "This picture will be my motivation to do every single job as best I can, to keep to my own standard, and to do better each and every time."
At that point, Virahya didn't realise she'd get her chance at redemption in the show's All Stars season, which saw six of the country's most famous actresses and supermodels (usually there are just three) being paired up to mentor the show's past contestants and fan favourites for their second chance at winning. The competition began in February, and last Saturday, Virahya was able to finish what she started -- to fix that one last mistake to emerge as the winner after two years.
Now, her profile picture has changed. The photo -- taken moments after she was declared winner -- sees Virahya sandwiched between her original mentor Metinee and actress Cris Horwang, her other mentor this season.
Virahya 'Gina' Pattarachokchai. Pornprom Satrabhaya
She plans on keeping this picture for the time being.
"I like reminding myself always where I came from," said Virahya.
Originally from Ratchaburi province, the winner of The Face Thailand Season 4: All Stars said she grew up with a brother, playing with toy guns and bicycles as a kid. Later, she began discovering her mother's make-up and fashion TV shows. When her mother saw her interest, she sent Virahya to acting classes. She was just around 11 years old at the time.
In 2011, Virahya reached the Top 10 of the Thai Supermodel Contest and later began working as a model. In late 2015, she applied for The Face Season 2 at the encouragement of Sabina Meisinger -- the show's winner from Season 1 and a personal friend.
"At that point, I've been a runway model for two years and the experience was pretty monotonous. There were no ups or downs. I wanted to try something new and prove that I have a talent for it," she said.
After finishing as a runner-up on the show, Virahya got her break in soap operas and continued to strut the runways left and right.
Initially, she was apprehensive about coming back to All Stars, though when she learned that her mentor-turned-mother-figure Metinee already signed up, she hesitated no more.
As part of TeamCrisKade, the would-be winner underwent challenges from diving underwater, walking with snakes draped on her body, being hoisted from a sling, and even falling from the runway (she still carries bruises and scars on her legs today). Her fighting spirit, energy and enthusiasm -- which was palpable throughout our conversation -- sent her on the road to the Final Walk last week.
To make sure one of her team's finalists walked away a winner, mentors Metinee and Cris crafted out a show for Virahya and her teammate Darran to win the judges and crowd over. This includes wearing high heels, long skirts and being lifted 10m in the air -- all with no slings attached. The team was gearing for a win. And Virahya, despite her fear of heights, was all for making her mentors proud.
"I told myself I wasn't going to repeat the same mistakes," she recalled. "This is my stage. It has to be my day. Not anybody else's. Everyone was just there to send me on this Final Walk."
With that mantra in mind, she already walked out a winner.
Now, fresh from her win, Virahya is excited about all the future holds for her. As the winner, she'll get to attend a fashion week abroad, as well as a magazine photo shoot, among other prizes. She'll also resume her job as a host of entertainment news programme ET Thailand, and will be back hitting the runway soon.
Does she consider herself successful? Not yet, she said. Having her mentor as her idol, Virahya aspires to go far in her showbiz career.
"I hope one day people will remember me, that they will see me as their idol. That is the best I'm hoping to become."
One of the most important lessons Virahya said she's learned from her time on The Face -- aside from improved discipline and perseverance -- is to lose.
"If you already do your best, it doesn't matter if you win or lose. As a team, we can stumble and fall together," she said. "There can only be one winner in a game, and when we can accept that, we can get over it and head straight into challenges right away."
TeamCrisKade's final show saw Virahya and her teammate Darran braving it all for the team's victory.
In navigating her life as a public figure, one thing Virahya -- as well as her fellow contestants and mentors -- has to deal with is cyberbullying on social media. The mind games they played or the remarks they made on the show regarding other contestants or mentors saw them becoming the subjects of bombarding criticism from audiences who can't separate reality TV -- with its editing and dramatisation -- from reality.
Instagram, for instance, often turned a nasty battlefield after each episode ended, with viewers taking to the stars' personal account with curse words that are, at times, directed even at their family members. In the past, some have retaliated, while others chose to ignore those destructive comments altogether.
For Virahya, it's all in the positivity and letting go -- two abilities she said she is lucky to have.
"If I just read those comments over and over, and if I can't get over it and continue to sink into it, I wouldn't have the heart to do anything else with the whole country, the people I'll never meet in this entire life, chastising me. So, I guess we just have to let go. If not, we'll just wallow in misery forever.
"Some people often don't realise those negative comments affect others a lot. And not everyone can get over it the way I can. Not even the mentors," she added.
Virahya only has three words for those audiences. A quote she borrowed from the show's former mentor Marsha Vadhanapanich which goes in Thai, simply, "ya in gern".
"Don't get too caught up with the drama," she said.
Virahya is known for her twirling full turn move on the runway. Photo: Pornprom Satrabhaya
Mentor Cris Horwang gave Virahya a demonstration during the show's final challenge. Photos: Kantana
The Face Thailand 4: All Stars' challenges saw Virahya up in the air and underwater on her road to eventual victory. Kantana
Following her win, Virahya is pictured with her mentor Metinee Kingpayome, left, executive producer Piyarat Kaljareuk and mentor Cris Horwang. Photos: Melalin Mahavongtrakul
