Well-rested Andrew is furiously back on the job

Earlier this year something must have snapped back into gear, because his schedule is now packed. We’re going to be seeing him on Channel 3 over and over right through the end of this year, starting next week with the premiere of “Raed”, part of the epic action series “Luad Mungko” (“Dragon Blood”).
There are five interlocking instalments to it – the others being “Sua”, “Singha”, “Krathing” and “Hong” – and Andrew is one of five big stars in the lead roles. Ananda Everingham will play Sua, Jessadaporn Pholdee is Singha, Theeradet Wongpuapan is Krathing and Jenny Thienphosuwan is Hong.
Two more dramas are awaiting release – a remake of “Phlubphlueng See Chomphoo”, in which Andrew has the role that rocketed Thongchai “Bird” McIntrye to stardom decades ago, and “Wimarn Mekhla”, in which he’ll appear opposite half-British actress Ranee “Bella” Campen.
Finally there’s “Sailab Rak Puan”, probably the last of his shows we’ll see this year, in which he took over the lead role from the chronically tardy rock-star-turned-actor Peter Corp Dyrendal (who’s in everyone’s bad books right now).
Andrew’s co-star in that series will be Chermarn “Ploy” Boonyasak, which is sweet, because they last worked together 20 years ago, on a brace of movies, back when Andrew was still a teen idol and thus always being cast in teenybopper flicks. And Chermarn was a mere 12 or 13 years old, playing a minor role!
Well, we look forward to hearing more about how they feel being back onscreen together again, but thus far Andrew has only commented about replacing Peter in “Sailab”. He says cast switch-ups are common in show business and he’s not feeling any pressure at all about stepping into Peter’s shoes. “Actually I didn’t know anything about Peter before I got a call to take over the role!”

Canine cuisine? Yuck!

Thailand now has an animal-protection law, and it has perhaps “empowered” more local fans of furred creatures to join a global effort to stop this weekend’s “dog meat festival” in Yulin, a city in Guangxi, China, whose tourism authorities clearly can’t come up with anything better to promote.
Propelled by the social media, the “Raise Ur Paw” campaign on the petitions-for-anything-at-all website Change.org has pulled in almost 1.5 million signatures to date, though hopes aren’t high that the one million hungry citizens of Yulin will “change” their minds – or their menu. The website Dogington Post (we’re not making that up) says these folks welcome the life-nurturing summer solstice each year by slaughtering 10,000 hounds for the banquet.
The petition specifically asks Chinese President Xi Jinping to ban the festival. He was unavailable for comment at press time, presumably enjoying a tour of his holiday atolls in the South China Sea.
Willingness to at least try and halt the proceedings is keen nonetheless on the social networks, where many Thai celebrities have spoken out against the annual festival of mutt cakes and pooch pudding. Patcharpha Chaichua and Davika Hoorne are among the fuming stars, as is Chollada Mekratree, who founded the Voice Foundation to help in the rescue of animals everywhere.
Just to be safe, keep your dog in the house this weekend.