Actor Aukkarat “Toast” Jittasiri has been banished from work for four months amid a public backlash after his former girlfriend laid police charges of assault against him.
Toast, 21, and his ex-love, net idol Wisansaya “Fah Barbie” Pakasupakul, 23, last week exchanged blows in the media after she complained to Chokchai police and criticised his behaviour on Facebook.
Fah showed bruising to her legs and arms which she allegedly sustained in the assault as the two fought in Toast’s car and his home in a jealous row following their break-up two months ago.
Toast belongs to director Poj Anon’s stable of acting talent. Outspoken Poj initially jumped to Toast’s defence, accusing Fah of making up the claims and inflicting the injuries on herself.
As the negative publicity mounted, Poj appeared to have a change of mind, telling Toast he would have to miss out on a role in his next two movies to make amends. He predicted Toast, a boy from the slums in Chatuchak who previously worked in a 7-Eleven to support his family, would have trouble making ends meet.
Toast admits they fought but is adamant he inflicted bruising only to Fah’s arm, as he tried to fend off her blows while he was driving.
“As for the rest of her injuries, you will have to ask her,” he told reporters on Tuesday as the row entered a second week. “But she knows in her heart what she did.” He has laid a counter-complaint against Fah of defamation.
The net idol said the pair clashed earlier this month after Toast turned up at her place about 2.30am one day, trying to win her affections back. Since ending their 11-month relationship both had found someone new but stayed in touch.
On the day of the row, Toast said he called, but Fah refused to answer. He went to her home at her invitation only to be kept waiting. When Fah finally came out to see him, one of her male friends also arrived.
“I asked where she had been and if she had been seeing her new man,” he said. “I asked in an annoying way and she grew fed up and started kicking me and pulling my hair,” he claimed.
Toast said he and Fah started to fight when she got in his car. He took her to his place, where the fighting carried on. However, he said they slept together that night after making up, and when he took her home again the next morning they had a meal on her soi.
Fah, whose version of events bears little resemblance to his, said Toast had tried to appease her after their break-up, without success.
“When I again refused to yield, he slapped my face, and grabbed my throat. I pushed his head back but he hit me again,” she said.
“It’s a Toyota bB, with the stick by the driving wheel, and plenty of room in front.
“I was able to get my foot in front of his to hold him back, but he got his feet and held them down against my throat.
“At one point I admit I grabbed the steering wheel. I thought if the car crashes, it crashes,” she said.
At Toast’s place, she could no longer cope with the “pushing and shoving” so knocked a picture to the floor in the hope of waking up his family. His mother witnessed the scene and reprimanded her son.
“I warned him I would lay a complaint about the attack, and he said go ahead,” she said.
After the initial burst of publicity, Fah said one of Toast’s ex-girlfriends made contact to say he had mistreated her. Toast denies it, and has challenged the woman to come forward.
After Toast rejected her claims of assault, Fah called in reporters a second time to unveil a Line message in which he appears to threaten her. She denied trying to earn publicity at his expense.
“I don’t want to get famous this way, from being beaten up by a man,” she said.
Toast says the publicity has hurt him. “People now think I am a bad person, even though they haven’t heard my side. My parents never brought me up to hit women,” he said.
Police are investigating.
Getting carried away
Actor and singer Kitiwong “Fuse” Phopee is smarting after a light-hearted social media post in which a restaurant worker carried him to his car to avoid a rain puddle backfired.
Fuse’s manager, “Book”, published an Instagram clip of the incident on a wet day recently when the pair stopped for a bite to eat near Krung Thon Bridge before heading out for a singing job.
It started to rain, and a member of the eatery’s staff carried him over to his vehicle rather than let Fuse get wet.
Critics hammered the Channel 7 actor, asking if Fuse was too pampered to walk to the car park himself.
“Are you crippled, or do you think you are an angel, too special to get his feet wet?” they asked, adding he was looking down on the waiting staff.
Fuse admitted he was worried he would spoil his shoes in the rain.
“They offered an umbrella and normally I would wade across, but Book told me not to go as I had to perform in those shoes,” he said. “He offered to go himself, but I said no.
“Book asked the youngsters at the eatery if they could drive and offered them the keys. One lad headed over and put in the key. The lights started flashing, but nothing happened. He ran back and asked how to get it started. Book showed him, but it still didn’t budge.
“I was worried if he kept hitting the pedal the car would shoot forward, so called him back. The youngster said it was his duty to look after us. He offered to carry me, and with that grabbed me and lifted me up. I was stunned, as I never expected such service, nor did I ask for it.
“I turned around and gave Book a smile. He thought the scene was cute, so took a picture. At the car I gave the lad a tip and a wai of thanks.
“I was upset with the negative reaction, but understand everyone has his own point of view. I will have to be more careful what I post next time.”
Change of heart
Actress Pechaya “Min” Wattanamontri, who has a new man in her life, denies claims she wrested him from a doctor in Laos.
Min and her new admirer, a businessman nine years her senior, were pictured in the media recently, spurring the interest of fans.
Min recently broke up with her old love, “hi-so Boss”, though she won’t talk about the end of their relationship.
Boss himself recently found a new love interest, taking up with Channel 3 actress Matira “Yam” Tantiprasut.
News reports said Min, not to be outdone, made sure she was spotted in the media with her new businessman admirer, whom the media has also dubbed a “hi-so”.
However, she denies taking up with him on the rebound.
“I knew him from Chulalongkorn University … we studied assets together. He is good on the finance side, and flirted with me openly,” she said.
“I have taken him to meet my parents. They think I am suited to older types, but I am stubborn. He has to prove himself in many ways. Still, I have worked for a long time and would like someone to look after me.”
She knew nothing of reports he had been seeing a Lao doctor before they met up. “Everyone has a past, but he says he was single when we met. I would rather live in the present anyway,” she said.
Min said her new admirer is innocent where show business is concerned. “The media ran his picture. He asked me what the tag ‘hi-so’ means, and if it’s a bad thing. I said it’s nothing, but his friends have teased him,” she said.
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.