Like many youngsters in Thailand, Pairoj Thanomwong was an avid collector of figurines from his favourite comic book heroes and sci-fi movie characters. Decades later, the 43-year-old has turned his childhood passion into profit, leading a team of welders to transform scrap metal into towering statues of popular film and TV characters. Local clients range from restaurants and coffee shops to Buddhist temples, where monks have installed the statues to attract more children.