The end of the year is approaching as Christmas decorations (and the city-wide rate of photo-taking) go up. And one can only put so many fists under their chin or make so many V-sign hand gestures while being photographed before it becomes old.
Why not spice up your album by partaking in one of the popular photo fads we've spotted around the rampant world of Thai social media? We also give you our suggestions on how to work the spirit of the holiday season into these fads. Happy snapping, everyone.
VSHINE
"VShine" is the latest trend to hit the world of Thai Instagram and our guess is that its creator became tired of simply doing the V-sign hand gesture so found other fun ways to do it instead.
Basically it's about using your surroundings to create a "V" so the sky is the limit here. You can go simple or be as creative as you want. For example, simply form a "V" by putting your elbows together while keeping your hands apart. A hand-in-hand shopping centre stroll with your belle or beau can also be a V-Shine moment. For a solo shine, ask at least three friends to do a star-shaped photo frame by joining five "V" hands together. Put your face in the middle of the frame and say "Cheese". Make sure that people see your "V" and make your picture cuter by drawing a "V" on your photo or adding glitter with the Line Brush application.
Work it into the holiday season by: Taking a picture of yourself with a party hat on and flipping it upside down to spell "V".
MEOW-ING
Ever wondered what you would look like if you were a cat? Of course not. But if you are even remotely interested, download a free application called CatWang that allows you to put a cat's head on your body. It seems many Thais think replacing a cat's head with their own makes them more adorable. Maybe they're right. CatWang runs on iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.
Work it into the holiday season by: Taking a picture of you and your friends partying and replace everyone's heads with those of cats with a caption that says "Party animals! Meowwww". We don't encourage any dirty jokes that could be a euphemism for lady-parts.
CARTOON ME UP
The Photo Wonder app answers the earth-shattering question - "What would the offspring of a human and anime character look like?" With the app, you can put a ridiculously huge bow on your head or add red blush that would pale that of Mirai-chan into insignificance. If you think your mouth is too small you can add a big cartoony one with a tongue hanging out of it too. Moreover, you can beautify yourself by whitening your skin, enlarging your eyes or accessorising your picture with a speak bubble, stickers and more. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices.
Work it into the holiday season by: Posing in front of a Christmas tree in an anorak and pretending to cutely tremble with coldness. Then add a snowing effect and share it. Easy.
PAK JOO
For those who have yet to perfect the intricate art of ab baew-ing (making oneself look excessively cute), this pak joo fad should be less of an effort for you. Pak joo refers to the act of pushing your lips out while keeping them close together, like what you do with your mouth when you blow a kiss. Joo alone is a Thai kiddy word for penis, so make of this pose what you will. It seems many Thais think they become more adorable or appear to have a slimmer face when they move their mouths like that. Believe it or not, this simple foto fad has a Facebook page dedicated to it. Go to, facebook.com/shootTH.
Work it into the holiday season by: Putting a Santa Claus hat on and blowing foam beads from your hands.
GIF-FING
Remember a picture format called GIF that is cooler than JPEG because it can show a short animation? You can now create that yourself with an app called Boom: Animated GIF Camera which became popular thanks to many Thai female celebs such as pop duo Neko Jump who are credited as the app's early adopters. It first surfaced online around July. Girls can use this app to put together a series of cute pictures of themselves but this app can do more. Two men can do a fighting sequence, for instance. The interface is similar to Instagram so it should be easy enough for you to navigate and you can also create a GIF from existing photos in your Facebook account or smartphones too. The application is available on iTunes and Google Play.
Work it into the holiday season by: Doing a sequence of unwrapping a gift or presenting a gift to someone.
OLD ME VS NEW ME
"Then And Now" is about comparing a picture of yourself taken in the past to a current snap of you in the same pose. If you fell asleep in a big laundry basket when you were four, it might be a challenge to duplicate the same thing when you're 20 but that's part of the fun. If you mum has kept clothes you wore when you were young, you must use them to make your picture look more hilarious. Duplicating old family photos is also popular. But don't choose the one that depicts mum carrying you in her arms for fear that she might throw her back out carrying your fat-ass today. Also don't ever try to duplicate a baby picture of yourself in your birth suit. For examples and inspirations, go to facebook.com/ThenAndNowThailand.
Work it into the holiday season by: Duplicating a photo your family no doubt took in front of a Christmas tree 10 or so years ago. It would surely be funny if you were the shortest one in the family and were holding a Golden Retriever puppy (that can now lick your hand without having to jump up on two feet).
