A bag of confectionery trouble
The young woman who claims actor Nattapong “Freud” Chartpong gave her jelly sweets laced with marijuana is sticking by her assertion, despite Freud’s denials in a puzzling saga which has drawn huge media attention.
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| Freud |
The complainant, a work experience student at a Lat Krabang department store, went public about her ordeal in a Facebook post in which she warned friends against being taken in by strangers, even if they are well-known actors.
The woman, identified as “Zeen”, says a senior from her work experience firm took her to the Sweet Pista Pit eatery at the mouth of soi 38, Lat Krabang, on Nov 12 for what she thought would be a simple meal. Freud, 32, was there having a meal, and her senior, Akkara Nakbalang, who knows him joined his table.
Zeen claims Freud gave her jelly confectionery to try, disclosing it came from overseas and was laced with marijuana. She wasn’t sure whether to believe his claims but later felt as if she had been drugged and was about to faint. She was dizzy and her heart was racing, so asked Mr Akkara to call an ambulance.
He refused. When she asked a nearby table for help, Mr Akkara lost his temper with her. Finally, they agreed he would call a Grab taxi, though he refused to book it for a hospital trip. Zeen said she had to summon up the nerve to tell the driver herself. She called her father and stayed on the line constantly until she reached medical care.
Later laying a complaint laid with Lat Krabang police, Zeen remarked on oddities in Mr Akkara’s behaviour. He said he told her not to tell anyone where they were going that day, and at the eatery also squeezed hand lotion on everyone’s hands and told her mysteriously: “Tonight you will know what that means.”
Freud, who admitted he was at the eatery, said he was dining alone when he met the pair. He knew the young man who brought Zeen so invited them to join him. He says they ordered food at the restaurant, and also tucked into snacks he had bought elsewhere.
However, he denies offering Zeen jelly confectionery, and has threatened to take legal action if her claims end up costing him work.
Media outlets who paid the eatery a visit noted it was surrounded by windows and highly visible from the outside. Some created graphics to show where the three were sitting and depict the layout of the place. While jelly confectionery jubes laced with marijuana can be sold legally overseas, the law doesn’t permit their sale here.
Police say they sent Zeen for urine tests, which came back positive for marijuana. Both Freud and Mr Akkara have given police evidence, with officers saying Freud’s remarks are at odds with those filed by Zeen in her police complaint. Zeen, in a follow-up post, said she stands by her claims and wants the law to take its course. The probe continues.
Driver puts doubters to shame
The saga of an “indifferent” Porsche driver who crossed his lane, hitting a motorcyclist and killing his rear passenger has taken an unusual turn, with the driver offering to pay the victim’s family 13 million baht in restitution.
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| Theerathep |
Locals who witnessed the 3am accident in Lak Hok, Pathum Thani on Nov 16 say the driver, Theerathep Durongsak, 29, did nothing to help the couple on the motorcycle he struck, but calmly called a friend and went off to the local convenience store for a bite to eat.
The motorcyclist, Warit Seelachaimaneekul, 31, broke his arm and had his right leg severed in the accident, and was begging for help. His rear passenger, Antika Thulthaisong, 24, was thrown off the vehicle and died the next day from her head injuries.
Early reports quoting a local at the scene said Mr Theerathep stayed close to his vehicle rather than going to check on the victims, and stank of alcohol. He called a friend and they wandered off to the local 7-11. Most curious of all, he said, was police attending the scene did not test the driver to see if he had been drinking.
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| Antika |
“People at the scene all commented on how he was rich but showed no empathy,” said the local, who helped the motorcyclist call his relatives.
The dead victim’s father, Thanakrit Thanyathanapat, said Antika was his only child. She ran a restaurant with her partner and was the main breadwinner of the family. He said he was unhappy her life had to end this way, and upset that Mr Theerathep had not helped with anything.
“Even on the first day of her funeral, he didn’t come to pour lustral water on her body; and I had to be the one who called with details of her condition, rather than him calling me. I am also upset with the Pak Klong Rangsit police that they didn’t test him for alcohol,” he said. At the station, officers sat down with Mr Theerathep and the insurance company but barred anyone else from entry.
Later in the week, however, the driver had emerged with good news, paying the families of the two victims 100,000 baht up front, with more to follow. The motorcyclist’s dad, Luechai Seelachaimaneekul, said he had paid the hospital 300,000 baht in advance for his son’s medical care, with Mr Theerathep paying up another 100,000 baht. The two sides would talk again when the final bill was known.
Mr Thanakrit, for his part, said the Porsche driver had agreed in writing to pay total restitution of 12,960,000 baht within 60 days. He felt happier about the situation now, though still doubted Mr Theerathep’s claims that he had not been drinking and wasn’t speeding at the time of the collision.
Mr Theerathep said he was going at 60-70km/h at the time of the crash. The accident occurred on a bend on the road and he did not have time to brake. He had crossed over to the other lane to avoid a rough patch in the road. “I was not drunk, despite the early reports.
I called a youngster I know so I would have a friend at the scene and we went off to the store to buy some smelling salts and drinking water, as things had calmed down by then.
“I went over to look at the victims but couldn’t do much as rescue staff were already at work. I was in a state of shock. I didn’t think of fleeing as the accident scene is only 4km from my home. I have also apologised to Antika’s father for what happened and if he felt that I was indifferent,” he said.
Police have charged him with careless driving causing injury and death. They say they did not test Mr Theerathep for alcohol because he was able to answer questions cogently and showed no sign of wanting to flee.
Conscript’s idol takes tough line
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| Jaturong |
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| Nong Phee |
Comedian and TV presenter Jaturong Phonboon has offered words of encouragement to military conscripts including his nephew Phee, who is finding the training so tough he wants to switch camps.
Nong Phee Photharam, a former child comedian now following in his uncle Jaturong’s footsteps by serving as a conscript, posted an anguished message to Jaturong, whom he regards as an idol.
He says he was having to perform drills every day which left him tired and aching all over. Nong Phee went to wai his uncle recently to farewell him as he left to begin his service. “I am crying every night and want to change camps. The sergeant here has advised me to ask if you can pull strings to get me moved,” he asked.
Jaturong urged him to keep his cool, adding there are no military camps where the instructors go easy on recruits. “All new recruits have it tough and if others can put up with it, so must we. And you told me I was your idol! If we can pass through the worst times in our life, they will end up being the most enjoyable stories we can tell others,” Jaturong said, saying he wanted to encourage all conscripts who started training this month.
“In the first two weeks you will feel exhausted, bruised, aching all over. You will miss mum and dad, and want to flee. At the one month mark you won’t be so tired, but still homesick. Two months in, you will ask why it’s so much fun and why your body is so much stronger,” he wrote, recalling his own experience.
In a message to Nong Phee, he said: “Once you pass this, you will be a new man as far as I am concerned...not some silly kid like you were before. Whatever you ask for, your uncle will give you...as long as it’s not money. I love you, na...”
Nong Phee said he would keep his uncle’s words as a reminder there is someone on the outside, waiting to praise his success. “Wait for me...I will bring this uniform of pride to show you. Thank you for sticking by me all this time,” he said to his fans.
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