Worries mount over care for ex-supermodel Yui
The news at the weekend that former supermodel Rojjana "Yui" Phetkanha - the first and only Thai to appear on the cover of international Vogue - had been discovered wandering around Phetkasem Road in a disoriented state was upsetting.
Police, tipped off on Saturday about an “unknown” woman in distress, picked her up and took her to a mental institution.
Her identity was soon uncovered. The former face of Chanel and catwalk companion of fashion stars like Kate Moss in London, Paris, Milan and New York ended up in dire condition on the streets of Bangkok. Online there was much speculation about alcohol abuse and perhaps a relapse with her acknowledged drug problem.
Yui was 24 years old and earning Bt50 million a year until cocaine took hold of her. She admitted it destroyed her career and her health. Back in Thailand she tried to settle down, but, now 37, still hasn’t succeeded. Her former manager, Saroj “Joe” Na Nakhon, who took care of her for a year, told Thai Rath that Yui is clean of drugs now but suffering “a bipolar disorder” that has necessitated regular treatment and medication.
Social Development and Human Security Minister Pavena Hongsakul visited Yui at the Somdetchaopraya Institute of Psychiatry and said the ministry was ready to help her and her family if needed. She said Yui was talking quite sensibly and asked to meet her “brother”. But “No relative visits Yui” was Thai Rath’s headline. Wrong, say people close to her – the “brother” she referred to is ex-manager Joe. And he’s not being allowed to see her, model Kaewsai Supharasmi pointed out on Facebook, nor are her friends.
Kaewsai and Jay Rattanaprapapan separately confirmed on Facebook that Joe is right: “She’s not insane – she’s bipolar”.
Expert guesswork
It was certainly nice of CTH – which holds the broadcasting rights to English Premier League games in Thailand but is struggling to hook up everyone’s homes – to show Sunday’s Liverpool-Manchester United super-match for free at Royal Paragon Hall. Fans enjoyed the social event in air-conditioned comfort.
Unfortunately “The Red Heat Match” was spoiled by a couple of red-hot idiots – the day’s official commentators, Ketsepsawat “Na Nake” Palakawong Na Ayutthaya and DJ Worachat “Pla Goong” Kamwijin. Neither one of them has what it takes to give a running commentary on football.
“They never identified the teams by name, only by their shirt colours!” gaped @torcnn20h on Twitter. “It was, like, ‘red loses possession to black’. And they never named the players. It was very annoying, especially with their unfunny jokes.”
Na Nake might want to consider avoiding sports altogether after earlier failing as a boxing commentator for “Thai Fight” on Channel 3. He didn’t know the boxers’ names, either, and didn’t seem to quite grasp the rules.
Give this man a red card and keep him on the non-athletic TV shows, where all he has to do is be a mindless and occasionally amusing chatterbox.
