A prominent conservation activist and member of one of Thailand’s most powerful business families has gone public with allegations of sexual assault and a bitter inheritance dispute, sparking widespread discussion on social media.
Siranudh “Psi” Scott, a fourth-generation member of the Bhirombhakdi family, owners of the Singha beer brand, posted a video to his Facebook account, which has 625,000 followers, opening up about years of hidden trauma and ongoing family conflict.
“I don’t want anyone to call me a Singha heir. People don’t know the truth,” he said with visible emotion.
The 29 year old alleged he was sexually assaulted multiple times during his teenage years by a family member. He claimed his family was aware of the abuse through a recorded confession by the perpetrator yet took no action. He said he received no support from relatives or senior family figures throughout the ordeal.
Adding to his distress, Siranudh revealed that his mother has filed a lawsuit against him over inheritance assets left to him by his late grandfather, Chamnong Bhirombhakdi, former chairman of Singha Corp.
“This year, my mother filed a lawsuit against me to claim property my grandfather gave me,” he said, adding that he had been labelled ungrateful for speaking out about past mistreatment by a caregiver. When he sought help from senior family members, he was told to apologise to his mother.
Siranudh said he could no longer tolerate living in a family environment that, in his view, failed to acknowledge his dignity or understand his pain.
“I don’t know what to do. I know I cannot live like this. I cannot stay with a family or a clan that does not value my humanity or understand my pain.”
He closed the video with an apology for causing stress, while making clear he could not continue as things stood, reported Bangkok Post.
Known by the nickname “Merman” for his long-distance swimming and marine conservation work, Siranudh founded Sea You Strong, a volunteer initiative focused on ocean preservation and environmental education. Last April, he attracted media attention after a clash with the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation that led to his dismissal from an advisory role over alleged misconduct. Opinions on him remain divided, with some praising his conservation efforts and others criticising his approach as confrontational.
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