After Neng Mengjai also known as Neng Komaidrab the famous young comedian, passed away permanently on the morning of 19 Mar 2026 GMT+7 after being diagnosed with terminal liver cancer spreading to his lungs. His condition deteriorated, resulting in sudden heart failure and subsequent death. His family held a funeral ceremony at Wat Klang, Khlong 4, Pathum Thani Province.
Meanwhile, Ice Thalatchanan, Neng Mengjai's current wife, along with JJ Yuwachat, Neng's former wife, as well as Ball Chernyim, and Tuk Boriboon Janruang, fellow comedians, opened up to the media about what happened before Neng's passing.
Ice shared that Neng had been ill for a long time. She told him to see a doctor so that if something was wrong, it could be treated in time. However, he was stubborn and refused, even scolding her to find a doctor herself if she was so worried. He had a strong work ethic and didn’t want his fans to know. During his illness, he frequently had abdominal fluid drained and attended events despite being sick, without allowing Ice to tell anyone.
Ball Chernyim added that Neng was truly stubborn and urged people not to blame or dramatize Ice’s statements, as she did not fully know how stubborn Neng really was.
Ice continued that she told him to stop working immediately. She never worried about money since she could support him and said he could rest. But he loved being a comedian, wanted to perform, and meet fans. Once he accepted a job, he insisted on going.
Before his last event in Ubon Ratchathani, he saw a doctor and had abdominal fluid drained. The doctor recommended taking 3-4 bottles of egg white protein costing 5,000 baht. The doctor’s appointment coincided with his flight to Ubon, so he postponed the appointment. Ice believes if he hadn’t postponed, he might still be alive.
He insisted on delaying the doctor’s visit to the following Tuesday and told Ice he didn’t want the egg white protein or supplements, saying he would see the doctor next week and didn’t want to waste 5,000 baht. His family urged him to take it since Ice was covering expenses, wanting him to recover. Ice kept encouraging him to fight, reminding him to stay with her and their child, and to enjoy their new home. But he remained stubborn.
The doctor warned that if the patient refused injections and only had abdominal fluid drained, there was a risk of fainting due to low blood pressure, especially when flying. When they went to Don Mueang Airport, Neng became dizzy. Ice told him to stop if he didn’t feel well and she would pay for the flight, so he wouldn’t need to postpone the doctor’s appointment. But he said no and insisted on going because he had already accepted the job.
Ball Chernyim added that Neng refused to rest, which caused his condition to worsen. The night before, after a blood transfusion, he was restrained and Ice was told not to loosen the ties. They recognized his delirium—similar to what they’d seen with the late Robert Sai Kwan. Although they knew he was sick, they didn’t expect his condition to suddenly deteriorate. Ice spoke with him around midnight, nearly 1 a.m.
Ice recounted that when she took him to the hospital, he was still coherent and told her he loved her. She asked if he remembered she was his wife, and he joked with her. But as they neared the hospital, he became delirious and lost himself, which frightened her and made her fear he wouldn’t make it.
When asked if he died from heart failure, Ice said no. His death was related to postponing medical appointments. The doctor diagnosed him with cancer spreading to the lungs and asked if she wanted to take it day by day. She said she wanted to do everything possible to help him recover.
He stayed until about 8:10 a.m. When Ice called him, he became still, took a shallow breath, and then lay motionless. His heart was still beating, and the doctor said to let him pass naturally. Ice called Ball and others, feeling stressed and unsure what to do. She didn’t want to perform CPR because it would cause pain, but she wished he could live. When the doctor checked again, he said Neng had already passed away at 8:10 a.m., causing Ice to break down in tears.
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