TV host Woody Milintachinda is likely to face a hefty civil claim for damages from a former concert organiser after the Criminal Court last week upheld defamation claims.
The Ratchada court found Woody and co-host Chalermpol "Jack" Tikumpornteerawong defamed socialite businessman Jirat "Champ" Petnunthawong, organiser of the ill-fated Sydictive Element New Year party on Patong beach in 2013. It sentenced them to one year in jail, without suspension.
Champ says he is now preparing civil action seeking hefty damages against those involved. The court found against six defendants in total, including the two TV hosts. It saved the heaviest penalty for the man hired to promote the concert, Anandadvip "Chai" Jayankura na Ayutthaya, sentencing him to three years in jail, without suspension.
Chai, who claims Champ underpaid him for the event, laid a complaint with Crime Suppression Division police claiming the concert was poorly organised and damaged his reputation as a promoter.
Woody and co-host Jack invited Chai on their show, when they compared lavish promises made by the organisers with pictures taken by guests of how the concert actually turned out.
Chai said publicity promised top DJs and performers such as Akon, JFK of Mstkrft, Tiga and Pendulum, performing on the world's largest floating stage.
Jirat ‘Champ’ Petnunthawong and inset above Anandadvip ‘Chai’ Jayankura na Ayutthaya and below Woody Milintachinda and Chalermpol ‘Jack’ Tikumpornteerawong.
However, media reports painted a less than flattering picture, after headlining hip hop act Akon failed to show after a contract dispute, and VIP guests complained of less than deluxe treatment.
Woody's show made unflattering references to plastic chairs in the VIP area, do-it-yourself toilets, and the fact that Paris Hilton, who visited Bangkok to promote the event, failed to appear for the concert. As Champ declared he would take defamation action, Woody initially seemed unperturbed by the threat.
By last week, however, as the prospect of a jail sentence beckoned, Woody was having second thoughts. After the court delivered its sentence, Woody quickly offered an apology, though he wasn’t in time to offer one in person to Champ, who had already left.
"I am really sorry, especially to Champ, for wasting his time and making him feel bad. I not sure how the ruling will affect my work — at the moment I just want to go home and see mum and dad," Woody said.
The court found Woody’s interview lacked neutrality. He imposed his own point of view which was designed to instigate, or provoke Champ, who was not present to put his side. Welcoming the decision, Champ said he doesn’t want to make enemies, but would press on with a civil claim.
"The other side [concert promoter Chai] was in the news all the time, but unlike them I don't have the media in my hands. I had to close down my concert promotion company. I put 100 million baht into that concert. My power company and airline also suffered, because my investors suffered a lack of confidence in me ... they didn't know if the claims were true or not."
Champ said his door had always been open for an apology, but no one made contact when his claim was before the courts.
Namwan Petnunthawong.
Namwan shrugs off loss
Socialite Namwan Petnunthawong has shrugged off her loss in the first round of a defamation battle with former model and director Panita "Ning" Tumwattana over a row which left Namwan nursing a bruised eye.
Namwan is the sister of socialite businessman Jirat "Champ" Petnunthawong, who ironically won a defamation battle in the Criminal Court last week against concert promoter Anandadvip "Chai" Jayankura na Ayuthaya, a friend of Ning’s.
Perhaps emboldened by her brother Champ’s victory against Chai, Namwan says her family has urged her to appeal against the defamation ruling concerning Ning, handed down earlier this month.
Panita ‘Ning’ Tumwattana.
The court found Namwan and her mother Ampaipan defamed Ning after a row at a city restaurant a couple of years ago. It sentenced her to 18 months in jail, suspended for two years, and fined her 75,000 baht.
Namwan and Mrs Ampaipan claimed in interviews that Ning and her sister Nan attacked Namwan at Harvey restaurant, in Thong Lor Soi 9, on Sept 20, 2013.
Namwan, who published pictures of herself on social media with eye injuries, said Nan struck her in the face with a mobile phone. Nan denied it, and insisted Namwan hit her first. Ning, who said the claims damaged her reputation, sued Namwan and her mum for defamation.
The court decided that while Namwan was the injured party, she should have sought redress solely by laying a complaint with police, rather than attempting to harm Ning’s reputation through the media.
"I will fight on, and am not interested in conciliation," Namwan said last week. "I don't know when the court will ask me to appear again. I am confident of victory."
Ning said the court ruling cleared her name, and if Namwan wanted to fight on it was up to her.
The court victory has bittersweet undertones for Ning, after her husband, Jin Tumwattana, offered a public apology earlier the same year for having an affair with Namwan. Lingering feeling between the two women led to the fight.
Saran ‘Porsche’ Sirilak.
Battered and bruised, really
Channel 7 actor Saran "Porsche" Sirilak is brushing off claims he exaggerated his injuries in a recent big bike crash, saying while he appears back in rude health, he still suffers occasional pain.
Porsche appeared in his first public outing last week since coming off his bike on a motor trip to Chachoengsao in the middle of last month.
He was admitted to a local hospital suffering broken ribs, a punctured lung, and bruising to his liver and kidney. The actor was transferred to Vejthani Hospital in Bangkok, where doctors went before the media to declare he was out of danger.
Porsche, who bears no outward sign of injury from his accident, said while some of his bones have yet to set properly, he was lucky in that he did not need an operation or any splints put in. "My internal bruising has also healed," he said cheerfully. "I know it looks as if nothing happened, doesn’t it?"
He recited the injuries he suffered, for the benefit of reporters present. Sharing in his good humour, they chanted along with him: "Bruised kidney, liver, broken ribs…"
On a more serious note, Porsche said he his doctor has forbidden him from taking strenuous exercise, as he is still on the mend.
The day before his accident, Channel 7 actress Ornlene "Give" Sothiwanwongse had criticised him in the media.
Despite their difficulties, she promptly visited him in hospital. A day later, Porsche, who was supposedly seriously injured, managed to put out a brief social media message accusing an unnamed party of spinning a public image. It was soon deleted.
Asked about the cryptic message last week, Porsche said he can remember little about his hospital stay, as he was pumped up with morphine.
