The Muay Thai Stunt team, formerly identified as the P.P.N. Stunt Team, functioned under the leadership of Panna Rittikrai to produce gritty, hard-hitting action sequences. His career spanned three decades, transitioning from a local physical trainer in Bangkok to a central force in the global export of Thai martial arts cinema through his choreography.
Early Career in Khon Kaen
Born in Khon Kaen in 1961, Rittikrai entered the film industry in 1979 while working as a physical trainer for actors. Drawing creative inspiration from the stunt work seen in James Bond films and the martial arts performances of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, he returned to Khon Kaen to establish his own stunt team. During this initial phase, he produced films intended for local audiences, including laborers and rural residents, with his first production titled Gerd ma lui, which he later remade in 2004.
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Rittikrai gained widespread recognition for his work as an action and martial arts choreographer on the 2003 film Ong-Bak and the 2005 production Tom-Yum-Goong. He acted as a mentor to Tony Jaa, who starred in both features. Following the international success of these titles, distributors began re-releasing his earlier catalog on DVD, including the films Spirited Killer and Mission Hunter 2, the latter of which featured Jaa in a villainous role. Beyond these collaborations, he contributed choreography to the action-comedy The Bodyguard, directed by Petchtai Wongkamlao, and the superhero film Mercury Man.
Professional Expansion and Later Projects
Throughout his career, Rittikrai functioned as a screenwriter, producer, and comedian. In 2006, he returned to acting after a nine-year hiatus for the role in Dynamite Warrior, an action comedy set in 19th-century Siam that featured Dan Chupong.
Illness and Death
In November 2013, Rittikrai began medical treatment for liver disease. He died in a hospital in Bangkok on July 20, 2014, at the age of 53. Medical reports determined the cause of death to be complications arising from acute liver and kidney failure, with a subsequent discovery of a brain tumor.
Fast facts
- Born: 1961, Khon Kaen
- Died: 20 July 2014, Bangkok
- Citizenship: Thailand
- Primary Occupation: Film director and stunt choreographer
- Notable collaboration: Tony Jaa
- First stunt team: P.P.N. Stunt Team
Questions readers ask
Which major films featured his choreography?
He provided choreography for Ong-Bak, Tom-Yum-Goong, The Bodyguard, Mercury Man, Chocolate, and Ong Bak 2.
What was the cause of Panna Rittikrai's death?
He died from complications related to acute liver and kidney failure, with an underlying brain tumor.
Achievements
- Worked as film director, screenwriter and comedian
