Nathan's stormy court scene, questions raised over his award

Nathan

Former singer and alleged fraudster Nathan Oman made a stormy appearance at the Amnat Charoen court last week, as the government took an interest in new fraud claims mounted against him.

As Nathan reported to the court for the first time since his arrest on a fraud complaint, he was facing allegations on a new front - that he falsified an application for a youth award in 2006.

At the court, Nathan was manhandled by relatives of complainant Saman Sukserm, his former live-in housekeeper who says Nathan borrowed 300,000 baht from her last year and failed to pay it back.

Both sides met in an unsuccessful attempt to reach a court-brokered deal in which Nathan would agree to start paying back the money.

After the conciliation meeting, a woman who identified herself as Nathan's lawyer claimed that Mrs Saman now wanted to apologise for laying the complaint.

In return, Nathan was happy to drop plans to counter-sue Mrs Saman for damaging his reputation.

Mrs Saman, however, said she made no such promise, and vowed she would pursue the complaint until Nathan repaid his debt.

The failed attempt at conciliation - the court has called both parties together again on Tuesday - comes amid reports that Nathan could be stripped of a national youth award and face legal action for lying to officials, in a new wave of trouble sparked by his arrest.

Thais have complained to the Department of Social Development and Human Security that Nathan probably faked his application for the 2006 prize, helping himself to a win.

The youth award is overseen by the Office for the Protection of Children, the Elderly and the Disadvantaged.

Minister of Social Development and Human Security Issara Somchai said checks of Nathan's application form suggested he had lied about his age, his parents' names and his ethnic background. Nathan claims he is part-Nepalese, part-Thai.

Mr Issara said the ministry is likely to take criminal action against Nathan. "I feel sorry for people who missed out as a result of his cheating, but we can't go back."

The former singer was arrested on Dec 23 in Loei province, outside a fruit plantation owned by a relative of his foster mother.

Police took him to Amnat Charoen province for questioning on the fraud complaint laid by Mrs Saman. He spent the night in police cells and was released the next day.

Police opposed bail, arguing Nathan was a flight risk and had threatened Mrs Saman. The court told him to report six times over the next month pending a decision on whether his case will go to trial.

Mrs Saman mortgaged family property to borrow on his behalf. Lenders are threatening to foreclose on 16 rai of family land worth almost 500,000 baht.

Reporting to court, Nathan was accompanied by a middle-aged woman, Book, who said she was working as Nathan's lawyer; and his foster mother, Pitsamai "Maem" Srikrabuth.

Mrs Saman brought along her ailing mother, Pin Sukserm, 83, whose family land title was among those mortgaged to help Nathan.

Mrs Saman's mother asked Nathan to pay 70,000 baht immediately to keep the creditors away. The Manager newspaper says Nathan gave her a wai, but nothing more.

After the conciliation meeting, lawyer Book escorted Mrs Saman before the cameras to insist that Mrs Saman had seen the error of her ways.

"Book" claimed her own reputation as a lawyer extended nationwide, but when asked for her full name she declined to give it.

"Mrs Saman knows she was mistaken in taking legal action against Nathan, and wants to apologise," Book told journalists.

"Saman wants to take out a front-page apology to Nathan to say sorry for damaging his reputation and forestall the possibility of Nathan counter-suing.

"It was all a misunderstanding," she said.

Nathan, standing by her side, said nothing. Mrs Saman, dwarfed by the larger figure of Book, also stayed silent.

"They still love each other as much as before, and eat rice out of the same pot together," said Book, holding Mrs Saman across the shoulder in what some reporters likened to an arm lock.

Outside the court, relatives of Mrs Saman grabbed Nathan by the arm to stop him getting in a waiting car. His foster mother stood between Mrs Saman's supporters and Nathan to protect him.

Lawyer Book also had trouble making a clean exit. "Read the documents, and we can talk," Book told Mrs Saman's supporters as they kept up their barrage of chants and jeers.

After freeing herself from Book's sturdy shoulder hug, Mrs Saman insisted she had made no apology to Nathan's side. Book had forced her to go before the cameras, but really nothing had changed.

"I said nothing ... that woman was the one doing all the talking," she said, referring to Book.

Earlier, Nathan declined to comment on the youth award controversy, saying he would let the government's probe takes its course.

He was likely to enter the tourism business in Loei province. His foster mother owned property by the Mekong River, and was thinking of building a resort, he said. "If they want to hire me as a performer, I'm here," he said.

Minister Issara said the ministry would have to be more careful in awarding the prize, which is conferred each year by Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.

Nathan shared the 2006 prize in the media category with fellow RS artist Pruengprach "Pup" Prakatsan.

RS denied fabricating Nathan's history to boost its artist's chances of success. A spokesman said RS relied on biographical information supplied by Nathan himself.

Mr Issara said organisers could not afford to award the prize based on an applicant's fame alone.

Head of the office Usanee Kangwanjit said applicants must be no older than 25. In his application form, Nathan gave his age as 23.

Details of Nathan's citizen ID card, giving his date of birth, real name and parents' names came to light after his arrest last week.

The former singer's ID card says he is aged 33, which suggests that, three years ago when he applied for the award, Nathan was aged 30 - five years older than the qualifying age.

A decision about whether to take legal action against Nathan for faking his application would be made at the committee's meeting tomorrow.

Kasem Jannoi, head of the sub-committee which considers applications, said Nathan passed a three-stage process of checks.

"We gave the award to Nathan because we could see that he helped raise funds for Morgan people, who were among victims of the 2004 tsunami.

He lobbied the government to raise attention to their plight, and served as a good example to youth," he said. In the award's 20-year history, the panel had never encountered allegations that a recipient had faked his application. It would now demand to inspect applicants' ID cards and home registration details.