An artist who lost his right hand during the clash between the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and police on Oct 7 last year has learnt to draw with his left hand. He was granted an audience with HM the Queen to offer portraits of her, which Her Majesty praised as ‘very good’.
On Aug 11, Her Majesty the Queen granted an audience to Chingchai Udomcharoenkij, aka Tee Chingchai, and his wife to receive portraits which he drew with his left hand, the Manager reports.
Chingchai was one of the artists who joined the PAD protests in 2008. According to the Manager, he lost his right hand and his larynx was damaged due to a police tear gas explosion during the violent clash on Oct 7, 2008.
A police officer and some newspapers accused him of blowing off his own hand with a bomb, but in fact he was gripping a leather key ring, the Manager says.
Chingchai filed libel charges against them, but later withdrew the case after the police officer and newspapers apologized.
He has practiced drawing with his left hand, and the results are equally excellent, which earned him an audience.
