• Napat Mitmakorn, a nine-year-old tattoo artist, showcases impressive skills at the Thailand Tattoo Expo.
• He learned tattooing through TikTok tutorials with his father and has aspirations to open his own parlour.
• His artistry combines traditional Thai designs and modern techniques, attracting significant attention at the expo.
• Napat's first public tattoo on a family member demonstrates his meticulous approach despite his youth.
• His TikTok channel has gained huge popularity, showcasing his artistic journey to hundreds of thousands of viewers.

Napat Mitmakorn, known as "Knight," is captivating audiences with his tattooing skills as he takes center stage at the Thailand Tattoo Expo. At just nine years old, Napat expertly wields a bulky tattoo gun to create intricate designs, like the fanged serpent tattoo he applied to his uncle's upper thigh during the event. "I want to be a tattoo artist and open my own tattoo parlour," he shared, emphasizing his passion for art and tattooing.

Tattooing has a storied tradition in Thailand, offering varying designs that encompass everything from ancient spiritual motifs to contemporary styles. Napat’s father, Nattawut Sangtong—a hobby tattooist himself—introduced him to the craft as a means to divert his attention from excessive gaming. "I wanted to keep him away from his phone because he was addicted to gaming," Nattawut explained. Together, they explored TikTok tutorials, practicing on paper before moving to artificial leather that mimics human skin, eventually graduating to real skin.

Devoting time to honing his artistry, Nattawut spends two hour-long sessions, three days a week, coaching Napat. They also share their endeavors on their TikTok channel “The Tattoo Artist with Milk Teeth,” which has attracted a sizable following, showcasing Napat’s tattooing sessions and artistic growth, sometimes drawing hundreds of thousands of views per video.

During his public debut at the expo, Napat tattooed an eight-inch mythical Naga serpent on his uncle—a design rooted in Hindu and Thai folklore—which he estimated would take around 12 hours to complete. Despite the loud techno music surrounding him, Napat maintained focus, indicating not just talent but poise under pressure. As both a family member and supportive artist, Naruebet Chonlatachaisit, his uncle, expressed trust in Napat's skills, indicating he believes his nephew will continue to develop.

As one of nearly 200 artists at the expo, Napat stood out among thousands of attendees, with onlookers marveling at his delicate technique. Office worker Napat Muangsawang aptly noted, “Tattooing is not easy. It’s not like drawing on a paper where you can just erase it.” For now, Napat is limited to tattooing family and friends, as he must undertake further hygiene training before accepting public clients. His journey illustrates both the rich tattoo culture in Thailand and how modern platforms like TikTok can empower young artists.

Interested readers can explore more about Napat's story on SCMP or India Times.