Nang Nak Star Winai Kraibutr Dies At 54 After Battling Rare Skin Disease For 5 Years

Thai actor Winai Kraibutr, best known for starring in 1999 horror film Nang Nak, has passed away after suffering from bullous pemphigoid, a rare skin disease, for five years. He was 54.

His wife announced his passing on social media, saying he died peacefully from low blood pressure and a bloodstream infection in a Bangkok hospital on March 20.

She also expressed gratitude for the love and support from fans and friends during his illness.

Winai, who got his start in showbiz as a model, rose to international fame after starring in Nang Nak and historical film Bang Rajan in 1999.

Both movies achieved box office success, raking in more than 150mil baht (S$5.55mil), earning him the nickname “Hundred Million Hero”.

His life took an unexpected turn in 2019 when he was diagnosed with bullous pemphigoid, an autoimmune disease that causes blistering on the skin.

Winai’s wife shared that he had initially sought treatment in a hospital and later turned to alternative treatments, including spiritual remedies.

The father-of-three was forced to give up acting and resorted to selling goods online to make a living.

Winai had planned to hold a concert, gathering over 30 showbiz pals to raise funds.

However, his health suddenly took a turn for the worse last week and he had a seizure and lost consciousness on Mar 17.  

He never regained consciousness after he was rushed to the hospital.

According to doctors, Winai had an infection in his blood stream which caused a drop in blood pressure and eventually leading to his heart stopping.

Photos: Winai Kraibutr/X