Straight from the heart

Few Thai TV shows last longer than a decade and popular talk show "Joh Jai" (Straight to the Heart) looks set to beat them all. On the air now for 17 years, it's ready to continue well into the future, although longtime host Sanya Kunakorn will no longer be at the helm.

Sanya is taking on a new job as the anchor of "Ta Sawang" (Sleepless in Bangkok), a new live show being produced by his company Deetalk for Modernine. While viewers will be able to catch the two shows, scheduling conflicts made it impossible for Sanya to do both.

For the programme's many fans, Sanya is symbolic of "Jor Jai". To them, he's a friend that they welcome into their homes every week to discuss a wealth of interesting topics.

Over the last 17 years, he's teamed up with Damrong Puttan, Narakorn Tiyayon and Piti Bhirombhakdi.

Soon after graduating from Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Architecture, Sanya got his first break, landing a job on "Petchakad Kwamkread" (Stress Executioner). He was then chosen as a moderator on "Cheab" before moving to JSL's "Joh Jai".

The 44yearold has also hosted "07 Show", "Sanya Mahachon", "At Mor Chit", and "The Icon".

Watchara Weawwuttinun, managing director of JSL, says Sanya owes his part of his success to the company, which as always supported him to the full and provided him with the avenues to showcase his ability.

Sanya agrees, adding that many of the Kingdom's leading TV hosts have been given their start by the company.

When he told the production company of his decision to leave, he was pleased at their genuine concern for his future.

"They didn't ask me, what about 'Joh Jai'? They asked whether I'd able to cope with my new task," he explains.

"Such affection is rare and it's the main reason why our partnership has thrived for so many years."

He's also proud of the high standards the show has maintained in an entertainment industry that is constantly changing.

"The fact that 'Joh Jai' can hold its head up high is not all down to me. I can take perhaps 50 per cent of the credit as the host but the other half must go to the production team.

"We've always done our best to keep up with the times, and while I'm sure that my replacement will follow the character and principles that we've proudly upheld, some changes are both healthy and natural."

Sanya remembers feeling despondent when Damrong, his cohost for 10 years, quit the show.

"My first reaction was that it would be impossible to go on. Then I realised the importance of perseverance," he smiles.

He's hoping viewers will adopt the same spirit of perseverance, pointing out that the "Jor Jai" production team remains unchanged and will be assuring the same high standards.

Piti Bhirombhakdi, who's cohosted with Sanya for the past two years, has also decided to leave, leaving the way open for JSL to come up with a brand new duo for the talk show.

He says he took the "Joh Jai" job not just because he loved the show, but also because of his admiration for Sanya.

"Sanya has a distinctive character and I've learnt a great deal from him. JSL is like a training institute and Sanya is my tutor."

"Ta Sawang", which airs Tuesday to Friday at 10.50pm, has Sanya interacting with the audience on a wide range of issues.

"We can talk about anything but it must be enjoyable and from a positive viewpoint. Hopefully, at the end it will develop to the point where we can solve some of the problems raised in the show."