Be inspired or get beat up

Where does 'Ong Bak' star Thatchakorn 'Tony Jaa' Yeerum get his inspiration?

Apart from his brain triggering his biceps, we mean.

"I'm into martial arts, so I get my inspiration from watching Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Jet Li," he said at the opening of an exhibition of art that he in turn inspired.

"Pride of the Nation #1 Tony Jaa" continues through Saturday at the Artery Postmodern Gallery. Jaa put on a show of his own while musicians played and graffiti makers did their thing.

In another corner, Patcharapon "Alex Face" Tangruen explained that Jaa's affection for animals led him to draw the actor as a cute boy with an elephant. "I noticed his soft side during our workshop."

Cece Nobre from Brazil emphasised Jaa's eyes in a portrait of bravery and determination. "He doesn't need to flex the muscles to show his courage."

Good stuff, but Jaa believes everyone can succeed in whatever they do. "You've just got to have belief in your work," he said, quite inspirationally indeed.

ET in your home

Actor-director Nirattisai "Ta" Kaljaruek is going to bring to the TV screen the life of famous Burmese fortune-teller ET. He says he gained the trust and approval of the diminutive, disabled psychic who has channelled advice from beyond for some of our top politicians and coup-plotters.

She once forecast that Ta would star in a Hollywood movie. "I didn't believe her prediction at first, but it came true!" he says.

Ta is keen to show how ET, born Swe Swe Win, had to struggle since childhood to get to the point where, at age 42, she commands Bt30,000 for a 15-minute consultation and earns US$7 million a month.

"It's also amazing how giving she is," Ta says. ET built a hospital for monks and poor people.

Ta's TV series "Khon Neor Loke" will have a Thai actor playing ET, but the dialogue will miraculously be in English.