Singer quits Palang Pracharath Party amid extortion probe

Singer Rattapoom “Film” Tokongsup has resigned from the opposition Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) amid a probe into alleged extortion related to The iCon Group case.
PPRP secretary-general Paiboon Nititawan said on Monday that Mr Rattapoom had already tendered his resignation from the party with the political party registrar at the Office of the Election Commission (EC).
A source said that the 40-year-old actor filed his resignation letter at the Office of the EC last Friday.
Last week well-known news anchor and TV programme host Phudit Kamnerdploy aka Kanchai “Num” Kamnerdploy filed a defamation accusation against the singer and another woman who allegedly demanded that potential clients pay 20 million baht to appear on the anchor’s popular TV programme Hon Krasae.
The potential clients were the chief executive officer and a major dealer of The iCon Group direct marketing company. The CEO, Waranthaphon “Boss Paul” Wratyaworrakul, is among the 18 people detained pending investigation into several alleged offences including public fraud and involvement in a pyramid scheme.
Mr Rattapoom last week insisted on his innocence and said the potential clients consulted with him about their communications plan and had a 20-million-baht budget for it. He said he was lured into saying “20 million baht” in a recorded conversation.
The woman who faced the defamation accusation along with the singer is Kritanong Suwannawong, 47. She was arrested in Pathum Thani province on Saturday on charges of extortion and bribe solicitation concerning complaints against the business of The iCon Group, which sold dietary supplements through networks of dealers.
Pol Maj Gen Charoonkiat Pankaew, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said on Monday that representatives of affected parties told police that they would file the alleged 20-million-baht extortion allegation against Mr Rattapoom and Ms Kritanong on Tuesday.