Model behaviour

After living the model life, Rojjana Phetkanha has become a cautionary tale for would-be cover girls trying to make it in the big bad world

Former international model Rojjana ‘‘Yui’’ Phetkanha’s return to the spotlight three weeks ago was far from stellar — she was found wandering the streets.

Three weeks ago, former international model Rojjana ‘‘Yui’’ Phetkanha returned to the spotlight, but it was almost as far from a stellar comeback as you could imagine. About 20 years ago she was living a glorious life, supposedly with a 50 million baht career sashaying on catwalks worldwide, gracing the cover of Vogue Singapore and being featured in Chanel perfume print ads.

This time around, Rojjana, looking like a homeless person, was found harassing customers near a petrol station. Police came to the scene and took her to a temple where she said she was visiting relatives. Only two days later, the 37-year-old was spotted looking disorientated while sitting on the street, unable to give any coherent answers. At her father’s request, the police decided to admit her to a mental hospital.

Speculation rose as to whether she was hooked on drugs or suffered some sort of mental disorder. The truth remains murky, but one reality stands firm: Rojjana has fallen from grace, and it is still unclear whether she can ever climb back up. The incident isn’t the first time we have heard