Thai ‘sleb picks bad time for wild, kratom-chewing joy rides (Videos)

Live life at full speed, people, one hand filming how awesome you are and the other stuffing go-fast leaves into your mouth. The steering wheel? That’s why we have two knees. Tune out all that personal responsibility noise about safety because life is feeling the wind on your tats.

That was the ill-timed message of Saranyoo “Beam” Prachakrit, a 38-year-old auto parts heir, in a flurry of cringey videos in which he speeds recklessly down roads proclaiming his awesomeness and chewing on stimulants. 

Somehow, his weekend videos didn’t inspire everyone to strip off their shirts and speed off on a motorcycle or open jeep, but rather won wide condemnation in a time of introspection following the death of ophthalmologist Waraluck “Dr. Kratai” Supawatjariyakul, killed late last month crossing a Bangkok road. 

“Sunlight, here I come!” the off-his-gourd radio personality shouts into the camera he holds while also driving while also showing off a fresh kratom leaf. In another video, he repeatedly scolds random people on the road. “Fuck you!” he screams at one point. Another video was captioned “Leaf power.”

The backlash has been swift and harsh, not only toward Saranyoo but also the police, given the fact that law enforcement had yet to take action against him. 

“Will the police really do nothing in this case?” tweeted @IamSasdha, who shared one of the clips. 

#BeamSarunyu has been trending on Thai Twitter today. It was unclear when the clips were filmed.

What is clear is that it wasn’t the first time Saranyoo demonstrated a need for illicit speed. In 2017, he was busted for speeding over 200kph but only received the statutory THB1,000 (US$30) wrist slap. Since the Jan. 21 death of Woraluck Supawatjariyakul, the police have proposed raising it to THB4,000 (US$120).

Before he began channeling 2011’s Charlie “Tigerblood” Sheen, Saranyoo, aka DJ Beam, was a regular voice on FM99.5 Virgin Hitz and has appeared in soap operas on channels 3, 7, and GMM25.

As usual, law enforcement has proven responsive – to the public shaming.

Hours after being castigated by social media, Maj. Gen. Jirasan Kaewsaeng-ek, deputy commissioner of Bangkok’s Metropolitan Police Bureau, said they would summon Saranyoo to read charges against him including reckless driving, using a cellphone while driving and disregarding traffic rules.

Saranyoo, who apologized earlier today in a statement to the media, posted a new clip around 5:30pm. Speaking into the camera from the back of a moving motorcycle, he says he just paid a THB5,000 fine at the police station. After pausing a moment, he lowers his face mask again and shouts one more mighty “Leaf power!”