‘Bank Leicester’s’ sacrifice sparks acts of compassion

A compassionate individual arranged for the 60,000-baht debt “Bank Leicester” left behind to be paid off and has pledged lifelong support for the late influencer’s grandmother, a popular Facebook page reported on Friday. 

Thanakarn "Bank Leicester" Kanthi, 27, who had supported his grandmother by selling garlands while rapping, tragically died from alcohol poisoning on Thursday.

The young man recently began undertaking unusual and risky challenges for money. Sadly, the last challenge he undertook proved to be fatal – he had allegedly taken on a bet for drinking an entire bottle of liquor in one go for 30,000 baht. 

After his death, well-known philanthropist “Gun Jompalang” arranged for Thanakarn’s body to be brought from Chanthaburi to Bangkok’s Sai Mai district for religious rites. Upon the body’s arrival, his 80-year-old grandmother, Pornthip “Grandma Lek” Sangrit, tried to make her way with a walker to the body crying inconsolably. 
She had earlier told the press that she raised Thanakarn since he was a child after his parents separated, leaving him in her care. She described him as a grateful and devoted grandson, who supported her as he grew older. Just three days before his death, he had promised to earn the 60,000 baht needed to pay off a debt on their home. She said she could never have imagined he would resort to such extreme measures to keep his word. 

"Now that Thanakarn is gone, I don’t know how I’ll go on," she said tearfully.

Gun Jompalang said: “After the family sought my help, the first thing I did was to arrange for Thanakarn’s body to be transported from Chanthaburi to Wat Or Ngoen. Initially, there were problems with incomplete paperwork, so his family couldn’t retrieve the body. But when Grandma Lek said she missed her grandson terribly and he had promised to return to her that day, I handled everything for the family, covering all the expenses with help from my friends. Now, Thanakarn is on his way back to Grandma.” 

The latest post on the Jay Moi v+ Facebook page read: “Grandma Lek hugged Bank Leicester’s body, crying, ‘Why did you leave me?’ Meanwhile, Gun Jompalang shared that Captain Thammanat [Prompow] had helped clear Grandma’s 60,000-baht debt and committed to providing her with 5,000 baht monthly for life."

The page also posed a question in the comments section: "As for those who said they would help or take care of Grandma, how many days will they actually help? Just curious."