Posted by Academy Fantasia contestant “Mark V11″ is quitting the show and has apologised to the prime minister for calling him names on his Facebook page.
Academ yFantasia contestant Withawat ‘‘Mark V11’’ Thaokhamlue, his father Wathanyu and mother Retwanna appear at a news conference Wednesday. Withawat apologised to the prime minister for using profanities to describe him on his Facebook page and announced he is withdrawing from the reality TV singing show.
Withawat Thaokhamlue told a news conference yesterday he is pulling out of the reality singing programme, which has been running on subscription TV for seven years.
He said he will appear on the show for the last time this weekend.
Withawat’s parents and lawyer came with him to the press conference.
He apologised to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for describing him with profanities on his Facebook page. The remarks dropped Withawat, known to his fans as Mark V11, in hot water.
Some people said his comments against Mr Abhisit were political and Withawat had clearly shown himself to be a red shirt sympathiser.
They demanded his immediate expulsion from the show, insisting that while Withawat enjoys the right to free speech, his use of abusive language on a web page open to the public is intolerable and sets a bad example.
Withawat, 17, admitted he wrote the remarks and now regrets his lapse of judgement. He said he is young but should have known better.
“Once again, I offer my apology to the prime minister,” said Withawat, a native of Chiang Mai. He said people should put their differences behind them and unite and he denied he wrote anything on his Facebook page offending the monarchy.
“I swear I didn’t do it. Never before have I thought of insulting the higher institution,” Withawat said.
His father, Wathanyu, said his son did not write anything against the monarchy on Facebook.
The remarks attributed to him, picked up and spread on some websites, are doctored, Mr Wathanyu said. He said his son has filed a complaint with police in Chiang Mai. He insisted his family is loyal to the throne.
Withawat said he will not reapply to compete on the show and will concentrate on his studies.
Department of Special Investigation director-general Tharit Pengdit said investigators will look into Withawat’s alleged anti-monarchy comments.
Mr Tharit heads a working group investigating lese majeste cases.
Thepthai Senpong, the prime minister’s personal spokesman, yesterday hit back at ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra who, in a Twitter comment yesterday, lashed out at the government, accusing it of meddling in the Academy Fantasiashow.
Mr Thepthai said the government has not interfered in any way in the show. The matter has been left entirely to the audience and the organiser of the show to handle.
News item courtesy of www.bangkokpost.com
