Aum's going to be twice the star thanks to "Prow"

PATCHARAPHA “AUM” Chaichua is returning to the small screen. She’s had a year-and-a-half break from Soap Opera Land and the fans have been getting antsy. No one screams and weeps and gnashes her teeth quite like Aum. She’s continued to make regular appearances in public and in the news media, but the soap mob wants her back on Channel 7 where she belongs.
At last, Aum is all ready to star in a new series called “Prow” and, as if to make up for lost time, she’s going to play two roles simultaneously. “I play a celebrity and a poor and ordinary woman,” she says. “It’s rather tough because I have to express myself differently in both my expressions and my voice for each role. But I always do my homework and there’s been no exception this time.”
By this we assume Aum means researching what it must be like being poor so she can play the penniless but kind-hearted Min, because the celebrity title character she plays is a TV star. Surely she knows how to do that.
“Yes, I did find some things in common with the Prow character. For example, she wants to take a break from her shows and so did I. She sometimes longs for the simple, quiet life.” Actually we were thinking more along the lines of fabulous wealth and camera flashes going off in her face all the time. She’s basically playing herself.
Portraying poor Min convincingly will be the real challenge, not that Aum is complaining – doing a dual role means she gets paid twice as much.
Veteran actor Thongchai Prasongsanti of “Por Dee Kham” fame will direct the series, set to debut a week from today, October 9. We’ll let Aum get the final politically charged word in, via Instagram: “You guys can watch me on both Channel 7 analog and digital!”

The last farewell
Lips magazine editor Sakchai Guy had the sad experience of saying goodbye to a beloved friend on Tuesday when famed makeup artist Apichat “Ped” Norasethapron died at Chulalongkorn Hospital. It came as a severe shock to hear Ped say, “I’m leaving. The doctor says I have a few hours left,” because he sounded quite well.
Sakchai and clothing designer Somchai “Khai” Kaewthong rushed to the hospital to see him and found the family gathered around. Later, on Facebook, Nation TV anchorman Kanok Ratwongsakul recounted what happened next.
Sakchai told Ped’s family that he’d had a call from him, but they said that’s impossible, since Ped had been in a coma since Monday. And his mobile phone had never left the overhead cabinet in the room. But Sakchai checked the call log on Ped’s phone and found the call made to him. One way or another, it seems, Ped wanted to say goodbye to his best friend.
Sakchai, Khai, family and other friends spent the afternoon in silent pondering around Ped’s bed while a monk transmitted prayers via someone else’s phone. Ped died peacefully that evening.
Kanok’s report on Facebook drew a predictable flurry of comments, many followers saying they’d had similar experiences. There were claims of getting calls from fathers and mothers and learning later that they’d already died by then. It was a sobering but comforting discussion at the end of a sombre day.