Key Information
- Name: Harit Buayoi
- Nickname: Keng
- Born: Phayao, Thailand
- Birth date: Aug 19, 1999
- Height: 180 centimetres
- Known for: Acting
- Instagram: @harit_keng
Harit “Keng” Buayoi is a model and rising actor who stars in the hit Boys’ Love supernatural thriller Khemjira The Series (2025) alongside Napatsakorn “Namping” Pingmuang. He first gained attention for his supporting roles in The Paradise of Thorns (2024) and from a viral clip of him as a “handsome Thai teacher”.
Teacher goes viral
Keng grew up in rural Phayao and graduated with a degree in Thai from the University of Phayao.
In his freshman year, he started dreaming about joining the entertainment industry and sought out opportunities, from modelling to competitions. He even put his studies on hold and moved to Bangkok, but the Covid-19 situation eventually forced him back home. Thinking his path was to become a teacher, he trained at a community school.
But then in 2021, an unassuming TikTok video changed everything. The internet discovered the “handsome teacher” and he went viral overnight.
‘Jingna’ role changes outlook
That attention opened doors. DomundiTV noticed him, and GDH later cast him as Jingna in The Paradise of Thorns (2024) starring alongside Jeff Satur and Engfa Waraha.
Playing a durian farmer searching for stability, Keng connected deeply with the role.
Like Jingna, he came from an ethnic minority and once believed life was bound by fate. “But after playing him,” Keng reflected in The Momentum, “I’ve learned to push beyond my limits. If I succeed, my family will live comfortably.”
Shining as a shaman
His biggest breakthrough came in 2025 with Khemjira The Series, where he starred as Master Paran, a gifted young shaman protecting Khemjira from a deadly family curse.
The series became iQIYI’s most-watched Thai drama worldwide, and the “handsome shaman” hashtag racked up over 2.4 million mentions on social media.
Bridging gaps as an actor
Keng’s choice of roles often explores identity, from portraying ethnic minorities to LGBTQ+ characters.
As a Tai Lue actor, he hopes to raise awareness of his heritage. “Being a minority and reaching this point makes me proud,” he said.
He also admitted initial hesitation in taking LGBTQ+ roles, as his hometown remains conservative. But after his family accepted it, others began to understand too. “At least my work helps bridge the gap between old beliefs and new ones,” he shared with The Cloud.
From a rural village in Phayao to starring in Thailand’s most-watched series, Keng Harit’s journey is proof that perseverance and openness can turn limitations into new possibilities.
