FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Cause of actress Butsaran's death remains mystery

Cause of actress Butsaran's death remains mystery

Doctors still do not know the origin of the illness that led to the death of 28-year-old actress Butsaran “Numtarn The Star” Thongchio at Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital early on Friday.

Hospital director Dr Prasit Watanapa told a press conference that she died at 2.17am from the brain swelling which increased pressure inside her skull, affecting her respiratory system and other key bodily functions. He said the cause of her acute ailment - involving massive bleeding and respiratory failure - remains unknown and the hospital would continue to study her case to determine the cause of massive bleeding.

Butsaran's death followed a drastic drop in blood pressure between 7pm and 8pm on Thursday and she was placed under close watch, Prasit said.

"We offer our condolences to the family. Until now, we still don't know what caused her ailment and where was the exact spot of bleeding, so we will study her information and previous medical records to find the answers," Prasit said.

Butsaran's sister Pimrada Thongchio and brother-in-law Kittithat Kongpopjirapat said they believed the actress had tried her best to stay alive but could not hold on and passed away peacefully. 

Pimrada said she was grief-stricken by the sudden loss. "I should have brought my daughter, who was close to Numtarn, to visit her while she was being treated, because there might be a miracle. 

“While Numtarn was still alive but unconscious, we played a video clip of her singing with my daughter and her condition seemed to improve. I thank everyone including doctors and nurse for trying their best," she said.

The actress, who did not drink or smoke and had been in good health, suddenly began bleeding from her nose and mouth while at home in Samut Sakhon province on Tuesday. 

She then passed out and her heart stopped beating before she was resuscitated and taken to the provincial hospital. 

Her heart also stopped beating again before she was transferred at 6am on Wednesday to Siriraj Hospital. The hospital announced on Thursday that Butsaran’s illness had never been encountered in Thailand before and they were attempting to discover the cause while treating her based on her symptoms.

Her funeral will be held at Wat Pom Wichienchotikaram in Samut Sakhon's Muang district, with the bathing rites at 4pm on Friday, followed by Abhidamma prayers until June 17. 

Her cremation will be held on June 18.

Butsaran was born on September 21, 1990, in Samut Sakhon and graduated from the College of Music at Mahidol University. 

She gained fame after she joined season five of "The Star" Thai reality television singing competition which aired in 2009. The show was produced by Exact, a GMM Grammy company, and originally broadcast on Modernine TV before it was moved after Season 11 to broadcast via Channel One. 

The show lasted 12 seasons and ended on May, 2016, and many of its contestants went on to become famous in the Thai entertainment industry.

For many, Butsaran was most famous from her role as Lieutenant Ran from "Phu Kong Chao Saneh" sit-com (2007-2016). She also had supporting roles in the 2008 film "Thewada Bletheng" (Angels) and the TV shows "Pho Pla Lai" (Father Fish, 2011) and "Kham Wela Ha Rak" (Time for Love, 2018).

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