Sek sells out, 'Tacky' publicity stunt, Tik's wife's plea to killer

Rocker to open chain stores

Sek, outside one of his shops

Rocker Sek Loso plans to open a string of 7-11-style stores to sell his branded merchandise, admitting he makes little from music these days, despite performing every night.

Sek last week unveiled plans to go into the convenience store business, setting up a nationwide chain of "Loso 22" shops, the first of which he plans to open in the Ram Intra area.

He published on Facebook a picture of himself outside the shop, which has a black and white theme, and boasts a logo of Sek and a guitar.

Staff were pictured inside assembling the shelves. Goods have yet to arrive, and no opening date was given.

Sek, who recently signed a divorce settlement with his former wife, Wiphakorn "Kan" Sukpimai, in which he must pay or hand over assets worth 17 million baht, said the music business was not making the money it once did.

"It’s not that my songs aren’t famous. They are still doing OK. It’s just that with everyone listening to them on YouTube and Facebook, they don’t sell as well any more," he said, saying he was forced to venture into trade to support his entourage and his family.

Sek said he plans to sell franchise rights for a bit less than two million baht apiece to run the stores, which will pedal his own branded goods, plus anything else customers want to buy.

"I model it on the Beatles shops in Britain. They will have a special zone to sell my music, clothes and guitars," he said.

By next month he will have seven branded goods bearing his name in stores. He has also created a music label, which has signed up five bands.

Sek said he envisages his business enterprise will pull in profits of up to two billion baht within a few years.

He would spend this year laying down plans. Marketing and sales would start in earnest next year. He recently delayed the release of his branded smart phone out of fears it looked too much like the iPhone 6.

"I don’t want the Steve Jobs company to sue me. So I have delayed sales until next month while we make some changes," he said.

Sek said he would stick by the music industry, as it is what he enjoys doing most. -

2. Namfon comes unstuck

Tack, Namfon

A beauty queen's attempt to gain publicity by playing up her romantic ties to DJ and actor Paranyu "Tack" Rojanavudtitham has ended with the two arguing on social media.

Tack was upset after beauty queen Thaveepon "Namfon" Areesawat went on television to insist she and the notorious Romeo were close.

Namfon, holder of the Miss Tourism Thailand Southeast Asia 2011 title, insisted she new Tack before the recent break-up of his relationship with DJ Sakoltala "Ton Horm" Tianpairojt, but insisted she played no part in it ending.

Earlier, media reports asked if Tack had found a new woman, after images appeared on social media of him and Namfon in his car.

Tack looks less than amused when Namfon lifts her smart phone to take a snap of them together.

"We assigned no status to our relationship. It was in the manner of 'I am yours, and you are mine'," she said cryptically.

"The phrase means we don't own each other. We weren’t together as partners, but merely talking.

"When he was with his girlfriend, we spoke to each other as elder and junior. When they broke up, we started chatting again."

By week's end, Tack looked like having the last laugh after news websites pictured him holding hands with someone new.

"Is this the girl who has really taken his heart?" they asked.

They were referring to Arisara "Noey" Silpasiripon, a Miss Universe Thailand 2014 contestant and university student.

She has yet to comment on her ties to Tack. -

3. Aor appeals to bus driver

Aor and family at the funeral

The wife of singer Tik Shiro has appealed to the hit-and-run driver who killed her father in Chon Buri to come forward and apologise to her father's spirit.

Phantira "Aor" Nantasen said a public van which runs between Bangkok and Pattaya hit her father, Wilhelm Strack, last Sunday as he was crossing a road near Bang Saen beach.

Media reports said the van was travelling at speed, competing against other vans on the route to pick up passengers.

The driver fled the scene of the crash, abandoning his passengers in the van.

Ms Phantira, speaking out about her father's death, said her family was still struggling to cope.

"It's a huge loss," she wrote on social media. "I have lost my father and he won't be coming back.

"I hope the driver comes forward to apologise to the spirit of my dad.

"No matter whether you did it deliberately or in a moment of carelessness, you won't escape the law of karma for sure."

Tik Shiro, also known as Manaswin Nantasen, said he and his father-in-law had met only the week before, and he was taken from them too soon.

Police are still looking for the driver.