Nine-Year-Old Thai Tattoo Artist Makes His Mark at Bangkok Expo

AFP | Bangkok, Thailand
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Nine-year-old Napat Mitmakorn, a young Thai tattoo artist, showcased his skills at the 2025 Thailand Tattoo Expo in Bangkok, where he worked on a tattoo for his uncle. Wielding a tattoo gun that seemed too large for his small hands, Napat carefully inked a fanged serpent design on his uncle’s thigh.

“I want to be a tattoo artist and open my own tattoo parlour,” Napat told AFP, as curious attendees stopped to watch and film his work. “I like art, so I like to tattoo.” Despite his young age, Napat is already making a name for himself in the world of tattooing, a centuries-old tradition in Thailand.

Napat's father, Nattawut Sangtong, an amateur tattoo artist himself, introduced his son to the craft. To keep Napat engaged and away from video games, Nattawut began teaching him tattooing by watching TikTok tutorials. The father-son duo even shares their tattoo sessions on TikTok, where their channel "The Tattoo Artist with Milk Teeth" has gained a large following. The channel streams Knight's sessions and has drawn hundreds of thousands of viewers.

While Napat has been tattooing family and friends, he’s aware that working on public clients would require more training, especially in hygiene. "I just wanted to keep him away from his phone because he was addicted to gaming," Nattawut explained, adding that his son’s passion for art and school subjects helped him quickly pick up the skill.

At the expo, Napat’s artistry drew attention, as he completed the first part of an eight-inch Naga serpent design. The tattoo was set to take 12 hours to finish. Despite the techno music blaring from the speakers, Napat remained focused, eager to continue his work.