BANGKOK — Thai actor and television host Ray MacDonald had severe blockages in all three major coronary arteries, causing a lack of blood supply to his heart, according to his close friend and actor Chakrit Yamnam.
Chakrit told reporters at the Police General Hospital’s Institute of Forensic Medicine on 20 August that information from MacDonald’s relatives showed that all three major coronary arteries were narrowed by around 70-90%.
The condition caused myocardial ischemia, or reduced blood flow to the heart.
Chakrit said MacDonald died peacefully in his sleep, without signs of pain or suffering. CCTV footage showed him moving normally to find a comfortable sleeping position before becoming still and falling into a deep sleep.
“Everything in his body was healthy. All his organs were healthy,” Chakrit said, adding that the main issue was his heart.
MacDonald, 49, died at his home on 19 August. His wife, Sarinya “Mam” MacDonald, said he had shown no obvious signs of illness or health problems before his death.
Mam said MacDonald had recently spent about a month fully resting with his family after their child’s school break. They played football together and spent time as a family. She said they told each other they loved each other every night and regularly said goodbye with a kiss.
MacDonald usually woke up every morning to see his child off. On the day of his death, however, he did not wake up.
Mam said CCTV footage showed him coming downstairs to watch television before gradually lying down. He later moved around as if trying to find a comfortable position. The family found him unresponsive at around 06:30.
She said she initially thought MacDonald was pretending to sleep because he often played such jokes on the family, particularly in the mornings.
Chakrit said there were no signs of an emergency or anything indicating that MacDonald had experienced a serious event before he died.
Both Chakrit and Mam said MacDonald had not complained of any unusual symptoms. Mam added that he was reluctant to see doctors and rarely went for health checkups, even when he was unwell.
MacDonald was also described by Chakrit as someone who worked intensely, slept little and loved traveling. He said travel was part of MacDonald’s happiness and that his death should be seen as another step in his friend’s journey.
MacDonald’s close friend and former singer Leo Putt also told reporters on 20 August that the actor had not consumed alcohol for decades.
MacDonald was a Thai-Scottish actor who rose to fame in the 1990s as a youth television host and later became known for his travel programs. He became an icon for a generation of Thai teenagers.
He won the Suphannahong National Film Award for Best Actor in consecutive years, in 1997 and 1998, for his roles in Fun Bar Karaoke and Love: Designated.
Meanwhile, Mam said she had received more than 1,000 calls and numerous messages from friends, colleagues and people in the entertainment industry following MacDonald’s death. She said the family could not answer all the calls and thanked everyone for their support.
She also said friends intend to help continue work that MacDonald had already committed to, with some projects potentially being taken over by his friends Putt and Ta. Further details will be discussed later.
Funeral prayers for MacDonald will be held from 20-25 August at Rattanapram Hall at Wat Yang Royal Temple in On Nut, Bangkok, according to the Rayron: เร่ร่อน Facebook page.
His cremation ceremony is scheduled for 26 August.