Thanadsri grew up in the royal Sa Pathum Palace, and was attending university when World War II disrupted his studies and led him to join the renowned Suntaraporn band.

[d][3] As a grandnephew of Queen Savang Vadhana,[e] Thanadsri was brought up in Sa Pathum Palace in the company of princes Ananda Mahidol and Bhumibol Adulyadej, both of whom would later become kings.

[f][4] Thanadsri grew up observing the culinary practices and traditions of the royal palace, his paternal grandmother Mom Lamun being head of the Sa Pathum palace kitchens and his mother also working the royal kitchens for Queen Saovabha Phongsri.

[5] Following the war, Thanadsri worked briefly as a clerk for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and travelled to England to study law.

Prince Bhisadej Rajani, as a marketing manager at Shell Thailand at the time, approached Thanadsri to help create a soft advertising campaign for its newly launched cooking gas products.

[9] Thanadsri travelled throughout the country, visiting restaurants and recommending venues that offered great-tasting food, writing under the pen name Thanat So (ถนัดศอ).

The column became known as a guarantee of excellence, and was extremely influential; many businesses became great successes thanks to Thanatsri's reviews.

Recommended establishments were allowed to put up the Shell Chuan Chim sign; its distinctive bowl logo was adopted in 1982.

[6] Thanadsri is recognized as having been an expert in Thai cuisine and for his contributions to the musical arts and broadcast industries.