Sonia Couling , nickname Pim, is a Thai model, actress, and television personality of English descent. She has appeared in many Thai films and TV shows, been a VJ for MTV Asia, been a host for HBO Asia and has produced and hosted Thailand's Next Top Model in 2005. Couling has also acted in Hollywood and French productions.
Couling started her modeling career in a Seven Up advertisement when she was 13. While attending boarding school and university in the UK, she worked with Storm modeling agency in London landing ads for L'Oreal UK and many fashion spreads and throngs of photographers from Thai magazines flew to the UK to snap her until she graduated. Once back in Asia she settled into a supermodel role, she has been the face of beauty products over Asia, like L'Oreal Asia, Olay Asia, Nivea Visage, Eucerin, 1st Asian Ambassador for Rado watches, Clairol Worldwide and plenty more. The much sought-after model appeared in countless Thai TV dramas and talk shows, and appeared on the covers of most leading fashion and women's magazines. She also appeared as a catwalk model in fashion shows and worked as a bilingual MC for various high-profile events. In 1998 Couling became VJ for MTV Asia, based in Singapore. She's the first Thai ever to land the job and launched her career into the pan-Asian stage. In 1999 Couling was voted Thailand's sexiest woman by FHM. The UK magazine FHM chose her as number one sexiest woman in Thailand and second in Asia and 10 sexiest women in the world. In 2016 she was chosen as the most beautiful Thai actress. In 2002 she won Best Actress in a Lead Role at the TV Gold Awards for her performance as Phitawan Satchamat in Thai TV series'. Couling also works behind the cameras producing TV show Thailand's Next Top Model and internationally as the executive producer on A Stranger in Paradise. In addition, Couling has starred in international films and TV series, including The Mark, The Mark: Redemption and Strike Back : Legacy'. In 2018, she appeared on The Face Thailand season 4 All Stars and The Face Men Thailand as a mentor and The Next Boy/Girl Band Thailand as a producer.
Couling, who is Thailand's number one international celebrity and has been involved in many Muay Thai projects, has been chosen to be the face of Muay Thai. Her in-depth experience with Muay Thai, includes having been an English announcer in Jao Muay Thai Fight at Siam Boxing Stadium on Thai TV3 for 3 years, hosted and MC'd The 2010 King's Cup and The 2010 Queen's Cup and plenty more. She, moreover, appeared on The Challenger Muay Thai on AXN as a ring announcer, and hosted Muay Thai Premier League on FOX.
Personal life
On 8 September 2007, Couling married to Paul-Dominique Vacharasinthu who is half Thai-French. They have a son, Pasha-Dominic Vacharasinthu. Couling flies single engine planes, reserve pilot for the Royal Thai Air Force where she was a guest pilot on the F5 and F16 fighter planes. She is also a horse rider and female polo player.
