But today, he has lived another 13 years, which he attributes to his luck in overcoming physical illness through strict obedience to doctor's orders and Dhamma.

He underwent chemo-therapy 30 times.

Phaotong never resorted to other kinds of treatment, saying he held a strong belief in modern science.

He chose not to go vegetarian, because chemotherapy patients need extra protein that beans alone cannot provide. "In the mean time, I practised Dhamma by meditating. That brought peace to my mind and cleared all the disturbances - I felt I didn't want to die and that I still had unfinished business," he said.

"Now, I try not to say or do anything that might offend others. Though I don't have the power to change society, I'm happy that I can do something within the realm of my own power. If everybody did their own good, everything would be good," he said.

At 50, Phaotong is self-contented, not just with the idea that he's still alive, but with the understanding that everybody has to die, sooner or later.

He wasn't shocked with the departure of famous TV personality Apiwat, though many thought it strange he died so young.

What did shock Phaotong was the speed of Apiwat's death - he had only recently been chatting with him.

"His secretary has also been calling me for treatment tips. It's all just so sudden," he said.

Forensic pathologist Khunying Pornthip Rojanasunand has also had colon cancer.

She was first discovered to have thyroid cancer and underwent an operation seven years ago. Then in the same year a tumour was found in her intestine. And it was later found to be becoming cancerous.

"They cut about a foot off my intestine and I have to undergo a check-up once a year to make sure it doesn't come back," she said.

"Only Dhamma can help, I don't know when it will return or spread to another part of my body." Pornthip said.

She didn't want to dwell on the threat of it returning. Pornthip tries to think optimistically - that she has been given a warning to live more carefully.

She became a vegetarian.

"Besides controlling what I eat, I have to control my mind not to be tense, although I have faced many tense situations in my work in the past two years," she said.

A number of prominent Thais, including veteran filmmaker MC Chatrichalerm Yukol and singer Nantakarn Rittiwong, have faced cancer scares.

Chatrichalerm had a tumour and one kidney removed before he began his epic "Suriyothai".

After the operation, he rested for one month before starting to shoot the movie.

His wife Kamala Yukol na Ayudhya cooked fish dishes as the backbone of his diet.

Eating large quantities of red meat can increase the risk of cancer, and she tried to help him avoid other kinds of meat, despite Chatrichalerm's well-known love of fried chicken.

Most importantly, the famed director has strictly followed his doctors' advice and undergone frequent check-ups.

Also following doctors' advice, singer Nantakan opts to stay home and live a healthy lifestyle instead of risk worsening her disease. The singer follows a strict "Cheewajit" diet - a Thai-style diet with lots of grain, similar to a macro-biotic regime.

Achara Deboonme,

Chatrarat Kaewmorakot

The Nation