R.I.P., Panna Rittikrai [Archive] - Kung Fu Magazine Forums

GeneChing

07-21-2014, 08:40 AM

Rittikrai was the svengali behind Tony Jaa and Jeeja Yanin.

Stunt guru and Tony Jaa's master dies (http://www.bangkokpost.com/lite/news/421453/stunt-guru-and-tony-jaa-master-dies)
Thailand’s acclaimed martial arts action choreographer and film director Panna Rittikrai died from liver disease and acute renal failure in hospital Sunday afternoon. He was 53.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20140720/655243.jpg
Published: 20/07/2014 at 04:55 PM
Newspaper section: breakingnews

Panna Rittikrai, right, poses with the team that made the action-packed "Ong-Bak", which pulled in 100 million baht at the local box office early in 2003. From left: director Prachya Pinkaew and stars Phumwali Yodkamol and Phanom Yeeram.

Panna was pronounced dead at 12.50pm at Ladprao Hospital in Bangkok. He was diagnosed with liver disease in November last year and sent to the hospital late last month after his condition deteriorated. Doctors later discovered he also had a brain tumour.

The Khon Kaen native starred in countless action films over more than two decades of a career as an actor, stuntman, fight choreographer and director, before gaining recognition for "Ong-Bak" in 2003. He is known as the martial arts master of, and the man behind the making of, action superstar Thatchakorn "Tony Jaa" Yeerum.

Panna’s career hit a peak when he and Tony Jaa developed muay boran, an ancient, acrobatic precursor to muay Thai, and worked and trained for a year, developing a film around it, before producer-director Prachya Pinkaew later used their work to create the acclaimed international hit "Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior" in 2003.

Panna is a key man behind the global success of action film "Tom Yum Goong" (called "The Protector" in the US and "Warrior King" in the UK). He also helped choreographed fight scenes in "Tom Yum Goong" which was released late last year.