Movies

Tatchakorn Yeerum (Thai: ทัชชกร ยีรัมย์, RTGS: Thatchakon Yiram, pronounced ; formerly Phanom Yeerum (Thai: พนม ยีรัมย์, ); born 5 February 1976), better known internationally as Tony Jaa and in Thailand as Jaa Phanom (Thai: จา พนม, RTGS: Cha Phanom, ), is a Thai martial artist, actor, action choreographer, stuntman, director, and traceur. His martial arts movies are credited with helping to showcase the Thai combat systems of Muay Thai and Muay Boran. His films include Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior (2003), Tom-Yum-Goong (2005), Ong Bak 2: The Beginning (2008), Ong Bak 3 (2010), Tom Yum Goong 2 (2013), Furious 7 (2015), and SPL II: A Time for Consequences (2015).

Early life
Tony Jaa was born and raised in a rural area in Surin Province to Rin Saipetch and Thongdee Yeerum. He is of Kuy descent, a Mon–Khmer ethnic group that inhabits Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. The Kuy practice traditions that are more similar to the traditions of Cambodia than that of traditions observed by the Lao or the Thai. The Kuy are known for being skilled trainers of elephants. Tony Jaa speaks Kuy, Thai and Northern Khmer.

In his youth, Jaa watched films by Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li at temple fairs, which inspired him to learn martial arts. He practiced the techniques in his father's rice paddy. "What they  did was so beautiful, so heroic that I wanted to do it too," Jaa told Time in a 2004 interview. "I practiced until I could do the move exactly as I had seen the masters do it."

Jaa began training in Muay Thai at his local temple at age 10. By 15, he was a protégé of stuntman and action film director Panna Rittikrai. Panna had instructed Jaa to attend Maha Sarakham College of Physical Education in Maha Sarakham Province from which he graduated with a bachelor's degree.