Thais Media VS. Individual's Privacy.

[WiCKeDBiRD]

Why is it such a fuss ?

This is a Good Case :!:

Why is it a big prob with being pregnant before getting married?

She is 30+ years old.... NOT a young girl.

Its totally individual's privacy!!

Me wonders..

if she were pregnant by using donated sperms just like Judy Foster...

Would it become such a big -NEGATIVE- fuss as it is ???

-From BBK POST - 03/09/05-

http://www.bangkokpost.com/030905_News/03Sep2005_news03.php

'Showbiz princess' is expecting

POST REPORTERS

Kathaleeya "Maem" McIntosh, a popular actress, is accompanied by her groom-to-be Songkran Grachangnetara as she announces her pregnancy before an army of reporters. ? Photo courtesy of Daily News

Popular actress and emcee Kathaleeya "Maem" McIntosh yesterday announced that she is pregnant.

After denying speculation that she was expecting for several months the TV actress and model, often dubbed the 'showbiz princess' for her immaculate image, revealed that she is five months pregnant _ not just getting "plumper" as she had earlier claimed.

"I just found out yesterday [Thursday]," said Kathaleeya at a press conference held by Poly Plus Entertainment, which runs her television talk show Samakhom Chom Dao .

"I did not mean to cover this up but I have just had a chance to get myself checked out ... And I am pleased to learn that I'm going to be a mother."

The 32-year-old star said she had been tied up by her work schedule for several months until she noticed that she had gained some weight. She was worried about developing an illness so she had a medical check-up on Thursday.

Kathaleeya, who is also a United Nations Children's Fund goodwill ambassador, is widely adored by the public. Her beau, Songkran Grachangnetara, 30, who was also at the press conference, said he was willing to marry her at any time.

"I always want to marry her. I'm pleased about the news. And I will take very good care of her for the rest of my life," said Mr Songkran, chief executive of the real estate development firm SG Development.

Kathaleeya's mother, Yuraporn, her elder brother, actor Rerngrit "Willy" McIntosh and Mr Songkran's father Santi, chairman of the civil engineering, construction and investment group Christiani & Nielsen (Thai) Plc, were also present.

Since last month, the media has run rumour and gossip articles about Kathaleeya's obvious weight gain and the sudden change in her dress from trendy clothes to a looser style.

The actress had consistently denied the pregnancy speculation and insisted she had gained weight after taking a traditional concoction believed to provide nourishment and increase appetite.

"To become a mother is a dream for every woman. I am happy about this," said Kathaleeya.

~*~

I am HAPPY for YOU TOO .

-WB-

[WiCKeDBiRD]

Kataleeya?s baby

The Nation - Published on Sep 3, 2005

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/page.arcview.php?clid=2&id=120480&date=2005-09-03&usrsess=

Hysterical reaction to star?s pregnancy raises questions about privacy issues. Several websites were on the brink of collapse yesterday after thousands of Thais stormed in to express their shock, sympathy and regret at the news that actress and TV host Kataleeya ?Mam? McIntosh was pregnant.

The highly emotional members of the public were disturbed not only by the premarital nature of her pregnancy but also the fact that she confessed to being with child for four months.

Kataleeya was asked harsh questions in an outburst of popular emotions that could raise questions about society and its consideration of individuals? privacy. She was criticised for saying that she had been pregnant for four months without herself or anybody else knowing about it. More criticism focused on why the soap star and her close friends had made such a fuss during the past few months when the media speculated that she might be having a baby, noticing that her body was becoming unusually plump.

It was the talk of the town yesterday when Kataleeya, accompanied by her boyfriend Songkran Krajangnetra and their families, emerged to confess that she was going to be a mother.

Until yesterday, Kataleeya and her close friends had been trying to kill all the rumours that she was pregnant. Suriwipha Kultanwattana, her co-host on the ?Sanakhom Chom Dao? variety show, had vented her anger at reporters who suggested that Kataleeya was pregnant.

Then when Kataleeya confessed, it was like a betrayal or a slap in the face to many fans who had adored and worshipped her beauty, grace and wit. They certainly did not expect her to have a baby before marriage. Was she ?kidding? when she said she had been carrying a baby for the last four months without realising it?

