[2026.02.08] ONG BAK STAR TONY JAA UNDERGOES MORE CANCER TREATMENT

Rose to fame with ONG BAK, Tony Jaa looks thinner and wearier in a recent photo
courtesy of on.cc

Tony Jaa was rumored to have gallbladder cancer two years ago. After surgery he still required chemotherapy and looked thinner and frailer

Tony Jaa leaves a deep impression at his peak

Tony Jaa works with Jason Statham in THE EXPENDABLES 4.
courtesy of mingpao.com

Thai action superstar Tony Jaa turned 50 last week. He became popular in early 2000 with the Thai blockbuster action movie ONG BAK, but in recent years he has rarely appeared on the screen. Recently the local media shockingly revealed that he had gallbladder cancer and was nearing the end stage, which worried many fans.

According to his friends, the 50-year-old Tony suddenly felt severe abdominal pain in 2024. After going to the hospital for examination, he was found to have stage 3 gallbladder cancer. His condition was extremely unoptimistic, and he was on the verge of the end stage (stage 4). After learning of the disease, Tony underwent surgery to remove the tumor and started chemotherapy. Originally his cancer index stabilized at the end of last year, and he also became a monk for a short time because he was "reborn". However good times did not last, during the follow-up visit he found that the index rose again and the cancer recurred.

Tony released a recent photo on social platforms a week ago, showing that his body was obviously thin and his face was haggard. He left a message saying, "The journey is about to begin, another round." Therefore, it is suspected that the cancer has recurred and he will need to undergo chemotherapy again. Since people did not know at the time that Tony had cancer at the time, they speculated whether his appearance has changed drastically due to drug use or AIDS. His family and friends decided to disclose his condition to fight back against the false rumors. Friends said that the shape of his body changed because of intensive chemotherapy. Although he has been busy with the fight against cancer, he remained optimistic as usual. On New Year's Eve last year he even performed at a countdown event in Khon Kaen province, after which he posted on social media, "Happy New Year! I wish the New Year would bring new hope and even more opportunities, so we can reap all of the blessing." According to those with knowledge, Tony Jaa is currently in stable condition. Everyday he has insisted on training and his physical condition has gradually improved. He still required medical science observation and his family's attentive care. As for other details, Tony Jaa and his family would respond at a later date but he thanks his fans for their support.

Tony Jaa last week again appeared on social media and posted new photos. He was dressed in black, a cap and sunglasses, so fans had difficulty seeing his condition. Many had different interpretation of his post "The journey is about to begin." Some were worried about his condition, and some optimistically wished him well. Some even thought that his new film would start production soon and were looking forward to it.

Tony has been in the industry for years and rose to fame for personally performing many highly difficult stunts. After his ONG BAK and TOM YUM GOONG film series swept the global box office, he was invited by Hollywood studios to perform in action movies. Over the years he has taken on many action movies, including FAST AND FURIOUS 7, XXX: RETURN OF XANDER CAGE and THE EXPENDABLES 4, etc. Among them, in XXX he traded blows with the "Strongest in the Universe" Donnie Yen Chi Tan. In addition he has also come to Hong Kong to shoot Hong Kong films many times, including the lead in SPL 2 with Wu Jing and Louis Koo Tin Lok and MASTER Z: IP MAN LEGACY, in which he and Max Zhang Jin had fierce fight scenes. His recent work included the internet movie STRIKING RESCUE in 2024 with Philip Keung Ho Man and Shi Yanneng.