Sahaphab Virakamin (Mon)

Pop singer Sahaphap Tor Weerakhamin plays Mon, a complex personality,
who is an ace volleyball player.

The quiet-spoken character of Mon comes from a broken family. His father and mother constantly quarrel and do not accept that he is a katoey.
His role on the volleyball team is as its striker.

Sahaphab usually plays characters that are philanderers and says it was a big challenge to take on a katoey¹s role. He said: "Mon is a katoey who does not have a solid foundation in the family. A boy normally looks to his father as a role model. What Mon sees in his father- who for him represents men in general- is a domineering, exploitative person who batters his hard-working mother. Thus Mon chooses to imitate the female qualities of his much-admired mother and develops animosity towards men."

"It was quite a challenge to portray this character," He says "I had to get the nuance just right. In the team, two katoeys (Chaicharn and Giorgio) were really funny. But Mon doesn't laugh too much. When he looks at men, his eyes reveal a deep dislike of them. He regards them as oppressors, It¹s a role that gave me a chance to display my acting talent." Contrary to the often preconceived ideas many people have of katoeys-being noisy, flashy and sometimes tawdry- Mon is a sober, not-so-expressive person who likes to win. He is determined and highly confident.

Any similarities between himself and his character?

Mr Sahaphap laughs. "The real me," he says, "is quite distant in terms of temperament
from Mon. There is only one thing we have in common, that is,
we always try to give it our best shot in everything we do."