After graduating and serving in the army, he was persuaded to enter the show business, while he was looking for work in the Wang Burapha neighbourhood.

His physical attractiveness caught the eye of Noi Kamolwatin, a film director from the Kamolsilpa Pappayon studio.

Noi cast Sombat in Roong Petch ('Diamond Rainbow'), which opened at the Empire Theatre in Bangkok and became a huge success.

With a fine-sculpted body, brawny face and slicked-back, pomaded hair, Sombat was a popular leading man, with both men and women writing him fan letters.

[2] Sombat went on to star in four more Kamolsilpa Pappyon films: Skao Duen in 1962 and Singh Sang Pa, Saming Sao and Nagm-Ngon, all released in 1963.

He was then picked up by director Tawee Na Bangchang (better known as Kru Marut) to star in Tawan Lang Lued ('Blood of the Sun').

He's a frequent fixture on Thai television talk shows and in 2006 was appearing in a TV commercial for a brand of DVD player, spoofing his action roles of the 1970s.

In 2004, a restored print of Ai Tui, the 1971 musical comedy he starred in with Petchara Chaowarat was screened at the 2nd World Film Festival of Bangkok.

The festival's program included a career-spanning retrospective of five of his films: Blood of the Sun from the 1960s, The Holy Hoodlum, Narok Tarutao and War Lord from the 1970s and 2000s (decade) Tears of the Black Tiger.

"[5]In Thailand, candidates for political office are required to have a university degree; so between film shoots, Sombat returned to school to pursue an education.