Movie director and legendary cinema billboard painter ‘Piak Poster’ dies at 93

Well-known former Thai movie director, cinema and promotional billboard painter and national artist ‘Piak Poster’ has passed away peacefully of old age.

The Facebook page of Dara Phapphayon announced that Piak, whose real name was Somboonsuk Niyomsri, passed away at1.15pm yesterday, just 24 days short of his 94th birthday.

Born in Chiang Mai in October 1932, Piak attended his high school at Wat Rachathiwas School and graduated from Poh Chang Acadamy. He began his career as a draftsman, drawing promotional posters and then cinema billboards.

He was a pioneer in painting posters and billboards with poster colours. He cooperated with some friends to launch a Thai movie magazine, titled ‘Dara Pharb’. He was associated with several movie producers because he had to take photos of actors and actresses and collect their background information for the drawings or paintings of movies promotional material.

His transition to movie director was when he went to Japan and spent four months training at a movie studio. Upon his return from Japan, he and his team launched his first movie project ‘Tone’ in August 1970. The movie was shown in the Chalerm Thai theatre and it was surprise success.

Piak also acted in some of the movies he directed, such as ‘Top Secret’ and ‘Wai Roon Pun Larn’.

He received awards, such as the Phra Surasavadi Award in 1973-74 for best movie ‘Choo’, the Suphannahongse award for best movie and best director in 1987. He was also named a national artist in movies and television.