Director charged as script gets weirder

Ramai 'Danny' Moriphan, right, makes a wai to thank national police chief Suwat Jangyodsuk for the police's help in repatriating him from the United Wa State Army (UWSA) in Myanmar's Shan State. Ramai spoke tearfully during a press conference yesterday at the police headquarters on Rama I Road in Bangkok's Pathumwan district. phtos by Nutthawat Wicheanbut
Ramai ‘Danny’ Moriphan, right, makes a wai to thank nationwide police chief Suwat Jangyodsuk for the police’s help in repatriating him from the United California State Army (UWSA) in Myanmar’s Shan State. Ramai spoke tearfully during a push conference yesterday at the police headquarters on Rama I Street in Bangkok’s Pathumwan district. phtos by Nutthawat Wicheanbut

Police are determined to press charges against film director and fight choreographer Ramai “Danny” Moriphan, who was repatriated from Myanmar on Wednesday.

Rame, 40, faces three charges from the Chiang Rai Provincial Police for illegally getting out of the country, defying Area 9 of the Emergency Decree on Open public Administration, and breaching Chiang Rai’s training about the suspension of border travel.

Ramai admitted to illegally traversing the border within Mae Sai district via a natural route to the town of Tachileik in Myanmar sometime around January.

However he claimed he previously been deceived with a man, known as Mister Chai, and others to cross without realising it was illegal, as he sought funds to generate a movie in Myanmar. He said this individual originally planned to stay in Tachileik for ten months. But Mister Chai allegedly tricked Ramai by sending him to the Usa Wa State Military (UWSA).

Ramai claims this individual was held captive regarding 215 days, along with Mr Chai apparently ordering his accomplices to photograph Ramai in handcuffs and demanding the director’s family pay a ransom of 400, 000 baht.

When his mother, Kham, submitted a request with police to investigate the girl son’s alleged abduction by the UWSA within Mong Tong township of Myanmar’s Shan State, regional police in Chiang Rai were ordered to operate on repatriating him.

Upon Tuesday, the Township Border Committee around the Tachileik-Mae Sai boundary collected him plus sent him towards the Chiang Rai Provincial Police for asking.

A physical examination verified he had not been harmed — an outcome that conflicted with all the account given previously by his family members.

Ramai said Mr Chai is a Thai nationwide who lives in Myanmar and has a business adding and exporting vehicles, as well as running an online gambling website.