Men of action

They are Nopparit “Zen” Sribut, Tanawich “Pom” Wongsuwan, Vinai “Nut” Viengyangkung and Puchong “Eddie” Sartnork and if their faces are familiar, that’s because they have all appeared on the big screen.

Nopparit plays a former militaryman at Royal Marine Corps’ Special Operations Forces skilled in martial arts and traditional Thai boxing.

“I have problems with acting but not with action moves,” says Nopparit, who worked with Oliver Bever on “Khun Krathing”.

“In ‘Mue Nuea Mek’, I play Tong. He follows Kim, the rich man who killed his parents but adopted the child and raised him. Tong falls in love with Sichol, who is killed after conning Tong into doing something bad. I actually was injured in some of the scenes, the most violent of which is when Supakorn ‘Tok’ Kitsiwon, who plays head of detention, smashes my head with an earthenware jar.

Vinai, who was born and bred in Wattana Nakhon district of Sa Kaeo province and graduated from Rattana Bundit University’s Faculty of Science and Technology in Bangkok, previously worked as a stuntman with Panna Rithikrai’s team, making an appearance in “Ong Bak 2-3” and “Tom Yam Kung 2.”

“Oliver cast me first in ‘Nate Naka Raja’ then ‘Khun Krathing’,” he says.

Puchong was the president of the martial arts club while studying at the Faculty of Architecture at Rajamangkala University of Technology in Nakhon Ratchasima where he met director Prachya Pinkaew. He went on to star “Tom Yam Kung” and later worked with Panna’s stun team on other Saha Mongkol films. He has also been seen in “Scorpion King 3” and with Tony Jaa in “Paradox”.

“Most of my scenes are fighting one-on-one with a leading actor and I’ve also worked as a director for Channel 3 and 7. For ‘Mue Nuea Mek’, I’m an assistant action director in addition to my acting and action editing,” says Puchong.

As a child, Tanawich was a major fan of Jackie Chan and dreamt of starring in action movies. He trained in mixed martial arts, taekwondo, and boxing after being inspired by Panna Rithikrai and Tony Jaa. He has appeared in “Chocolate”, “Onk Bak 2-3”, “Tom Yam Kung 2”, and “The Kick” as well as “Shanghai”, “Scorpion King 3”, and “The Man with the Iron Fist”.

“Panna cast me in his ‘Khot Soo Khot Sai’ and Oliver gave in a role in ‘Nate Nakaraja’. The parts have been coming in steadily ever since with appearances in Thongchai Prasongsanti’s ‘Yod Manut Dab Thewada’, ‘Petch Tad Petch’, and ‘Sap Dok Soi’ and Bever’s ‘Khun Krathing’ and ‘Mue Nuea Mek’,” says Tanawich.