In a world by dominated female authors who prefer writing raunchy sexual content, Dr. Dr.Patrick Rangsimat is one of the few authors whose contemplative style is both reckoning and mature. After the phenomenal success of his latest adaptation, “My Ride The Series”, Dr. Rangsimat is recently in news because of his forthcoming projects, “Mystique in the Mirror” and “7 Days Before Valentine”. Join us, as we strike a conversation with Mr. Rangsimat and dig deeper into the information pertaining to his anticipated releases!

1) Despite your busy schedule as a neurologist, you are an avid novelist. How do you manage the delicate balance between both of your work choices?

For me, this question is quite hard to answer because I feel like I don’t have to manage my time. I guess because my happiness is reading and writing; so when I have free time after working and gym, then I get engrossed in reading or writing. I’m just a lucky guy who loves reading and writing, so it’s not difficult to spend time with something you love, isn’t it?

2) After quite a few inevitable delays, your first adaptation “My Ride the Series” premiered to a positive response in 2022. Are you happy with the reception?

Yes, I was over the cloud with the adaptation. BUT, I wasn’t satisfied with how the team promoted or marketed the show. The PR process was almost nonexistent. Most of it was organic promotions from the fans while the producer who hold the PR budget did nothing. The activities with audiences were less than my expectations, people were hyped when the show was on air but the activities nearly ceased later on. I know that the producer wanted audiences to focus on the performances of the actors, but marketing and promotions are also crucial.

Moreover, the process for overseas distribution was a mess. Now people in Japan are still waiting to watch this series on a streaming portal; they want to support the show officially, by watching it on the right platform-no piracy. The producer mentioned that the distribution process was well handled, so how come this situation happened?

All in all, I’m still happy with the adaptation, just feeling slightly disconcerted because it could have been far more popular if the marketing and promotions had been handled more neatly.

3) Fame Chawinroj and Fluke Pongsakorn portrayed the characters of Tawan and Mork in the drama? Did they successfully recreate the characters in the same way as you had conceptualized them?

Let’s say, the actors seem like they both walked out of my novel. Fame and Fluke did a lot more than I expected from Mork and Tawan. As I mentioned before, I’m still over the cloud, and the most crucial reason is their performance.

4) Your supernatural romance “Mystique in the Mirror” is being adapted into a series as well. Can you talk to us about the storyline?

Mystique in Mirror depicts the story of Alan, an ordinary guy who had a problem with his memory. He has lived a platonic life with his Father until the day he sees a ghost of strange elder guy standing behind him in the mirror.

His Father believes that Alan is hallucinating, so he sents Alan to an outcast asylum, hoping that Alan will be back to normal. There Alan meets Darwin, a cute guy in the next room, and their friendship grows.

Even though the psychiatrist treats him with multiple modalities, Alan’s symptoms get worse. Alan starts thinking that maybe he isn’t hallucinating, but maybe he is being haunted by a ghost. The strange elder in the mirror may have something to do with Alan’s forgotten past. So with some help from Darwin, Alan starts searching his long-lost past, and he finds something that is too scary to believe.

For the rest, you can read it later. The English translation will be available next year before the series premieres.

5) Tou Sedthawut and Pentor Jeerapat were playing the main leads, Alan and Darwin? Can you give us a rough character sketch? Also, what is your opinion about these two actors?

Alan is a reserved and sceptical guy. He rarely smiles, has difficulty trusting anybody and has built high walls around himself. So Darwin is the smile that Alan can’t betray. Darwin is always cheerful, happy and smiles a lot. I think Darwin mostly does it for Alan.

So on the casting day, when I met Tou and Pentor for the first time, they embraced these characteristics without me telling them anything. Both of them read the line for just 5 minutes before performing their act, but they played it really well; they made me and the producer drop our jaws literally, indeed.

6) The “Golden Blood” couple Sugus Buntawit and Tenon Teachapat are also a part of this ensemble cast. Can you share details about their characters?

Saugus will be portraying the role of Dr. Ophas, an intern who took a part-time gig in this asylum just because he didn’t want to stay home. And Tenon will be playing Pete, a register nurse who also took a part-time job here, but his reason was that he is trying to earn money to pursue his Master’s degree. They both ran into each other on the interview day and their friendship starts from there. Moreover, these two characters will be the leading couple in the second book.

7) Casting is in progress for your another popular novel “7 Days Before Valentine”. What are your expectations from this adaptation? Do you have any actors in mind who resemble your characters?

This time, I want to see the new and fresh faces to play these roles. For people who haven’t read this book, “7 Days Before Valentine” isn’t a love story, it’s way more like a “Love-Yourself-Kind of story” indeed. A taste of easy-philosophy novel. And after a talk with the director, he felt the same way as me. So I think it will be like the same vibe in the book but with more details. All in all, I definitely want to see new and fresh faces.

8) You will be working with talented directors like Nuchy Anucha Boonyawatana (Not Me Series) and Punnasak Sukee (180 Degree The Series) in your upcoming adaptations. Are you excited about this prospect?

Let’s say, I’m learning from them, not working with them. Yes, for sure, to learn from the expert and for someone like me who is an avid fan, I’m really excited. Lols.

9) Are any other of your novels in the process of being adapted into TV series? If yes, please share more details about them?

For now, no. Only these two books. You may know me, but most Thai readers don’t. I’m not famous here so it’s difficult to get the chance to be seen by the production companies. To be honest, watching my novels get adapted makes me happy, but that doesn’t mean that I put all my hopes in it. My happiness lies in writing; when my fans read my books and are happy with it, that’s my KPI.

10) What are you working on right now? Talk to us about your future BL novels?

I have just finished writing “My Ride 2” and started with a new book “The Last Meal before our World turns to the Galaxy Expressway” which will be released in April 2023.

About “My Ride 2”, the book will focus on the main couple’s life without any toxic issue. It will depict their daily happy life with common problems they will face while forming a family, like where to live, how to plan the future together, meeting the parents, and without the third wheel issue.

I think it’s ridiculous; you trust each other and start building a family, but never talk about the third person who might come back to interrupt your relationship. Becoming paranoid interrupts the bonding between the couple, and their arguments often end in fighting. Don’t you find it ridiculous?

So in “My Ride 2” will not contain the kind of content that other sequels of BL novels have done before. I’m gay and I have been in a relationship. So believe me, the biggest problems between a couple are due to small things like “Which brand of detergent will we use together?”.

As for “The Last Meal before our World turns to the Galaxy Expressway” is the story about how a small Thai restaurant saves the world from destruction and being made into a Galaxy Expressway.

The Engineer who was sent to destroy the world loves the taste of Thai food that the owner of the restaurant provides. So the Engineer delays the process of destroying and enjoys the taste of Thai food every evening with the owner instead, and slowly their friendship grows stronger.

The Thai version of this book will be available next year; for English translation, I’m considering. Translation needs money, and from the previous investments in translation, I’m still bankrupt LOL. My books didn’t do that well in out sales, so I have no funds to invest more. Sad but true!

The BL Xpress would like to thank Dr.Patrick Rangsimat for this opportunity!