The life and career of Mr. ‘Film’ Ruttapum, one of the biggest stars of the Thai
entertainment industry, has been shattered by an exclusive Channel 3
talk show interview implicating him as the irresponsible and neglectful
father of Thai actress Annie Brook’s 3-month-old child.
Following
the airing of an exclusive ‘tell-all’ interview with Annie Brook, aired
on the popular Channel 3 talk show “Morning Talk”, Film’s promising
albeit faltering career at the fore of Thai
entertainment has been destroyed by revelations that he is the father
of Miss Brooks recently revealed three-month-old baby boy.
Merely 20-minutes after the completion of the interview with Miss Brooks by Sorayut Sutassana Jinda, branded Thailand’s Larry King, Film’s career, already dwindling from his initially rapid rise to fame as a Thai
pop star and television actor, received and almost irreparable
battering in front of an alleged record breaking viewing audience. Now
pictured as an irresponsible and neglectful man and possible father,
Film’s fall from grace has been confirmed after nearly 7-days of rumors
and speculation.
The woman surrounding the controversy, Annie Brooks [27], is somewhat of a star herself, a part-time model, fashionista and Thai television actress, Miss Brooks is the only child of a Swiss father and Thai
mother. Her father allegedly left the scene when she was merely
3-years-old, leaving her ailing mother to raise her alone in the
northern Thai province of Lampang.
Miss Brooks had traveled the well-worn path of many rurally born Thai
women, working hard from a young age to provide for her aging mother
before seizing the opportunity to work in Bangkok. Spotted by talent
scouts for her unique looks, Annie auditioned for several roles in Thai soap operas and her ‘star’ began to rise.
Cast in the same soap opera, a typical romance drama series, Annie
and Film reportedly became close, both on and off the set sparking
rumors of a romance long before last weeks ‘baby’ revelations. At the
completion of the series, the star actress underwent a near one-year
hiatus from the industry and her regular featuring in Thai gossip magazines and celebrity television shows without so much as an announcement as to her intentions.
As last weeks revelations now confirm, the star had been absent due
to her surprise pregnancy, the announcement of which was somewhat of a
media storm for the Thai paparazzi, who
immediately stirred rumors of Film’s connection to the child’s
conception. The resultant phone-interview on “Morning Talk” with Sorayut
boosted the 
television
shows rankings well in excess of morning-slot counterparts, including
the Red Shirt rally news headlining other programs.
television
shows rankings well in excess of morning-slot counterparts, including
the Red Shirt rally news headlining other programs.
In the brief interview on Saturday, providing limited answers to
Sorayut’s questioning, Annie stated that she was positive the father of
her 3-month-old boy was Film, before affirming that she was more than
willing to under-go DNA testing to prove the statement.
A later press release from Film over the revelations and Annie’s
appearance on “Morning Talk” explained that he would willingly accept
himself as the father of the young boy, once a certified DNA test had
been performed. This release fueled speculation that Anne either was
involved in an attempted blackmail of the pop star or had regular
dalliances with other men causing his uncertainty.
In interviews with Annie’s mother, Mrs. Junkum Meekek [53], at the
families conservative family home in Lampang province, reporters heard
how Annie was a strong character and grateful for the opportunities
afforded to her in life. Mrs. Junkum expressed gratitude to her daughter
for the constant care and regular attention she provided despite her
busy lifestyle, care including regularly taking her mother to the
hospital, the construction of a new house and constant visits to see her
in between filming and other celebrity commitments.
Mrs. Junkum told how she had been made aware of her daughter’s
pregnancy around 5-months into the pregnancy, stating that she did not
reveal who the father was and only new of the speculation televised
through the media. In somewhat of a startling portrayal of the void
between rural and city living that is Thailand, Mrs. Junkum explained that she was not even aware who Film was until hearing all the media reports regarding her daughter.
It must be said that I (reporter) myself am not that clued in with Thai television or entertainment news, but decided to take an interest in this case, so widely reported in the Thai
press for over one-week now. On a brief look into the history of Annie
and Film it seems the pair are similar in life, love and fame,
unfortunately both products of their respective entertainment industry
‘owners’.
Films career, dwindling, as is the case with innumerable Thai stars due to age and popularity ratings, has gone from being the poster boy of the Thai music industry to a regular draftee as an actor in Thai
soap operas. Recent years have seen various negative news surface about
Film, including unfounded accusations by former business partners and
associates that he is a compulsive liar and often disrespects or
neglects people who have aided him in his career.
Rumors conforming to the “Casanova” stamp branded on Film’s forehead are never far from the front pages of gossip magazines. Linked with numerous female celebrities
and starlets in the past, this most recent incident with Annie Brooks
is by far the most revealing and harmful he has had to contend with and
will surely test the stars resolve and appeal in such a volatile
industry.
In yet another coup for Sorayut, this time in his evening show aired on Channel 3, Annie and her baby were confronted by hundreds of cameramen and reporters on Sunday night, typical of the Thai
press. During the intense questioning, Annie, who was in tears
throughout, revealed that she had concealed the pregnancy on her own
accord and had had no support from Film, who she maintains is the
father.
Rejecting claims that she was out to blackmail Film, Annie explained
that having privately told the pop star of her pregnancy he ‘faded’
away, rejecting that he was the father. DNA checks had allegedly not
been performed, because Annie’s reportedly wanted Film to admit that the
child was a result of ‘love’ and not their ‘carelessness’ or because
she wants to extort him into providing for the her and the child.
Watched by over 20 million viewers, Annie concluded the press conference
by stating that she has the ability to take care of her child as a
single mother and did not need or want the assistance from Film, if he
is not going to accept the child as his own.
While the media and television producers celebrate the story and its
inevitable success for the industry, essentially Channel 3, a young man
and his career has been ruined over something, which most would consider
a part of life and a none too irregular occurrence. Thai people, perhaps like no other nationality, love gossip, hard-luck and negative press with the downfall of Film comparing to that of “Michael Jackson” in Thai society.
With millions of Thai fans, audience
figures and the relative ‘movie’ that this reporter thought she was
being privy to at the recent press conferences, it will be interesting
to see how the Thai entertainment
industry handles this case to make all players come out on-top. Despite
the situation to date, you cannot help but feel that both Annie and
indeed possibly Film’s career are anything but concluded in what seems
part of a real-life Thai drama series in the making.
Sometimes it is impossible to separate real-life from fiction. We all depend on popularity ratings one way or another!!
Reporter: Nan PDN
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