With global hits like ‘Full House’, ‘Girl from Nowhere’ and ‘2gether: The Series’, it is a no-brainer that the popularity of Thai dramas is on the rise. In this era of multiculturalism, fans worldwide have shown an increasing fascination towards celebrities with multicultural roots. Following are some Thai celebrities who have gained vast cultural experience by pursuing education abroad.
1. Metawin Opas Iamkajorn
Popularly known as Win, Metawin is a rising Thai actor with Chinese ancestry. He received global recognition through his portrayal of ‘Tine’ in his debut show '2gether: The Series'. Win went to the USA in 11th grade and attended Belmond–Klemme Community School District in Iowa. Additionally, in the summer of 2015, he went to Taiwan as a part of a 42-day summer program, where he learned Mandarin.
2. Kay Lertsittichai
26-year-old Kayavine, is famous for his diverse roles in various shows such as ‘Who Are You?’, ‘F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’, and ‘Home School’ among others. In 2019 he completed his bachelor’s in Actuarial Science from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, USA. He was also an exchange student at Guilford High School, USA. As a rising YouTuber with a whopping subscriber count of 1.57 million, Kay constantly keeps his fans hooked.
3. Poo Praiya Suandokmai
Also known as Lundberg Nataya, Poo is a 34-year-old Thai actress and model of Swedish descent. She is praised for her roles in ‘Rak Dai Mai Thar Hua Jai Mai Pean’ (TV debut), ‘Maa Kap Phea’ (Film debut), and ‘Bangkok Adrenaline’ among others. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Philosophy and Politics from Oxford Brooks University, United Kingdom.
4. Poh Nattawut
Natthawut Skidjai, popularly known as Poh, has been active in the Thai entertainment industry since early 2000. He is famous for his roles in dramas such as ‘Conniving Bedfellows’, ‘Daai Daeng’, ‘Mist of Love’ and numerous others. Poh holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Southeastern University, England.
5. Pechaya Wattanamontree
Min Pechaya is a talented Thai actress and model. Interestingly, she is also a skilled basketball player as she won the gold medal at Unity No.29 Chamchuri Games. At the age of 15 years, she participated in the World Experience Program at Columbia Falls High School, Montana, USA. Some of her famous works include ‘Plah Boo Thong’ (2009) and ‘Ruk Nai Marn Mek’ (2010).
6. Stewart Nakhuntanagarn Screaigh
Perth (nickname) is Half-Thai – Half Australian. Owing to his mixed lineage, he speaks English, Thai, and Japanese fluently. Perth received his acting breakthrough through his debut drama ‘My Engineer’ (2020). As a result of the show’s popularity, Perth’s fanbase sky-rocketed landing him supporting roles in hit series’ such as ‘Cutie Pie’ and ‘KinnPorsche’. He had the opportunity to study at the University of Western Australia.
7. Nat Sakdatorn
Nat Sakdatorn is a famous Thai singer-songwriter and actor. After class 8th, he went to the USA where he finished high school at the Peddie School in Hightown, New Jersey. He then completed his bachelor’s in economics from Harvard University. He also took music courses at Berklee College of Music before his return to Thailand. Nat emerged as the victor of the 4th season of the reality talent show True Visions’ Academy Fantasia amassing a huge fan following in the process.
8. Krit Amnuaydechkorn
Also known as PP, Krit is famously known for his role as Oh-Aew in ‘I Told Sunset About You’ (2020) and ‘I Promised You the Moon’ (2021). In class 11th, he went to the USA for a year as an exchange student. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurial Economics from Kasetsart University. Krit made his official debut as a singer through his single ‘It's Okay Not To Be Alright’ (2021).
9. Poompat Iam Samang
Nicknamed ‘Up’, Poompat rose to popularity through his role as ‘Gene’ in the famous series ‘Lovely Writer’. His Korean looks are well-loved by Thai fans. Before his debut, Up participated in ‘The Gifted’, a student film, and was famous for his appearance on the ‘Chula Cute Boy’ page. He has a master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from a university in England.
10. Jirakit Kuariyakul
Famously called “Toptap”, Jirakit started as a child model, until he landed the role of ‘Poom” in the hit show ‘Love Series’. He majored in Business administration at Mahidol University International College and also went to the USA for a year under the AFS program. Outside acting, Toptap is known for his Japanese restaurant Fuku Intown and jewelry brand FOEM.
