Fencer stabs self, singer accuses cabbie, Pope not fazed

Nadech, Yaya forever

Nadech, Yaya

A model and national fencing champion has egg on his face after fanning the flames of spurious rumours that one of Thailand’s favourite celebrity pairings had come to grief thanks to his romantic intervention. 

Sunsern “Ken Porsche” Ngernrungruangroj was accused of acting as a third hand, supposedly breaking up actress Urassaya “Yaya” Sperbund and heartthrob actor Nadech Kugimiya, after fans noticed them growing distant. 

Reports emerged Ken Porsche he had followed Yaya to the set of her TV soap and that the actress, having tired of Nadech, was about to declare him as her new love interest.

Ken Porsche

Rather than promptly deny the rumour, however, Ken Porsche appeared to encourage it, refusing to answer reporters’ questions on whether he knew Yaya.

“Elders in the industry have asked me not to comment,” he claimed.

Upsetting the starlet’s fans further, he left a message on her social media site offering to “look after her” if she had indeed broken up with Nadech.

On Wednesday, Yaya finally took Nadech before the media to scotch the rumours, insisting the pair were still seeing each other, and insisting she did not know Ken Porsche.

“As far as this guy in the news is concerned, I don’t know him, who does? We have never even met. I come across news like this a lot, but where this individual is concerned, I feel a little annoyed,” she said.

“You can say you like someone on social media, there’s nothing wrong with that. But if someone asks [whether there’s anything going on], you could help by answering,” she said, referring to his refusal to clear the air when reporters made contact.

Yaya says she is used to media reports claiming she is seeing someone new. “It goes back and forward. But this case is different, as it has gone on longer than the others. However, I don’t want to say he was exploiting the publicity for his own ends, as that would appear cruel,” she said.

“Regarding claims that he had followed me on to the set, I didn’t take any interest, as I know it’s not true. He does, too ... and I don’t need anyone to look after me,” she said acidly.

Fans were free to fantasise about her pairing with Nadech. “But where this one is concerned, you can’t fantasise over him,” she said.

Nadech took advantage of the opportunity to declare his love for Yaya, saying the pair had been through too much together for their friendship to fade. He had not discussed the third-hand rumour with Yaya, as he trusted her and knew she would not stray.

“I love her because we have learned a lot about life together. Love comes in many forms, but if it’s a person we know, that we share our lives with, it’s not surprising if I should speak this way,” he declared, while declining to utter the word “girlfriend”.

Nadech’s declaration of his feelings impressed fans gathered for the event, and appeared to take Yaya by surprise.

 “Oh, my God,” she laughed, shielding her face in embarrassment. “Like he said ... we have been through a lot, and the person who is most important to me is him.”

Nadech also had some cautionary words for fans inclined to fantasise over their idols. Many fans were aghast to hear the Nadech and Yaya breakup rumour, which resurfaces every few months.

“Expecting too much of the love of other people is no good ... it’s ultimately up to us. Even if you hope two people will love each other, or if you are a matchmaker in love, ultimately it comes down to the feelings which those two people have for each other,” he said.

Meanwhile, if national fencer Ken Porsche was stung by her putdown, he was barely showing it. Initial reports said he had set his Instagram, which has 70,000 followers, to private mode to ward off criticism by Yaya’s upset fans. 

However, by week’s end it had come back to life, with Ken Porsche, a gold medal winner in fencing at the 2012 SEA Games, writing mysteriously: “Stay focused. Patience. Forgiveness.”

The fencing champion, whose public persona has grown recently after he appeared on the Face Thailand talent quest to instruct contestants in the art of fencing, hit the modelling catwalk at a city function on Thursday.

Once again he declined to talk to reporters, saying he would comment on the Yaya saga on Wednesday, after elders on his side had “liaised” with Yaya’s camp.

‘Keep your wits about you’

Nong Elle

A singer for a cheeky covers band denies she told a taxi driver to take her to a short-time hotel after a recent night out in which she had too much to drink.

