DOWN'S AND OUTRAGE, GREY TO STAY, UP IN FLAMES, LIFT PANIC

Koh Tee

Comedian Koh Tee Aram Boy is apologising for causing offence after viewers criticised him for making fun of Down's syndrome children on nationwide TV.

In his regular appearance on the Rueng Lao Chao Nee news show last week, Koh Tee dressed as a child, and sang a song to mark Children's Day yesterday.

He wore white make-up, and a T-shirt which reached half-way down his chest, exposing his bare, generous stomach.

Koh Tee squinted and mumbled at host Sorayut Suthasanajinda, who looked surprised that the pint-sized comedian known for his bizarre comic performances would dare put on such an act.

"How could you do such a thing?'' he asked, laughing.

On the internet, viewers said Koh Tee was mimicking Down's syndrome children, and should be ashamed for showing such a lack of respect.

"They have human rights too,'' one grumbled. "Is your hunger for money so much that you would make fun of them?''

Contacted later, Koh Tee said he did not mean to impersonate children with Down's syndrome and was surprised to hear people were upset.

"This is the first I have heard of it. The production team asked me to come dressed as a child. I was aged three or four, and spoke unclearly like a child who is just learning the language.

"I apologise if I have upset anyone. One of my relatives has Down's syndrome. I respect this group because of their talents - some have gifts which set them far apart from ordinary people.

"But I know that once people hear the words Down's syndrome, they will conclude that I was making fun of them, and it will be hard to change their minds,'' he said.

Koh Tee said he would have to be more careful when impersonating people. "That show doesn't make me much money. I just want to bring smiles to people's faces,'' he said. -

2.

Tao

Actor Somchai "Tao'' Kemklad has turned down work with a fashion magazine after it told him to have a Botox injection in his face.

Outspoken Tao, known for his fierce temper, says he is proud of the lines on his face, and he is not about to Botox them out for the sake of a magazine.

News reports said an overseas-based fashion magazine told Tao that if he wanted to feature in a body spread for them, he would have to get himself to a medical clinic smartly so they could smooth out his wrinkles.

Tao says he saw red: "I don't care if they offered me 10 million baht, I wouldn't take the injection. This is my face, my body. The 40 years of my life have been tiring, so little wonder if it should show in my face. Every wrinkle and line on my face has value, and I want to keep them.

"My hairdresser says I'm starting to get grey hairs, and asked if he should put a colour through it. I told him I wanted to keep them just the way they are. I would like to see if I will end up completely grey, and how my appearance will change if I do,'' he said.

Responding to his comments, netizens commended Tao for speaking his mind.

"You're all man. I'm with you all the way,'' one fan enthused. -

3.

Boy, Jeap

Singer Anuwat "Boy'' Saguansakpakdee says he is stunned after a Japanese restaurant that he runs with his actress girlfriend went up in smoke on Thursday.

"I feel sick, in a half-dream, half-awake state. It's like setting fire to my own money for fun,'' he said.

Boy owns three branches of the Shabu King restaurant with actress Pijitra "Jeap'' Sirivejapun.

The Wang Thonglang branch, opened just three months ago, was destroyed by fire on Thursday morning at about 6am.

Two firefighters managed to bring the fire, at The Scene (Town in Town) shopping centre on Sriwara Road, under control in half an hour.

The fire also spread to a Korean restaurant and medical centre next door.

Wang Thonglang police, who responded initially to the call, said the Shabu King restaurant was done out in flammable materials which caught fire easily. They believe the fire started outside the kitchen area.

Boy said the restaurant had closed a good seven hours before the fire. "No one was around at that hour, and I can't think of how it might have started,'' he said."However, I would ask the public not to jump to conclusions that it started at our restaurant. Let the investigation run its course,'' he said.

Jeap said the fire caused losses of 10 million baht to her restaurant.

"It was bringing in 100,000 baht a day, so it was popular,'' she said. "I fainted when I heard the news, and can barely stop crying. "My lawyer does not want me to say much more, except that we will carry on with the brand.'' -

4.

Bee

Singer Peerapat "Bee'' Tenwong says he was lucky to survive a terrifying 30 minute ordeal in which he was stuck in a city condo lift, fast running out of air.

Describing the drama on Facebook, Bee warned his fans against buying a condo, or if they must live in one, to check out the systems in place to help people trapped in lifts.

"I live on the eighth storey of a 40-storey condo in Thong Lor. The day the lift stopped, I was heading down, and had probably reached the fifth floor,'' he said.

"The power to the lift went out, leaving me stuck alone, and in darkness. I rang the bell in the lift four or five times, tried to compose myself, and waited,'' he said.

After getting no response, he called his wife on the phone, and asked her to contact security.

"They called me back to say the transformer had blown and they were sending an electrician to fix it,'' he said.

"I asked what they were going to do. They said the electrician would come to my floor and try to force open the doors. They asked me what floor I was on, as they didn't know,'' he said.

"Time was passing by, and I was running short of air. I tried calling 911, but was unable to get through. I spoke briefly to my wife and mother, but tried not to use my phone too much. It was getting hard to breathe, and I started to worry.

"Eventually the power was reconnected, and I took the lift to the fifth floor carpark. I called my mother, who was talking to the police. The 25 minutes I spent stuck in the lift was the longest 25 minutes in my life.''

Bee listed his complaints about the episode. "How can a condo this size not have a system in place to tell where a lift stops? Why have a bell in the lift, or an intercom if no one answers?

"Why didn't anyone from the condo call me with updates of what was happening? Why do we have 911, if we can't get through?''

His condo had yet to call and apologise for the incident.

Bee has now told his girlfriend he is no longer prepared to live in a condo. "If any of my fans has a small 50 square metre house they want to sell, please get in touch,'' he said.