One of Thailand’s richest men dismissed his cousin from the Singha beer business empire on Tuesday, the company said, after days of controversy over allegations the man had sexually abused his own brother.
Environmental activist Siranudh Scott, a scion of the Bhirombhakdi family who control the beer brand ubiquitous in Thailand, posted an emotional video on his social media page this month accusing his elder brother of repeatedly abusing him in his teenage years.
“Everyone in my family knows it because they listened to the tape I recorded of his confession” but no one took action, he said, declaring that he no longer wanted to be referred to as a “Singha heir”.
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“I don’t want to stay in a family that doesn’t value me or have empathy for me,” he added through tears. “I can’t live with this kind of people.”
The 29-year-old, whose father is Scottish, is a prominent and sometimes controversial marine conservationist, who founded a group called Sea You Strong active in the seas off southern Thailand.
His declarations prompted days of headlines in Thai media.
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