A young comedian Mr. The Comedian expressed anger after the Erak Tae Likay troupe, a close junior troupe, had their theater burned in the middle of the night. Fortunately, some crew members woke up for personal reasons, saw the fire, and helped extinguish it before it caused major damage. Recently, Thairath Entertainment interviewed Mr. The Comedian about this issue.
The big news says the Likay theater was set on fire. Is that true?
"Honestly, it hasn’t been confirmed whether someone set the fire. It's just a theory from Nong A, the troupe leader, who suspects someone might have caused it, because at that spot there are no electrical wires. If it was an electrical short circuit, it would be different. So he said, 'If there are no electrical wires, could it have been caused by something else?'
That area has no electrical wires, yet the fire started behind the tarp. I talked directly with Nong about this. We didn’t just see a post and comment—we spoke with the victim about what happened, whether it was an electrical short or something else. He said there were no wires at all in that spot. If it was a short circuit, it would have started on the stage, not behind the tarp.
So it started exactly at that spot?
"Yes, but it probably didn't start there. That’s just his speculation."
The initial news said there was a loud noise and then someone set the fire to scare them off?
"I asked Nong directly if he had problems with locals or if anyone was upset with them. He said the general audience had no issues, but some had told them 'Hey, the noise is too loud, please turn it down.' As I said, volume can be adjusted; the equipment allows it. The important point is that Nong planned to move in three days. He had already announced he'd be moving by the 20th. So why do this now?"
So they could have just told them?
"Yes, I told him I was moving anyway. There were several incidents; it’s not just speculation. People at the theater hadn’t fully fallen asleep and heard what sounded like motorcycles coming nearby. I told him not to jump to conclusions—it might have been just a passing motorcycle. But they said the motorcycle sounded very close to the theater, which is quite a distance from the road, so it shouldn’t have been that loud. They heard the motorcycle at about 5:30 a.m., a time when monks are already awake."
Could it have been people walking by?
"We thought maybe people were coming to make merit or wait to give alms. That’s possible. We can’t say it was a specific motorcycle rider who did it, since it was morning when monks are out for alms. It’s a local area near a village."
I heard the vehicle broke down?
"The vehicle was parked not far from the theater—probably within 4-5 meters. But because of the strong fire, the glass shattered and inside, things like rubber melted. I spoke with Nong; everything melted completely."
Have they filed a police report or checked security cameras?
"The forensic team has already arrived. We thank the local authorities, police, and village headman who have come to inspect. I spoke with Nong; the village headman visited the site, and the forensic team is investigating. They haven’t determined the cause yet and need to analyze the damaged items first. So we must wait for the forensics results to know what happened."
So no suspects yet?
"No, we haven’t identified anyone or what caused it."
Is Nong very upset or has everything been lost?
"He has mixed feelings: shock and sadness. He feels, 'I’m just trying to make a living; I’m not causing trouble. Why would someone do this to me?' If it was truly an electrical fault, he insists he doesn’t blame locals. But if someone did this deliberately, it must have been done at that spot. If it was a short circuit, it would have started on the stage because the plugs and wires are all there."
So the fire probably started there and spread?
"Yes. Right now, he’s shaken and discouraged. Regarding the damaged costumes, the loss is likely around hundreds of thousands of baht, though the exact amount is uncertain."
How about their work? Has it been disrupted?
"Fortunately, Nong hadn’t unloaded all the items—only some costumes were brought down for wig practice during this short period of a few months. Only about 4-5 sets were there. Nong still has other costumes stored at home. So, while the burned items are a loss, there are still costumes left to continue working."
As a former Likay performer, are you still performing?
"I still perform occasionally."
What about the damage?
"I want to ask for understanding. Closing a stage is like losing one’s livelihood. I don’t know why this happened—maybe someone dislikes them. If it was arson, and you don’t like Likay, just tell them to move out—tell the landowner or the temple abbot that Likay causes noise or disturbance, making it hard to sleep. That would be simpler and better."
If you don’t like them, don’t watch, and don’t harass them. They’re just trying to earn an honest living. They’re not robbing or harming anyone. They’re not selling drugs; they’re selling art through Likay performances. The audience comes willingly because they enjoy Likay. The performers simply perform in exchange for money."
Some might say you’re speaking out first to get attention. Is that true?
"Before posting, I called Nong. He had already posted about it earlier that morning, but I hadn’t known. I have proof of when I called him—around 7 p.m. I spoke with him and understood what happened. I posted because Nong said, 'I’m a small-time Likay performer; no one will see my posts.' That touched me because I’m a Likay performer too. I don’t think I’m famous, but I have a wider platform than him."
To help spread the word?
"Yes. I wanted to be his voice, even just a little. So I asked Nong to send me videos and photos of the fire, then posted them. Today, I thank all media outlets, including Thairath TV, for their help. This supports an artist who may not be well-known but deserves a voice—that he’s working honestly and shouldn’t be harassed. That’s my sole intention."
Before posting, did you confirm the facts?
"Yes, I spoke with the source first. I didn’t just post impulsively. If I had posted prematurely and it turned out wrong, I’d look bad. We consulted before posting."
Hopefully, Nong will find whoever did this so the case can be resolved?
"Yes, if someone caused it, I hope they’re found quickly. But if it was an accident, Nong will need to be more cautious in the future, especially regarding electrical safety wherever he performs."Click to readEntertainment News - More