Meet the heartwarming new dad, James Jirayu, in “ My Daddy James, ” a show that will take you on a journey to find answers together. This show features a nerdy dad who’s curious about everything related to parenting – not to teach you how to raise children, but to ask the questions parents have, from the perspective of a new father learning alongside his child. It reveals the behind-the-scenes challenges of raising a child without a nanny, the daily division of responsibilities, and the need for mutual support. The show also features discussions with experts and real-life experiences to find answers together. The first episode features his beloved older brother , Peck Premnat, a father of one with extensive experience, and Great Warintorn, joining the discussion about the challenges every parent faces, and learning how to be the best version of themselves as a father.
What is your perception of James Jirayu?
Pek Premnat: And importantly, when it comes to what I want to do, I’ll really focus on it. Or things that I feel I can handle, like numbers or accounting, for example, if we’re talking about finding a good person or who to consult, we can talk to James. James can do Excel spreadsheets and all that.
Great Warintorn: James is what you’d call a nerd. Many people might not know that he pays attention to small details, something that many people don’t realize he’s like. For example, we’ll be talking like this, and then James will say, “Brother Great, I think it should be like this,” and he’ll pull out his iPad, use his stylus to show you how it should be done. James is very detail-oriented, and that’s just his personality.
Where did the name “Nong Phop Rak” (meaning “Little One Finds Love”) come from?
James Ji: This name was chosen by his mother (Foam). Our family likes Thai names, like our dogs are named Kid Teung (Missing You), Wan Jai (Sweetheart), and Saen Dee (Good One). We like Thai names with cute meanings. At that time, he had a name in mind that we’d discussed since we first started dating. We had both boy and girl names in mind. Finally, we settled on this name, “Phop Rak” (meaning “Meeting Love”). In the future, whether friends call him “Phop” (Meeting) or “Rak” (Love) or whatever, it’s up to them, as long as his real name and nickname are the same.
What were James’s feelings like when he found out he was going to be a father?
Great Warintorn: That day, we went to see a play together, and Foam set up the camera and said he was going to have a baby. At the time, I wasn’t overly surprised, but I was shocked. I was a little stunned, thinking, “Wow! Is he really going to have a baby? Is he really going to be a father?” In my heart, I felt like he had transcended his past, like a new chapter had begun – becoming a father. So, I was really happy for him that day.
Pek Premnat: Because James’s life is more dramatic than you think. The reality of the leading man we all understand—is this really what a celebrity’s life is like? How difficult must a celebrity’s life be? His life, or even finding love, is incredibly hard. But he chose this woman to be his future wife. And once they got married, they were so happy in that moment. Even the details of the wedding had to be very special, unique. They felt like they had to select only certain people to be in their private space. So they had it held in Suan Phueng. And that moment was amazing. I felt like that was the importance a man gave to a woman in marriage—that’s what a married life is all about. But now, the next step is having children.
Regarding family planning?
James Ji: Actually, we had planned to have a baby. Initially, we didn’t plan for the birth now, as everyone sees, but thought it would be sometime in 2026 or 2027. We planned to travel and enjoy life, but then it happened sooner. At first, we thought we wouldn’t be prepared and were a bit worried about whether we’d have enough time to prepare, whether we’d be able to do everything in time, whether it’s about work, family, or our relationship. Because when we first talked about having a baby, we wondered if we should travel first, because at that time, Foam said that if we had a baby, our travels wouldn’t be the same anymore.
How did you feel on the day you had a baby?
Pek Premnat: From our perspective, it has to start with the couple first. I don’t know about your point of view, but we’ve been married for over 10 years, New. We’ve been through so many different things and experiences together. But when we got to that moment, it was like the center of the world shifted. It’s like a new gravitational pull from the earth came crashing in, and that impact made me cry. That moment was very chaotic, like a turning point in my life. It made me want to live my life for him, to become a better role model, because ultimately, I am his role model in the future. But today, it’s our bloodline that connects us, it links to our family. It’s so touching, and in the end, I cried.
James Ji: For me, I focused on my wife first. Foam is someone who’s afraid of needles, and we knew she was afraid of surgery and needles. So I tried to put myself in her shoes, doing whatever it took to make her feel okay. But honestly, I was excited. Her mother said my hands were very cold, and we were worried about whether our baby would be safe and healthy. After we were in the room for a while, and after consulting with the doctor, everything looked good on the ultrasound, so we felt okay, the chances of safety were high. But the moment I heard my baby’s voice for the first time, I was so excited. It was a lifetime project, something we couldn’t leave behind. Our lives were going to change forever. We couldn’t abandon our responsibilities as parents. But the miracle is, I felt like my love grew gradually. It didn’t happen overnight, but it gradually increased, and before I knew it, it was almost a month. At first, I felt like I was quite laid-back, but the more I looked at his face, the more I worried about him, the more I wanted to take care of him. And another very special thing is that I can look at his face and be engrossed all day. There really are moments like that.
Pek Premnat: It’s like what I said, when a living being touches your face with its foot, you feel good. If someone else touched your face with their foot, it wouldn’t feel this good. But when it’s your child, it feels so gentle. There’s nothing like that except with your child. When you touch them, you want to smell them, you want to cuddle them. It’s such a fulfilling feeling. Looking at their face, feeding them, just holding them, their head almost falls off the bed, and I’m like, “Don’t wake up, don’t wake up,” and then I lift them up. If I need to go downstairs to talk to mom, I have to keep an eye on whether they’re squirming, whether they’re moving to the left, whether they’re going to fall off the bed. I keep checking.
What kind of father do you think James Jirayu will be?
