Singha heiress finally gives in, withdraws her police application

[webfact]

Beer queen brews up a storm
WASAMON AUDJARINT
THE NATION


Chitpas

Eyebrows in her previous roles, Singha heiress finally gives in and withdraws her police application

BANGKOK: - FORMER co-leader of the movement against the previous government, Chitpas "Tant" Kridakorn finally gave in to pressure from the police and her opponents and withdrew her application to the police force.

"Thank you for all the encouragement," she said at a news briefing at a Bangkok hotel yesterday, her voice breaking as she spoke.

"However, I express my deepest sorrow for not being fortunate enough to work in the police bureau and being allowed to wear a police uniform as a protector of public peace," she said.

Chitpas became a topic of discussion last Sunday when she officially applied to become a member of the 191 Police Patrol and Special Operations Division.

But members of the public were not the only ones to question the appropriateness of her applying for the position, some police officers also protested by tying black ribbons to their radio equipment. After all, she had led People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) members and stormed into the Royal Thai Police headquarters. Both she and other PDRC leaders face sedition charges.

Chitpas explained that she decided to withdraw her application to calm the controversy, adding that a photograph of her and an interview in English about rural people and democracy shared online had been doctored. She also said that she had never meant to disparage the police, but wanted them to become reliable for the public.

Insisting that she had made all her decisions on her own, she said she would continue working for the people and the PDRC, which has now transformed to the People's Demo-cratic Reform Foundation (PDRF). Chitpas, who is now the assistant secretary for the PDRF, added that she could not say whether she would enter the political arena in the future.

This is not the first time the 30-year-old has surrounded herself in controversy. The eldest daughter of Chutinant and ML Piyapas Bhirombhakdi and heiress to the Boon Rawd Brewery business empire, Chitpas earned a bachelor's in geology from King's College London in 2009.

Always enthusiastic about politics, she was persuaded to enter the arena by Nipon Promphan, the then-secretary-general of former premier Abhisit Vejjajiva.

In 2009, she became secretary to Panitan Wattayanagorn, then-deputy secretary-general of the PM. However, her career came to an abrupt halt in December of that year when she stepped down after "unintentionally" distributing raunchy calendars from Boon Rawd to people in Government House compound.

The following year, she returned to work with the Information and Communications Technology Ministry, before becoming a candidate under the Democrat Party banner for the 2011 election. However, she didn't win.

Undeterred, the beer heiress became a deputy spokesperson for the Democrat Party and in 2012 she began hosting a show broadcast on the party's Fah Won Mai channel.

She gained some prominence in 2013 by taking on a key role in the PDRC protests against the blanket amnesty bill proposed by the Pheu Thai Party. Apart from reporting PDRC-related news in English, she also created a "school under the trees" at Lumpini Park to occupy the children of the participants.

In her website, www.chitpas.com, she says she was called the "the angel of the great mass of people". However, her interviews with foreign media during the rally raised the hackles of her opponents, who said she had insulted rural people and questioned their understanding of democracy.

She then decided to drop her father's surname, Bhirombhakdi, to take up her mother's royally bestowed last name - Kridakorn. She said the change was to protect her family's business from the collateral damage of her political activities.

Once the PDRC rally was brought to an end by the May 2014 coup, she became a valedictorian at Chulalongkorn University, graduating with a master's degree in public administration.

However, her being given this honour raised a widespread debate on social media, with many pointing out that she was involved in political cases and faced sedition charges.

Also, several university professors refused to attend the graduation ceremony, even though she got to deliver her valedictorian speech.

Meanwhile, a police source said all candidates who wish to withdraw their application must submit a letter to that effect, otherwise the Metropolitan Police Bureau would continue with the procedure.

Chitpas was supposed to complete the application procedure by Tuesday, though so far she has only completed her physical check-up. She has not left her fingerprints, which allows the police bureau to check her criminal record. The police bureau should be able to make a decision on her ineligibility soon, the source added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Beer-queen-BREWS-UP-A-STORM-AFTER-RAISING-30269516.html


-- The Nation 2015-09-25

[Mango Bob]

It will be interesting to see if anyone now filled the position.

[jaywalker]

Not only is her name "Tunt", she also has nice earrings and is a Beer Queen.

Gotta love it!

[NongKhaiKid]

This lady's behaviour should have almost automatically killed her application stone dead but TIT

Mind you so many of the current BIB ranks shouldn't be in the job either far less being protected and promoted far, far beyond their level of competency, they should all be called Peter rather tan Somchai.

Edited September 24, 2015 by NongKhaiKid

[baboon]

Political colours aside, what amazes me is that the rich and powerful still seem to think the public will buy their 'dog ate my homework' excuses for anything and everything..

[harada]

Let her join providing she spends her first year amongst the (to quote her) stupid people up north, that should put a dent in her enthusiasm.

[Somtamnication]

She can serve me beer anytime!

[borisloosebrain]

I know she passed the physical examination ...but if they happen to need a second opinion.

