Renowned Photographer Anuchiт Sunthorkitti Dies in House Fire
Renowned fine art photographer Anuchiт Sunthorkitti and his wife died in a Bangkok house fire on July 18, with electrical short-circuiting as the preliminary cause; 73 of their rescued stray cats also perished in the blaze.
On July 19, authorities reported a house fire in Soi Somdet Phra Chao Taksin 11, Thonburi district, Bangkok, that claimed two lives—a man and woman—along with numerous cats. The deceased were identified as Anuchiт Sunthorkitti, an ASEAN-level fine art photographer, and his wife. The fire occurred on July 18 and is preliminarily attributed to electrical short-circuiting at the lower floor breaker panel, with 73 pet cats found dead and 17 rescued. Students and photography professionals have posted tributes to the master photographer and his wife.
Anuchiт Sunthorkitti was a renowned Thai master of fine art photography who defined himself not as a photographer or artist, but simply as "a man observing the world's changes." He and his wife were known for their compassion in caring for stray cats left at their home for decades.
Born in 1964 in Saraburi Province, Sunthorkitti studied at Bangkok Christian College and earned a bachelor's degree in industrial education with a focus on architecture in 1987. He initially worked in architectural design and interior decoration, then taught architecture and art history from 1992 to 2000. He began self-studying photography in 1985 using a Pentax K1000, initially exploring relationships between nature, environment, and humanity, particularly birds and wildlife. In 2008, he transitioned to digital photography and computer-based post-processing, developing greater creative control over his final presentations.
In 2009, he developed his signature style called "Dynamic in the City," exploring urban environments, movement, and human emotion through spatial composition, color, light, and time. His architectural background profoundly influenced his photographic language, particularly his focus on relationships between people and space, and emotions created by light, shadow, and surroundings. Bangkok's Hua Lamphong Railway Station became one of his key subjects, which he viewed as a repository of stories about time, travel, and human life.
