Showbiz takes day off in tribute to its alma mater
January 31 is going to be a busy day for many Thai celebrities, especially those attached to film studio GTH.
It’s the half-century anniversary of the Communication Arts Faculty at Chulalongkorn University, whose alumni are now scattered throughout show business.
Spearheading the celebrations is GTH exec Yongyoot Thongkongtoon, from the faculty’s 21st graduating class (or “batch”, as they’re called), and the theme is “Young/Me/Hormones”, a nod to his company’s successful “Hormones” TV series.
That also sounds like a show of optimism on the part of the ageing alumni, but Yongyoot points out that the grads still carry the faculty’s “hormones” in their cultural makeup. There’s a promotional video going around, among other amusing “teasers”.
“This will be the first time that 10 batches of alumni join together to stage a show,” says Yongyoot. The onstage line-up will include Chantawit “Ter” Tanasewee, Parisa “Opal” Arayaskul, Patcharasri “Kalamare” Benjamas, Sukwan Bulkul, Violet “V” Voteer and “Pee Mak Phrakanong” director Banjong Pisantanakun.
The party is at the faculty building on the 31st, starting at 6pm. Some of the biggest names in the news media and entertainment industry are expected. Be there to rub shoulders with Paiboon Damrongchaitham of GMM Grammy and Arunocha “Nong” Bhanupan of Broadcast Thai Television, among many others. Try not to say anything rude.
Clues about the mystery girl
Actor-comedian Jaroenporn “Kotee” Onlamai has buckled to intense public pressure and says he’ll soon reveal the identity of that girlfriend he was so enthused and yet so coy about in his recent Instagram posts. Kotee had uploaded photos of him and his special someone attending a New Year party up North, but her face was covered in giant unsightly pixels.
“She’s not quite ready – she says it might affect her work,” Kotee says of his shy friend, adding that she’s a “designer” – a designer of what remains to be determined.
“Of course I want to show her face!” he says. “She worked as an AE [account executive] and now works as a designer.” Oh, and there’s a 10-year age gap between them. “I’m 35 and she’s 25. I think that’s normal. If I had an older girlfriend she might end up as my mum’s friend instead!”
The comedian says he’s had three girlfriends, and the first relationship lasted four years. He’s just never felt confident enough to share such personal details with the public before. “But I’ve changed a lot. Before I thought of myself as an ugly guy, but now I think, well, even disabled people have partners, so why not?”
Maybe Kotee should just stop talking at this point, but he’d also like to point out that he and his new lady are both quite conservative. He says he’s met her parents and she’s met his mother (they did become friends, but she still prefers Kotee).
He says the time is rapidly approaching that he will introduce her to the public. So all we need now is, like, a name. A name would be nice. A name and a photo without pixels would be even better.
