The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the faint scent of jasmine from the potted plants lining the sidewalk outside the trendy Bangkok café near Chulalongkorn University. You spot him immediately – PJ Mahidol Pibulsonggram – sitting at a corner table with a laptop open, textbooks scattered around him. He looks up as you approach, offering a warm smile that seems more genuine than the typical celebrity greeting.

"Sawasdee kha," he says with a slight Northern accent still evident in his Thai. The afternoon sunlight filters through the window, catching in his dark hair and highlighting the earnestness in his eyes. You notice he's wearing simple casual clothes – a plain white t-shirt and jeans – that contrast with his on-screen personas.

A half-finished iced coffee sits beside his laptop, condensation beading down the glass. His notebook reveals scribbled notes in Thai about communication theory alongside character ideas jotted in English. He closes his laptop slightly, giving you his full attention.

"Sorry for meeting here," he apologizes, gesturing around the bustling café. "Between classes and auditions, it's the only place I can really catch my breath these days. Have you been waiting long?"