We don't support senior actors who are not willing to work, or those who have lived their lives in liquor bottles. There are some exceptions, however. For instance, the fund committee recently paid for medical expense for Anochao Yordbutr, now 43, who has been in a coma for 18 years after an accident during a film shooting, and for urgent surgery costs for senior actress Maria Gatelaykha, who has appeared on TV soaps in supporting roles for more than two decades. Although they are not 60 years old yet, they are senior in terms of their profession. These senior actors worked at a time when acting was not a lucrative career.
Unemployment is another major cause of senior actors' difficulties.
Over the past decade, the local entertainment industry has been dominated by young stars and new faces. Senior actors struggle to survive. National artist Lor Tok, for example, joined a new comedy troupe. Leading comedian Si Thao found himself small roles in television dramas. But many of their generation are not as fortunate.