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| Leena, Nathan and Pirawan Cholpithakpong |
Nathan's lawyer now stands accused of defamation, after she gave a media interview last Monday criticising the complainant and her son.
The lawyer for the other side jumped on the remarks, claiming they were defamatory, and urged her client to lay a police complaint.
The former singer himself faces new charges, laid with police the same day, that he lied to state officials to obtain an outstanding youth award in 2006.
Saman Sukserm, former live-in housekeeper to Nathan and chief complainant in the fraud case, laid a defamation complaint with the Crime Suppression Division last Wednesday against Nathan's lawyer, Pirawan "Boo" Cholpithakpong. She was acting on the advice of her own lawyer, Leena Jangjanja (Leena Jang), who said the comments were defamatory.
Ms Pirawan had told the Manager newspaper that Mrs Saman's son, Athit "Jack" Koonfai, was a bad lot who gambled, took drugs and had spent six months in jail. She also claimed to know of a case where Mrs Saman had attempted to extort money.
Ms Leena said she had spoken to Jack about the claims. He told her that he was once arrested for drug use while in his youth. He was never jailed, but had to report for correctional training. He denied being a gambler. Mrs Saman, similarly, denied ever cheating people of their money.
The Manager newspaper hailed news of the pending defamation action as the opening blows in what was sure to be a tasty court battle between two outspoken lawyers: Ms Pirawan, who says she has spent 20 years championing the causes of the poor, and Ms Leena, a two-time candidate for Bangkok governor known for her shocking pink dresses and high-heeled shoes.
In her interview, Ms Pirawan also said she was sticking by Nathan because she believed in him. She has been known to dump clients half-way through the legal process if she discovered they were lying.
Reporters asked Ms Leena about her legal adversary Ms Pirawan, who gave her full name only on Monday, after keeping reporters guessing for weeks about her identity.
"This woman is smart. She faces any number of claims made about Nathan, but sticks by him. A lawyer can never abandon her client, no matter what he's like.
"I'm just an ordinary lawyer; Boo is my senior. I know we'll face a tough time in court, as the people on my side are from the provinces. They are scared of lawyers and the legal process, and not good at talking.
"Boo's client and witnesses, however, have the gift of the gab. In court, she's likely to pummel us with questions. I will have to train my team so they know how to respond."
Ms Leena says she is already having problems with Mrs Saman, whom she volunteered to help after seeing what legal obstacles Mrs Saman was up against.
"When I offer advice, she insists on running it past a lawyer she knows in her home province of Amnat Charoen.
"Mrs Saman's relatives have also fallen victim to Nathan's persuasions, but none have offered so far to join Mrs Saman in laying complaints."
Mrs Saman claims Nathan borrowed 300,000 baht from her and failed to pay it back. She says that with interest, the outstanding amount has now climbed to 750,000 baht.
Last week, Ms Leena came forward with a 76,000 baht donation for Mrs Saman's mother, whose land was among family property which Mrs Saman mortgaged to help Nathan. Lenders were threatening to foreclose.
Nathan reported to the Amnat Charoen court last Tuesday for the third time since his arrest last month. He has denied the charges.
Wearing a subdued red and black checked shirt, he looked like a wilting flower beside his lawyer, Ms Pirawan, who wore a spectacular red polka dot scarf, tied in a large bow to one side.
Ms Pirawan told reporters that the time for conciliation with Mrs Saman had passed.
"We want to leave this matter for the court to decide," she said.
Amnat Charoen police will forward his case to the prosecutor tomorrow. It will contain a recommendation to indict.
Earlier, the court approved Nathan's request to offer his bank account containing 100,000 in cash as surety for his bail, to replace a land title for a six rai property in Loei which was posted earlier.
"We want to replace the title offered as surety because its value, 600,000 baht, is six times what the court needed," said Ms Pirawan.
Nathan and his step-mother, who offered the title to secure him bail, are said to be looking for potential sites in Loei for a resort.
On Monday, the Department for Social Development and Human Security made good on its threat to take legal action against Nathan for lying to state officials. The department clams Nathan faked details of his application for an outstanding youth award in 2006, helping himself to a win.
The ministry's Supacha Sutthipol laid a complaint with police against Nathan and two staff members from his former entertainment label, RS Promotion, who vouched for his application to the ministry for the award.
Ms Supacha said the affair had damaged the reputation of the ministry, and the award. A conviction carries a potential jail term of up to three years.
Meanwhile, an aunt of former singer Prissana "Bookie" Praisaeng has volunteered to give evidence on Nathan's behalf.
Nanthanaporn Praisaeng, who works in the armed services, met Nathan when he visited Sydney to perform about five years ago. Speaking at the court on Monday, she said Nathan was innocent until a court found him guilty.
Her elder sister - Bookie's mum - told the media in November that Ms Nanthanaporn herself had fallen victim to Nathan's charm, at his request helping him buy a car, and meet rental payments on a condo. -
2.
Likay singer Chaiya Mitchai wants fans to enjoy his songs, not obsess over them.
A woman whom he says he does not know has complained to police that he was fooling with her emotions.
Panida "Joy" Kewnang 33, from Hat Yai in Songkhla, laid a defamation complaint with police last Tuesday saying Chaiya had made claims to be her boyfriend. Her friends had teased her about it so much that she felt depressed and had done herself harm.
She asked Chaiya to come forward and say clearly whether he was her boyfriend. If so, he could ask for a formal proposal of marriage. If not, it was all the same to her, as she enjoyed being single.
Chaiya went before the media as requested. He told reporters he had never met the woman, but suspected she may have made her complaint after taking too seriously the lyrics of one of his songs, Kwam Lang Hang Lotus, in which he falls in love with a girl by the same name as the complainant, Joy.
"I am sorry if she mistook the lyrics to refer to herself. My father wrote the song, which was meant for entertainment only. I would like my fans to enjoy my songs, not take them to heart so they get upset," he said.
He was not angry with Joy for laying the complaint. Reporters told him that Joy's younger brother had offered an apology through the media. Joy, he said, had a history of psychological problems.
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| Chaiya |
A woman whom he says he does not know has complained to police that he was fooling with her emotions.
Panida "Joy" Kewnang 33, from Hat Yai in Songkhla, laid a defamation complaint with police last Tuesday saying Chaiya had made claims to be her boyfriend. Her friends had teased her about it so much that she felt depressed and had done herself harm.
She asked Chaiya to come forward and say clearly whether he was her boyfriend. If so, he could ask for a formal proposal of marriage. If not, it was all the same to her, as she enjoyed being single.
Chaiya went before the media as requested. He told reporters he had never met the woman, but suspected she may have made her complaint after taking too seriously the lyrics of one of his songs, Kwam Lang Hang Lotus, in which he falls in love with a girl by the same name as the complainant, Joy.
"I am sorry if she mistook the lyrics to refer to herself. My father wrote the song, which was meant for entertainment only. I would like my fans to enjoy my songs, not take them to heart so they get upset," he said.
He was not angry with Joy for laying the complaint. Reporters told him that Joy's younger brother had offered an apology through the media. Joy, he said, had a history of psychological problems.
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