Mit's kin yet to spring, sit-down critics, Dew drops in ring

Left hanging out to dry

Mit

Pui

Likay performer Mit Mitchai’s family is coming under pressure to help the young man pay off his debts after the Supreme Court last week sent him to jail for six years for fraud, with more cases in the dispute still pending.

The Supreme Court in Thanyaburi upheld an appeals decision in June 2017 finding Mit defrauded his former lover Ranchida “Pui’’ Sithadechanon, who is in the motor industry, by 35 million baht, taking her money to finance his personal lifestyle rather than invest in business ventures as he claimed.

It sentenced him to nine years, reduced by a third after he gave helpful testimony, and ordered him to repay Pui 27 million baht. Outside the court, Pui said Mit had not repaid a single baht of the debts he owes since the saga came to light, and in conciliation talks had asked if he could reduce the bill to well under 1 million baht. The two sides were unable to reach a deal.

His failure to repay the money had left her in an awkward position as she went into debt to raise the money on his behalf.

Among her creditors in the long and tangled dispute was Pol Col Pachapon Rodpothong, of the Royal Thai Police, who laid a defamation complaint against Mit four years ago when the dispute came to light. Mit, who had denied owing the money, accused the policeman of forcing him to sign a loan document.

Mit said the policeman coerced him to sign out of anger when he discovered he was seeing Pui, with whom he had also formed romantic ties. Pol Col Pachapon, who took his wife along to the police to lay his complaint, denied it. He said his wife had done business with Pui for years and he was happy to help raise the funds as an investment.

After Pui went public with her claims in September 2015, Mit agreed he was seeing Pui, though says he kept the relationship quiet for the sake of his career. He also admitted seeking her help financially, though never on the scale claimed. They also bought a house together, though they fell out before they could move in.

Pui said she started out as a member of the likay performer’s fanclub, progressed to ‘‘sponsor’’, and finally entered a relationship with him.

During their secretive one-year relationship, Pui said, Mit had asked her for the money to start a likay troupe, a likay online venture, and a music video. She said none of the ventures came to fruit because Mit frittered away the money on good living, including a car and house renovations.

She said more court cases in the dispute are pending, and asked why Mit’s wealthy likay family hadn’t come to his aide. Mit is the brother of well-known likay performer Chaiya ‘‘A’’ Mitchai and his sister Ann, also a likay performer. Their parents were also likay stars in their day.

Pui, who said Mit’s eyes were red and puffy in court as if he had been crying, said he seems to have realised the fate which lay ahead. She said he felt sorry for him. 

“If his family are willing to help pay off some of the debt, I can put a brake on the other court cases underway,” Pui said. Mit’s family, which has said little publicly since Mit was accused, has yet to comment.

Straying off the point

Aon

The Major Group-owned cinema chain has apologised to actor Sarawut “Aon” Martthong after he posted a clip showing a cinema patron remaining seated during the royal anthem, admitting its response chiding Aon for filming surreptitioously was inappropriate.

Aon last week posted a clip showing a man refusing to stand in the cinema for the anthem, which he thought was poor form. Major Group responded not by showing sympathy but by citing the law related to movie piracy. It said cinema patrons who surreptiously film in the cinema face penalties under the law for theft of intellectual property.

Observers said the post on its Facebook account implicity threatened Aon, even though he took out his phone to film in the cinema for a different purpose. The clip was brief, he had no intention to make commercial gain, and the main feature had yet to start. 

The row triggered responses along political lines, with Palang Pracharath MP Parina Kraikup and TV presenter Kanok Ratwongsakul criticising Major’s stance and urging movie fans to watch films at a rival chain instead.

Long-time MP Parina has boosted her profile recently by picking a fight with outspoken Future Forward Party spokeswoman and list MP Pannika “Chor” Wanich, who is facing a police probe for lese majeste after posting old graduation photos which critics say showed disrespect to a picture of the King. Ms Parina referred to the Future Forward newcomer by the derogatory tag of “E Chor”, and said types like her no longer belong in the country.

Referring to perceptions that Future Forward is against the monarchy (a claim the party denies), Kanok said in “the age of E Chor” it may no longer be unusual to find cinema patrons refusing to stand for the royal anthem. She had “proclaimed her success” in watching a movie by remaining seated for the anthem. Nonetheless, Major’s stand was wrong and in future he would watch films somewhere else.

On the other side of the debate, critics of the government said not standing was an individual’s right. Amid the fuss, the Thai Women’s Movement for Reform (WeMove) chimed in, saying Thais once faced fines under the National Culture Act 1942 for refusing to stand, but the law has since been updated and no penalty applies. 

“It’s now a matter for conscience and social reprimand if you stay seated,” said the group’s founder, Supamas Senaves. Major later offered an apology for upsetting netizens, saying it would have to take more care of its public utterances.

Just another day in the ring

Dew

The producers behind a popular live celebrity boxing show insist they put safety first, despite an ill-fated match in which actor Pattarapol “Dew” Kantapoj had to be carted to hospital after the third round with exhaustion and acute kidney failure.

Karatiya Sirichaipattana, assistant producer for 10 Fight 10, which airs on Workpoint TV, insisted the organisers have safety uppermost in their minds, as the contestants are celebrities, not professional boxers. “Training starts months in advance, and all contestants have insurance for a year, not just for the boxing bout. We have to place a big emphasis on safety, even down to thickness of head gear and gloves they are wearing,” he said.

He was speaking after Dew lost the count in the third round of his match last week against actor Kornsek “Andrew” Konin after the referee could see he was struggling. Dew blacked out shortly afterwards and was taken to hospital, where doctors told him he suffered acute kidney failure. His body was short on food nutrients, salt, and water, which Dew said was the result of a punishing training regimen in which he tried to lose 15kg in three months.

Contestants who come in over the agreed match weight are penalised with demerit points. Dew said he had stopped eating and drinking before the match, and relied on sucking ice alone. 

“At the start of round 3, I went in for the attack but ran out if energy. I started blacking out and felt pain spreading from my leg to my body and arms,” he wrote later from his hospital bed, with doctors declaring he was out of danger after a night spent under their care. 

“I woke up next on stretcher with cramps all over, quickness of breath, a heart rate 180 to 190 a minute. I felt close to death,” he said. Dew did not fault the organisers but conceded his regimen might have been too tough. He apologised to fans for letting them down.

Mr Kiratiya, meanwhile, said contestants get to choose who they want to fight, and start practising in the ring three months in advance. They take advice from coaches on their food intake, and refs are certified by the Sports Authority of Thailand. He didn’t say if coaches recommend to the boxers that they starve themselves to meet weight limits the way Dew did.