Petch patch-up, Tack settles down, Ida happy single

Emotional battle scars mend

Petch, Dad

Country music singer Sorapob “Petch” Leelamekin has been reunited with his former actor father, ending a 10-year battle of wills in which Petch accused his dad of sexual abuse and his father questioned his sanity.

Petch, 27, early this month begged for forgiveness at the feet of his father Kraisorn Leelamekin, after earlier ending a years-long freeze in their relationship.

The thawing of ties started when Petch visited Kraisorn’s elderly mother in hospital early this month after she fell ill.

After that, Petch, the only child of Kraisorn’s union to former queen of country music Poompuang Duangjan, called his father and asked if they could meet.

The pair reunited at a Thong Lor restaurant for a two-hour meal when Petch apologised for their row, in which Petch had accused his father of abusing him sexually, and asked a court to investigate whether businessman Kraisorn, who now runs a fashion store and an eatery, had ransacked his mother’s multimillion-baht estate.

Kraisorn replied by challenging his son to have his head checked by psychiatrists. Petch obliged, saying doctors at Siriraj Hospital had examined him and put him in the clear.

Petch’s then-girlfriend, Thidarat “Oiy” Attarat, backed him in the family row over how best to remember his mother’s legacy.

The acrimony reached a low point in 2009 at a temple in Suphan Buri, where Poompuang’s fans gather every year to mark the anniversary of the rags-to-riches star’s death. She died of lupus disease in 1992, aged 30.

Petch, who had entered the monkhood and sought public donations to build a wax statue of his mother, rounded on his father’s family, accusing them of helping to “kill” Poompuang.

Kraisorn’s second wife sued Petch’s girlfriend over remarks stemming from the filmed altercation. She also sued Petch himself.

At their reunion in Bangkok, Kraisorn, 57, said he was prepared to forget the past as he could see his son had turned over a new leaf. The pair later kept in touch via social media.

Then, on Oct 17, the two were attending a lecture at a meditation centre in Chiang Rai when Petch, to Kraisorn’s surprise, turned up with a bowl bearing water and flower petals, and asked if he could wash his father’s feet. He prayed before his father and asked his forgiveness.

A delighted Kraisorn, who is no stranger to self-publicity, wrote four “letters” on Facebook to his deceased wife Poompuang to mark the thawing of ties with Petch.

“He has all the qualities I remember from years ago, only he has now grown up and shows all the responsibility of an adult. You would be so proud of him if you saw him now,” he wrote.

Kraisorn admitted he was partly responsible for the falling out with his son, who works as a DJ and performs country music in the footsteps of his famous mother.

He has left his former girlfriend, and now shares a place with the owner of his music label, who helped bring father and son together.

“My son has learned how to say sorry, correct his ways, and start again. I am sure society will learn to forgive. For myself, I have had to reflect on my own actions, and teach myself how to mend my ways so I do not wrong my son again. It’s been a valuable life lesson, and comes with time,” he said, admitting he had placed his son under too much pressure in the past.

The pair will mark their reunion when they appear on the Woody Kert Ma Kui show tonight, in which Petch admits his father never abused him sexually as he once alleged. -

Don't crawl for me, Ton Horm

Tack, Ton Horm

DJ and actor Paranyu “Tack” Rojanavudtitham says he doesn’t want his DJ girlfriend to crawl across the floor again to profess her love, so is willing to concede to most of her demands, even if it means settling down into a relationship.

Barely months after they last parted after their most recent jealous misunderstanding, Tack and his girlfriend, brassy DJ Sakoltala “Ton Horm” Tianpairojt, are showing suspicious signs of nesting.

They are best known for their colourful partings and reunions. After their most recent split, Tack painted himself in black and donned a wig to resemble a Malaysian Negrito. Wearing a loin cloth and clutching a red rose, he surprised Ton Horm at work.

Media reports said it was Tack’s return to don funny gear, after Ton Horm, in response to a dare by Tack, earlier dressed up as a Thai folk dancer, complete with hair in a bun and white face paint, to say sorry for calling it quits with him on Instagram.

In images widely published on the internet, the outspoken DJ crawled across the floor on her knees, while holding a floral arrangement with a lit joss stick on top.

Speaking before the media last week, the pair disclosed they were now preparing to buy a house, so Ton Horm can be closer to her mother. The home of their dreams has a spirit house. Tack said his duty will be “screening” the place for ghosts and looking after the couple’s dogs.

In further signs that Tack, formerly known as a ladies’ man, now might be preparing for a life of domestic bliss, the indie actor and DJ has also agreed to let Ton Horm screen his work engagements, especially if they involve appearances with “pretty” girl presenters, who have landed him in trouble in the past.

Tack has also agreed to set aside emergency savings in a joint bank account, though oddly his girlfriend will have sole signing authority. He says they are also likely to go into business one day.

“I have not yielded to her every demand. I am just showing her respect,” he insisted.

He has also given her a ring, though he says that, his girlfriend being the type of indie who boasts rings on every finger, he can never be sure of whether she is wearing it or not.

Asked whether she really needs to check up on his work engagements, Ton Horm insisted Tack was old enough to look after himself.

“I am old enough, or are you just too suspicious?” he joked.

Marriage is still a long way off, the pair say. “We’d like to focus on work first,” Ton Horm said.-

Amy gets cold shoulder

Ida

Actress Irada “Ida” Siriwut insists she can raise her two-year-old child alone, now she has broken up with the child’s father, singer Chai-amorn “Amy” Kaewwiboonpan.

The pair parted in September after Ida caught him seeing someone else. “I can forgive him once, but it’s been one time too many,” she said, declaring she did not want Amy back.

Amy

When Amy admitted before reporters that he was to blame for their parting, Ida accused him of spinning an image.
“Don’t apologise unless you really mean it,” she sniffed.

Ida, who also works as a DJ, insists she has enough time to spare for her daughter Lullabelle.

“I look after my radio show in the mornings, and ask a member of my family to look after our daughter. In the afternoons, if I am invited to an industry outing, I will take Lullabelle along too if I can, as she loves to go out,” she said.

Ida has some harsh words for Amy, should he be thinking of appeasing her. Amy, lead singer of the indie band the Bottom Blues, wasn’t ready for the demands of raising a child, she said.

“You can say I don’t trust him. We were together in the past, and I knew he wasn’t ready right from the start. I have been like a single mum looking after our child alone throughout," she said.

“For that reason I am sure I can raise Lullabelle alone. I am still happy to let him visit. The other day I went to sell goods at the Central department store, and Amy came along too. He took our daughter out to play.

“We talk, but only about Lullabelle, nothing else. It’s highly unlikely we will ever get together again, almost impossible in fact.”

Ida announced their parting on social media. Amy, 27, who has apologised to Ida and his fans, said he indulged himself too often and slipped up because he was confused.