David Cameron leads tributes to Hong Kong law student, 19, killed in Bangkok bomb blast
Hong Kong teenager studying law in London who was killed in Bangkok bomb blast was 'kind, cheerful food blogger crazy about Canto-pop', friends recall
A Hong Kong resident who was studying law in Britain and was killed by a devastating bomb blast in Bangkok on Monday, was today described by former schoolmates as a kind, cheerful teenager who loved blogging about food and was crazy about Canto-pop.
Vivian Chan Wing-yan, 19, was a hard worker and a good singer, according to her school friends.
Chan was travelling in Thailand with her friend Arcadia Pang Wan-chee, 24, when they were both killed in the bomb attack on Bangkok’s Erawan Shrine on Monday night.
Harrow International School pupil Michelle Lou said she had only heard about her former schoolmate’s death this morning and was still in shock.
READ MORE: Did this Hong Kong woman see the bomber? Bangkok blast survivor speaks from hospital bed
“She was a really kind and cheerful person in general – she really loved to travel around and just go to a lot of different, good restaurants,” she said.
British Prime Minister David Cameron also offered his condolences via a message posted on Twitter on Tuesday:
"Deeply saddened to hear a British national was killed in the horrific Bangkok bombing. My thoughts are with her family & all those affected", the message said.
Lou said Chan had been a big fan of Canto-pop, in particular singer Joey Yung, whom she had met, sharing photos of the two together on Facebook.
“Everyone in the school knew she was a crazy fan of [Yung], so whenever anyone said anything about her and Canto-pop, Vivian just went crazy about it,” Lou said.
WATCH: Video captures bomb explosion at Thai shrine
On her Facebook page, Yung posted a tribute to her biggest fan in the form of a poem, along with a photo of the two together.
“You have left a deep impression in me. Your wit, loveliness and your smile with dimples on the cheek,” she said.
“Thank you for being in my life. Our last conversation you said you would study hard and then we meet again. [I] never thought life could be that fickle … I hope you rest in peace.”
In the site’s latest post, likely written by Chan, she talked enthusiastically of the fresh raw crab sashimi she had eaten the day before in Thailand.
“Definitely a must-try when you come to Bangkok! Fair price with [high] quality dishes!” she wrote on Instagram.
Beneath the most recent post, one Instagram user wrote: “RIP”.
WATCH: Investigation into bomb blast starts
“I still can’t believe this is real … I still believe Vivian is alive… I miss you, please come back my sister,” one Facebook user wrote.
Chan and Pang were travelling with celebrity Hong Kong hairdresser Ben Lee and his girlfriend, who were injured in the bombing attack.
With decades of experience in the hair industry, Lee has worked with celebrities like Chow Yun-fat, Maggie Cheung, Faye Wong and Hilary Tsui.
Chan and Pang were among at least 21 people were killed in the bomb blast near Bangkok’s Erawan Shrine last night.
Tom Tse Ka-chun, a former university friend of Pang at the Tsing Yi campus of the Institute of Vocational Educational, said they had studied human resource management together.
“Arcadia was very gentle and quiet. She was always very friendly. I remember we often helped each other out in our coursework,” he said.
Tse said he was still shocked after hearing the news of his former schoolfriend’s death. “It felt very sudden. I couldn’t imagine this would happen,” he said.
Chan quoted a Canto-pop song by Juno Mak in a caption for her travel photos on Facebook.
“The most touching moment may not last forever. Unforgettable because you always have it in mind,” she wrote.
Additional reporting by Allen Au-Yeung and Lai Ying-Kit
If you have more information about the two victims and survivors of the blast, please contact us at [email protected]