?Between 1pm and 7pm we got more than 100,000 hits from readers, even more than during the tsunami disaster,? said Niran Yaowapha, a webmaster at www.manager.co.th.

At www.pantip.com there were more than 150 posts on Kataleeya?s pregnancy as thousands vented their anger, ridiculed her and bashed her. But some of her sympathisers tried to defend her by saying that she was just another human being made of flesh and blood.

At the Kom Chad Luek website over 67,000 hits were recorded as the pregnancy story broke.

Throughout her luminous career of more than a decade, Kataleeya has been perceived as a squeaky-clean princess with an impeccable record on and off the TV screen.

You would never see her kiss a male partner directly on the lips in a soap opera, and you would never see her wear a two-piece bikini and expose her sexy body like Bongkot Khongmalai or Phacharapha Chaichua.

She always steered clear of controversy and never allowed herself to become the subject of gossip in newspaper columns regarding inappropriate relationships or sex scandals.

She had a clean-cut image, and her fans were never disappointed.

The sweet darling of television appeared in such soaps as ?Wanjai Thailand? (?Sweet Darling of Thailand?), ?Khwamsongcham Mai Hua Jai Derm? (?New Memory but Same Old Heart?), and ?Yak Yud Tawan Wai Thi Plai Fa? (?Yearning to Stop the Sun at the Horizon?). Her ?Samakhom Chom Dao? variety show is also popular with audiences.

?I?ve lost faith in her a bit. You know, I used to see Mam as a model of the good girl. She should say whether or not what she?s done is acceptable,? said a message in pantip.com.

?The fact that she came out and said that she?s pregnant out of wedlock doesn?t mean people should consider it the norm. It?s acceptable perhaps, but it?s not a good thing. I?m afraid that other girls will think it?s normal because Mam thinks it?s okay.?

Other Internet messages were equally cutting.

?How come she didn?t know that she was pregnant? It was four months, for goodness sake,? another fan said.

?It?s her personal business. You want to tell the world that she was wrong. People know the truth now, so what? Does anyone feel sympathy for her and want to help her solve her problems??

Rabiabrat Pongpanitch, a senator from Khon Kaen, said Kataleeya was very courageous because she was a public figure and she had to come out and told the truth.

?I don?t think it?s strange. Thai society today sees unmarried relationships as normal. Mam is a grown woman, but I want to warn Thai youths that they should not have premarital sex unless they are ready,? she said.

[DJTX]

Rabiabrat Pongpanitch, a senator from Khon Kaen, said Kataleeya was very courageous because she was a public figure and she had to come out and told the truth.

?I don?t think it?s strange. Thai society today sees unmarried relationships as normal. Mam is a grown woman, but I want to warn Thai youths that they should not have premarital sex unless they are ready,? she said.

Getting pregnant before marriage is between her and her bf, it should not be out there for public debate. I understand she is a public figure but it's still their business.

The politician had an interesting observation. Her warning to Thai youths. I guess she's saying it's ok as long as they are ready :shock: Who's to say they are 'ready' :twisted:

[Loburt]

I think both the press and Mam handled this poorly.

If you think a movie star's pregnancy is not the public's business, where have you been living?

I could care less whether she's pregant, premaritally or not, but when you're a television soap star and millions of fans are buying magazines every week wanting to read about every twist, turn and flirtation in your romances and private life, it's a bit unrealistic to expect that the press and the fans are going to ignore something like this.

More than anything, what's made this an issue is the perception of hypocrisy.

Her image is one of a "good girl", as opposed to someone like Luk Ked who is a "bad girl." Fair or not, that's the image and I haven't heard her protesting about it. Good girls don't get pregnant when they aren't married, according to traditional values.

And did she really not know she was pregnant? I can't answer that. But the perception is she lied about it. And when the press catches you in a lie, they can be merciless. Same for the public.

She has benefitted enormously from the media's attention throughout her career. It's a bit hypocritical to be complaining that they aren't respecting her privacy when she's in a jam. You just can't have it both ways. They are news reporters, not public relations professionals.

Where the Thai press is being hypocritical is in judging her. I don't think the Nation or Post reports were salacious or judgemental. Many of the Thai-language reports have been.

There's a great column in today's The Nation about the hypocrisy of this whole thing, focusing on the press and the public. Read it. It's brilliant.

