British man completes 2,100km charity run for Thai children

A British man triumphantly completed his charity run designed to raise funds for orphanages and underprivileged children in Thailand. He achieved this by running from the northernmost to the southernmost district of the country.

The Englishman, Chris Russell, launched his charity project, Run Thailand 2,100 KM, in January this year in a bid to donate money to Thai orphanages and schools catering to underprivileged children. He invited all people with kind hearts to contribute to the cause via the JustGiving website, setting a target of 5,000 pounds (230,000 baht).

Russell planned to run from the northernmost district of Thailand, Mae Sai, in Chiang Rai province to the southernmost district, Betong, in Yala province within 50 days. He began his journey on January 10 and opted to stop running at night, seeking nearby hotels for accommodation.

In addition to the charitable aspect, Russell shared that he gained valuable experiences and enjoyed the scenic views during his journey. Many Thai locals and foreigners encouraged him along the way and contributed to the cause. Some hotel owners supported him by offering free accommodation.

Local media outlet YalaToDay reported that Russell entered his latest destination in Thailand, Betong, at about 11.30am on February 27. He stayed at the Chueng-Kao Resort for a night before continuing his journey to the Thailand-Malaysia border. Russell revealed to the media that he stayed in Malaysia and travelled around the country before flying to Bangkok.

Russell announced the success of his mission on Facebook today, March 1. The funds raised exceeded expectations, totalling over 5,500 pounds (250,000 baht). He had not yet revealed the list of the organisations that will receive the funds.

A Thai singer, Artiwara “Toon” Kongmalai, from a rock band called Bodyslam previously ran a similar charity route in 2017. Toon ran from Betong to Mae Sai district for 55 days and raised over 1.3 billion baht for 11 hospitals.

However, some Thais criticised Toon, arguing that his attempt addressed symptoms rather than the root cause, which they believed depended on government budget allocations. The others defended Toon saying no one should be condemned for doing a good deed.