Besides his fascination with big malls, monolithic architecture, and authentic sisig, Peach Pachara thinks that good interactions and gripping conversations capture his spirits. In fact, when he visited the Philippines a few weeks ago, he wondered how Filipinos can create a force field of intentional connections. “The people have been really nice to me. Everywhere I go, people are really nice—really sociable people,” Peach shared during a sit-down interview with Metro.Style.

In case you missed it, Pachara “Peach” Chirathivat a.k.a. Mr. Complete Package, is an acting powerhouse in Thailand who made an indelible mark in SuckSeed (2011), The Billionaire (2011), and Hormones (2013). An actor, singer, artist, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and music producer, Peach is extending his star power to Philippine shores through a Netflix original titled The Believers (2024). The series, which stirred the citizens’ curiosity and tendencies to question traditions, soared to the #1 spot in Thai television.

“The story is actually really mind-blowing to me because it’s all about religion in Thailand and we’re a pretty, pretty religious country as well. But the point of this film is actually talking about the dark side of it—not the dark side, [actually]; we’d say, the reality side of it. That’s the shady side. And then we want to tell that story so people [are] aware of it, so people know more of that ‘how could we help in monitoring so that our religion is better,’” he said.

Starring in the series as Game, Peach shared with us the story of how the crime drama came about. Long story short: it was in the lockdown where the project was first pitched to him. Wattanapong Wongwan, the show’s director, casually called and sent him The Believers’ synopsis. Peach read through the thriller’s rundown, thought about taking on it, and wrapped his decision with the words “alright, I’m in.”

“It’s been working really well so far in Thailand. People started talking about it—how the donation money works, how much each temple actually makes, what they should do with the money. We started asking questions about it and it’s very, very useful,” Peach declared, taking delight in how the small screen offering turned out. “I think that’s the point of doing film—you need to do something that [is] provocative. It’s either good or bad but you got to poke at something and see how it goes, you know?”

“At least it creates some kind of reaction that could be important on a massive scale,” the all-around visionary added. When asked how Filipinos can resonate with the content, Peach framed his thoughts in one truth: “I think in terms of culture, you’ll see [a] very, very in-depth context of our culture. “The purpose of having religion is to be better as a human being, right? That’s the point of having a religion—teaches one to be a better person.”

“So I think having religion is good—the purpose of it is really good. It’s something that is important to us, but the people that exploit it should be controlled, should be monitored,” Peach championed, noting how controversial and corrupted the sector can get if left to greed. “I think everything should be having a kind of monitoring system. Transparency is the key to do things, so that should really help as well.”

An actor by chance who just casually accompanied her big sister to an audition, Peach has swung from being a reserved boy to one of Thailand’s most sought-after artists. “One day, I went with my sister to do [an] audition because she got called up to do some videotapes… There’s a weird guy walking in and he asked me, ‘We’re doing another film—it’s a teenager film. Are you free now to do a video as well?’ And I was like, ‘Okay.’ And I failed it miserably. But then, I got a call. They were like, ‘Oh, yeah! You got the role.’ And I was like, ‘What?! I mean, how?’” Everything happens for a reason, and perhaps it’s fate for him to serve a purpose through the craft of acting.

Diagnosed with ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Peach used to deal with lack of focus, which can be limiting at times to one’s talent. This elbowed him into entering a temple back when he was 20 years old, beginning his course in a religious community where he spent a month and so. “I used to be a monk, actually. I was just trying to find a way to really work with myself rather than relying on medication,” he revealed. “All I do is meditate for like an hour, and I’ve never been able to do that so I just want to be able to get it done.”

“It’s quite a journey for me as well. I learned a lot more about self-containment, self-awareness. It did help with the series as well because I know how people talk to monks. If you are just an ordinary guy [and you] go to [the] temple, you’d be so peaceful, so respectful. But the people that work in the temple talk to the monk differently. You see them every day so it’s kind of [a] very common thing. The language level is different.”

A hustler and occasional hobbyist, Peach’s interests mainly lie in music. He has an inclination for music production, which made him start Viveka and Vehement—which rendered the scoring for The Believers—a recording outfit that he opened with producer and composer Pakorn Musikaboonlert. Prior to his musical career, the multi-hyphenate also hopped from one achievement to the other, practiced film photography, and figured in sports such as football, tennis, and table tennis.

Having earned his higher education from Thailand’s prestigious Chulalongkorn University with an International Business Administration degree, Peach’s performance as an entrepreneur can empower people his age. At 30, he already positioned himself on the map as the co-Founder of the largest master franchisee of flavored french fries brand Potato Corner and Thai beauty labels Snailwhite and Oxecure. He also launched ORA Social Enterprise, a community-centric charity platform aiding the poor, the malnourished, and the less-motivated.

“We try to give them more social mobility, trying to fight against inequality in Thailand by using food as a way to help people. We’re trying to cut down on food spending because the more you’re poor, the more percentage of your money will be spent on food. We’re trying to help them decrease that so they have more disposable income, so they could do other things like paying off the debt or buying necessary things. That’s what we’ve been doing since [the] pandemic.”

A man on a mission, Peach learned a lesson or two from being in business. “You get to do everything. As an entrepreneur, you get to be everything, so you have that kind of experience that you don’t really get from working in the corporate side,” he told us, looking back on how he managed to be looking after Potato Corner and actually dipping his toes in its daily operations. For one, he drove a car himself to deliver stocks to one of its stores.

“You got to do everything by yourself. You learn more as well. And then you understand more how people experience [things]—your employee experience—because you’re doing the same things. You understand the pain as well. And then it makes you more complete,” Peach continued, giving us a glimpse of how compassion is a key player in keeping his boats afloat. According to him, believing oneself instead of simply imitating others’ personal and professional patterns is a trick of the trade, too.