Inthuaorn “Nong Elle” Deebukkam, of the band King Kong Bai Copy Variety Show, 22, best known for her song My Period Hasn’t Come, complained to Phahon Yothin police last week that the taxi driver tried to have his way with her.

Elle said the driver, named as Adirek “A” Lertlop, 41, took her to the Garden Inn in Lat Phrao Soi 25 on March 22, after she fell asleep drunk in his cab.

“I was drinking at a pub in Ratchaphruek Road and when it closed at 1am, I hailed a cab,” she told police. “I asked [the driver] to take me to my elder sister’s place in Huay Kwang. I fell asleep, and when I woke again I was lying on a bed at the hotel.”

“I turned and saw the taxi driver naked. He was trying to take off my clothes and fondling me, but I started yelling,” she said. Elle was accompanied to the station by the band’s lead singer, Naphat Chumjitree (King Kon Bai), who imitates rocker Sek Loso.

“I woke in time to raise a hue and cry so nothing happened. I sent my location to my brother and the driver urged me not to tell anyone. He found 2,000 baht in my bag and paid for the room with my money. After giving me another 200 baht from his cab, he fled,” she added.

Elle said she asked staff at the hotel about the driver and hailed another taxi home before lodging her complaint.

“I asked him why he had taken me to the hotel and he claimed he saw I was asleep and took me there to get some rest,” she said. She was angry, as he could have taken her a public spot such as a hospital or police station if he was truly worried about her.

A court issued an arrest warrant for Mr Adirek, who was nabbed when he turned up at the station. Police charged him with using force to constrain, performing an indecent act on a woman who could not protect herself, and theft.

He told police: “I was heading to the passenger’s place when I asked where she wanted to be dropped off, but she was asleep, so I pulled into a hotel.”

He claimed he was undressing merely to take a shower, and insisted he acted with good intentions.

However, when questioned by reporters outside the station, Mr Adirak, wearing a face mask to disguise his identity, changed his story. He claimed Elle had asked him to take her to the hotel.

Netizens were unimpressed, pointing to camera footage inside the cab, which shows Elle slumped over in the front seat. “She was too drunk to ask for anything,” one remarked.

Elle admits she drank too much and dressed provocatively, but hopes the episode serves as a lesson to women to keep their wits about them for their own safety. “Take a picture of the taxi registration and send it to family,” she said.

Police inquiries are continuing.

An obsession too far

Pope

Hearthrob actor Tanawat “Pope” Wattanaputi is playing down safety concerns amid the fan hysteria which accompanies his public appearances these days thanks to his starring role in the TV sensation Love Destiny.

This is despite warnings from his elder sister, who accompanied him to a department store event in Pin Khlao, that the chaotic scenes could put public safety at risk.

Pope’s sister, Terng, posted a clip on social media in which hundreds of fans mobbed the actor as he made his way to his waiting vehicle in the store’s carpark.

Terng said his fans struck his car, threw objects at the vehicle, and beat on the windows as Pope made a hasty exit from the scene.

“I would like everyone to look into their hearts and consider, is this really a way of showing love and good intentions towards each other?” she asked.

“I accompanied my younger brother to this event, and felt really bad and unsafe, the worst I have ever done,” she said.

She said she was trying to sign one fan’s bag and pose for pictures, but in the commotion ended up dropping the fan’s camera in the drain.  “It happened accidentally as a result of the melee you can see in the clip,” she said.

Asked to comment on his safety, Pope said he didn’t notice fans playing up at the event, as he was too busy smiling.

“No one has taken any special measures for my protection. I haven’t asked for anything personally, I am just thankful for people’s interest,” he said.

However, Pope said he was worried fans could fall over and get hurt in the crush.” If people didn’t rush at me, I would still be able to talk to all groups who approach ... shake their hand, greet them, take pictures,” he said.