Community mourns after national commentator ‘Mae Tim’ dies
Social media was inundated with messages of sorrow following the death of famed television dharma speaker Phanit Kantamra.
Bathing rites were to be held at Bangkok’s Wat Saket on Wednesday starting at 4.30pm before seven days of Abhidhamma prayers commenced. Other well-known commentators have posted messages of loss and condolence on the social networks.
Panom Peecharoen, who is also a university instructor, said on Facebook on Tuesday that the country had lost a national figure and described Phanit as a “high-calibre person”. He said they had just worked together nine days earlier.
Also on Facebook, Piyanuch Nakkhong said she prostrated herself one final time out of great respect for “Mae Tim”, as Phanit was known. She said the news of her death on Tuesday afternoon had come as a shock. Phanit was named Thailand’s outstanding speaker in 1993 and was often seen on television.
She appeared on Channel 9’s “TV Wathee”, Channel 5’s “Talk Zone Cinerama”, “Kharom Khom Kid” and “Dhamma Osot”, Channel 11’s “Hotline Khlai Kriad” and “Thesana Wathee”, and Channel 3’s “Dhamma Nai Jai”, as well as hosting a programme on 792 AM, the military radio station.