The Rod Stewart of Thailand, the Queen of Action Movies, a novelist persecuted by the government, seven National Artists and an iconoclastic Thai critic

Amitha Amranand remembers the artists and cultural workers Thailand lost in 2022.

Thailand lost well over 40 artists this year, including several well-known film stars, musicians, traditional artists and writers. Thanom Chapakdee built a career that spanned activism, art criticism and theory and arts education. His tireless efforts to decentralise power led him to co-found Khon Kaen Manifesto, a biennale that included artists rejected by the Bangkok Art Biennale and Thailand Biennale. Thanom was 64 years old when he passed away. The sudden death of Kriengsak “Victor” Silakong, a beloved figure in the Thai film industry, shocked film lovers. He was best known for his work as the director of the World Film Festival of Bangkok. He also had a love for the stage and directed several theatre productions. TV star Nida Patcharaveerapong held lead roles in several Thai dramas before she was tragically killed in a speedboat accident at the age of 37. Wat Wanlayangkoon, a fearless poet and novelist, passed away in exile in France, where he had fled to escape persecution after the 2014 military coup.

When an artist or cultural worker passes away, the loss is felt by their families and loved ones and by the wider arts and cultural community in the region. As we mourn their passing, we remember, and are comforted by the legacy of their creativity and their contributions to their local and national arts communities, as well as to Southeast Asian arts practices.

 In the first of an annual series, ArtsEquator commemorates the artists and cultural practitioners lost across Southeast Asia in 2022. This year, we focus on Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and The Philippines, with plans to expand the series to other countries in Southeast Asia next year.

Image credit: Waiphot Phetsuphan album cover

Waiphot Phetsuphan (Real name: Phan Sakulnee)

Thai country singer and songwriter (National Artist 1997)

7 March 1942 – 12 January 2022

More Info

Image credit: Facebook/Dara Video

Michael Poupart

Film and TV actor

16 October 1969 – 16 January 2022

More Info

Image credit: Spring News

Veer “Bass” Patcharayakorn

Singer and news anchor

1985/1986 – 18 February 2022 

More Info

Image credit: Facebook/Dara Pappayon

Thammarat Naksuriya

TV host, singer, and voice actor

12 December 1934 – 19 February 2022

More Info

Image credit: Facebook/Setha Sirachaya

Setha Sirachaya

Singer, TV host, actor (National Artist 2001)

6 November 1944 – 20 February 2022

More Info

Image credit: Channel 8

Nida “Tangmo” Pacharawirapong

TV and film actress

13 September 1984 – 24 February 2022

More Info

Image credit: Facebook/Pratuang Emjaroen Traces and Trail

Pratuang Emjaroen

Painter (National Artist 2005)

9 October 1935 – 7 March 2022

More Info

Image credit: Plae Kao (1997)

Sorapong Chatree

Film and TV actor (National Artist 2009)

8 December 1950 – 10 March 2022

More Info

Image credit: Facebook/Wat Wanlayangkoon

Wat Wanlayangkoon

Poet, novelist

12 January 1955 – 21 March 2022

More Info

Image credit: Netflix/Deadline

Papangkorn “Beam” Lerkchaleampote

TV actor

31 August 1996 – 23 March 2022

More Info

Image credit: The Nation

Kriengsak “Victor” Silakong

Film festival director (World Film Festival of Bangkok and Bangkok Film Festival) and theatre director

1968 – 27 March 2022

More Info

Image credit: Facebook/Kanjanaporn Plodpai

Supphakarn “Jay” Plodpai

MTV VJ, radio DJ, TV producer, and visual artist 

16 July 1982 – 23 April 2022

More Info

Image credit: Thairath Online

Chalerm Wongpim

Film director

1971 – 25 May 2022

More Info

Image credit: Facebook/Thai Movie Posters

Suriya Chinaphan

Film and TV actor, country singer

19 November 1952 – 5 June 2022

More Info

Image credit: Twitter/77Kaoded

Edward Vanso

Singer (“Rod Stewart of Thailand”)

4 April 1957 – 25 Jun 2022

More Info

Image credit: Facebook/Thanom Chapakdee

Thanom Chapakdee

Critic, artist, curator, activist, founder of Ubon Agenda and Khon Kaen Manifesto festivals, co-founder of The Manifesto by MAIELIE art space

1958 – 27 June 2022

More Info

Image credit: Thaiger

Kaiwan Wattanakrai

Voice actor for Japanese animations

8 April 1951 – 28 June 2022

More Info

Image credit: Thaipost

Sor Plainoi (Real name: Sombat Plainoi)

Non-fiction writer, biographer (National Artist 2010)

24 May 1929 ­– 6 July 2022

More Info

Image credit: Instagram/Workpoint Today via @sunny_u4

Yanwarut “Sunny U4” Sutthawas

Singer

16 January 1972 – 18 July 2022

More Info

Image credit: 

Weerayut Ros-ocha

Model, TV and film actor, and politician

June 1963 – 1 August 2022

More Info

Image credit: Facebook/Benjarong Dhanakoses

Benjarong Dhanakoses

Traditional Thai musician and music teacher (National Artist 1998)

5 October 1918 – 5 August 2022

More Info

Image credit: Bangkok Post

Sombat Metanee

TV and film actor, director, singer, politician (National Artist 2016)

26 June 1937 – 18 August 2022

More Info

Image credit: Facebook/Chalida Thaochalee

M.L. Pundhevanop Dhewakul

Film, TV, and stage director, scriptwriter

16 March 1953 – 15 September 2022

More Info

Image credit: Facebook/Thai Movie Posters

M.L. Sureewan Suriyong

Film actress (“Queen of Action Movies”), TV entertainment news producer, and entertainment and sports news anchor

12 September 1962 – 25 September 2022

More Info

Image credit: Bang Rajan (2000) film still

Jaran Ngamdee

Film and TV actor

2 May 1973 – 5 October 2022

More Info

Image credit: Sayew (2003) film poster

Pimpaporn Leenutapong

Film and TV actress

1982/1983 ­– 7 October 2022

More Info

Image credit: Sanook

Den Dokpradu

Comedian, actor, and TV host

24 June 1942 – 11 October 2022

More Info

Image credit: Krungthep Turakij

Nirattisai Kaljareuk 

TV and film actor, director, and producer

4 September 1961 – 28 October 2022

More Info

Image credit: Siam Rath

Piya Trakulrasdra

Film actor, songwriter, and boxing commentator

12 May 1954 – 2 November 2022

More Info

Image credit: Amarin TV

Prasart “Khru Mued” Thongaram

Khon and folk artist and teacher, Thai arts and culture specialist, and actor

1953/1954 – 5 November 2022

More Info

Image credit: Facebook/Dara Pappayon

Linda Kartunjaroen

Film and TV actress

5 May 1956 – 27 November 2022

More Info

While we have done our best to be as comprehensive as possible, if there are artists or cultural workers we have missed in our list, please do add their names in the comments section, with links where possible, and we will update the article accordingly. The layout for this series and the image treatment was designed by Jun Kit.

 

About the author(s)

Amitha Amranand is a Bangkok-based theatre critic and writer. Her theatre criticism mainly appears in the Bangkok Post. She is also the co-founder and co-host of Bangkok Offstage, the first bilingual podcast on the performing arts in Bangkok and beyond.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top