We are sometimes envious of the cards life gives others. But, we never really know whether that will change in the future. It certainly did for former Thai actor Arthit Taongsawatrat (อาทิตย์ ตั้งสวัสดิ์รัตน์) better known as Ryu Arthit.
Ryu made his mark in the entertainment industry during the 90s. He captured many hearts with his performance in dramas and became a very popular Thai idol. Unfortunately, that didn’t last. Ryu was recently discovered to be homeless and selling second-hand goods on the roadside to earn a living.
Ryu first debuted at the age of 14 and soon became a teenage heartthrob. He was well loved by the public and sought after by advertisers. However, Ryu’s worsening mental health became an obstruction to his steady rise to stardom. He was allegedly diagnosed with bipolar disorder which supposedly made him seem “insane and mentally unsound”.
As such, Ryu supposedly decided to take a break from the entertainment scene to seek treatment. After his last appearance in the 2005 drama “Theptida Long Ngan“, Ryu began his visits to various hospitals. However, this lasted for over 10 years. Ryu reportedly also turned to religion, specifically Buddhism, for help.
However, Ryu supposedly shared a slightly different story. According to his alleged newly made TikTok account, Ryu married twice during his stardom career. He had three kids, two sons from his first marriage and a daughter from his second. Ryu kept both marriages and kids a secret. He claimed it had been to avoid trouble with the fans.
But, several successive scandals apparently crashed his career anyway. And later, in 2013, Ryu was supposedly forced to seek treatment from the hospital after his family thought he was mentally ill. To make matters worse, both marriages reportedly ended in divorce and Ryu is supposedly not on good terms with his family either.
Currently, Ryu can be found at a roadside flea market in the Lat Phrao district, Bangkok. The former idol now makes a living selling second-hand goods. Ryu is reportedly bankrupt and homeless after using up all his money from his acting career. The 44-year-old reportedly shared he sleeps by the roadside and uses an outdoor tap to wash up.
Despite his harsh living conditions, Ryu remains optimistic about his life. “I’m old too (and I) don’t expect anyone’s help,” he reportedly shared. “(I) have to try (working hard) by myself, but thanks (everyone) for (your) encouragement.” Well, we sincerely wish him all the best. Who knows, life might just turn about for him again.
https://www.tiktok.com/@ryu.atith/video/7198855912449264922
Sources: Thuvienpc.com, 8days, TikTok
