Woranuch passed away early in the morning Sunday at the age of 85, her son, Jujuk Boonnachoti, confirmed. The singer had reportedly been battling lung disease, with some reports citing cancer, and had been in and out of the hospital, according to the Bangkok Post and The Standard.
And then Mom got on the last express train and left us,” her son wrote on Facebook. “No need to hug a pillow and sleep in the cold anymore, Mom. For all the actions, words, and thoughts that I have done carelessly or made mistakes, please forgive me.”
Considered to be one of the most iconic figures in Thai music and culture, Woranuch, who was born in Chai Nat Province in 1939, got her start as a servant in a travelling theatre troupe when she was just 15, per The Nation. After singing during intermissions and eventually rising to become the troupe’s leading lady, she recorded and released her first single, “Huajai Mai Mee Khrai Khrong,” in 1955 (No One Owns My Heart), and went on to join Suraphol Sombatcharoen’s band, propelling her to national stardom and kicking off a career that spanned decades.