‘CANCER’ SHOCK, UNWANTED GUEST, TUM’S TRIAL
Thai superstar Patcharapa “Aum” Chaichuea says she feels shocked after learning a member of her fan club claimed she was ill with cancer and, unknown to her, duped another fan into parting with 7.5 million baht.
Chayada Chinawit, an accountant for her family’s city business, The One, in Srinakarin Road, complained to Crime Suppression Division police on Thursday saying a fellow member of Aum’s fanclub duped her out of the money.
She was accompanied by her elder brother, Preecha, who runs the business.
Ms Chayada said Patcharawat “Jorm” Kamhaeng, a kathoey fashion designer in Nakhon Si Thammarat whom she met about six years ago, borrowed the money from her in about 10 instalments, starting in July.
She said Jorm contacted her to say Aum was ill with ovarian cancer and needed the money urgently to pay for treatment. She couldn’t afford to go public with the news, and asked Jorm to help raise the cash.
Previously Jorm had escorted her to meet Aum in person many times, so she trusted her without the need to check with Aum.
Ms Chayada said she borrowed the money from the family’s business and sent it to Jorm, who told her she would repay the debt in November.
Mr Preecha said the money was needed as a revolving fund to run the business. When the due date came but Jorm failed to repay the money, he asked his sister about the loan. He was told Jorm had asked to put off repayment until the middle of next year.
Worried about the money, Mr Preecha said he decided to call Aum directly, who told him she knew nothing about the request, and denied being ill. She hadn’t been in touch with Jorm in some time, she said.
Writing later on social media, Aum said she felt shocked by the news. She was in fine health, but for the occasional cold. She denied putting up Jorm to ask for the money, and urged fans who seek to raise money on her behalf not to believe them.
“Every time someone falsely cites my name, do I have to give evidence before police?” she asked, sounding exasperated. In a message to reporters, she said: “Enough. Don’t call my home any more. I have a headache and feel exhausted.”
CSD police say they intend calling in Aum and Jorm to help with their inquiries.
When a stranger calls
Country music star Nipaporn “Kratae” Paeng-ouan has laid a police complaint after a man who claimed to be her husband turned up uninvited at her home.
Kratae, 28, also known as Kratae R-Siam, accompanied by her mother Pranom, sister Kratai, 26, also a singer, and brother Krit, 21, said the man turned up at their Sai Mai home in a taxi early on Nov 21.
Ms Pranom, who sent her children indoors immediately, said the man stank of alcohol and spoke incoherently. “He claimed they made a pledge together before a shrine 14 years ago, but Kratae had broken the promise, so he wanted to take her back to make amends,” she said.
‘‘I was shocked, as I had never met him before in my life.
“I sent the kids inside, and Kratae called the police.’’
She said the man, whom she identified as Supit Meechai, 45, of Sakhon Nakhon, agreed to have his picture taken, and also handed over his ID card to be photographed. They presented the pictures as evidence.
Ms Pranom said the family had just returned from Khon Kaen, where Kratae gave a concert, and were unpacking the car when the man turned up.
She said Krit and members of Kratae’s staff barred him from entry to the home, and he eventually left without seeing his “wife”.
The taxi driver said he picked the man up at a school playing field in town. He gave him the address written on a slip of paper.
The security guard at Kratae’s housing estate said he let the taxi through because Mr Supit knew where she lived, and because Kratae often has goods delivered by taxi.
“He declared he wasn’t scared of the police, and was prepared to visit every TV station to declare he was Kratae’s husband,” the guard told Kratae’s family.
Ms Pranom said she feared for their safety, so laid a police complaint. “He came so close. What if he had been carrying a weapon? Another few metres, and he would have been inside the door,” she said.
Police, who have referred the matter to Kannayao station, which has jurisdiction, said they are likely to charge Mr Supit with causing a public nuisance, a minor charge, as he didn’t actually break into their home.
Cops and robbers
A defamation dispute between a high-profile policewoman and a wealthy socialite who accused the officer of stealing her boyfriend now looks set to head for trial, after conciliation talks failed.
Pol Lt Col Anchalee “Mor Air” Teerawongpaisal in March laid a defamation complaint with Technology Crime Suppression Division police against socialite Wichuda “Tum” Leenuthapong after Tum accused her of breaking up her relationship with her policeman lover.
The saga captured the attention of Thai netizens and even drew in the national police chief, who said he was confident the row would not harm the force, even though it involved two young, high-profile officers.
The Criminal Court in Ratchada last week called in both sides for talks. A lawyer for socialite Tum said she was prepared to offer a full apology, as long as it came with no conditions. However, Mor Air wanted more from her, so the talks failed.
Mor Air laid two complaints against the socialite, and prosecutors filed a third for a breach of the Computer Crimes Act, after Tum attacked Mor Air on social media.
Tum denied the charges. The dispute now looks set to go to trial, with the court calling the pair back in July to hear witness testimony.
The saga started when Tum declared in February she had broken up with her policeman lover, Pol Lt Col Attapol “Aun” Ittayorpasakul, a one-time social media icon feted for his good looks, after he asked her for money allegedly to buy a police promotion, and started seeing Mor Air.
Mor Air, a spokeswoman for the Police General Hospital who works in the psychiatry and drug addiction unit, laid a police complaint the same month.
She said Tum kept up her attacks on Facebook, despite requests to stop, so she laid a further complaint in March. Tum declined to say what extra conditions Mor Air had sought in addition to the apology she offered to settle the row.