It's no way to treat a hero
It's like one of those cruel twists in a soap opera, but it's sadly true: Former world flyweight boxing champion Somchai Cherdchai, better known as San Sor Ploenchit, has discovered that half the gold he received as rewards from supporters is fake.
San Sor Ploenchit amassed 500 baht of gold, mainly in necklaces that politicians and businessmen arranged to have placed around his neck after victories in the ring. He was counting on the gold to cover medical costs – he’s suffered bleeding on the brain, according to Matichon.
San Sor isn’t the first national boxing hero to have been cheated like this. ASTV Manager quoted superflyweight champ Sura “Khaosai Galaxy” Saenkham as saying 130 baht in gold chains he was given after a single Chiang Mai fight turned out to be bogus. “Altogether in my career I’ve received 370 baht of fake gold.”
Khaosai’s wise advice to supporters: Affix your name to the chain to help track down the cheats. The winners end up with so many chains around their neck that it looks like they’re in harness, and the necklaces are all similar or identical in appearance, and thus easily swapped on their way to the ring.
Shining on
Crow magazine honoured TV news host Sorrayuth Suthassanajinda on Thursday as celebrity of the year, but such is his celebrity that he refused to talk to reporters. His Channel 3 colleagues Pasit “Kai” Apinyawat and Somchai “Koh Tee” On-lamai said Sorrayuth hasn’t spoken to them about the MCOT embezzlement case, but he doesn’t seem stressed about it.
Kai said it’s business as usual at the station and everyone’s happy just focusing on their duties. Comedian Koh Tee said he respects Sorrayuth and honours his right to privacy. “I’ve never even seen his wife!” he laughed, explaining that they don’t socialise outside the office.
But overall, Koh Tee believes Sorrayuth remains fit to be a newsman. “A diamond is a diamond, no matter where it is. I think people are just trying to discredit him.”
