Why ML Wararom "Vicky" Jumbala has chosen to collect playing cards as her hobby

She doesn't enjoy gambling and she's not really into fortune telling, but ML Wararom "Vicky" Jumbala certainly has a passion for cards.

She estimates that she currently has between 300 and 400 decks in her collection, some of them still unpacked, including poker and tarot cards, as well as speciality packs from all over the world. As a child, she says, she and her siblings played cards during every trip.

"When our mother took us on a journey, we'd pass the time playing cards. Mum taught us many different games but it was a long time ago. These days, when we go on holiday together, we tend to watch a DVD. I've forgotten some of my mother's card games," she says with a smile.

She started collecting cards while studying in England, partly because of the wide variety of styles and designs available overseas. Soon she was buying decks rather than postcards or other souvenirs while travelling in other countries, especially in Europe.

"I started collecting cards with the pictures of famous places in the country I was visiting. These days, I am a lot more selective and choose decks based on their beauty, as well as paper quality and design," she says.

One of her favourites is the limited edition deck designed for Millennium Dome Opening in England. She's also very fond of a pack of Mummy cards with an unusual shape and design.

"I once visited a museum in France where I saw a collection with pictures of the French kings and queens pictures from each era. It wasn't just entertaining but also a good way of educating young people about their history. I've also seen decks printed with past events involving English underground groups and WWII."

Vicky also owns cute collections featuring Walt Disney characters bought during a visit Disney Land as well as several decks boasting colourful flowers.

She recently started collecting Tarot and Angel cards from local stores and has added more shelves to her trophy room, as several bookstores in Thailand sell the books along with the cards.

And just like other hobbyists, she chooses to spend time with her collections when she's feeling stressed out or lonely.

"It's a great way of chilling out while absorbing knowledge," she says.