Parking ways, Kew smashed, animal angst

Here comes the Boom

Janie

Actress Panadda “Boom” Wongphudee is calling for a fair deal from her business partner, actress Janie Tienphosuwan, in a row over parking at their gym complex.

Boom went before the media in tears last week to discuss her battle with Janie’s gym, 911 by JT, which sits behind her own, smaller complex, Smash gym, in the Kaset Nawamin Rd area, Lat Phrao district.

Boom

The battle started when Boom complained on social media that staff hired by Janie to look after the car park they share were blocking off car spaces for 911’s customers and leaving none for her own.

She had been to talk to Janie, her mother and staff, to no avail.

She also apologised for the brusque manner of Janie’s car park staff. “When they find out customers have come to visit Smash gym, they refuse to park their vehicles for them or give them spaces, forcing some to go home,” she said.

“I am not asking for trouble, but would like to ask Janie whether this is a fair way to do business.”

The row between the actress friends has reached the point where Boom, who sank 10 million baht into building and fitting out the complex, is now offering to walk away if Janie will pay her out for the three million baht building cost.

“I am exhausted dealing with this saga,” she said. “I am not discussing how it has affected us on a personal level, just as business partners. I still work out at Janie’s gym, but am asking for better treatment.”

Originally the joint venture had three partners, Boom, actor Nathakorn “Top” Trikisayaweht, and Janie, offering a gym, taekwondo and muay thai respectively. Janie bought out Top’s shares late last year when the two fell out.

When Janie bought out Top’s shares, Boom said she mistakenly allowed Janie to treat her as a mere tenant, even though she had put up most of the capital. Janie had refused to buy the building from her.

Boom and her husband, Ekkarin “Ekk” Ninsethee, who helps run Smash gym, had asked Janie’s gym for a rental contract, but they refused. “If the relationship is to carry on, we want an end to the double standard in the car park,” she said.

Responding brusquely to the post, Janie said Boom’s gym runs evening workout classes in competition with hers, and had fallen behind with the rent.

Boom denied the claim, saying her class is a light-hearted workout which Smash gym offers clients for free.

“We should see our outlets as complimentary to each other; I have only just found out you regard us as competitors, and feel hurt,” Boom said.

Further inflaming the row, a friend of Janie’s later posted a clip of Mr Ekk barging into Janie’s gym and arguing with a staff member about the parking arrangements.

“So this is you trying to negotiate? This is your husband talking nicely, your idea of ethical behaviour?” an accompanying message asked.

Boom said the clip had harmed her reputation and was the last straw. Husband Ekk admitted he was angry, but said on the day of the row Janie’s parking staff had told his customers they would have to wait an hour to gain access to their vehicle.

“Two of our customers heading for home found their car was parked in, but the other side refused to move the vehicle, insisting they would have to wait an hour until a class at 911 had finished,” he said.

Janie, who has said little since the dispute broke, is thought to be busy with a lakorn. No settlement was to hand at press time. -

2. Singer hits the road

Kew

The family of singer Suweera “Kew” Boonrawd, from the pop group Flure, say they have no hard feelings after a motorcycle hit and seriously injured Kew as he was crossing a road last week.

Kew, admitted to hospital early on Tuesday, needed urgent cranial surgery to release a build-up of blood on the left side of his brain.

The accident, which occurred when Kew and a friend were crossing a road in Sukhumvit Soi 55, Wattana district about 6.15am that day, also left Kew with a broken collarbone and bruising to his back. His friend was barely scratched.

Chumporn Chupradit, 41, the driver whose Honda Scoopy motorbike hit the pair, reported to Thong Lor police on Wednesday night.

He had swapped phone numbers with Kew’s friend but did not wait for police to arrive at the scene, he admitted.

Mr Chumporn, who works as a driver for the boss of a city firm, said he was on his way to work when the pair abruptly cut in front of him in front of the One One Bangkok hotel, between Thong Lor sois 14 and 16. He came off his bike, which slid into the pair, hitting Kew.

“I had to break suddenly so released my body, hoping to cushion the impact of the bike. I didn’t think it would travel as far as it did. I could smell alcohol and assumed Kew had been drinking and lost consciousness,” he said.

After dragging Kew to the footpath he swapped numbers with his friend and rushed to work in soi 36. Kew is recovering at Bangkok Hospital.

“I feel bad, and sorry he is hurt, but it was an accident,” Mr Chumporn said. Kew’s family said they would not pursue legal action or seek compensation for his medical care.

“Kew takes a drink, like many men, and was crossing the road normally,” they said. “He didn’t cause any one any harm and in fact is the victim in this case.”

Police, who have yet to talk to Kew, have charged Mr Chumporn with careless driving causing serious injury, leaving the scene, and vehicle registration and tax offences. They released him without bail and have called him back on July 10. -

3. Kae tackles criticism

Kae

Model Chollada “Kae” Mekratri has complained to police after netizens criticised the transparency of the animal help foundation she runs.

Kae visited Technology Crime Suppression Division police last week to complain about two keyboard warriors who criticised the Voice Foundation for Animals, which she runs, in social media posts.

She said the posters had damaged the image of her foundation, and undermined volunteer and donor morale. They had also dragged in the names of her actor and actress friends who help out with the cause.

“The foundation has been going five years, raising money for animals. They claimed that as head of the foundation I have brought it into disrepute, which I cannot accept,” she said.

The posts stemmed from a recent fund-raising drive by The Voice to help a dog which was trapped in a drain in Klong Toey.

“We received a call on May 23 for help. We had to drill the concrete to get the dog out, and a contractor told us it would cost 20,000 baht. We started a fund-raising drive, and called it off the moment we had enough.

“In the end the contractor quoted just 19,000 baht, and freed the dog on May 31. But our critics asked what had happened to the other 1,000 baht,” she said.

“We are happy to add that money to our funds to help some other animals in future,” she said, insisting The Voice accounts for all money it spends. She said the claims also hurt the foundation’s reputation, as it has alliances with similar charities overseas. Police are investigating.