The media is working overtime to establish links between a pop star's plans to buy a lavish home with its own private runway and golf course,and her ties to wealthy former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
News that R&B singer Saranrat "Lydia" Wisutthithada is buying a 40 million baht home with its own golf course, airstrip and small private plane, has set off a storm of speculation that Thaksin, a family friend, gave her the money.
When that line of attack - oops,inquiry - failed, they tried another one on hapless Lydia, who plans to take flying lessons so she can get about in her new private jet: So, will you make any flying trips to see him?
Lydia denies it all patiently - no,she didn't ask Thaksin for the money,and nor does she intend taking her plane to visit the fugitive former leader - but adds she is getting tired of living her life in the man's shadow.
"My parents are unhappy about the idle speculation linking us back to Thaksin, as my family made its own money. My grandparents started a road construction business, and for them 40 million baht would be easy to find."
The media's response?"Lydia brags she's worth at least 40 million baht", crowed the anti-Thaksin Manager ASTV newspaper.Lydia said she is bored with such one-eyed coverage."Everything we do gets linked back to Thaksin. Even my boyfriend [singer Matthew Dean]has been besieged by journalists,"she complained.
"We're not paying such a large amount of money up front. All you can see at the moment is a vacant plot of land.
"If we decide to buy, we will pay it off in instalments, like anyone else."
Her family has signed an expression of interest, but has yet to stump up any money.
"My parents run a golf course business, so they were interested in the golf. And they've thrown in a private aircraft as part of the deal,which I like, as it could be the transport mode of the future. I start flying lessons next month," said Lydia.
Her home, to be built on a 1,600 square metre plot, and known as Airborne 1, will include three bedrooms, three bathrooms,servants' quarters, a swimming pool,two-car garage and parking space for a small private jet.
Best Ocean Air Park, a 10,000 million baht development in Rama II Road, Samut Sakhon, has a housing village, sports complex, hotel,58-hole golf course,airport and private runway.
Not quite home free
The mother of model,actor and DJ Pakorn "Dome" Lum is on the warpath against crooked house builders.
Rattanaporn Koophirom is taking legal action against a building company after the firm failed to finish construction of her six million baht home as contracted.
The company left the job half done,scarpered and changed its name,forcing her to hire another contractor to finish the job, at a cost of an extra three million baht, or 8.3 million baht in total.
The saga has dragged on more than three-and-a-half years, and the house is still not finished. She has paid the company 5.5 million baht.Mrs Rattanaporn wants her money back from the company, formerly known as Queen House Ltd.
When she heard that the firm had treated other clients in the same way, she encouraged them to sign their names to a joint fraud action,which elevated the dispute from a mere civil matter to a criminal case.Dome's mum and 10 other homeowners have now laid a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division police. They say they are out of pocket by 50 million baht.
Mrs Rattanaporn said the company offered to build homes with no-cost extras such as a water tank,automatic doors, air conditioning and closed-circuit television security system. She saw them advertise in magazines and home and garden shows.
She signed a contract for a twostorey home on Kaset-Nawamin Road."The job was supposed to take one year, but after 18 months the company's builders had finished just 50%. They just upped and left, with
no explanation," she said.
She had visited the company, where staff were unwilling to meet her gaze and were reluctant to help.
Dome said he wanted to build the place for his mum, and was disappointed when the company failed to finish the job."If we wanted to take legal action against them for breach of contract,we would have to do it in the civil court.
"Mum thought this was not enough, and has gathered evidence from other damaged parties, so we are now able to lay a criminal complaint of fraud," he said.
The CSD says it will contact the company's principals to get them to acknowledge the complaint.
Storm in a teacup
Actor Arak "Pae" Amornsupasiri will have to watch his words more carefully, after a throwaway remark about the superior beauty of Thai girls compared to those in Laos resulted in a film project in the neighbouring country being shelved.
Pae, a rising star in the Thai film industry, was cast to play the lead in a joint Thai-Laos production,Sabaidee Luang Prabang II . However,it's now on hold indefinitely after producers feared a backlash as a result of Pae's remarks.
The fuss started in late July when Pae was asked whether his girlfriend,Ratchawin "Koy" Wongwiriya, would get jealous while he was away.
"She has no reason to worry. I have met Laos girls. Thai girls are much prettier," he said, sparking an angry response on the net, with some Lao teens threatening to do him harm if he ever set foot in their country.
Pae said all he can do is say sorry."All I meant to say was that Koy had no reason to get anxious. I didn't mean it to come out the way it did,and would like to say sorry to the production crew who as a result cannot carry on work," he said this week.
In earlier news coverage, Pae attributed delays in shooting to the poor weather in Laos. But when repeatedly questioned about it this week, Pae changed his tune and admitted that his gauche remarks about superior Thai beauty also played a part.
He doubts whether many Lao people really are that upset.
In Laos a month ago to prepare for the shoot, Pae says he walked into a market but met no trouble."People asked for my autograph.They weren't giving me a hard time."
Still, the star of The Body ,The Last Moment and Slice says he regrets his comments, and feels sad about the missed opportunity.
Pae said his schedule is fully booked for the rest of the year, so if the film does go ahead, producers may have to find a new lead to replace him.
Far from blithe
All is not well in the doll's house for actress Araya "Chompoo" A Hargett,accused of shunning an actress she has never met as a potential member of the Blythe doll fanclub.
Imported Blythe dolls, which can sell for more than 10,000 baht each,are popular among the celebrity set.
In an item run by several Thai dailies, Chompoo denies she set her face against actress and presenter Sudarat "Tookie" Bootprom joining her "gang" of Blythe doll collectors.
The story, which originated on a webboard, and was spread by unkind hands, said Chompoo and close friend, actress Pattaratida "Tangmo"Patcharaveerapong, poo-pooed the idea of letting Tookie play in their doll's house, as she was too ugly.
"With a face like that, she should be playing with ghouls and goblins,"the pair are said to have remarked.
Wisely, Tookie told reporters to go away and check their sources, to make sure Chompoo really said what was claimed. Tangmo said she knows who spread the rumours, and is unimpressed."I stopped playing with Blythe dolls more than a year ago,"she said.
Chompoo, who has collected more than 100 of the big-eyed, Gothlooking dolls, has also opened a shop called the Doll House, for Blythe doll admirers.
"I never said these things about Tookie. I have never even met her.If Tookie admires Blythe dolls, great.It's all good promotion," she said.
Chompoo also had a few words for journalists."The media should think twice before publishing such unsubstantiated reports. Thais can explain these things to themselves much better than they can to foreigners, who if they read such reports might take a dim view of our ability to represent Blythe dolls here,"she added.
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