Just call me stupid (part 1)

Actress Aum Patcharapa (pictured), accused of setting upon a television presenter in a stoush over a car in the Emporium department store carpark, has lost contracts with five big clients worth B20m.

Advertisers are shrinking from her role in the nasty affair, in which presenter 'Khem' Kritteera Inpornwichit says she was injured when Aum and an actress friend tried to force her from her car.

Just call me stupid? Aum is having none of it. Life will go on, she says, despite the dent in her income.

Aum and actress friend, May Feuangarom (or Fuengarom), confronted Khem in the carpark last Thursday when she came to pick up what she believed was her car.

The actresses had spotted a Mini Cooper there, which May rightfully believed was her own.

Unknown to her, her boyfriend had lent to Khem, who was driving it unaware that the car belonged to someone else.

May's boyfriend Noom Kanchai bought the car in May's name, but lent it to Khem a few months ago.

During a bad patch in his relationship with May, he started seeing Khem, and took to leaving the car at her place.

When she saw it in the carpark, May assumed it had been stolen, and called her friend Aum.

On the face of it, Aum would appear to be a mere bit player, as she was not involved in the love triangle between May, Khem, and Noom.

Perhaps she is being punished by advertisers for her nasty tongue, after she told Khem that she had a cheek to be driving someone else's car.

Meanwhile, Noom Kanchai, the man at the centre of the row, has been replaced as a co-anchor on a Channel 5 variety show, though RS Promotions, which makes it, insists the programme has simply been rejigged, and that Noom was not being punished as a result of the affair.

Today, Noom headed to Germany on a trip he said was planned previously. Aum and May left for France, on what they, too, say was a planned trip. They deny they are taking refuge overseas until the fuss dies down.

Khem has given a televised account of what happened. She was interviewed on the Tee Sip variety show, which she co-presents and from which she gets her nickname, Khem Tee Sip.

Mum's shop, where I watched it, pulled a crowd of about 15 people, about as many as we could expect to get for a football game.

Earlier, Khem told the media that she suffered injuries, was threatened, and feared for her life.

Khem, left, and Aor

The interview was conducted by guest interviewer, Krittika 'Aor' Kongsompong, presenter of the Thai version of the Weakest Link, an in-your-face television quiz show which aired about five years ago until it was axed to preserve the non-confrontational style of Thai culture.

Khem did not know Aor was being asked to front the interview, and looked surprised. Regular anchor Witawat Suntornwineth said he did not want to do it himself, as he could be accused of bias.

now, see part 2