KHON KAEN: Singer Artiwara "Toon Bodyslam" Kongmalai on Sunday expressed gratitude for all the support he's received from people in the Northeast after he completed his two-day marathon to help small hospitals in the region.
The lead singer of rock band Bodyslam said he wanted to thank people along the 187-kilometre route from Nong Khai to Khon Kaen for their support and contributions from coins to banknotes.
After completing his run in Khon Kaen on Sunday, "Toon" repeated the message he's stressed since the beginning of his south-north run from Betong district in Yala to Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai in 2017.
"What is more important than money is that I want to see everybody doing exercise," he said. "When we have good health, we do not need to go to hospital.
"If everybody goes out for exercise, they will have better health. That is better than giving money to hospitals," he said.
Donations for the northeastern run have reached over 42 million baht. The final figures are expected no later than Monday. The money will be used to buy medical equipment for eight hospitals in the region. The rocker said the donations from this latest run exceeded his expectations.
"Toon" said he planned to use the two-day format for future runs nationwide.
The iron man and his friends started the run on Saturday from the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge in Nong Khai. His run on Sunday went from Non Sa-at district in Udon Thani to Khon Kaen city.
