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| Mario, Coco |
That's superstar actor and former rapper singer Mario Maurer, outside the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court as he filed a counter-suit against his old manager, Nirun '’Coco’' Limsomwong.
They met each other in court this week for the first time since Coco started legal action against Mario for breach of contract, and against his manager, Supachai '‘A’' Sriwichit, for luring him away to join his own stable.
Coco is suing Mario for 600,000 baht, and A for 6m baht.
Mario and his manager have now decided to sue Coco back, for a total B44m, for damaging their reputation, as he aired details of their dispute in the media.
However, Mario maintains he still respects Coco, who discovered Mario and turned him into a star.
''Some people say that we can no longer look at each other in the eye. But I still respect him as much as I ever did,'' says the Love of Siam star.
Coco says he is not worried about the suits, as he has evidence to back his case.
As he walked into court, Mario called out his name. When he turned, Mario gave him a wai.
"I didn't feel anything, as I was too stressed,'' says Coco, who smiled back in return.
The court accepted the suits brought by Mario and A against Coco, and set a hearing date for April 21. It deferred a hearing into Coco's dispute against the pair until March 26.
Meanwhile, director and talent scout Poj Anon, who reckons manager A ''steals'' talent from rival promoters, has opened his own modelling agency, to protect his assets.
Poj and another talent manager, ''Oub'' Wiriya, have accused A of poaching youngsters recruited by other promoters into modelling and acting.
Mario is one such asset, of course, but Poj reckons A also tried to lure into his own camp Pirawich ''Aun'' Boonnark, lead actor of his new kathoey football comedy, Taew Te Teen Rabert.
Poj says he discovered Aun at a city cinema, and asked him if he would like to be an actor.
Previously, Poj did not bother getting his talent to sign contracts. Now that he has opened his own modelling agency, Samong Kaur (I use my own brain - I don't steal!), that will now change.
''I will take just 10% of their earnings, to keep the business running. I have 20 youngsters on my books,'' he says.
Why the change of heart? Manager A reckons youngster Aun, whom Poj cast in his football movie, once joined his own modelling agency as a boy. ''Aun probably doesn't recall, but as soon as I saw his face, I knew,'' says A. -
2.
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| Tao |
In early January, Wirachart ''Kota'' Densirikhun, 56, complained to police that Tao beat him up at a roadside eatery as he was tucking into a bowl of noodles and dumplings.
This week, Tao paid several visits to Lampang police. At his request, they have delayed sending the case file to prosecutors. He claims he has more eyewitness evidence to present.
Kota can't understand the delay, as it has been more than two months since the attack.
Kota says Tao punched him, knocked him to the ground, kneed his chest, and trod on him because he declined to return his wai, which Tao offered to patrons as he entered the eatery.
''He was so drunk, he was weaving. He offered a wai to every table. Other customers returned his wai, but I didn't. I had turned my back on him, because I knew he was trouble,'' he says.
In Chiang Mai in late 2007, Tao and a group of chopper-riding friends assaulted a motorist and his elder sister at a turnoff close to the city's airport.
While Tao and his victims eventually settled, prosecutors sent the case to court, which convicted Tao of bodily harm, and sentenced him to six months in jail, reduced to half, suspended for a year.
On that occasion, Tao sent a former local body head who knew his parents and those of the complainant to reach a settlement.
His latest alleged victim is proving more difficult. Why won't he just reach a deal? It would look much better for Tao, should the case reach
court.
On the same day as he laid his complaint, Kota says he was contacted by a local pub owner on behalf of Tao, who asked if he would like to settle.
Since then, a northern politician close to Tao has called to see Kota, asking again if he would like to settle.
Earlier, the same politician, with three or four soldiers in tow, called on a friend of Kota, urging talks.
'‘When he came to see me, the politician came alone. If he had meant to threaten me, he would have brought the soldiers too,'’ says Kota with a laugh.
''Tao is a person of influence; I am worried, though I have my own friends pulling strings on my behalf, too,'' he says.
Tao's foster parents also asked Kota to drop the matter, without success. In fact, just about the only person he hasn't yet heard from is Tao himself.
''Tao’s mother claimed I was a member of Tao’s fan club. Tao merely hugged my neck, and we fell over, she claimed. I told her that at 56, I am a little old to be chasing celebrities,'' he says.
Kota says that even if Tao apologised, the law must now take its course. -
3.
