May's not for turning, no artful thief, Alex in with prison

Jay stays mum

May, Jay

Actress Pitchanart “May” Sakakorn insists she has called off her relationship with football star Chanathip “Messi Jay” Songkrasin because his family won’t accept her, denying reports her family demanded too high a marriage dowry for her hand.

May declared in a bombshell Instagram message last Thursday that she had called off the pairing, even though both had spoken about the prospect of marriage later this year.

Jay, 24, a member of the national football team, is in Japan, where he is playing on loan to the Japanese football club, Consadole Sapporo. He has yet to respond to May’s announcement or get in touch with her, which has hardened May’s resolve that there is no going back.

“Our love has hit a dead end. Both Jay and I are saddened. There are many factors which have forced us to end our relationship even though we still love each other,” she wrote.

“Jay asked me what we would have to do if we get married. I said he would have to tell his parents first, so they can talk to my parents. They have now spoken, but the answer which came back was the time is not yet auspicious; have to wait another three years. 

“His mother also said we are both born in the Year of the Rooster, so could not be together and would fight to the death.

 “We both cried in front of his parents. I asked them directly if they do not approve of me. His mother said she has no problem, but their family has nothing. She said: ‘If your parents demand a big dowry, where is my husband to find it?’ ”

May said on Friday that reports had since emerged that her family had demanded a 30 million baht marriage dowry, which was untrue. She had never asked Jay’s parents if she could marry him; most of the drive had come from him. He had told Japanese media they would marry this year, and told Thai media that he would have some good news for them when he emerged from a brief spell in the monkhood recently. 

 “However, he left the monkhood, and nothing happened. For me the deadline came on Jan 10 when I took him to the airport for his flight to Japan. In my heart, I was 70% sure then it wasn’t going to happen, though still held out some hope. However, neither side talked about it.

“Jay was always telling me he came from a poor family but was generous in its heart. If his mother had just taken me by the hand, told me that’s all they have and asked me if I could have loved Jay anyway, of course I would have accepted, as I was happy to undergo any kind of hardship for him. But they didn’t. They said we have nothing, but you can get married anyway, which made me feel as if they didn’t really want me.”

May, 36, said her parents had sent her messages of encouragement since she broke her news. She was starting to feel better about things, but knew she could not go back.

“I was willing to do everything, including putting aside my eggs (for the day when we have children). If outsiders don’t accept us, never mind. But if Jay’s family does not accept me, we can go no further,” May said in tears.

“I really do love his family; but from them, all I see is words, no action. If we were to stay together but with an uncertain future, I don’t want it.”

Jay’s father, Kongpop Songkrasin, said he had yet to speak to his son, and was as stunned as anyone else by the news. Asked about requests that the pair wait another three years for marriage, he referred reporters to Jay’s mother.

Things have soured dramatically, given all the signs were pointing to marriage. Jay slipped an engagement ring on May’s finger on Valentine’s Day last year.

When Jay entered the monkhood briefly a few weeks ago, Mr Kongpop told the public teasingly that the couple hopes to have some good news within months.

“As for what it is, whether it’s football or love or anything else, I am happy,” he declared. 

At the time, May replied: “Jay is probably the one, assuming nothing goes wrong. But owing to the fact he is a football player contracted to Muang Thong United, but on loan to a Japanese team, and I don’t know if there’s another team which will buy him or borrow him, I can’t say with any certainty what lies ahead.

“I am on standby. I have to wait until he is free,” she added.

May and Jay met on a television show at Christmas three years ago, though May said she first noticed the diminutive but speedy player at the AFF Suzuki Cup in 2004. They declared they were an item in June 2016, after May was spotted on the sidelines of a game mopping his brow. 

Asked about her own family’s attitude to Jay, May said simply: “My family has no problem. We accept them, but they do not accept us.”

Art in a bother

Art

Actor Pasut “Art” Banyam has gone to police after two websites claimed he was a suspect in a theft which took place at a hotel three years ago. 

Art complained to Samut Sakhon police last week after the websites claimed a producer had belatedly laid a complaint against two actors for the 2014 theft of a telephone and wallet at a celebrity wedding.

The websites carried the same pictures of two men bare above the waist. Art said he recognised himself in one picture, even though his face was not visible; the other belongs to actor Thakrit “Petch” Tawanpong, according to his former manager.

Art attended the October, 2014 city wedding of TV producer Patchanee “Au” Jarujinda. The websites carried racy reports which said two actors, whose initials it gave, were suspects for a theft which took place at the wedding hotel later that night. 

Art said he contacted Au last week after the story surfaced, who agreed the claims were nonsense. He also spoke to her mother, Kobsuk Jarujinda, herself a Channel 3 producer, who agreed he should go before the media to clear his name. 

The actor said he stayed over at the hotel that night. The theft took place under its roof, but in another room, as he was sleeping alone. He found out about it several days later.

The reports claimed incorrectly that the theft occurred at a private home, and that he and Mrs Kobsuk no longer get along.

“The claims damaged my reputation, as I would never steal from the family of a woman I regard as my second mother,” Art said.

After Art declared on social media he would go to police, one of the websites which published the report, Tee Nee Dot Com, called to apologise.

“They turned up at the police station with the reporter, who said he merely copied it from the first site,” Art said. He had not heard from the other website.

Talent manager “Oub’’ Wiriya, meanwhile, revealed the second chest in the photographs accompanying the story belongs to Petch, an actor formerly in his stable. 

He revealed he took Petch to see police in the Sathorn area about the theft at the time. 

“While we parted on bad terms professionally, I can confirm he is not a thief,” Oub said.

He suspected someone on the set of a lakorn was responsible. Art declined to comment on the details, and Petch has yet to come forward.

Good deeds behind bars

Alex, on his prison visit

Channel 3 actor Alex Rendell marked his birthday last week by performing a mini-concert for inmates at Rayong prison.

Alex, who is known for his social work, said he enjoyed the experience and would like to return. As well as performing with friends including fellow actor Warintorn “Great’’ Panhakarn, he also offered inmates hugs.

“They gave me a cake, and a book of thanks in which all 600-plus inmates wrote about how they felt to get a hug,” he said later.

“The prison is very clean, the beds are in rows, there’s a system there. They have a beauty salon where inmates can get training for a vocation outside jail, a convenience store, a massage corner.

“But there’s unhappiness there too. Children born there can sleep with their mothers just one year and then have to leave. If the mother has no one on the outside, the child has to go to a state orphanage.

“Some people are in for life, some for 10 years ... and they’ve never had anyone perform for them.

“I think everyone should get a second chance. People who are there have already done wrong and are paying their dues ... but while they are serving their time it is like society has forgotten them. So I wanted to help inspire them, give them hope.”

Alex said he had wanted to go for ages but the plan only fell into shape after the prison guaranteed their safety and arranged for the concert to go ahead. Fans thanked him for his generosity.