Pek Premnat: He’s incredibly good, a nerd, responsible, and focused. Therefore, he researches and gathers information on raising children. He won’t let his wife feel alone or isolated; he’ll cherish and support her, which is crucial. He’s also patient. James is calm, composed, and farsighted, so he’ll be patient no matter the situation. Because what might get heated might not be him, but his wife, experiencing “Mama Blues” or something like that. But is that really true?
James Ji: I want to share a little anecdote. Ever since Foam had a child, he’s become so much softer. He’s completely changed. Before, he was the type who, from the very first day he came home, would deal with so many problems and be like, “Dad, why is it like this?!” But after having a child, he’s just like, “Oh, really? That’s it?”
Do you see James Jirayu as a good father?
Pek Premnat: I’m not saying who is a bad or good father. I’m not saying we’re good or bad either. But we just feel that we should try to make every day the best version of ourselves. It means making adjustments, realizing that something isn’t good enough, and gradually improving for our wife or our children. Allocate more time, take care of yourself, prioritize our children. It’s a gradual process. But I think James, because he embodies all those qualities I mentioned earlier—being a nerd, having foresight, and being patient—those are the qualities a father should possess.
Great Warintorn: James is someone who is always prepared and gathers information before doing anything. If you ask me, I feel he already possesses the basic qualities of a good father. As for the situations he will face in the future, I think he will be able to adapt.
Pek Premnat: Another perspective is management. If we talk to good people, like why we talk to Great or James, James will gradually set up the function, the sequence, explaining that it has to be this way. It’s about managing oneself, managing the family, and managing discipline. Waking up to go for a run, coming back to take care of the children. If you can manage your time well, I believe everything will be fine and everything will flow smoothly in life.
What kind of father do you want to be?
James Ji: I just want to be a very handsome dad, that’s all. I was joking, like saying I wanted to be really handsome, but there’s some truth to it. In this show, “My Daddy,” when my wife got pregnant, there was one thing that I felt was a turning point. At the very least, anything that I need to improve, I need to work on – my career, my job, my partner, my family, everything. I feel that if I want to be the best version of myself, like you said, I need to be more disciplined and have significant improvements. I want my child to be proud of me, and I want my wife to be proud of me, like, “Whose child is this? This is My Daddy James!” I want them to feel proud, which means improving everything from exercising to my work. I don’t know if my child or wife will actually care about what I do, but I’m just setting a goal. If they turn around and say they’re proud to have a dad like this, or proud to have a husband like this, then I’m done. Or if they don’t care, I’ll keep going until one day they’re playing and they look at me – then I’ll have completed my goal.
Since raising children, what skills do I feel I’m good at?
James Ji: Not yet.
Pek Premnat: Honestly, I’d raise my hand and admit that I’m still completely defeated by my wife in everything, even to this day. The energy, love, nurturing, and care that a mother gives is truly remarkable. But we also feel that we have to be there for her, encourage her, and do our best in our own version.
James Ji: For me, now I can do everything without feeling awkward. I mean, changing diapers, bathing, breastfeeding, rocking the baby to sleep – I can do it all easily. Actually, I didn’t focus on that. I talked to her from the beginning that she should try raising the baby however she wants, because I would only be supporting her. For example, if she wanted to hold the baby, breastfeed, or do anything else, she could. Whenever she felt overwhelmed, she could tell me, and I would step in, stepping in as a second mother. That’s my thinking about planning; if we interfere too much, we don’t know what her mood is like, whether she’s worried about the baby, whether she still wants to raise the baby, whether it’s her first child, or whatever. But if we help when we need to, it might create a better atmosphere. It makes both the mother and child feel good, the father feels good, and the family as a whole feels good too. That’s my idea.
How are the responsibilities of the father and mother divided?
James Ji: But we don’t have a nanny at home. We raise them ourselves, just the two of us. My mother mostly takes care of them at night.
But I would get up to change the diaper sometimes. My mom even said that if the baby cried, I hardly ever got up. At night, I’d practically not get up at all if the baby cried. But every night there would be this sound: “Dad, the baby’s starting to cry,” and my mom would go in and pick him up, and she’d say, “Dad, change the diaper. He’s pooped.” So I’d be like, “Okay, okay,” and change the diaper, then I’d go back to sleep, and my mom would continue breastfeeding.
What has been the most difficult thing about raising children?
James Ji: Actually, it wasn’t that difficult. But before this, people around me kept telling me to consider hiring a nanny because the baby would wake up every three hours, I wouldn’t get any sleep, and I’d be very tired. They also asked if we could handle it. We talked about it, and in the end, his mother wanted to raise the child herself. But I think the difficulty depends on each person’s ability to adapt. If you can adapt quickly, it might not be so difficult.
Who is more obsessed with their child?
James Ji: My wife is more excited than me.
Foam (wife): James is more excited than me; my hands are cold!
Great Warintorn: James is easily excited but manages to keep his composure.
Do you have any other concerns?
James Ji: Yes, it’s always been that I’ll only be disappointed in one thing: myself. If Foam feels bad, I’ll feel like I didn’t do well enough. Or if my child feels bad about me, I’ll ask myself why I didn’t do well. But I don’t have expectations of others. I don’t expect my children to be a certain way. I just do my best first, and then see their reaction. I have an equation for life: Happiness = Expectations – Result. If you lower your expectations, you’ll be happier.
Pek Premnat: But the concern that will arise, which James doesn’t know yet, is, you know, that our child is sick, and he hasn’t met them yet, right? That’s what we’ll worry about the most. There’s the matter of expectations and an unseen future. The best thing we can do is take care of him so he doesn’t get sick, to prevent or prepare for it.