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| Aum |
Family values campaigner Rabiabrat Pongpanit usually has cause for
despair at the loose ways of the young.
Her latest target is soapie actress Patcharapa ''Aum'' Chaichuea, who likes to wear super-short shorts, and appears to keep several male admirers on a leash.
''Jay Biap'', as she is also known, says Aum dresses sexily just for the sake of it, and is setting a bad example to the young.
So, is anyone listening?
''I follow her work, and hear the criticism of her for exposing too much,'' says the former Khon Kaen senator.
''One day, a group of secondary students came to see. They shared my concern and asked me to have a go at her, for showing too much of her body,'' she says.
''I told them I would seek an opportunity to ask her to dress more appropriately,'' she says.
Students on the morals warpath? Aum, you have been warned! -
Her latest target is soapie actress Patcharapa ''Aum'' Chaichuea, who likes to wear super-short shorts, and appears to keep several male admirers on a leash.
''Jay Biap'', as she is also known, says Aum dresses sexily just for the sake of it, and is setting a bad example to the young.
So, is anyone listening?
''I follow her work, and hear the criticism of her for exposing too much,'' says the former Khon Kaen senator.
''One day, a group of secondary students came to see. They shared my concern and asked me to have a go at her, for showing too much of her body,'' she says.
''I told them I would seek an opportunity to ask her to dress more appropriately,'' she says.
Students on the morals warpath? Aum, you have been warned! -
4.
Sometimes, boys would rather just be watching football.
Model Parunyou ''Tack'' Rojanavudtitham is at a loss to explain why his relationship with model Yingmaen (MR Mannarumas Yukol) ended, though football may have played a part.
''I don't like nagging, fussy types. If she wanted time with me, but football came in the way, she would lose her temper.
''On weekends, she would call me but I would ignore it, as I was too busy watching the game,'' he says.
Tack and Yingmaen have now parted, after a tempestuous relationship covered in exhaustive detail by the entertainment media. It included a scene at a city department store, when Yingmaen burst into tears after hearing that Tack had been spotted with another woman.
While Tack was in the monkhood, Yingmaen let fly via Facebook at another girl who took his fancy.
Since their parting, Yingmaen has again been airing her frustrations on her Facebook site. Tack says he is unbothered, as she is just letting off steam.
''Tack asks me what has changed between us...I don't know. I ask Tack the same...he can't say either,'' says minor royal Yingmaen, who reckons their relationship defied description.
No matter. As a single woman, Yingmaen is free to see other men.
Schooled in Britain and now an arts student at Chulalongkorn University, Yingmaen is now seeing an older man she knew from overseas.
She has known the youngster for five years. Their families are friends, too.
''Now, I would rather have the top-up option, rather than the promotion which one day has to end,'' says Yingmaen, comparing her relationship to a cellphone.
''At the moment, he is being attentive. He drops me off at work, and picks me up when events are finished. I don't know if it will continue like that, or if he'll end up being like Tack.''
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| Tack, Yingmaen |
Model Parunyou ''Tack'' Rojanavudtitham is at a loss to explain why his relationship with model Yingmaen (MR Mannarumas Yukol) ended, though football may have played a part.
''I don't like nagging, fussy types. If she wanted time with me, but football came in the way, she would lose her temper.
''On weekends, she would call me but I would ignore it, as I was too busy watching the game,'' he says.
Tack and Yingmaen have now parted, after a tempestuous relationship covered in exhaustive detail by the entertainment media. It included a scene at a city department store, when Yingmaen burst into tears after hearing that Tack had been spotted with another woman.
While Tack was in the monkhood, Yingmaen let fly via Facebook at another girl who took his fancy.
Since their parting, Yingmaen has again been airing her frustrations on her Facebook site. Tack says he is unbothered, as she is just letting off steam.
''Tack asks me what has changed between us...I don't know. I ask Tack the same...he can't say either,'' says minor royal Yingmaen, who reckons their relationship defied description.
No matter. As a single woman, Yingmaen is free to see other men.
Schooled in Britain and now an arts student at Chulalongkorn University, Yingmaen is now seeing an older man she knew from overseas.
She has known the youngster for five years. Their families are friends, too.
''Now, I would rather have the top-up option, rather than the promotion which one day has to end,'' says Yingmaen, comparing her relationship to a cellphone.
''At the moment, he is being attentive. He drops me off at work, and picks me up when events are finished. I don't know if it will continue like that, or if he'll end up being like Tack.''
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