Actress Usamanee "Kwan" Waitayanon has abruptly cut ties with her mother and elder sister, declaring money has destroyed relations with her family.
Usamanee 'Kwan' Waitayanon.
News of the family rift came to light last week when Kwan's mother, Pranee, and elder sister Kaew appealed via social media for Kwan to get in touch.
Ms Pranee said Kwan hadn't been home in days, had dumped her as manager, and left her alone to bring up their 10 dogs.
Kwan, who has supported the family since she entered the industry as a child, told the media she wanted the chance to earn some money in her own right.
"I am the main bread winner, and have been head of the household since dad died," she said.
"One day I would like a family, but to this day I still have no assets of my own.
"I am still supporting mum, but at the moment we are having a changing point at home and all I want is some order or a new system."
Kwan confirmed she had started accepting work in her own right.
She declined to respond to her mother's claims she had left home to be with her boyfriend, singer Pichaya "Golf" Nitipaisalkul, with whom the mother and Kaew are at odds.
"I don't want society to judge my mother," she said.
"I have spoken to mum. We send each other messages as we are finding it too hard to talk. I don't want to be hurt again. I can't change my mother; I can but hope to prove myself."
As Kwan was fronting reporters, her sister Kaew went to work on social media, asking on Instagram how Kwan could abandon her mother.
"Kwan ... speak the truth! Why are you criticising mum to make yourself look good? What kind of character are you?"
Kaew insisted their mother can look after herself with money left by their deceased father. As for herself, she is a senior marketing executive with AIS and married to a foreigner, so does not rely on Kwan's help either.
The Manager/ASTV newspaper dug up a television interview from eight years ago in which their father revealed Kwan paid for Kaew's post-graduate education overseas, as he couldn't afford it.
It also ran pictures from Kwan's university graduation ceremony in which Ms Waitayanon presented her beaming daughter with her first ATM card as a present.
"Kwan is well known for her generosity to her family, and was once spotted sitting on a public bus," it said.
As public opinion moved solidly in Kwan's favour, Ms Pranee was forced to deny she was being greedy.
"Speaking frankly, I admit I want her money, but I want to keep it for who? Even when I spend it on myself, I am frugal, and won't be around for much longer," she said.
"If she is not willing to see me as her mother, can she at least view me as a manager who helped build her into a star."
Kwan, who said she took over running her own affairs at the start of the month, disclosed her mother was paying her an income of just 40,000 a month.
"My relationship with mum is ruined because of money, which has destroyed our family. Before, I gave mum every baht I earned. I have given my food supplements business to my sister. She says a lipstick venture I have entered needs one million baht in capital, up from the 400,000 baht we have put in so far. It's my money, but if she doesn't want to give it, never mind. I will start again from scratch," she said in tears.
Golf denied her mother's suggestions he had "brainwashed" the actress but declined to say whether they were now living together. He also denied reports he had made Kwan pregnant.
"I am here to give her encouragement. I would like to clear things up with her family, but I want her to know I am always here by her side," he said. "I have tried to talk to her mother many times, without success."
Golf almost had a run-in with Kwan's feisty sister Kaew in June when he turned up to the launch of Kwan's high-end food supplements venture, La Uzi. Anxious that Golf not try to claim publicity for himself, Kaew lunged at event manager Sombatsara "Teu" Tirasaroch as he escorted Golf in to talk to reporters.
At press time, Kwan and her family had yet to reconcile.
Gym dispute comes to amicable end
Janie Tienphosuwan.
Actress Janie Tienphosuwan has settled her business dispute with actress Panadda "Boom" Wongphudee, her estranged tenant in a shared city fitness complex.
Boom declared last week she had agreed to move out of the complex at the end of the year to set up another gym nearby after the two sides settled a rift stemming from parking hassles and unpaid rent.
Welcoming the outcome, Janie said she had no fears that Boom would end up as her competitor. Boom's new gym, in which she is sinking 30 million baht, will be just 1km away.
"No matter where she sets up, people will regard us as competitors. It's all good if it encourages more people to get out and exercise," she said.
Boom said she wanted to set up nearby in deference to the customers who had supported her at Smash gym.
Earlier, Boom said she would rather tear down the 10 million baht complex she shares with Janie, she was so sick of their dispute.
The row started after Boom complained on social media about parking at the site in the Kaset Nawamin Rd area, Lat Phrao district. Boom's husband runs Smash gym, while Janie's side runs 911 by JT.
The row escalated in the weeks following, with Janie complaining Boom refused to pay the rent. While Boom put up the investment capital in what was initially a three-way venture, Janie effectively took over as landlord when she bought the shares of their third partner.
Boom said she would run the new gym without outside partners.
"I do not want shareholders, as I have learned from experience. I am also making sure the paperwork is tight, down to the last detail," she said.
"At first they wanted me to come up with receipts for when we were first building the place; I can't find them now. In the end I decided I would remove everything, though the other side has since come back asking for some items, such as the air con," she said.
"I am tired of negotiating, and want to move forward. So if you want it, just come and get it," she said. Their shared complex was open just three months before the pair fell out.
Panadda 'Boom' Wongphudee.
Both sides stay mum on marital woes
Actress Wirithipa "Woonsen" Pakdeeprasong and actor Chakrit Yamnarm are having marital problems, a long-term friend has admitted.
Actress Pitchanart "May" Sakakorn, a friend of Woonsen's for more than 10 years, spoke up last week after reports emerged the couple were planning to seek a divorce after two years of marriage.
Neither side has commented on the reports, with Chakrit busy working on a soap opera, and Woonsen visiting Hong Kong with friends for a merit-making trip and holiday. News reports said the pair had agreed to sign divorce papers, but put off the meeting when news of their problems broke.
Chakrit's manager said the actor didn't want to discuss the matter for fear it would add to his ailing mother's health woes, while Woonsen is said to be too sad to deal with it.
May said she was aware of the couple's problems but could do little but offer a listening ear. "Don't go speculating about a third hand breaking up their relationship, or who is seeing whom," she told reporters.
"If the day comes when the love is no longer there any more, no one can blame Chakrit. I can see how much he loves her, and as Woonsen's friend, how much she loves him.
"I would like to give them both my support. We'll have to wait until they are ready to talk about it."
Wirithipa 'Woonsen' Pakdeeprasong and Chakrit Yamnarm.
Pitchanart 'May' Sakakorn.
