the singer known for smiling so easily, Ice Sarunyu has not only been able to save for a home but is also planning on taking his mom to europe.

when they got the chance, the newsreporter from Dara Siam asked Ice about his 10 million baht home. Ice states that…

“i didn’t build the house myself, its a house within a neighborhood. the cost isnt really 10 million but its close to it. if you include all the decorating and improvement costs then i guess it would be 10 million.”

How were you able to save up that much money? ice answers “i work a lot, i work without knowing how to be tired. i don’t know if ill still be standing in this position 2 years from now, its not that im stingy and greedy, but i accept every piece of work i can. i don’t come from a family that is well off. and till this day i have been able to do things for my family i wasnt able to before. they are in a better position now and better off than before. and my working hard has allowed me to have a new home as well. and soon i will take my mom to europe, it has really changed our lives.”

And now are you going to start keeping gold to save up? ice says “well right now i’m looking at land, but im just a kid that likes to dream. but i think with land, there is nothing wrong with that because you can keep it to pass on to your kids and grandkids later on”

In the future, would you open your own business? ice says “hoo… that will probably hard. i dont think i would be able to keep up with the business people. but i do think of what i would do if i wasnt a singer, and ive found that i like to travel. so maybe ill set up a little tour guide or something.”

Ice is the feature and cover story of this week’s Student Weekly Magazine

Ice exports more Thai pop to Japan
Forget about boring stuff like rice and seafood. Lately it seems like Thailand’s most exciting export is showbiz talent. Big names like Tata Young, Palmy and Golf-Mike have become favourites of music lovers across Asia.For acts like those, the first destination on the journey to going inter is often Japan. The latest rising star to head for the Land of the Rising Sun is Sarunyu Winaipanit (Ice).

Fledgeling Japanese music label Asienter has been searching all over Asia to find the newest and hottest stars. It’s not surprising, then, that the 23-year-old Thai singer’s fresh-scrubbed looks, bubbly personality and catchy pop tunes captured the attention of the label’s executives.

“Asienter’s talent scouts saw me in the music video for ‘Khon Jai Ngai (Easy to Fall in Love),’” Ice said. “They liked my personality, so they contacted Grammy executives. I’m now working with two labels.”

PIONEER SPIRIT
As Asienter’s first artist, Ice feels a certain weight of responsibility on his shoulders. Despite that stress, he’s having no trouble keeping an upbeat attitude.

“I’m glad that the label wanted to invest in me,” he said. “They’re risking a lot of money to promote me — just like they would for a Japanese artist. I kind of feel like that’s a burden, but I’m not stressed. I’ll just do my best.”

Though he’s willing to work hard to make it in Japan, there was one change that Ice just couldn’t make.

“In Japan, shaving your eyebrows is stylish,” he said. “I have to work in two countries, so they approved my Thai look.”

MASS APPEAL
Whether or not it’s thanks to their eyebrows, Golf-Mike are a hit with younger Japanese fans. Ice doesn’t feel the need to measure up to the popular brother act and believes that his music appeals to a wider age range.

“My songs sound like music from the ‘80s, but I look young,” he said. “We’re targeting a mass audience, so I have fans from little kids to older people in both Thailand and Japan.”

Performing in two countries has given Ice a more worldly view of and appreciation for his fans. It’s helped him to realise that not all of his admirers are alike.

“My Japanese fans are nice and modest,” he said. “Thai fans are shy, but Japanese fans like to chat with me. Over there, it’s difficult to get close to performers, but I let them come close. My fans there feel that I’m easy-going.”

Japanese fans are getting even more chances to get close to Ice. He’s touring Fukuoka, Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo, performing shows and promoting his singles.

FACE TIME
While chatting with fans is fun, what makes the tour even more exciting for Ice is the chance to share the stage with Japanese performers.

“I don’t know who I’ll meet yet, but I’m Asienter’s only representative, so I have to work hard to get ready,” he said.

On his first foray into the Japanese music market, Ice isn’t expecting to be as big a hit as Golf and Mike have become. He’s keeping his expectations realistic and simply hopes that passersby on the streets of Tokyo or Osaka will know who he is once in a while.

“I’d like to have somebody recognise me as I am walking around in Japan,” he said. “That would satisfy me.”

credit to Bangkok Post Student Weekly