Thai PM's staff member quits over sexy calendars

Bangkok, Dec 18 : A staff member of the Thai prime minister's secretariat has tendered her resignation after drawing the ire of women's rights groups for passing out sexy beer calendars at Government House, media reports said Friday.

Chitpas Bhirombhakdi, a 23-year-old heiress to the business clan that owns Boonrawd Brewery - makers of Singha and Leo beers - has handed in her resignation letter to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and plans to quit her office next week, the Bangkok Post reported.

In the letter she acknowledged that she had been "careless" in handing out about 200 Leo Beer calendars, featuring female models wearing nothing but body paint, at Government House - the seat of the administration.

On Wednesday, Chitpas was spotted giving away the provocative calendars to government officials from the boot of her BMW.

Government House reporters, some of them eager to get their hands on the calendars for themselves, publicised the incident which immediately drew criticism from the Friends of Women Foundation and the Health Ministry, which prohibits ads promoting alcoholic

beverages.

"Many people at Government House asked for the calendars, so I brought them along for them," said Chitpas in her resignation letter. "I never thought it would become a big issue."

The distribution of Boonrawd Brewery's sexy calendars has become a much-anticipated New Year's event in Thailand. The calendars are distributed free to retail outlets nationwide.