Former politician Wan Yubamrung has dressed down a youngster associated with the "gang" of former political stablemate, Pai "One Point" Lik, after the young man threatened his teen idol son.
Wan, son of veteran politician Chalerm and a former ministerial adviser for the Thai Rak Thai Party, took to Facebook last week after a young man threatened his son, Archawin "Kamo" Yubamrung.
Wan Yubamrung and Pai One Point Lik.
Wan, who is friends with One Point, said he did some digging and discovered the young man, who calls himself Kan Talad Noi, was associated with One Point's "gang".
In a hostile Facebook message which Wan republished, Kan challenged Kamo, a student at Thammasat University celebrated for his looks, to meet him face to face after the pair fell out.
"If you weren't the grandson of Chalerm, would anyone even notice you?" he asked.
"If you are a man, meet me face to face. Don't go thinking you are the only big one in town," he said in the expletive-laden message.
Wan said he wouldn't be a good dad if he didn't come to his son's defence. "One Point Lik's gang has grown pretty big. But have you grown as fast as Wan Chalerm?" he taunted in a message tagged to his "younger brother" One Point, a former Pheu Thai MP under the Yingluck Shinawatra government.
He said he wanted to alert One Point, who is also known for racing motorcars, as he doubted he was aware of the dispute concerning younger ones in his circle.
Reports suggested Kan Talad Noi entered the "gang" through One Point's young girlfriend, actress Arisara ''Due'' Tongborisud.
Archawin ‘Kamo’ and Wan Yubamrung.
Another friend of hers is actress Sutatta "Punpun" Udomsil, who is said to be seeing Kamo romantically, which might explain how the two young men met.
Wan also posted a picture of Kan, and asked: "This kid who has come looking for trouble says he is in One Point's gang. Why is it that today's kids like making themselves out as hoodlums so much!
"Little one, watch out or you might end up making problems for mum and dad. My son is not a wild boy but if anyone comes annoying him, I won't yield!"
On the internet, opinion was split. While some netizens said it was wrong for the children of politicians to cite their parents' influence to threaten others, another group said parents should set a good example to their children so they grow up as good citizens.
In response, Wan said his son was often taunted by youngsters associated with his friend One Point, and he could hardly step in to fight for ordinary Thais if he couldn't protect his own blood.
Later the same night, Wan left a Facebook message suggesting the drama had moved on. "The kid who came looking for trouble is with the police, my son is at a hotel and the two politicians are at home," he wrote, perhaps in jest.
By 10pm, the saga had ended happily. Wan posted a picture of him embracing One Point, who gave him a respectful cheek kiss. "End of the news ... we understand each other," he wrote.
Wan told Thai Rath newspaper that someone had escorted young Kan to see him. He apologised for threatening Kamo, and the saga was now over.
'Kao' issues warning
Jirayu 'Kao' La-Ongmanee.
Actor Jirayu "Kao" La-Ongmanee is warning the public after his former manager allegedly swindled him and his mother out of 10 million baht.
Kao and his mother Koi went before the media last week saying they had sacked the woman who worked for him for more than 12 months.
She had moved in to the family home and with their consent passed herself off as his elder sister, supposedly to better manage his performing career.
Benjawan Noppan and Thanapol 'Jack' Tayahan.
Kao said he met the woman more than three years ago when she hired him to help promote a product. The woman, who was not identified, struck up a relationship with his mother first. She allowed her to take over running Kao's career after the woman argued that having his mother turn up at events would look bad.
She also persuaded Koi to go into business with her, though it quickly ran into problems. She claimed inspectors had seized the company's books, so Koi couldn't check them.
The woman, who asked Koi to help bail her out, also claimed she was seriously ill, for which she needed money for "expensive drugs" from overseas.
"She was helping my son, so I couldn't abandon her. I had to help her pay for treatment," Koi said.
Worse, the woman started poisoning Kao's relationship with his mother, passing on to him remarks which the mother had supposedly uttered in confidence, with the result that mother and son stopped talking. Relatives did some digging and found the woman was in trouble with the law including facing allegations of blackmail.
When they presented Koi with the evidence, she knew she had to win her son back.
"Members of the family took him away for a talk. By the time we had reconciled she had fled," she said.
Kao said the woman asked his family to refer to her as an elder sister, as it would make working for him easier.
"She even changed her name to make it sound like mine, so the story was more believable. In fact she is not related, and I am an only child," he said.
His lawyer, who was also present at the press briefing, said the damages reached into seven figures.
"She wasn't working alone but had the help of several other people. I have asked them to get in touch, as we would rather not take legal action. But if she refuses, we will have to go to court," he said.
Kao says he has learnt that his mother always means well, despite what others might say. For her part, Koi said she had learned not take people at their word so easily.
'Pat' takes aim at ex-lover
Actress Napapa "Pat" Thantrakul says she is taking legal action against her former wild boy lover after friends of his attacked her on the internet.
Pat says she will lay a defamation complaint after a hostile party linked to her former love, poor, self-confessed street racer Thanapol "Jack" Tayahan, called her names in a social media post.
Little-known Pat shot to prominence in January when her messy break-up with Jack ended in a soi-style fight between her family and his new girlfriend's supporters.
Since then she has been linked to a series of youngsters, such as actor and singer Pakin "Tono" Kumvilaisak, who shares her love of motorcycles, and football star Atit "Back" Daosawang.
The highly publicised fight in Bang Kho Laem district on Jan 2 was caught on video and led to legal action, with both sides laying charges of assault. Key participants were Jack's new love, Benjawan Noppan, 21, and Pat's protective teenage niece, Chatthanan "Naf" Taosiripan.
Jack and Benjawan published pictures of their Muslim-style wedding last week. On the same day, the post attacking Pat appeared.
Naf reposted the slur, and urged Pat to pursue legal action.
"You're so clever ... you criticise Pat then quickly delete the post," Naf wrote.
"It's you who are rotten, the rubbish of society, disgusting and filthy.
"Don't go deceiving me or my family; you are a dangerous bunch."
Pat said the post, which likened her to a part of the female anatomy, said bad things about the poster's origins.
"If you want to talk, do it face to face," she said, adding Jack's friends were trying to gain publicity at her expense.
"Don't go thinking you can say whatever you like on social media and get away with it.
"My family is delighted he has left my life. I don't care whether he has married her or not."
Jack's side has not responded to the drama.
