THE LEGEND OF BANGBANG.
MUAY THAI CHAMPION. SINGER. HOLLYWOOD STAR. POLITICIAN. ENTREPRENEUR. RESTAURANTEUR.
Born in 1923, BangBang was raised in Northern Thailand by his devoted grandmother, Mae. Throughout his life, Mae’s commitment to excellence provided the foundation for BangBang’s numerous successes.
An exemplary student, BangBang loved science, art and sports - talents that were recognized by the University of Oxford, where he studied the fascinating world of butterflies on a full scholarship. It was here that BangBang captained the university’s boxing team, using the skills and reflexes taught by his grandmother as a young boy.
Following his graduation from Oxford in 1945, BangBang returned to Thailand, where he enrolled in a Muay Thai academy - a year later, he won the National Muay Thai Championship; an achievement that would set the scene for the rest of his adult life.
As a fighter, BangBang was undefeated; his 13-year career eventually culminated in a fight against a young American, Cassius Clay, who was beaten in what can only be described as the greatest match in the history.
In the midst of his successful Muay Thai and boxing career, in 1952, BangBang entered and won the National Singing Contest; performing “Pad Thai is Love” - a tribute to his grandmother.
His notoriety as a singer and his numerous victories in the ring helped propel BangBang’s political foray; earning him a landslide victory in his mayoral campaign in 1959.
Retiring from politics in 1963, BangBang set his sights on Hollywood, where he was invited to star as the lead character in Handshake Harry; a cowboy film, and the first film production ever to be continued as a sequel - Handshake Harry II. The box office success of the Handshake Harry films captured the attention of Hollywood producer, Russel Sprout, who insisted on casting BangBang as the lead character for the highly acclaimed production of Hand in the Web of Time - the highest grossing film of the 1960’s.
BangBang returned to Thailand in 1969 as a national icon; turning his sites to the culinary world, and opening his first eponymous restaurant.