Panna Rittikrai

 ( 1961 Births ) 

Panna Rittikrai (; ) or birth name Krittiya Lardphanna (; , February 17, 1961 – July 20, 2014) was a Thai martial arts stage combat, film director, screenwriter, and actor. The head of the Muay Thai Stunt team (previously known as P.P.N. Stunt Team), he is best known for his work as a martial arts and action choreographer on the 2003 film Ong-Bak and 2005's Tom-Yum-Goong (known as The Protector in the US), starring Tony Jaa, whom Panna mentored.

Born in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand, Panna started out in the movie business in 1979 as a physical trainer for actors in Bangkok. Learning a little about filmmaking and inspired by the movies of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, as well as stunts seen in James Bond movies, Panna moved back to Khon Kaen and formed his own stunt team, the P.P.N. Stunt Team (actually known as Muay Thai Stunt) and set about making films.

His first was Gerd ma lui ( Born to Fight), which he remade in 2004.

Panna's martial-arts choreography work also can be seen in the action-comedy, The Bodyguard, which starred and was directed by Thai comic actor Petchtai Wongkamlao. Recent and upcoming projects include Mercury Man, a Thai superhero film in which he coordinated the martial arts; the sequel to Ong-Bak, Ong Bak 2; and Chocolate, a film directed by Prachya Pinkaew starring a female martial artist, Yanin Vismistananda. He co-starred in Dynamite Warrior, a 2006 martial-arts action comedy set in 19th century Siam and starring Dan Chupong from Born to Fight. It was Panna's first acting role in 9 years.