Pam Lita: RIS World Star

World Star Academy is an international performing-arts school based in Bangkok that offers programs in singing, dancing, acting, and numerous other fields of performance arts. Its founder and director, Pam Lita Tavedikul, is a well-recognized veteran of the entertainment industry with over twenty-five years of experience as a performer, a recording artist, a voice instructor, a TV host and producer, and businesswoman, among many other roles. Pam is also an alumna of Ruamrudee International School.

From first grade at RIS’ former campus in Soi Ruamrudee to graduating high school from the current Minburi campus with the Class of 1996, Pam has had a long history with RIS. Her sisters, Gift and Patch, also attended RIS from grades 1 to 12. Having spent her formative years at RIS, Pam has many warm memories of how her time at the school has shaped her career and who she is today. 

“I failed first grade,” says Pam, laughing. That was in 1985. The elementary school principal at RIS at the time, however, gave her a chance. She felt grateful not having to repeat a grade, and as young and timid as she was, Pam recalls the moment as one of great significance to her. Since then, her teachers’ kindness and belief in her helped shape her ambition, work ethic, and compassion for other students.  

In second grade, Pam started taking after-school lessons, notably in music and other forms of performing arts. By the time she was 12, Pam had won a national singing competition. She eventually became an honor roll student and graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA, a dream come true for her she says, given her awkward beginning at RIS. She attributes her successes to her positive experience at school. 

“My RIS experience was good because of teachers and friends who were supportive,” she shares. “I learned to manage my time and became more disciplined at school and with singing. I participated in almost every talent show or cultural show back then. It has had a big influence on my career today, with my music school and producing TV shows.” 

After RIS, Pam furthered her education in the United States, going on to earn a bachelor’s degree in music technology from New York University (NYU), a master’s in education from Framingham State University; and a certificate in music business from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Given her various degrees, it comes as no surprise that Pam would achieve her ambition of establishing her own music academy, which she did with World Star in 2014. 

“Every student should take music—singing or playing instruments—or acting,” says Pam, a steadfast advocate of the performing arts. “I believe it’s really important that students learn how to ‘perform’ in one way or another. They should perform on stage whether they become professional or not. It helps with conversations and presentations. It builds personality. If you can express yourself in front of an audience, you can become outstanding in other areas.”

Pam is adamant that her own students experience being in front of an audience at least once every three months. It’s a factor that makes World Star Academy unique among other performing arts schools in Thailand in that it consistently creates opportunities for its students to hone their performance skills, from intimate stage performances to big-venue concerts and musicals. World Star Academy also produces “You’re a Star,” a family-friendly reality-television program and kids’ singing competition broadcast on Channels 3HD and 13 that’s currently developing its second season. The school encourages its own students to participate, although the program is also open to the general public. As a mother of two, Pam also views World Star’s events as fun, family-bonding experiences, encouraging parents to take part by preparing costumes, videoing their kids for social media, or just showing up for support. 

Now in its fourth year, World Star Academy is moving from strength to strength. The school not only caters to developing new talent but to seasoned artists and actors of the entertainment industry as well. Thereare plans to launch a new World Star branch in Thailand monthly, making it among the top-tier music school franchises in the country. And as if that weren’t enough, Pam is also in talks to bring World Star to Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan over the next few years. She is also preparing to launch her TV program, “You’re a Star,” in Vietnam.

So where did this self-admitted shy girl get all her confidence from? “My experience at RIS with friends and teachers of different cultures, nationalities, and religions had a great influence on me,” she says. “It made me feel comfortable enough to work with internationally-minded people, to understand them and know the differences in how we think and communicate. It’s enabled me to work with anyone, anywhere in the world, really. If I wasn’t at an international school, I don’t think I’d have had the courage to do what I do now.” 

Ultimately though, music was Pam’s saving grace. “I didn’t have a sense of worth when I was really, really young,” she admits. “That’s why I do what I do—to help kids like myself. There are kids who are really shy and may feel no sense of accomplishment. When they get on stage to sing and people clap for them, they start to feel a sense of worth and believe in themselves more.  I believed I was incompetent, but that all changed eventually. Music helped me realize I was good at something and that if I worked hard at it, I could earn something for myself.”

An accomplished entertainer, venerated teacher, and savvy businesswoman, Pam Lita has come a long way from her start at RIS as that shy little first grader.

The main branch of World Star Academy is located in Sukhumvit Soi 49. It offers programs in voice, dance, acting, emceeing, personality, piano, bass, guitar, ukulele, drums, and songwriting. For more information, visit www.worldstaracademy.net, or call 096-987-8932 (LINE ID @worldstaracademy).