Veteran actor Manop Aswathep has died at the age of 86, according to fellow actor Bin Bunleurit.
“I’m deeply sorry for the loss of Manop Aswathep. More details will be posted later,” Bin wrote on his Facebook page on Saturday.
The funeral bathing rite began at 4pm at Wat Chao-am in Taling Chan district of Bangkok.
Born on Oct 16, 1937, and raised in Bangkok, Manop’s real name was Wiriya Julamakorn and his nickname was Ya.
He graduated from the Royal Thai Navy’s naval officer training school in Sattahip and worked at the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters. He served as a driver for Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn, the leader of Thailand from 1963 to 1973.
Manop began acting in 1963 when he played a supporting role in a film called Nang Saming Phrai. He made his debut under the name Nawin Thepyothi.
He played a leading role one year later in Phichit Thorachon but fame still eluded him. He acted in a supporting role in several more films after that.
The first film that earned him fame was Lakhon Le, jointly directed by Prince Bhanubandhu Yugala and Prim Bunnag.
Manop changed his name from Nawin to Manop after this movie. He played various roles afterwards and won the Phra Surasawadee Award, also known as the Tukata Thong (Golden Doll), for a supporting role in 1976.
