"The noodles here are old-style, made using my grandfather's recipe that he brought from China."
The broth is clear and light, with a mild spice aroma that comes from the meat simmering in it.
The meat here is very diverse, including fresh options.Tenderloin, tendon, tenderloin, shoulder blade, meatballs, various offal.
The highlight is... "The Kobe beef is stewed until it's incredibly tender and soft; it practically melts in your mouth."
Uncle Ouan, Anusorn Tanjarern, a veteran influencer, shares his unique style of describing food, offering a candid account of his culinary experiences. He films everything with just his phone, starting from the days of the Pantip website, and has since become the owner of the popular Facebook page "Uncle Ouan Eats and Travels," with over 8 followers. His story inspires many, including senior citizens, and is featured in the program "Igniting the Fire of the Senior Generation" or "Happy Senior." It's also a favorite of Jiraphan Poolphol, the talented production manager, who was inspired by the increasing sadness, loneliness, isolation, and helplessness experienced by the elderly in Thailand.
“We once went to Pathum Thani and met an elderly man lying in his house, having just come out to buy ice cream. We talked to him; he had no children or grandchildren, only a monthly elderly allowance of 600 baht. We chatted with him for a while. The next day, someone called to say he was gone. He sounded so sad, having been alone for 10-20 years with no hope. He’s getting older every day. If we look back 2-3 years ago, there were about 12 million elderly people like this. Then that number increased to 14 million, 16 million, and it’s projected that by 2040, there will be 20 million elderly people in our country, equivalent to one-third or one-quarter of the population. Many become bedridden, without children or grandchildren to care for them, unable to help themselves, becoming a vulnerable group. They have no money, no access to government welfare, and ultimately, they lose the will to fight for life. That’s why we wanted to create this program, to inspire elderly people.”
Jiraphan explained the origins of the "Igniting the Fire of the Senior Citizens" program, which received support from the Safe and Creative Media Development Fund, general admission category, in 2023. This documentary-style program promotes happiness by presenting the five dimensions of happiness for senior citizens, as defined by the Department of Mental Health: comfort (physical health), enjoyment (freshness, cheerfulness, and stress-free living), grace (helping others), enlightenment (photography skills, social media proficiency), and peace (meditation and relaxation). The program features diverse stories from senior citizens across 12 episodes, inspiring viewers. These include stories of LGBTQ+ grandparents, National Artist Arong Kaemoonkadee, famous singer Pu Anchalai, comedian Moo Bangrak Soi 9 (who overcame adversity), Kru Rak Srattha (who overcame depression through stage acting), Aunt Noi (a renowned 70-year-old barista), Kru Noname (a Muay Thai instructor), and many other compelling individuals. The program also features Ajeed Sunthorn Sujaritchan, a 75-year-old singer from the band The Palace, who continues to live a happy life. Joining us as our seasoned host, we'll introduce you to and let you experience the lives of our senior citizens in 12 episodes. Each episode is divided into three segments, sharing their stories, struggles, life lessons, perspectives, and words of encouragement. The aim is to ignite the passion in viewers and prepare them for a high-quality and happy old age.
The 12-episode documentary series took 6 months to produce, filled with difficulties and challenges, especially in illustrating each case. But ultimately, they successfully produced a high-quality program, "Igniting the Passion of the Elderly," aiming to inspire seniors and viewers of all ages. It airs every Sunday from 5:30 AM to 6:00 AM on PPTV HD Channel 36 since October 2023 and can also be viewed retrospectively on YouTube PPTV HD 36. The program has received an overwhelming response, garnering millions of views.
"There are elderly viewers who watch the show and like it. They think they want to live their lives like this, to be like..." “Grandma Lin,” a seasoned woman with her trusty guitar and a small dog, loves music and enjoys singing to her dog, practicing consistently and finding happiness in it. Another person, 40 years old, said that as soon as he finished watching the show, he started planning. He planned to take care of his health, avoiding being bedridden, saving for his old age, making sure his life insurance payments are on schedule, and many other things.”
"We gain insights from producing each episode of the documentary. It's very fulfilling. Some of the people we talk to, we've been able to help change their perspectives. We've helped them think positively, reduce their arrogance, and adjust their physical, mental, and environmental settings. From our conversations, from watching the show, and from observing others, it makes us feel fulfilled and motivates us to continue.""
Jiraphan expressed his delight at the positive feedback and high viewership, but even more importantly, the documentary series has inspired many senior citizens, as well as viewers of all ages, to learn how to live a high-quality and happy life in old age, just as the production team intended. They hoped the documentary series would rekindle the passion of senior citizens that was nearing its end.