[farangnbkk]

Oh the Thai hypocrisy!!!!

This reminds me of that government guy who is supposed to protect the morality of the public.

Remember a few years ago, he said it was SHOCKING to see women as young as 12 (TWELVE!!!!) walking around without a bra!!!!!

Like girls 12 years old have DD bazongas out the wazoo!!!

aarrgghhhhhhhhhhhhh

[WiCKeDBiRD]

Oh the Thai hypocrisy!!!!

Mmmmm arent we all <Thai & farang & whatever & others> being hypocritical at times ?

Well, anyway its NOT my point... its -individual's privacy.-

-WB-

[i_love_som_tam]

The media cares nothing about the privacy of the famous or the not so famous. If they think that they will sell more papers, attract more viewers, get more advertising dollars then they will expose their own grandmother's private issues.

Never liked the media but they do serve an important function in society. If only they would get their facts straight and show some consideration to the people in the news.

[Patric]

The Media's job is to relay all news, good or bad, unless it were to somehow publicly scrutinize the king (then the media would not relay such messages).

In this case, Maem came out first. Which in my opinion was a good thing. It shows her proactivness in avoiding lots of blames.

The media's job is to hype everything regarding any story, especially a star like Maem and not only that, the media's job is to ask the questions that haven't been asked yet.

I don't see how Maem could have avoided all of what she's getting.

[SgtPepper]

I have to admit this is one of the most absurd and stupid stories I have seen from Thailand. Simply put it reflects that this still a developing country [[hence backward in many repects] and very immature.

The spectre of a national celeb trying convince her audience that she was unaware of being pregnant is too funny but also insulting to be real. Does she think so little of Thai people as to presume they are so dumb as to swallow this nonsense?

As for the issue of privacy? Sorry but you opt out of that when you choose to make a living from seeling yourself as a public commodity which is not to say their should be some standards of good taste [funerals-births etc etc]

As for the issue of being preganant before marriage? My personal view is that people should only have chidren after they are married BUT it is a personal choice for those involved and society should be tolerant of the latter but inclined to promote the other. In other words it would be better if all children were brought into the world with a mammy and a daddy copperfasttened by the contract/partnership that is marriage. But we have to allow for different circumstances and so not be judgemental or overly critical of people finding themselves pregnant if they are not marriage.

In the case in question, both are mature and responsible people more than able to provide all the security a child will benefit from so there really is not much of an issue either way.

This is in contrast to the situation that pertains in the so called developed countries -- enlightened countires, where we have the perverse situation of teenage pregnancy in huge numbers. In other words kids having kids! and expecting others to pay for it.

No problem in having the state paying for hard situations as accidents do happen. Now however the ultra liberal agenda of anything goes has lead to the balance tipping over in a way that sees accpetance as opposed to stigma as an actual encouragement and or promotion of being preganant.

Teenage pregancy is a serious social ill and should be discouraged actively and while retaining our humaity and compassion as a society we should not fudge the issue of personal responsibility. Being pregnant before marriage should not be viewed as some terrible immoral thing but rather a less than ideal situation that is actually usually no big deal.

Paradoxically it is often mens rights that are being trampled upon in the world of women being pregant and refusing to get married. It was very funny to see the BF in the case above saying he would take care of her, as one can hear the chorus of people saying. SHE DOESNT NEED YOU TO CARE OF HER! Having obtained the sperm required she can hapily manage the rest herself!

So it seems that all this means is that we are ont he road to reducing men to mere sperm donors and of course in due course this wont even require having to have any relationship at all so by definition the fute of men is bleak indeed and all males will eventually be extinct,

How do we feel about that girls?

[WiCKeDBiRD]

As for the issue of being preganant before marriage? My personal view is that people should only have chidren after they are married BUT it is a personal choice for those involved and society should be tolerant of the latter but inclined to promote the other. In other words it would be better if all children were brought into the world with a mammy and a daddy copperfasttened by the contract/partnership that is marriage. But we have to allow for different circumstances and so not be judgemental or overly critical of people finding themselves pregnant if they are not marriage.

In the case in question, both are mature and responsible people more than able to provide all the security a child will benefit from so there really is not much of an issue either way.

This is in contrast to the situation that pertains in the so called developed countries -- enlightened countires, where we have the perverse situation of teenage pregnancy in huge numbers. In other words kids having kids! and expecting others to pay for it.

