A dream career, a dream date and dreaming of conciliation

Nathan

Nathan Oman, the former singer who claims Hollywood hired him to appear in a blockbuster movie, says he has too much respect for Thais to answer their mounting doubts about the project.

Last week, self-styled ''people’s detectives'' at a local webboard turned up evidence which they said cast doubt on his claims to have gone ‘inter’ on such a grand scale.

Days passed before the media took much interest. Then, a friend and business partner of the former singing star claimed Nathan had spent most of the year working with her at a cafe – not in the Arabian desert rubbing shoulders with Hollywood stars as he claimed.

The saga began when Nathan told the media last week that he had spent months in the Middle East working on the big-budget film, The Prince of Red Shoe, directed by Wolfgang Peterson for 20th Century Fox.

The former RS promotion singer, who has never acted before, said he was appearing alongside stars Bruce Willis and Christina Ricci. Shooting was half -complete on the three-part adventure fantasy, for which he was being paid 100 million baht.

Skeptics at the popular Pantip webboard contacted 20th Century Fox. The studio, they said, denied the project was underway, and no trace of it could be found on the internet. Agents for Ricci and Willis also denied they were involved.

Adding further to public doubts, this week the co-owner of a city cafe came forward with details of a business dispute involving Nathan.

She said Nathan had spent those months not in the glamorous Middle East, as he claimed, but serving customers with her - in cognito.

Jamjuree ''Julie'' Kasher (DJ 'JJ' at Easy FM 105.5) says she and Nathan are among five business partners in the Jamaree Yak Cafe Gallery, in the Rama 9 area.

In a report filed with Hua Mark police, Julie accuses him of taking 138,000 baht of the cafe’s money. The money was to buy a tent, and pay the rent.

Julie said that while working at the shop, Nathan, who claims he is half-Nepalese, half-Thai, disguised his identity.

He wore a cap and sunglasses, and told her that if anyone asked, he was actually his own younger brother, Aran.

When he answered the phone, he put on a girl’s voice. ''Nathan’s not back from overseas yet, ka,'' he would say.

Hours later, Nathan went before the media.

Nathan produced a credit card slip to show he had handled the cafe’s finances correctly. Julie was just bitter after the pair fell out, he said, vowing he would counter-sue.

Reporters also asked about Nathan’s boast to have ''gone Hollywood'', which Nathan first aired in February, when he claims to have landed the role.

He was less forthcoming about this mystery.

No, he could not show his passport, as he was not a criminal, and didn’t have to prove anything. Nor could he show his air tickets, his shooting schedule, or his contract with the studio, which he claims runs to 120 pages – one for every scene.

''I have never had any trouble with the industry before now. I am known more for my efforts to help society,'' he said, breaking into tears.

''I respect Thais too much to answer such questions,'' he said.

Nathan claims 20th Century Fox wants to keep the project under wraps, and has told him to say nothing.

Journalists are still playing catch-up with a story driven by Nathan’s webboard skeptics, who have started more than 850 threads on the saga. Nathan won’t say when he is returning to Oman to resume work on the film. -

2.  

Thai rap singer Punyarisa ''Waii'' Thienprasit is in trouble with fans of Korean singer Kim Junsu, from the boyband 2PM.

First, she laid a claim to his affections. Then, she claims to have dumped him. Neither went down well with his fans, or his entertainment label.

Waii says she met Junsu in Pattaya, during 2PM’s visit to the kingdom last month to promote their latest album.

She claims that, shortly after her return to the capital, he took a furtive taxi from the resort town to see her.

''He came straight to my home. It all happened in a flash. He gave me a gift, and I gave him one in return,'' gushed Waii. ''He calls me often from Korea.''

On the internet, his jealous Korean fans were unamused.

''How can this Thai woman be his boyfriend? They don’t even speak the same language!'' they exclaimed.

Korean-based, Thai-American star Nichkhun Khun Horvejkul also belongs to 2PM. ''Maybe Khun translates for them,'' others suggested.

On July 25, Waii told the media about the secret meeting at her place. Two days later, after her internet drubbing at the hands of Junsu’s fans, she called off the relationship.

''I have blocked him...deleted his phone number, his email. We hardly talk any more.
''It doesn’t look good for us to be linked in the media,'' she said. Junsu was not a boyfriend, merely an ''older brother'', she added.

Junsu’s fans, who are evidently hard to please, said Waii was cheeky to dump their hero.

The band’s label, JYP Entertainment, also waded into the fuss. On Twitter, JYP founder/boss Park Jin-young left a small ''tweet''.

''The pair met at a function in Pattaya, but they did not meet elsewhere in the manner described,'' he said.

Thai teen star caught out lying? Korean fans don’t care. As long as Junsu is still single, they can breathe easy again. -

3.  

Fortune teller Mor Krit has read the signs, and is confident of settling his defamation dispute with R&B singer Saranrat ''Lydia'' Wisutthithada.

She is suing Mor Krit (Sukrit Patumsriwiroj) him for 50 million baht after he incorrectly claimed that she was pregnant.

''I am confident we can settle,'' he said after emerging from a five-hour conciliation meeting at the Criminal Court with Lydia and her boyfriend, Thai/farang singer Matthew Dean.

The court, seeing the parties made progress, has called them together again on Sept 16. If conciliation works, the dispute won’t have to go to trial.

Journalists looking for signs of discord said Lydia refused to pose for a photograph with Mor Krit, who stood by smiling weakly.

Earlier, they spotted Matthew sparring in a show fight at a muay thai boxing school, opened by actor Prem Busarakamwong.

''Are you in training to box with Mor Krit?'' they asked him jokingly.

''No...Lydia can look after herself,'' he replied.

Mor Krit and Matthew brushed shoulders as they left the court, another rag reported. An act of aggression on Matthew’s part? it asked.

Meanwhile, Pai ''One Point'' Lik, a motor racer and son of former veteran politician Ruangwit, is vowing to take all the way his defamation dispute with two television hosts.

Pai is suing Chettawut ''Buay'' Watcharakun and Pornthip ''Ae'' Wongkijanon after they claimed that he and close friend, actress Yardthip ''Yard'' Rajpal had shacked up together and liked to take drugs. 

Yard

Pai’s lawyer says his client has turned down the court’s offer of conciliation, as he wants to head straight to trial.

He has also filed a civil case seeking 50m baht against the pair, along with Channel 7.

The defendants had proposed conciliation, headed by Methani ''Nino'' Buranasiri, a TV presenter, and associate judge at the Pathum Thani provincial court.

As the defendants failed to propose anything he liked, the case will now proceed to trial. The first hearing is on Aug 31.

Pai is the son of ex-politician Ruangwit, a former Thai Rak Thai executive and nine-term MP in Kamphaengphet. In 2007, Pai stood unsuccessfully in the same seat.