As business runs in his blood—his family being the founder of Central Group in Thailand—Peach understands the business universe. “Just don’t believe whatever the teacher’s telling you, you know? You got to figure it out yourself as well. Don’t believe [it] because they said it’s the right thing to do. You just got to try it and then see how it works, because there’s no universal law that everything is fit for all—different countries, different contexts, different times.”

Raking in some serious learnings from the risk-it landscape, Peach recommends optimizing unexplored opportunities. “Just like post-pandemic—everything you learned from pre-pandemic is basically gone, right? The way marketing [is] back then and now, it’s different; the way you do things is different; the geopolitics situation is different. You can’t really apply [everything and] just copy and paste. You just got to learn it and then rework it by yourself a bit.”

Scroll down for more of our Q&A session with Peach Pachara:

Please describe your working relationship with the director of The Believers, Wattanapong Wongwan, and your co-stars James-Teeradon and Ally-Achiraya.

“Funny enough, I just learned from the director that I met him ten years ago without knowing. That’s why he got my phone number and that’s how he contacted me for this project. But the working relationship with him has been really, really fun, you know? He’s a very collaborative person. He has his own kind of vision and direction but then he opens us to have our own input as well.

“With all the cast, it’s very open, you know? We’re actually talking to each other a lot as well. Rather than going to work, it’s more like going to a camp, so it’s a kind of [a] group work rather than just ‘you do your own thing.’ Everybody is being very considerate about others as well so we think in terms of the other person’s work. So it’s kind of fun.”

Do you plan on pursuing a career here in the Philippines and if so, who are the artists you wish to collaborate with?

“I think that as an Asian, we shouldn’t be restricted to just one territory. I think we should collaborate more because you know, our culture is really strong.

“We have our unique points. We could combine it together... Because right now, I feel like it’s... each country is doing their own thing and it’s kind of competing in a way. But rather than [that], we should [be] joining hands and then you know, we help export our culture globally. That could be a thing.

“I really want to work with my buddy here. You know, Enchong Dee. Because I tried working with a friend and it’s really fun. And so, I would love to try working with other friends as well—[I] wanted to see if we’re good working buddies as well.”

As co-founder of notable beauty brands like Snailwhite and Oxecure, what propelled you to venture into the skincare industry? Are you a beauty and skincare enthusiast yourself?

“Not really an enthusiast but, you know, in my line of work, I do need to look after myself as well. You know, it’s similar to [a] musician looking after the instrument. So this [body] is my instrument, so I got to look after it as well.”

Throughout your career track, you’ve also released several singles as a singer. Can you walk us through how you first forayed into music?

“Actually, I’ve always wanted to be a record producer, not an actor, you know? So acting is like something that I’ve never dreamed of doing. It’s a job that [is] pretty much in the last of my list that I would be able to do because I am quite a quiet person since I was a little kid. You know, I failed all these public speaking exams—straight from Grade 1 to Grade 12, I failed. So I was like, ‘That is never going to be my job. I’m not going to be standing in front of people.’ The acting has come first, but I wanted to be a musician.’”

Who are your musical influences and favorite actors growing up?

“I grew up listening to David Bowie because my grandmom is from England. She played a lot of David Bowie, The Beatles... Oasis. I want to be like that since, I think, six years old. I even have a tattoo of David Bowie here!

“And who’s my favorite actor? I love Jim Carrey, actually, in particular. I love Willem Dafoe. I like the way they approach the work and how they pick the role as well. It’s kind of quite grim in the way they act. There’s a kind of dark comedy in there and I really like it.”

What is your family background?

“Funny enough, I’m not Thai at all. I have 0% Thai. My family actually migrated from Hainan, China, and on my mom’s side, they migrated from the mainland... And then my grandfather actually went to study in England and he met my grandmom. [I’m] more like 75% Chinese and 25% English.”

Since you are also a fashion model, can you describe your fashion style? What are your closet staples?

“It’s a mix of things. You know, I like vintage stuff. I like kind of Americana stuff—all the denims, and then I try to combine it with a thing that is classical... So I try to merge all the three. It’s like still being able to go to work... But then, afterwards, you can just take it off and go out and about. Because you can’t really wear suits in Thailand. You know, outside, it’s really hot. So I got to try to mix [all] of this and that.”

What is something about Peach Pachara that your fans might not know about? What’s something about you that might surprise us?

“Judging from my name, Peach, I don’t eat fruits—at all! Judging from how I look and what I do, people would really—even in Thailand as well—people see me as a very, very outgoing person. But in reality, I don’t really go out at all. I just stay home, work at home as well.”

You do so many things. What can you not do?

“I can’t shoot a video! I tried to be like, ‘Should I do vlogging or YouTube-ing?’ It doesn’t work out for me. Impossible!”

Check the gallery below for more photos of Peach Pachara:

Photographer: Erron Ocampo of Metrophoto

Editor-in-Chief: Geolette Esguerra

Sittings Editors: Red Dimaandal and Grace Libero-Cruz

Editorial Assistant: Mika Yusay

Videographer: CJ Reyes

Grooming by Miz Raffy

Hairstyling by Gabriel Villegas

Styling by Randz Manucom

All clothes by H&M

Photography Assistants: Billyjoe Angue, John Rubiales, Aizel dela Rosa, and Nikki Quiogue

Shot on location at ReCraft

Special thanks to Pia Campos, Gerard Gotladera, W Talent Management, Nicko Falcis, Bar.Flora, and Oly Ruiz

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