NAMWAN SNAPS, OMELETTE BOY TURNS DOWN FAME, BAMBAM’S BRUSH WITH FATE
Singer sends pest packing
Singer and actress Pimra Charoenpakdee, or “Namwan Zaza” has given an ultimatum to the family of an internet pest who has been harassing her for the past six years.
Namwan visited Don Muang police last week to renew her complaint against the accused, Teerachort Sirinanti, 24, who has dodged two police summons in relation to the matter and now faces the threat of an arrest warrant if he refuses demands he get treatment.
Police invited the young man’s mother, Nipa Sirinanti, 53, to visit them instead to hear Namwan’s concerns first-hand.
Namwan said the young man sends her text messages on her phone and leaves posts on her social media account, upsetting friends, family and companies which hire her to present products on the internet. ‘’I am used to it now, but the people around me are not. In recent messages he threatened to chop up my body, sends pornography, and images of women being harassed sexually,” she said. Namwan was accompanied by her mother, Ploy Charoenpura, and her manager.
The man, known on social media as Eaknon Sir, and spiritmhilesvhey, has changed his Facebook and Instagram identity more than 100 times so he can carry on abusing her even after she blocks him, Namwan said.
The singer said she fears for her safety as the man knows where she lives. She had spoken previously to the man’s mother and police, to no avail. “He sends about 30 messages a day on average, though during heavy periods can send 200 a day,” she told police previously in January, after he renewed his tirade over New Year.
The suspect’s mother, Mrs Nipa, raised her hands in a wai of apology when she met Namwan at the station last week. She claimed her son was unable to respond to the latest police summons because of a stomach complaint.
Mrs Nipa, who has previously pleaded with Namwan for time to fix the problem, said her son has suffered psychiatric problems since he was four. He sees doctors at Siriraj Hospital and Somdet Chaophraya Institute of Psychiatry, but doesn’t always take his meds.
“If he doesn’t take his meds, he doesn’t sleep,” Mrs Nipa said. “He is hyper, has a short attention span, and extreme moods. If you do something to make him unhappy, he flies into a rage.”
She had cut his access to the internet once, after Namwan’s previous complaint, but her son went beserk. Despite the risk he would fly off the handle again, she was prepared to confiscate his phone, and would also take him to see the doctor. Mrs Nipa said she would present to police a doctor’s certificate as proof that she did take him to get medical help.
Namwan, who doesn’t know why the young man abuses her, said she and her mother were prepared to pay his medical costs, after Mrs Nipa, a merchant, complained she could not find the money. If Mrs Nipa did indeed take him for treatment as agreed, she was also prepared to withdraw her complaint.
“Last time I published a picture on Instagram laying a complaint at the station, her son was still sending me threatening messages,” Namwan said. “I would like his mother to take away his phone before he enters treatment. She looked as if she didn’t want to do that, but in the end she promised that whatever I post, he would not send any more unpleasant messages.”
Namwan said his abusive tirades had affected her work. Companies which hire her to present products on the internet ask her why her posts attract abuse. “I am a presenter for a skin care product, and we have agreed that I would post a picture of the cream, but I am too scared to do so, as I am worried he will leave more nasty messages,” she said.
Pol Cap Theppithak Sinsueb, of Don Muang police, said if Mrs Nipa does not take away her son’s phone and take him for treatment as agreed, police would seek an arrest warrant for Mr Teerachort on Tuesday. The case continues.
Stardom can just wait
A school boy whose plight making street food to help raise his family was publicised on the internet has turned down the subsequent prospect of fame in the movies for the chance to train in the military.
Wuttipong “Nong Oh” Jaiharn, 16, was thrust into the spotlight last week when a netizen posted a clip of him making simple omelette on boxed rice for customers of his street-side stand in Phra Ram II soi 50.
The social media post said Nong Oh turned to selling food as a part-time job to help raise his family after his parents died. The young man, who studies at Wat Songtham school in Samut Prakan, said he had been whipping up his egg rice dishes for the past few weeks during the term break. He was still too young to get a job at many department stores, so turned to making food close to home instead.
“I am the fourth of five children. Since our parents died, our older brother has been looking after us, but I want to help ease his burden, so I started selling omelette on rice to help raise our younger sister, and save money for an emergency,” the Mattayom 4 student said.
Last week fate intervened when hit director Poj Anon, who read about his plight, offered him a film role. However, to the surprise of many, who thought the young man would jump at the chance of movie fame, Nong Oh said he would rather focus on his studies first.
Poj, who was a talent spotter earlier in his career, visited the young man at his stall, and took him on a high-profile TV show one night last week to show off his cooking skills.
He also offered Nong Oh, who works out in the gym and has a well-built physique, the chance of an acting role when he is free.
Nong Oh said he had his heart set on entering the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School and enlisting as a soldier.
Poj said he transferred 10,000 baht to help meet his study expenses in the military and said he would discuss a film role with him further when the young man was ready. “I will put him to work so he can pay me back that way,” said Poj, who is well known for casting non-actors in his movies.
“Whenever he is free, we can make a time...but he won’t have to give up his work making omelette on rice,” Poj said, denying he was exploiting publicity about the young man for his own ends. “I feel sorry for the lad, as his childhood looks as tough as my own,” Poj said. “I simply enjoy helping people in need, as it is the humane thing to do.”
Nong Oh admitted he does not really want to act, and nor does he want to be famous. “But my elder brother suggested I take up Poj’s offer because I might make good money. We are still renting the place we were in before our parents died, helping each other find work,” he said. When reporters visited Nong Oh’s stall last week, a large queue of people, drawn by the publicity, were waiting in line for their order.
“I used to get through 60 eggs, or two trays a day. Since the publicity I am now getting through 150 eggs a day for my customers,” he said, adding he was proud to do his bit to support his family.
Boyband singer bares chest
A Thai member of the Korean hip-hop boyband, GOT7, was lucky to escape the conscription draw last week after the military declared in the closing minutes that enough young men had enlisted to fill quota, and that his services would no longer be required.
Singer Kunpimook “BamBam” Bhuwakul reported to the military conscription station at Wat U-deebamrungtham (O-ngoen temple) in the Sai Mai area last week.
A large group of enthusiastic fans turned out to watch the young man strip off his shirt as he had his chest measured by soldiers. Thai daily newspapers ran front page pictures of the bare-chested youngster, trying to laugh off his embarrassment, the next day.
“Fans know that it’s very rare that their hero would take off his shirt in public,” one outlet enthused. BamBam’s chest moment recalls the media fuss two years ago when superstar Mario Maurer took off his shirt on conscription day, and fans swooned over his stand-out pink nipples.
BamBam told fans earlier that he was resigned to his fate should he draw a red card in the conscription draw, obliging him to serve in the military for two years.
He had considered seeking a deferral, as many young men do if they have yet to finish their studies or have work commitments, but said he could not get the paperwork done in time. “If I have to be a soldier, no problem, as I have discussed my work commitments with my bosses at JP Entertainment in South Korea,” he said.
The army said 519 young men were called up to report in the district, of whom 126 asked for a deferral. After the list was whittled down to exclude those who failed on medical grounds, 206 had to submit to the draw.
However, in the course of the day 74 applied to enlist, which was the same number as the military wanted to join its ranks from that district.
To large cheers, the army announced that those waiting to try their hand in the draw, including BamBam, would not be required after all. BamBam said he would return to Korea to rehearse for a concert.