Pop pulled into line
Model and actress Panward "Peuy'' Hemmanee says she would rather focus on work than problems in her marriage to Nithi "Pop'' Boonyaratglin, the son of former coup leader Sonthi.
A heavily pregnant Peuy, who is expecting the couple's second child next month, grabbed the headlines earlier last week after taking a poke on the internet at an admirer of her husband's, whom she suggested had been playing around.
Peuy posted a chat between a friend of hers and the young woman, identified as Palaya Khemthanaviset, a "pretty" product presenter, in which Peuy's friend warns her off.
"[Playing around with] someone who has a wife and child ... that's sin. It's just not worth it. If you mess with the husband of a woman who is well-known, you will be condemned publicly ... society won't accept it. She is also pregnant," the message read.
Pop's admirer Palaya replied: "I admire them both ... there's nothing to it, and I won't let this happen again."
Peuy added a brief comment to her post. "I am about to give birth. If you really like me as you say, you won't do anything like this to me."
This is not the first time reports have surfaced of problems in Peuy's marriage to Pop, a naval officer who has also started a motor hire business. Reports of a split emerged two years ago.
He agreed to come back to her. Peuy later denied hatching a "strategy" along these lines, though media outlets have noted approvingly the similarities between that case and this one, in which Peuy has tracked down the other woman via social media.
Netizens last week rounded on Palaya, described as similar to Peuy in looks and who was pictured clutching a branded handbag. She also promptly took down her Facebook site.
They also rallied behind Peuy, who admitted herself to hospital shortly after amid reports she had stopped eating for several days and was plugged into a saline drip.
A stream of her celebrity friends paid visits or sent encouragement via social media, including director Panita ''Ning'' Tumwattana, whose husband Jin offered a public apology in early 2013 for having an affair with a socialite.
Ning, who is holidaying in Europe with her husband and family, posted a picture of Peuy in hospital, and sent a message of support as someone who had coped with a stray husband herself.
"I understand it's all about suffering. It's only after I am through it now that I am able to talk about it. But I am sure you can look after things and get through it," Ning wrote.
"Anyone who wants to criticise, don't pay any attention. Just have faith in the institution of the family. I understand you feel stressed, anxious and discouraged at the moment, but just believe you can get through it ... obstacles are there to be cleared, not to trip us up," she wrote to Peuy.
A day before, another close friend, actress Pitchanart "May" Sakhakorn, visited the family at home before Peuy's admission to hospital.
She said she spoke to everyone, and mentioned the reports of his philandering to Pop, who grunted as if acknowledging it was true. This gave her confidence the pair could patch things up, though she noted that neither he nor Peuy were speaking to each other.
Among other hospital visitors were Peuy's mother-in-law, the couple's young son Prort, and Pop himself, who kept watching vigil over his wife, media reports said. By Thursday, Peuy had discharged herself to attend a city function, arriving at the event in a wheelchair.
She thanked everyone for their support but declined to talk about her problems. Pop's admirer has said little since the news broke, and Pop has kept out of the media spotlight.
Peuy and Pop married in an Islamic ceremony in Bangkok in April 2012. At the time, Peuy downplayed reports that her husband's Islamic religion -- to which she converted -- allows him to take up to four wives.
"It's a sensitive matter, but I would say anyone who is determined to have extra wives will go ahead and do so, regardless of religion," she said. "For now we have each other, and I am happy with that."
She converted to Islam in line with the religious faith pursued by her husband and his family.
Pop is the son of MP Sonthi Boonyaratglin, former army chief and 2006 coup-maker. Asked about whether he intended taking up to four wives, Pop said he had spoken to Peuy about it -- but only in jest.
"My religion does allow that, but the first wife must consent -- and as the husband I must be able to take care of them equally. These days, I imagine that might be hard to do financially," he said.
"It was a case of 'No' from the very beginning. We talked about it only in jest. I want my family to be as complete and as happy as it can be," he said.
Tourist cops go to work
Former singer Jeeranan "May" Kitprasan has asked the tourist police to step into her dispute with a Korean hospital which botched her breast enlargement operation.
May called on the deputy chief of the Tourist Police Bureau, Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakpan, after earlier taking her concerns to the Medical Council, Consumer Protection Council and Department of Health Services Support (DHSS).
The former actress is suing the Korean hospital for 60 million baht, saying she wants her case to serve as an example to others not to trust the medical profession too easily.
Jeeranan 'May' Kitprasan
Her Korean doctor sent her back to Bangkok to receive further treatment after being unable to stop the bleeding, and said he would follow a few days later to remove her blood drainage bag himself.
"Back in Bangkok, my fever failed to abate and I was eventually admitted to ICU. One doctor gave me just a 10% chance of survival," May said as she disclosed details of her ordeal.
The Medical Council told her no foreign doctors are licensed to practise here. The DHSS, which inspected the Bangkok clinic where she signed up, said they found no evidence of foreign staff employed there, or in the clinic's registration documents. The equipment and nursing staff met requirements under the law.
Undeterred, May has now asked the tourism police to take action against so-called health tours which take Thais such as herself to get cosmetic surgery done in South Korea.
"I am sure I am not the only one who has responded to their advertisements, taken a tour, run into problems and found the hospital and tour company in Korea was not willing to take responsibility," she said.
Pol Gen Surachet is now tracking down details of cosmetic surgery tour companies in Thailand, and will ask the consumer board to inspect them. He said he would also contact international tour companies which take Thais overseas to make sure May's ordeal is not repeated.
"In such cases, tour companies should also be held responsible when Thais end up as damaged parties, as they kickstart the whole process," he said.
The hospital's agent in Bangkok, Russarin "Oum" Chusinkawiphat, who is also named in the legal dispute, insisted she had done everything she could to help May's family. She was also involved in talks with the hospital's owners after May's side demanded her huge compensation bill.
