For 70 days, tens of thousands of people were glued to the television, mainstream newspapers and the social media following popular TV star Tridsadee "Por" Sahawong's struggle to survive.
During the early days of his treatment at Ramathibodi hospital, his hard-core fans kept almost daily vigil on the same floor of the ward, giving him and his family moral support to the extent that their noisy presence disturbed other patients.
Critics questioned why so much attention was given to a single star, especially by the electronic media, and deemed the coverage overkill.
Media coverage has now shifted to the saddest aspect of Por’s saga, his funeral in his hometown of Buri Ram, also home to the famous Buri Ram United soccer team at Thunder Castle.
The Lord Buddha teaches that all of us will pass away eventually as part of the natural process of birth, ageing and death, and that we should always keep in mind the impermanence of life - the life we all cherish and wish to hold on to.
Por had tried to hold onto his life for the whole 70 days since he was admitted to Ramathibodi hospital for treatment of what proved to be a fatal case of dengue fever and eventual complications. His loved ones, friends and fans also prayed for him to hang on and to survive. In the end, however, his body gave up the battle and he died peacefully.
Doctors at the hospital, too, tried their best to save his life, until eventually they decided to pull the plugs and let him be at peace.
Por’s untimely death and his struggle for survival should serve to remind us all about the very real threat of dengue fever, a threat most of us knew little about. Children are mostly affected by the disease, but adults too are at risk, if exposed to bites by the striped mosquitoes and they do not get prompt proper treatment.
Many knew Por for his various roles in the entertainment world. In real life, he was more than a TV star or a singer. He was also an ambassador for the World Society for the Protection of animals, and actually worked for other charity projects – not just for publicity's sake as many actors and actresses do.
Many stars have sideline businesses such as restaurants or pubs, but Por was more down to earth. He was also a practitioner of HM the King’s sufficiency economy with a mixed farm covering about 100 rai in Buri Ram. Here, 10 rai of land is allocated for rice growing. There are sections for vegetables, banana trees, coconut trees and other plants. There are also two ponds to store water.
Some of the land is made available to farmers for use free of charge.
I am not a fan of Por's, but I appreciate his way of life beyond the entertainment world, his compassion and the sharing of his small wealth with his poor neighbours. He was a good role model for many of us. Rest in peace.