A close friend of drowned TV actress Nida “Tangmo" Patcharaveerapong has lashed out at the late star's manager, accusing her of twisting the facts surrounding her death.
Surattanawee “Bow TK" Suviporn, a former singer with pop group Triumphs Kingdom, was accompanied by her husband and a lawyer when she gave a witness statement to police investigators on Thursday night.
Tangmo, 37, disappeared from a speed boat she and a group of friends were aboard on the Chao Phraya River on Thursday night last week. She was found drowned.
Ms Surattanawee later spoke to reporters about her meeting with Idsarin “Gatick’’ Juthasuksawat, at the NBC Boat Club, where the speedboat was stored in Muang district of Nonthaburi province, after the tragedy on Feb 24, as seen on security camera footage.
Ms Idsarin was Tangmo’s manager and one of her five companions on the speedboat when she disppeared into the river.
Ms Surattanawee said she had just broke her silence as she wanted to wait for Ms Idsarin to give her statement first. And what Tangmo’s manager said did not match what she heard.
Ms Surattanawawee was a friend of both Tangmo and Gatick.
Ms Surattanawee said she believed the facts surrounding the tragedy had been twisted. She arrived at the boat club, where the speedboat was parked, around midnight that day. Everybody seemed in a state of shock.
She accompanied Ms Idsarin to the police station where she gave a statement, and later drove the star's manager to her home. She was in the car with Tangmo’s manager for about one hour. She would not disclose details of their conversation.
Ms Surattanawee said she became angry after hearing what Tangmo’s manager said about the incident. Ms Idsarin later contacted her by phone and apologised for causing a problem. She had told Ms Idsarin, in English, “The truth will set you free.’’
Ms Surattanawee also expained her relationship with "Benz".
"Benz" is Darinrat Meenavanich, a singer and wife of Tanupat "Por" Lerttaweewit, the speed boat's owner. Ms Surattanawee said they were cousins.
Benz's father was her mother's elder brother, she said. Benz's parents separated and the mother later married a police officer.
Tangmo was one of six people on the speedboat, which was travelling from Krung Thon Bridge in Bangkok to Rama VII Bridge in Nonthaburi. She fell off the boat about 10pm on Feb 24 near Pibul 1 pier in Nonthaburi.
Rescuers found the actress's body near the pier in Nonthaburi on Feb 26, two days later.
Police said on Thursday they had questioned eight more witnesses in the investigation into her death.
Police have yet to pinpoint why she fell from the boat, said Pol Lt Gen Jirapat Phumjit, commissioner of Provincial Police Region 1.
Only two of the people on the speedboat have been charged so far, he added.
Tangmo's five companions were her manager Ms Idsarin, transgender Wisapat "Sand" Manomairat, Nitas "Job" Kiratisoothisathorn, boat owner Tanupat; and Phaiboon "Robert" Trikanjananun.
Mr Tanupat and Mr Phaiboon have been charged with operating an unlicensed vessel and negligence leading to death. According to a preliminary investigation, Mr Phaiboon was operating the speedboat when Tangmo fell overboard, Pol Lt Gen Jirapat said.
