Army soaks up tech-school yobs

Just as we were getting used to Lt Colonel Wanchana "Phupun Bird" Sawasdee being the unofficial spokesman for the tardy King Naresuan movie franchise, in which he has the title role, the Army has reassigned him.

Thankfully it's not to an inactive post, not at all. While we're waiting for the final Naresuan episode to premiere, Wanchana is going to be chief instructor for the Suparb Burut Archeeva project. This is where the Army intends to turn those constantly battling vocational students into "gentlemen".

The course begins on July 17 at the Pa Waii "special warfare unit" camp in Lop Buri. "The name might sound scary," Wanchana said on the Rawangpai channel. "It's where we train the Special Forces, but members of the public have used the facilities too. And the student training won't be as tough as standard military training."

Wanchana will spend 10 weeks trying to instil some sense of social responsibility in 150 vocational students. "We realise that some kids might afterward go back to fighting, but we hope for the best." He was asked whether the Army would conduct more "gentleman" courses in the future. "I hope not. If there were another course it would suggest our first efforts weren't good enough!"

Nobody's fools

TV host-writer Wannasingh Prasertkul and his electronic-rock band Rhashomon took a sizeable break after their first album "Shin City" but they're back now, and with a new singer - Suripas "Farm" Phoochai.

Meanwhile Wannasingh has set up his own label, San Kwan, which means the sharp edge of an axe - southern slang for a fool.

The new single "Uraiwan" has picked up 72,000 views on YouTube. It's about a primary-school pupil whose puppy love is unrequited. "It's one of our member's true stories and lots of people should be able to relate," Wannasingh tells Hamburger magazine. In fact, he says, access is key to the new album after the heavy satire of their first. "We want to make hit songs like everyone else!"