No problem in having the state paying for hard situations as accidents do happen. Now however the ultra liberal agenda of anything goes has lead to the balance tipping over in a way that sees accpetance as opposed to stigma as an actual encouragement and or promotion of being preganant.

Teenage pregancy is a serious social ill and should be discouraged actively and while retaining our humaity and compassion as a society we should not fudge the issue of personal responsibility. Being pregnant before marriage should not be viewed as some terrible immoral thing but rather a less than ideal situation that is actually usually no big deal.

Paradoxically it is often mens rights that are being trampled upon in the world of women being pregant and refusing to get married. It was very funny to see the BF in the case above saying he would take care of her, as one can hear the chorus of people saying. SHE DOESNT NEED YOU TO CARE OF HER! Having obtained the sperm required she can hapily manage the rest herself!

So it seems that all this means is that we are ont he road to reducing men to mere sperm donors and of course in due course this wont even require having to have any relationship at all so by definition the fute of men is bleak indeed and all males will eventually be extinct,

How do we feel about that girls?

:shock:

[SgtPepper]

So I went off in a tangent on the last few lines!

Ok shoot me!

[DJTX]

If you think a movie star's pregnancy is not the public's business, where have you been living?

I could care less whether she's pregant, premaritally or not, but when you're a television soap star and millions of fans are buying magazines every week wanting to read about every twist, turn and flirtation in your romances and private life, it's a bit unrealistic to expect that the press and the fans are going to ignore something like this.

While the presonal life of a movie star is a matter of public fascination (for some reason) that still does not make it right. Why are we so fascinated with what 'sally movie star' does off screen? And what business is it of ours what they do. We seem to have reached beyond the pathetic level here.

[WiCKeDBiRD]

While the presonal life of a movie star is a matter of public fascination (for some reason) that still does not make it right. Why are we so fascinated with what 'sally movie star' does off screen? And what business is it of ours what they do. We seem to have reached beyond the pathetic level here.

Exactly, my POINT!

[farangnbkk]

Mmmmm arent we all <Thai & farang & whatever & others> being hypocritical at times ?

Well, anyway its NOT my point... its -individual's privacy.-

-WB-

That's crap.

I'm never hypocritical! It's my individual policy to never be wrong. Other words, I'm always right. Thus I can never be hypocritical. Don't I sound like some Thai bigwig? Maybe I should get some signs with x's and o's!!!

:roll:

[WiCKeDBiRD]

Mmmmm arent we all <Thai & farang & whatever & others> being hypocritical at times ?

Well, anyway its NOT my point... its -individual's privacy.-

-WB-

That's crap.

I'm never hypocritical! It's my individual policy to never be wrong. Other words, I'm always right. Thus I can never be hypocritical. Don't I sound like some Thai bigwig? Maybe I should get some signs with x's and o's!!!

:roll:

LOL .

[Loburt]

If you think a movie star's pregnancy is not the public's business, where have you been living?

I could care less whether she's pregant, premaritally or not, but when you're a television soap star and millions of fans are buying magazines every week wanting to read about every twist, turn and flirtation in your romances and private life, it's a bit unrealistic to expect that the press and the fans are going to ignore something like this.

While the presonal life of a movie star is a matter of public fascination (for some reason) that still does not make it right. Why are we so fascinated with what 'sally movie star' does off screen? And what business is it of ours what they do. We seem to have reached beyond the pathetic level here.

Look at any newspaper, magazine or whatever that has entertainment coverage. There are articles in there all the time about movie stars and who they are dating, who they are feuding with etc. The start themselves pay enormous sums to public relations people to make sure that exactly these kinds of stories get into newspapers and magazines. They are playing the game. They know the rules. It's hypocritical on their part when all of a sudden they say it's not fair.

If they are out there actively working to get themselves into the papers and the magazines, then they can't complain when the papers and magazines report on aspects of their lives that aren't as flattering as what their PR people are selling. They are newspapers, not public relations agencies.

As I've mentioned already, I'm in the same boat with you in that I'm not interested at all in the private lives of movie stars. But millioins and millions of people are.

And don't blame that on "the media." People have always been interested in the private lives of the rich, famous and powerful. Always.