At just 9 years old, Napat Mitmakorn, known by the nickname “Knight,” confidently wields a tattoo gun, his small hands covered in surgical gloves as he inks a fanged serpent design on a man’s upper thigh at a Bangkok tattoo expo.
“I want to be a tattoo artist and open my own tattoo parlour,” Knight shared with AFP from his booth, where curious attendees paused to capture his work on camera. “I like art, so I like to tattoo.”
Tattooing holds a long history in Thailand, where tattoo parlours are ubiquitous, offering a wide range of designs, from ancient and spiritual to modern and edgy.
Knight’s father, Nattawut Sangtong, explained that he introduced his son to tattooing as a way to steer him away from the distractions of modern childhood. “I just wanted to keep him away from his phone because he was addicted to gaming and had a short attention span,” said the 38-year-old, who works at a block printing factory and is also an amateur tattooist.
Together, the father and son learned tattooing through TikTok tutorials, practicing on paper before moving to artificial leather that simulates human skin, and eventually, tattooing real people.
Knight, who has a passion for art, quickly mastered the craft. “Art is my favourite subject in school,” he said. Recognizing his son’s talent, Nattawut now trains him in two-hour sessions, three days a week.
“It’s not just tattooing; it’s like meditation,” Nattawut explained.
The duo runs a TikTok channel called “The Tattoo Artist with Milk Teeth,” where they livestream Knight’s tattoo sessions, sometimes drawing hundreds of thousands of viewers with a single clip.
At the Thailand Tattoo Expo, Knight made his public debut, tattooing his uncle for the second time – this time marking him with a 20cm mythical Naga serpent. Despite the loud techno music blasting from large speakers, Knight calmly predicts that the piece, inspired by Hindu and Thai folklore, will take 12 hours to complete.
For now, Knight’s father ensures that he only tattoos family and friends. Opening up to public clients would require more extensive hygiene training.
Knight’s uncle, Naruebet Chonlatachaisit, is relaxed as the tattoo takes shape on his left leg. “I trust him, and I think he’ll only improve,” he said.
Knight was one of nearly 200 artists at the Thailand Tattoo Expo, but he drew considerable attention among the thousands of visitors over the weekend.
Napat Muangsawang, an office worker, visited Knight’s booth to admire his detailed artistry. “It’s quite amazing. Tattooing isn’t easy,” he said. “It’s not like drawing on paper where you can just erase it.”
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