One of the most respected young men in Thailand today is in the business of changing young people’s lives.

The shy and unassuming man is fondly called Weera and he claims that his calling to serve the country came when he was still at the university not too long ago.

Weera Sandee, fresh out of college and starting a future in entertainment, noticed that in just barely a year of his career, many actor and singer-friends of his passed away, sending him thinking about the fleeting nature of fame and the transience of life. The confluence of circumstances and the realization that one can never bring to his grave all the wealth and fame led Weera to venture to a more meaningful job.

“I quit my job in 1998 and decided to use my experience to teach young people around Thailand to use media as a tool to make their lives better. I have not regretted it a minute since,” Weera narrates when we met him during a recent trip to Bangkok.

UNICEF jumpstarted him, seeing in him perhaps a young idealistic partner. Weera’s passion and sincerity have since brought various government ministries to his doorstep with promises of funding support: Even the Thai Army, and Plan International have partnered with him.

He has since trained thousands of people under 18 in the rudiments of video production, media work and everything else in between but with a novel twist: Weera links the lessons and media training with life skills preparation.

THAI YOUTH NETWORK

Today, one finds the youthful Weera shuttling between his Bangkok base and any of the 40 Thai provinces, and producing the daily children’s news. This is aired in the morning on the country’s most popular channel, and in the evening on the country’s government station.

The Thai Youth Network (TYN) is a buzzword in the local industry because of its 10-year headway in youth engagement in media. Slowly, the Thai Ministry of Education is recognizing what TYN has started and will likely soon adopt the process in every school. When that happens, Weera’s dream of seeing every Thai school use his model to employ media to teach life skills to the young will be realized.

“After that, my next wish is that the Thai-based TYN evolves into an ASEAN Youth News department,” he says.

Not a bad plan for someone not even in his 40s and who has young boys and girls trailing him, guru fashion, wherever Weera goes.

ROYAL INSPIRATION

The actualization of his dreams will be a grand gift to Thai monarch Bhumibol who is Weera’s source of inspiration.

“I see our king doing everything for everyone in Thailand including those in the hinterlands, the abject poor and the disabled. In my own little way, I hope to be able to contribute to children and the youth,” Weera explains with pride.

Weera is leading the way in this part of Asia and his indelible mark is seen in former students who, reaching 25 or even 30, still come back to their roost to help out in TYN. They edit or help teach new children. Others have started making their own mark in the local media business, as producers or scriptwriters.

Still others have resolved to embrace the Weera mission as their own, teaching in schools and pushing the dream.