Earlier this year, Kamol "Suki" Sukosol Clapp cleared out his desk at music company Love Is, played a final concert with progressive band Pru and announced that he was taking time out.

Now, eight months later he's back and brimming with enthusiasm about his latest project - a reality show that will see Suki travelling around the country on a motorbike and talking with guests who are pursuing their dreams in unconventional ways.

He's calling the show "Dream Chaser".

"In fact, it's a documentary produced in reality show style. But it's unlike other Thai TV reality shows where the participants act unnaturally when the camera focuses on them.

"I am not shy about doing anything so viewers will get the real me. It has to be a reality show because I can't act," says the 38-year-old musician, who co-founded Bakery Music Company with Boyd Kosiyabong 13 years ago.

Suki has made music his life since graduating with a degree in music technology from New York University. When Bakery was taken over by BMG, he and Boyd formed Love Is.

"After so long in the music business, I found I was bored. There were no challenges any more."

He has spent the last eight months with his family and in the gym, working off 17 kilograms of excess weight. The idea for the reality show was sparked when his teenage son Nino developed a keen interest in motorbikes.

Suki bought one and soon rediscovered the joy of riding two-wheelers.

"One day I thought instead of just riding for fun, why not make a show?" he says.

Suki will start his journey on January 10 with close friend, Tim LaMountain, who is jetting over from New York.

Suki has known LaMountain since he was 18. "We met at the gym and we've been friends ever since."

The pilot tape shows Suki having a spiritual tattoo put on his back, although he isn't Buddhist and doesn't believe in superstitious practices.

"My friend believes in spiritual tattoos. I didn't plan to do it because I am Christian.

"But the monk was very convincing," he explains.

The two-month journey, which begins in the east of the country, will take him over more than 8,000 kilometres into Laos, to Vientiane and Luang Prabang.

Guests include Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation founder Soraida Salwala and Lao-Australian actor Ananda Everingham.

"For the Laos segment, Ananda and I will be tracing his mother's side of the family," says Suki.

Ananda's mother is Lao-born Keo Sirisomphone, and his father the Bangkok-based photojournalist John Everingham. His parents' love story became well known after his dad swam across the Mekong River to rescue Keo in 1977.

Their romantic story was dramatised in the 1983 NBC television movie, "Love Is Forever", starring Michael Landon and Laura Gemser. Ananda and his family were only granted permission to enter Laos two years ago.

Also appearing in the show are Boyd, who will talk about his faith in God, and actor-musician Monton Jira, whose latest album was recorded in the US and features Justin Timberlake.

Suki shrugs off comments that his project may remind some of the 2004 "Long Way Round" journey by Scottish actor Ewan McGregor and his friend Charley Boorman, who rode motorbikes through Russia, Europe, Mongolia, Alaska and North America to raise money for Unicef.

Suki says he's aware of their trip but never thought about copying the idea.

"In the early days of Bakery Music, we were always being criticised. People said our songs reminded them of other songs, but finally the public accepted us.

"It's the same this time. I don't mind about the comments because I'm focused on my work. You just do your best and the audience will approve," he says.

He's also looking forward to learning about the TV business, a completely new experience. But he doesn't rule out returning to the music industry in the future.

"I'm from a family of artists," he says.

Aside from the sheer pleasure of travelling, Suki is opening his mind to absorb the details of his trip.

"As the saying goes, it's not a destination, it's the journey. I believe I'll learn a lot."

Suki and LaMountain will ride motorcycles sponsored by BMW and will sometimes be joined by guests for parts of the journey.

"He's been doing weird things since he was young," says Suki's mother, Kamala. "All I can do is wish that he stays safe throughout the journey."

"We haven't done much in the way of safety precautions," says Suki. "We'll have the motorbikes for a month before we leave to get used to them. I've also ordered the best suits to protect our bodies from injuries."

Suki and his brother Krisada - singer-actor Noi from Pru - are writing the score for the show.

"We're thinking 1970s rock 'n' roll," he says.

The show is scheduled to be aired in March, but Suki won't tell us which TV station is getting the deal.

Parinyaporn Pajee

The Nation