Rybena ‘Nana’: How Thailand’s showbiz angel fell from grace
Rybena “Nana” Intachai has crashed to earth after more than two decades as a Thai showbiz “angel”, accused of defrauding her followers – including celebrity friends – out of millions.
Police arrived at her luxury home in Bangkok on Wednesday after 17 people in her close circle filed complaints alleging she had scammed them out of a combined 195 million baht.
She was arrested and later released on bail of 1 million baht, with a court order banning her from leaving the country without permission.
The Economic Crime Suppression Division says Nana lured victims to invest in various pyramid-like schemes that promised high rates of return.
Among the alleged victims is her close friend Janie Tienphosuwan, a well-known actress. Janie transferred a total of 5 million baht to Nana, believing it would be used to set up a restaurant in the United States.
Other plaintiffs lamented they had fallen into similar traps because they trusted the celebrity “angel”. Some said they had chatted with Nana every day and could never have foreseen such a betrayal.
Nana issued a public apology to her friends via social media but denied all charges.
Fame and failure
Born in 1980, Nana grew up in the southern province of Songkhla before moving to Bangkok to pursue a career in entertainment. She got her first break in her late teens, earning a loyal fanbase as a capable and confident female voice on music radio stations Hot Wave 91.5 FM and Virgin Hitz.
Her charisma and strong character soon caught the attention of TV producers, and from 1997 to 2007 she hosted several lifestyle programmes, as well as public events. Roles in TV series and movies soon followed.
Her star power flared even brighter when she jumped into the cockpit of a racing car in 2007. Natural talent and dedication in training quickly brought her success and trophies on the track.
She has boasted that racing sharpened her management skills, enabling her to make rapid decisions crucial to success in her life and career.
She had several business ventures under her belt by the time she married rapper Parinya Intachai – better known as Way Thaitanium – in 2010.
She co-founded basketball business YBL Thailand and is a board member of at least seven
companies. Among them are the Neversaycutz barbershop chain and an e-commerce company, which last year reported net profits of 3.91 million baht and 7.52 million baht, respectively.
However, not all companies are doing well.
An angel with lavish tastes
Nana is a core member of what Thai media dubs the “Angel Gang”, a group of celebrities who have received huge coverage over the past couple of decades. She and her husband played a key role in the reconciliation between Janie and another “angel”, actress Cris Horwang, last year.
Members of the gang lead lavish lifestyles under the media spotlight.
After apologising for her money problems, Nana claimed that fear of being banished from the gang had stopped her from admitting to friends that she was struggling financially.
Nana is famous for her extravagant lifestyle, anchored by a swanky 60-million-baht Bangkok residence, a MiniCooper, luxury handbags, expensive art toys and numerous jewellery pieces.
Both her children are at an international school, while the family is frequently photographed on trips overseas.
Around 10 million baht of her assets have already been seized by the police. The Anti-Money Laundering Office is now probing her financial records for hidden assets and possible accomplices.
Her husband has reportedly not visited her since the arrest, having agreed to her request to focus on caring for their children. Instead, it was Nana’s younger sister who posted a 1-million-baht guarantee for her bail.