Three Olympic medallists are among at least a dozen people undertaking journeys to the Grand Palace on foot or bicycle from upcountry as a mark of respect for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
In Lop Buri province, former Olympic boxing stars Manas Boonchamnong, Worapoj Phet-khum and Suriya Prasarthim-pimai yesterday started a run from in front of the Ban Mi district office. They are taking a route through Ban Mi town, on the Ban Mee-Sing Buri Road and Asia Highway, scheduled to take four days to reach Bangkok.
Manas won gold at the 2004 Athens Games and silver in Beijing in 2008, while Worapoj won silver at Athens and Suriya won bronze at Athens.
In Surat Thani, former boxer Somthob “Terdsakthani Singthani” Wichienjinda, 68, yesterday started his walk from hometown in Kanchanadit district to pay respects to the King in Bangkok. He said that he was inspired by news of people walking to Bangkok so he began his own trek. He said he aimed to cover at least 50 kilometres a day.
The boxers have been joined by other mourners including amateur boxer Amnat Reunrerng, a Prathom 6 student and gold medallist from the 2016 IFMA Youth World Championships, Akkarachai Chompuphoun, and professional runner Chuchit Reuwong.
Meanwhile, 39-year-old Lamphun native Ekkapol Tan, who started walking from Phitsanulok province on Sunday, reached Phichit province yesterday. He was welcomed by local residents who provided him with food and water, as well as money for him to make merit on their behalf for the King.
Ekkapol said he started from Phitsanulok because the route from Lamphun had many construction sites. He expects to reach Bangkok in a month.
Sugarcane farmer Somyot Sripanpring, 58, started walking from his hometown, Kamphaeng Phet, on Thursday and yesterday reached Nakhon Sawan’s Muang district. He expects to finish the 250-kilometre journey on Saturday.
Prior to the King’s death, he said he had intended to make nine long walks to wish His Majesty a recovery from illness. He said he wants to complete his mission of nine long walks.
Photo GalleryA look back at Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s life
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German national Hut Hartmundelen, 58, began walking from his home in Yasothon’s Muang district on Thursday and reached Roi Et’s Suwannaphum district yesterday, where he received a medical examination for his swollen left ankle. He said he had not exercised regularly before beginning the trip.
The German is married to a Thai woman and impressed with the Thai lifestyle and the King’s Sufficiency Economy philosophy. Despite his injury he is determined to finish the trip, which he believes will take another 15 days.
In Nakhon Ratchasima province, former village headman Somsak Kongthonglang, 61, started walking along the Mitraparp Highway from Tambon Klong Phai. He aims to walk 20km a day, and has about 180km to go before reaching Bangkok.
Two brothers from Phimai district in Nakhon Ratchasima, Boonsong Kaewniam, 31, and Weerapong Phumkrathok, 17, were found riding their bicycles along a highway in Prachin Buri’s Kabin Buri district on Sunday evening, having left Phimai on Thursday.
In the South, 52-year-old fruit vendor Supapol Laksanapan started a 1,000km-long bicycle journey early yesterday from Yala’s Muang district to Bangkok. He said it would take 15 days to reach the Grand Palace, where he would pay respects to the King.
“I was in grief and disheartened to do anything because of this country’s great loss. I, like the whole nation, loved the King very much and I had applied his teachings in life,” he said.
