Coconuts Bangkok’s fearless interpreter and translator Christal has tracked down superstar motosai taxi driver Dejchat Puangket for an interview!
Dejchat became a celebrity in Thailand on Valentines’ Day Feb. 14 for tweeting and blogging photos of the aftermath of the bombings that happened on Sukhumvit Soi 71. He has remained extremely humble though and is saddened by the whole affair.
“It is so sad that it’s happened in Thailand. It doesn’t matter who loses or who dies, we all lose. What I want is peace on earth. I don’t want something like this to happen in any country.”
Dejchat heard about the bombing from a fellow motosai as he was working on Soi 71 and rushed to the scene. “My first thought was to take photos and put them on Twitter and his blog. It was important and I wanted to share it with the world and with other people in Bangkok. I wanted people in other areas of Bangkok to know what happened.”
About Twitter and social media, Dejchat says he wants to use new technologies to help his business. “Most motosais do nothing when they don’t have a customer. I wanted to make a website and use Twitter so I can get more customers. I get messenger work from Twitter.”
He bought a book to learn basic internet use and spent two years studying it. Now, besides his Twitter account and blog at OKNation, he has websites about his hometown of Rasi Salai District in Sisaket Province and for his messenger service.
“I want people to know about my hometown and how they live. I want people to know about the nature and the buffalos. The younger generation almost never has a chance to see this type of animal. And they don’t know about when the rice field turns from green to a golden yellow color,” he said.
Dejchat batted aside any talk of being a hero for being first on the scene and documenting, and again reiterated his dismay at the incident. “I just think it’s sad that it happened,” he said.
Has he gotten any new job offers with his newfound fame?
“I’ve gotten a few offers, he said. One person from a news organization offered a job as a journalist, but I said, ‘No thank you.’ I like being a motosai taxi driver, it’s more fun and I have more freedom.”
Phenomenal!
We at Coconuts Bangkok would like to nominate Dejchat as global person of the year.
