PU'S ONLINE UPROAR, CHAI DEFENDS TALENT, NO BLOOD MONEY HERE, THAT SHRINKING FEELING

Tam

Actress Praiya ''Pu'' Suandokmai is struggling to put behind her a messy saga in which the mother of a childhood friend criticised her in public.

Former model Rungnapa ''Tam'' Kittivat lashed into Pu after she allowed a post critical of her daughter Bianca (Hong Kong-based Bianca Kirn) to stay on her Instagram site for two days before deleting it.

''You go down as you level, you're a whore in hongkong but don't ever pimp me out to your pretentious guy friends,'' the message said in English.

Pu, 24, and Bianca are old school pals. Pu claims her Instagram account was ''hacked'', and in comments to reporters insisted she did not know who was responsible.

Bianca

"There's no need to clear up the matter with Bianca, as she lives overseas,'' Pu said.

This angered Bianca's mother, who said Pu should have acted sooner to contain the damage.

''Don't say you were a victim of hacking. Why aren't you worried about her feelings? I'm really disappointed,'' she said.

Tam said Pu deleted the post only after she called her mother to complain.

According to Pu's mother, the message likening Bianca to a prostitute was posted by someone close to Pu, not by the Channel 7 actress herself.

She apologised on Pu's behalf. Tam said that wasn't good enough, as Pu should have said sorry herself.

Pu

Many reports assume the culprit is Pu's boyfriend, socialite Wiset ''Note'' Rangsisingpipat, who was said to be angry after Bianca introduced Pu to farang she knows in Hong Kong. Pu denies it was him.

''I don't know why he had to use such strong language,'' Tam said, referring to the post's mystery author.

''If the one who hacked the account was a man, all I can say is that he is gutless and hardly a man at all. He took a woman's phone, hacked it, and maligned her friends.''

The culprit also posted two pictures of her daughter to accompany the remarks.

Asked to comment last week, Pu said she just wanted the row to end. She would not say if she had offered an apology.

''I don't want to discuss if further. It won't make anything improve,'' she said. -

2.

Chai

Music for life singer Somchai ''Chai'' Ninsri is defending his win in Thailand's Got Talent after some netizens claimed it was secured on pathos and drama rather than his merit as a performer.

Chai, 29, a native of Pattani, won the popular vote to take the top prize in the third season of the Channel 3 television contest, which wound up last week.

He entered the competition two months ago saying he had no permanent work, but knocks about from job to job. He wanted to sing for the South, after a friend's father was killed in the insurgent violence. He has won five million baht cash, a condo and car, worth a total of 10 million baht.

Chai performing

Chai belted out three energetic pieces on his guitar which he wrote himself.

The first song, the White Pigeon, captivated the audience from the opening bars, and brought judge Benz Pomchita Na Songkla, herself a southerner, to tears.

''White bird of peace, can you return to protect my citizens and I?'' he sang.

''I don't want to see people holding guns and knives aloft, attacking each other any more.''

Netizens who criticised his win said his performances were ordinary, and hardly worthy of such a large prize win.

''You can hear live music like that in any bar. If he had written songs which have nothing to do with the South, would he have made it this far?'' one asked.

''If a contestant draws pity or sympathy from the audience, the judges always let him through.''

Others were more supportive. ''The first time I saw him perform, I cried. He reached the hearts of viewers,'' one fan wrote.

''He is so determined to see the far South return to peace.''

Speaking after his win, Chai said he was proud to have acted as a mouthpiece for the troubled region.

''Today I know Thais haven't deserted the South, or forgotten us.''

Asked about his critics, Chai said he had never set his hopes too high.

''Plenty of people ask me whether I really wrote these songs,'' he said. ''I tell them I did, though I have singer friends who help.

''I believe that if you are determined enough, one day someone is bound to notice.''
He would put his prize money towards paying off his family debts, and helping people in the South. -

3.

Pee

Actor Poramet ''Pee'' Singpor is pulling together 800,000 baht to help the family of a man he is accused of killing.

Pee, who is accused of murdering a popular pub owner in January, wants to make the payment to ease the suffering of the victim's family, his lawyer said last week.

Prosecutors have indicted the Channel 7 supporting actor for murdering Noppadon ''A'' Athibai, 44, his friend and a shareholder in the Muse pub in Thong Lor.

His lawyer Ekkarat Rappananon said Pee, 33, denies he killed with intent. He said he pulled the trigger in a fit of anger.

A was killed in the carpark of the Foodland supermarket in the 8 Building on Thong Lor Soi 8, off Sukhumvit Soi 55, on Jan 17.

CCTV footage shows a man identified as Pee clearly aiming a gun at his friend's head, as shoppers flee for safety. He has apologised for what happened.

The Criminal Court last Monday set down the first of the prosecution's 22 witnesses for a hearing on March 4. They include the victim's mother. Pee himself, the only defence witness, will testify on March 25.

Mr Ekkarat said Pee had put down an initial deposit of 200,000 baht to serve as restitution. He is trying to pull together another 600,000 baht.

''He wants to help the victim's family, not to help sway the case in his favour,'' he said. A's mother has not asked for any money, he added. -

4.

Woody, Tangmo

Channel 7 actress Pattarida ''Tangmo'' Patcharaweerapong is telling the young critics of her relationship with singer Pakin ''Tono'' Kumvilaisak to see a shrink.

''You have to point out the differences between real life and the imaginary one so your children know,'' she said in a message to their parents.

''These days, it's not a shameful thing to take your children along to a psychiatrist. I myself seek out their help when I am stressed. I'd like everyone to enjoy truth and its beauty.

''I don't want people to get miserable over the imaginary things that these people get together and manufacture themselves. Open your hearts, and take the next step. My family and I wish you good look in your fight.''

Tangmo and Tono have suffered a fan backlash since Tono admitted in June he was seeing the sharp-tongued actress.

The tension has flared again after Tangmo gave an interview last week in which she said their love was so deep she would be happy to die for Tono.

''The man I love most is Tono. I never felt as if I could love anyone to the point where I felt willing to die for him,'' she told TV host Woody Milintachinda.

''Tono says he feels the same way. If I had no one in my life called Tono any more, I would spend every night tossing restlessly on the floor. It would be little different to how I would react if I lost my dad.

''I am bold enough to speak in this way because I feel we are the same person.''

One news report said Tangmo put up an image of herself on Facebook inviting critics to let off steam, promising that she would look better in their eyes once the TV interview had aired.

After reaction from the interview was less favourable than expected, Tangmo deleted the image and blocked netizens from leaving nasty messages about her.

Tono, whose voice has all but been drowned out by the latest anti-Tangmo fuss, said he would like to thank her for the vote of support.

''Many things lie ahead of us which we must meet and struggle through,'' he said. ''But I draw plenty of strength from my family, Tangmo, and my fanclub.''