In a casual, unscripted encounter inside a clothing store in Nonthaburi, Thailand, Steven initiates a conversation with a young woman, Pui (nickname for Nathaya). The dialogue weaves through a series of spontaneous topics: confirming Pui’s Thai identity and English ability, probing her background and how she learned English, discovering she runs her own women’s fashion business, learning the origin of her nickname ‘Pui’ (derived from a Thai term meaning ‘chubby’), playing a guessing game about each other's ages, discussing a butterfly‑and‑skull tattoo with no deep personal meaning, and exchanging Instagram handles before parting. Throughout, Steven uses playful, informal small‑talk, while Pui responds with brief, factual answers, revealing cultural nuances, gender‑related entrepreneurship challenges in Bangkok, and personal preferences. The interaction ends with a friendly sign‑off and a promise to connect online.
Chapters
Excuse me, sorry, this is gonna sound super random. Um, you're Thai, right? Do you happen to speak English? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know you're shopping, but I just saw you and then you really reminded me of my one of my friends. Yeah, yeah, at first I was like, you know, she looks pretty cute, but I'm like, you know, and I was like, that's why I was like, is she Thai or is she not Thai, you know? But you're Thai.
I'm Thai.
Yeah, you're from here?
I live in Nonthaburi.
It's next to Bangkok. Oh, okay, okay. But you've never lived abroad or anything like that? You've never lived abroad?
No.
Oh, okay, you're local, local. You're local. But where did you learn how to speak English like that?
Huh? Oh, I just learned. I just have like foreigner friends or something like that.
Oh, you have a lot of foreigner friends?
Yeah.
Okay, that helps, huh? But do you understand everything I'm saying, or is it like, am I speaking too fast? Yes, you understand what I'm saying? Okay, okay, I see, I see, I see. Yeah, so I feel like you do something, I don't know, like I'm really bad at guessing, but I feel like you do something related to maybe like something creative.
No, which one?
I don't know, like not music, more like artistic stuff. No.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, you do?
No, not really.
Not nearly?
Yes, I just have my own business.
Ah, entrepreneur, business owner.
Yeah.
Okay, like, uh, super random idea, and I just imagine you selling like wine or something like that.
No, just selling like some clothes, like fashion.
Fashion. But I mean, there's different types of clothes, right? Like kids clothes, adults.
No, just like catch one for women or something like that.
For women? Okay. How did you get into this? Because you yourself is interested in like fashion or what?
I just like it.
You just like it? Yeah. You know, like, you actually, especially in Bangkok, you don't really see a lot of women who have their own businesses, you know? Like, especially like fashion, you know? That was pretty difficult, right? Like starting your business and stuff like that, or not really? You already have the sense?
Yeah, just like I just love it.
I love that. High five. That's it. What's your name?
Pui.
Pui? Steven, nice to meet you. Pui, that's your— Pui, but P-O-I? P-U-I? Is that a Thai name?
Yeah, it's like a nickname. Nickname?
Ah, so that's not your real name?
Not real name.
So what's your real name?
Real name, Natsaya.
Natsaya. Oh.
Nathaya.
I know Nathaya. A friend of mine is actually called Nathaya. Yeah, that's a pretty— wait, but Nathaya and Pui, they sound completely different.
Yes, it sounds different because Thai people sometimes not just like not make sense for the nickname. But did you pick your nickname or just because my grandfather, he choose this for me? Because in Thailand like It's called like "Poom Pui" or something like that.
Poom Pui? What does that mean?
Because when I was young, I'm fat.
Huh? Sorry?
When I was young, I look chubby or something like that.
Oh, when you're chubby. Yeah.
In Thai, it's meaning like "Poom Pui." That means chubby? Yeah, chubby.
Chubby? Chubby?
Ah, chubby.
Yeah. You were chubby when you were a kid?
Yeah.
No way. You're like so like thin, no? So you lost all the weight as you grew up, you just got taller. Ah, okay, pui, I see. So pui means also like chubby as well? Yes. So people call you chubby? That's crazy. He's just like, yeah, like my nickname is chubby, you know, like a fat. Okay, interesting, I see. Where do you think I'm from? Obviously I'm not from Thailand, right?
Uh, maybe American?
I mean, that's too easy, like just the way I speak English, right? Yeah, yeah, but like I was born in the US, but I grew up in Asia actually. Which Asian country?
Asia?
Yeah, where?
Singapore.
