BANGKOK, 16 September 2025 - On a Sunday morning at Kasetsart University, the atmosphere inside the student hall was buzzing with energy. More than 150 students had gathered, chatting enthusiastically as they waited for a guest speaker with an inspiring story to tell. They were waiting to hear Chanun Chaikijvanichkul, better known as “Chan,” the influencer who become widely known for his weight loss journey. But his story went far beyond numbers on a scale.
The event was part of UNICEF’s Kin Rai Dee (“What’s Good to Eat”) campaign, a nationwide initiative encouraging children, adolescents, and parents to make healthier food choices. The campaign targets Gen Z youth between 13 and 24, alongside the parents of young children. The goal is to raise awareness of the risks of poor nutrition while offering practical, everyday solutions. For many Thai young people, the risks are all too real: childhood overweight and obesity rates have doubled in the past 25 years, with 13 per cent of children aged 6-14 and 14 per cent of adolescents aged 15–18 now overweight or obese. If current trends continue, experts warn that more than 60 per cent of Thai children could face overweight or obesity by 2035, increasing their risk of diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
Against this backdrop, the Kin Rai Dee campaign aims to create a culture shift. At Kasetsart University, that shift began with an honest conversation about food, lifestyle, and health.
“Choose what you eat”
Chan stroke on stage joined by his sister and spoke openly about living with obesity from a young age, recalling the exhaustion, stress, and bullying that shaped much of his childhood. “There were years of stressing out and losing confidence,” he told the students. Yet his turning point came not from adopting a drastic diet, but from making simple, sustainable changes.
“You don’t need to go too harsh on yourself or change your diet drastically,” Chan explained. “You can eat what you like to eat but eat less and be a bit more picky about what you eat. My simple tip is: eat less than you use.”
Like many young Thais Chan grew up surrounded by unhealthy food options, but learnt to be disciplined and make small practical changes that resonated with the students: still enjoying pork belly but choose the less fatty pieces; eating one bowl of rice instead of two; dipping less sauce at shabu restaurants; and adding more vegetables to meals. He started with food, then added light activity - walking around his house, circling chairs, anything to keep moving. “And then,” he said, “I stepped up a gear and started more vigorous exercise.”
The room was captivated: students leaned forward, taking notes, snapping photos, and raising hands to share their thoughts and ask their questions. Many later shared that his approachable advice - allowing enjoyment of food while making small conscious adjustments - felt realistic for their own busy university lives.
Students’ reflections
For 19-year-old Phompailin Gebben, the session was eye-opening. “I really love mala and eat it all the time,” she admitted with a laugh. “When I’m tired, I feel like I have to eat it. It’s salty and oily, but so delicious. After that, I always crave for dessert.”
“But today I got inspired,” she added. “Not just about losing weight, but about making better choices. Like Chan said, we don’t have to change everything. Just eat less or make small adjustments. We just need to start now.”
Her classmate, Arraya “Sara” Phongsawang, reflected on the challenge of changing food habits. “There are many healthy restaurants on campus, but I never tried them because the taste wasn’t familiar,” she admitted. “Now a new clean-food shop opened, and people say it’s good. I think if we open our minds, we can enjoy it.”
Sara also highlighted the bigger picture: “Fast food is everywhere, easy to find. If children grow up with that taste, they believe that’s what’s delicious. Thus, creating a healthier food environment from the start is really important.”
Universities as changemakers
The workshop also sparked discussions on how universities themselves can help improve student health. Asst. Prof. Dr. Suratwadee Arunwarakorn, Assistant to the President for Student Affairs and Sustainable Development at Kasetsart University, stressed the role of campus food environments.
“Students choose food based on convenience and taste,” she explained. “Most vendors don’t think about reducing sodium or sugar so it’s easy for students to access unhealthy food. If they don’t pay attention, it adds up.”
She noted that the university is working with shop vendors to adjust recipes, reduce salt, and tell customers about sugar levels. “This project with UNICEF is very useful because it builds awareness among students,” she said. “The content from Kin Rai Dee campaign also shows that eating well doesn’t have to be so strict. It can be flexible, adapted to your budget and lifestyle. That’s something students can really apply.”
Starting in October, Kasetsart University will also launch a health initiative in collaboration with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, focusing on exercise and nutrition. “We want to raise awareness among food vendors and encourage them to adjust their menus by using less sugar and salt so that students can have access to healthier food every day.” Asst. Prof. Dr. Suratwadee Arunwarakorn added.
Creating ripple effects
As part of the workshop, groups of students will now create short video clips sharing eating tips and healthier choices across their universities. These peer-to-peer messages will amplify Chan’s story and the campaign’s core ideas: balance, moderation, and long-term health.
For UNICEF, this is just the beginning. “Ultra-processed food, high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats are everywhere and they are shaping children’s diets far more than their own choices,” said Sirirath Chunnasart, Adolescent Development Specialist at UNICEF Thailand. “By empowering young people to make conscious decisions, and improving the food environments around them, we can help ensure healthier futures.”
As students left the hall, still talking excitedly about their favorite meals and new ideas, the message was clear: good health doesn’t have to mean giving up the foods you love. It starts with small, everyday choices - choosing less sauce, one bowl instead of two, or trying a new vegetable.
Or, as Chan put it simply: “Eat less than you use.”