[jaywalker]

I know she passed the physical examination ...but if they happen to need a second opinion.

There is a queue my dear chap.

[NOC]

I'd hit it!

[jaywalker]

I'd hit it!

Please refer back to post #9.

[aussieinthailand]

So interviews in English were "doctored" Yeah right, I'd like to read the transcript of the interview.

And now trying to retrieve the irretrievable by saying I didn't mean to insult the stupid buffalo's in the north, and they don't understand democracy.

And when I said only uni grads should be allowed to vote I meant something else.

But the other vote comment that some votes should count as ten and others should count as one vote, Err Ummm still trying to spin that one hehehehe.

Som num narh. Now there your first lesson in politics gal.

[lovelomsak]

To go forward in her application she now needs to get fingerprinted. Maybe something she doesnot want to happen. Maybe afraid her prints are on weapons or things that could get her in trouble with the police.

[harrycallahan]

Reminds me of the Kevin Bloody Wilson song: Do ya #### on first dates? Does your dad own a brewery?

[JohnnyJazz]

After the jailing of the bus stop killer, it's the second time in less than a month that a rich kid is forced to face the consequence of his (her) irresponsible behaviour. But the real question is who is really to thanks , Prayuth or Zuckerberg ?

Edited September 25, 2015 by JohnnyJazz

[jaywalker]

After the jailing of the bus stop killer, it's the second time in less than a month that a rich kid is forced to face the consequence of his (her) irresponsible behaviour. But the real question is who is really to thanks , Prayuth or Zuckerberg ?

I was just deriding FB on another thread, but you do make a good point.

[yellowboat]

Other than being from an elitist family whose business is protected, she has not seemed to have done all that much worthy of press coverage.

[jaywalker]

Other than being from an elitist family whose business is protected, she has not seemed to have done all that much worthy of press coverage.

If she wasn't almost somewhat cute and rich, (and named Tunt), I doubt we'd have ever heard of her.

[bluebluewater]

One needs to be careful around that "tant" area . . .

[Orac]

Reminds me of the Kevin Bloody Wilson song: Do ya #### on first dates? Does your dad own a brewery?

Not sure most of the influence is due to her dad owning a brewery or who her mother works for especially given the name change.

[bamnutsak]

Eyebrows in her previous roles

Yes, she definitely has those "Angry Birds" eyebrows, very popular here.

In her website, www.chitpas.com, she says she was called the "the angel of the great mass of people".

Good to see she is modest and unassuming to boot.

Edited September 25, 2015 by bamnutsak

[Emster23]

"not being fortunate enough to work in the police bureau and being allowed to wear a police uniform"

Omg. Seems no one has mentioned or questioned "What are her qualifications for that job? Degree in criminal justice or something like that?"

[esprit]

Eyebrows in her previous roles

Yes, she definitely has those "Angry Birds" eyebrows, very popular here.

In her website, www.chitpas.com, she says she was called the "the angel of the great mass of people".

Good to see she is modest and unassuming to boot.

I think this is a mis-quote. It should read " darling of the great mess of people". In other words a supporter and backer of the sh*te she wishes to attempt to ensure maintains their feudal grip of the country.

Hopefully someone one day will put a bottle of Singha, her families company, where the sun doesn't shine and make her come to her senses. Another corrupt and arrogant moron

[jaywalker]

One needs to be careful around that "tant" area . . .

I was wondering when the "Taint" subject would turn up.

I guess I'm not the only one who has heard of it.

[asdecas]

Seems rather...entitled. Perhaps a start at the bottom - washing the empties at daddy's brewery, say - might sweep away some of her pretensions.

Edited September 25, 2015 by asdecas

[Mot Dang]

Somehow the word head-kicker comes to mind. Should have become a valedictorian in mud-wrestling, much more interesting.

[Bob12345]

Funny to read the reference to the name change: it almost looks like she secrificed her last name out of free will to protect the family interest.

In my mind the story was a bit different when people saw who she really was and her parents "forced" her to change her last name.

[Wombat6]

To go forward in her application she now needs to get fingerprinted. Maybe something she doesnot want to happen. Maybe afraid her prints are on weapons or things that could get her in trouble with the police.

And maybe not ! Didn't your parents teach you that if you can't say anything nice about someone it is best not to say anything.

[Wombat6]

Seems rather...entitled. Perhaps a start at the bottom - washing the empties at daddy's brewery, say - might sweep away some of her pretensions.

You sound a bit bitter.....did your mummy take your dummy away too early?

[smutcakes]

Funny to read the reference to the name change: it almost looks like she secrificed her last name out of free will to protect the family interest.

In my mind the story was a bit different when people saw who she really was and her parents "forced" her to change her last name.

Her family have long been wrapped up in politics, and no doubt support her PDRC anti democratic activities whole heartedly and financially. The name change was probably to gain publicity for the movement more than anything, as any half serious observer of Thai politics would know how the Singha family has always leaned.