Singapore? Man, everyone thinks I'm from Singapore. I don't know why. Maybe I'm like tan, but you're like way more tan than me, right?
We're actually about the same. Hong Kong?
Why Hong Kong?
I don't know.
Do I look like a Chinese guy?
Normally, like, people like to live in, like, Singapore or Hong Kong, something like that, maybe.
Yeah, but do I have, like, a Singaporean— have you been to Singapore or Hong Kong?
Yes.
Okay, but do I look like— do I, like, the way I vibe, the way I talk to you, do I sound like someone from Singapore or Hong Kong?
Singapore.
Singapore? Yeah. Like, okay, like, what does that mean? Actually, I'm actually curious.
I don't know.
Just like a vibe thing?
Just like, because I have like many friends from Singapore, so maybe you have a lot of friends.
Yeah. Okay, apparently you don't have enough friends because like, I'm obviously not from Singapore. Okay, have you been to, uh, it's more east. I'll give you one more guess. More east.
More east.
More east.
Is from Thailand.
So from Thailand, there's like Singapore. Like Singapore is down here and then more east. More east.
You're getting there. It's like, it's not China, but like it's Korea.
Oh, Korea.
Yeah. Have you been there? Have you been there? Isn't Korea like— everyone's like, when I meet people here and I tell them I'm from Korea, everyone's like, oh, like Korean drama, like Korean pop, you know? Crazy. You're not in the age group, huh?
Huh? What?
Like, you're not in the age group. Like, it's people who respond to the K-pop and this type of stuff, like, they're a little bit like I like only one person. Yeah?
I like only Lisa.
Lisa? Oh, she's Thai, right? Of course.
Only one.
Of course, of course. Wait, but Lisa, if you know Lisa, you're like what, 25? You, your age, right? You're 25?
No.
No? Older?
29.
29?
Yes.
You're doing well. You're doing well. That's great. I like that. I like that. How old do I look? How old do I look?
26.
26? You think I'm younger than you?
Yes, maybe.
Why?
Because I don't know, but you look young.
Yeah, I'll take that as a compliment. When I was young, right, when I was like way younger, I didn't like the fact that people like thought that I look too young, you know, like baby face. I used to grow like facial hair, you know, but I can't even grow facial hair, you know, just like stubble like here and there, you know. But now I embrace the fact that I look young. I'm older. I'll give you one more guess. I'm way older.
30?
I'm 38.
Oh, really? You look young.
So I look like—
you look young.
Yeah. Do I look— and then you say, you're telling me like I look younger than you, right?
You look young.
Crazy, huh?
Crazy.
I see. So what are you doing today and this weekend? Are you just like shopping?
Shopping and then I just go back home. Like that.
Yeah? Do you usually like shop on the weekends or you like meet up with your friends? What's your thing? I just noticed your tattoo, you know, that's crazy. You're like, you know butterflies mean transformation. Butterfly and like a skull. What does that mean?
It's not meaning.
No?
I just love it, like it, nothing.
Yeah? There has to be some, like, or you got really drunk one day and you're like, okay, let's fuck it, let's just like do it. It was like that? Go to like Khao San Road and let's just like, yeah.
Because it's crazy, I don't want to do that.
So like, when, like, what's— so there's no meaning?
I just want, I just told Adit that I want butterfly and school and sunflower or something like that, and she just like create.
Oh, you didn't have your own idea? You just went to the shop, it's like, okay, I just like some butterfly, whatever, and they just kind of like did it for you. I like that adventure. So you're an adventurous girl, no?
Yeah.
You like to have an adventure. You like to have an adventure. I feel like you're someone that like, you come off as very like quiet and reserved, you know, but then on the inside you're looking for adventure. I feel that, I feel that, you know. That story, that says it all, you know. But you know what, you know what butterflies mean? Like butterfly, like it's a symbol for something, you know. Do you know what it means? Transformation, you know, like a change, right? Like die and Yeah, just like a change, right? Like a crazy change, because like butterfly changes, goes from like a little caterpillar, right? And then it kind of like becomes like a butterfly and then it flies away, right?
Crazy, right?
Yeah, likewise. Phew, right?
Yes.
Okay, another time I like to grab a little tasty beverage with you. How does that sound? Yeah, yeah. Do you Do you have an Instagram? Yeah, can you add me? Oh, I can like hold it for you.
My phone is so low battery.
Yeah, here. Yeah, you're super tan. Are you like naturally this tan? Or like you got tan?
Just went to the beach.
Went to the beach? You like going to the beach a lot.
