It's amazing that Doytibet Duchanee has been able to emerge from his father's shadow at all. Thawan Duchanee's paintings sell around the world for millions of baht. He owns a compound of 30 traditional teakwood houses in Chiang Rai, a shrine to his more than 5,000 works of art. Thawan has never sliced off an ear, but his loud and satirical ways give him something of a reputation for being a madman.

And Thawan branded his son with a weightily unique name, borrowing from his favourite poet, Prince Thammatibet, and adding the "Doy" in reference to the mountainous north of his birth.

Doytibet, now 30, is keen to make a statement of his own. Arriving for an interview with wild hair, he levels a steely gaze and announces, "I am a lion". It's more of an apology than a warning - he means his life is a jungle.

The son of the great bearded god of Thai art is currently attending Mahidol University to add a master's degree in museum studies to his Rangsit University bachelor's degree in art.

He denies that his father has in any way influenced him. "My father's style is straight, pure art, but mine is more of applied arts and other things," he says.

With a liking for mixed media, Doytibet has designed textile patterns for the fashion house Nagara and murals for Jim Thompson, as well as a lampshade and a stage set.

His biggest challenge to date is Coke's "Better Side of Life" campaign. He's done a billboard on which everything that's beautiful about northern Thailand shoots from the mouth of a cola bottle. Part of the challenge was in accepting art's role in advertising.

"People think art should be on a higher level, but it should also help society," he says, proud of integrating traditional culture into the work. "It's a great opportunity when art can be brought to a level that most people understand."

To soak up the North in preparation, Doytibet took hundreds of photographs of Jedyord, Pongyangkrok, Prathat Lampangluang and Lai Hin temples and visited Rai Maefahluang.

He studied the decorative art on the walls, seeking to grasp the essence of religion and spirituality and then adapt it to his ad.

Doytibet compares the process of making the mural to preparing kanom Tokyo, the layered-sausage snack. Atop a red background he layered on lacquer and drew the image, then gilded the highlights.

Kanom Tokyo is pretty bland, but his creation is rich in symbols of the old Lanna culture of the North, with its mix of Burmese and Lao influences. The gold signifies wealth and prosperity, but he was concerned that his use of religious motifs in a commercial work would invite criticism.

"I was a bit afraid that I had sinned," he says. "Some of the religious symbols are taken from the temples, and when I was working, part of the mural wall fell on me!"

There's irony in the son feeling repentant. Certainly his father never does - Thawan has often provoked fury with his art - but so far Doytibet has heard only positive reactions to his "better side" of Coke.

He asked his father for advice about it and was bluntly told to paint in a drum. Doytibet ignored the suggestion because he didn't think a drum would fit in compositionally. When he was finished, he mailed a photograph of the work to his father.

Thawan responded with a poetic, two-page commentary - in traditional Thai handwriting - on Lanna culture.

"No, he didn't compliment me. My father hardly ever compliments anyone," says the son.

Doytibet worked with his father from the age of eight, helping out on many projects, including some body painting. He vividly remembers his father leaving him with his grandmother.

"He raised me like a father in the Renaissance age. If he did influence me, it was his way of being - like the fact that he didn't smoke or drink. I don't either."

A believer in art being everywhere, Doytibet applies his talent to a multitude of creative projects. He's also currently decorating walls at Wat Mung Muang, in the centre of Chiang Rai.

And he's in the process of founding the All-About-Art Company, part publishing house, part art and museum study centre, part event organiser, part art and culture tour arranger and part art workshop.

Then there's the matter of taking care of Thawan's compound of 30 houses, which is now more like an open museum. Doytibet is plotting its promotion to attract more visitors.

But he's juggling so many balls at the moment that he wants to "lessen this madness".

He's got a long list of plans and activities that he might be able to trim if he's serious about narrowing his scope. His passion for Harley motorcycles makes him want to create something with engine parts; he's made a unisex leather bag with an Atarashii label.

Maybe he should start trimming his list by cutting loose the dalliance with sharp things that he shares with his father - they make their own samurai swords.

"My dad is reaching the end of his road," Doytibet says. "If I continue on that same road, I couldn't go any further than he has, so I need to break away from that and do my own thing."

Tomorrow, Noo Hin creator Padung Kraisri invokes Isaan for Coke.

Lisnaree Vichitsorasatra

The Nation