The event was organised by the Phuket People’s Good Health Project with a focus on the three core principles of achieving a healthy lifestyle, namely diet, exercise and mental wellbeing.
There was no official confirmation of how many people participated exactly but the numbers were high, organisers said, with people of all ages joining in the fun.
Rewat Areerop, President of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO) presided over the opening ceremony ahead of the run’s official start time of 4pm.
Joining Mr Rewat at the opening cermony were PPAO deputy heads Tiwat Seedokbub and Anupap Wetsanong, in addition to PPAO Deputy Permanent Secretary Saowaluck Chankaew, government officials and members of the general public.
As part of his speech Mr Rewat explained how the PPAO has an official policy to continually promote the pursuit of a healthylife style among local residents to minimise the chance of sickness and disease, specifcally in regards to adhering to a healthy, nutrious diet and engaging in a regular exercise routine.
Yesterday’s event was the final one of three that have been organised to encourage local residents to get active and healthier, he added. The previous events were held at Bang Wad Reservoir in Kathu on June 24 and at Ban Bang Niew Dam on July 22.
All three events have provided local residents a fun and exciting opportunity to get active with friends and family, whether participants decided to run the course or merely walk it, Mr Rewat said.
He added that he hopes events such as these can contribute to a positive shift in mindset regarding the importance of healthy living where people become more conscious of what they cook and eat and how active they are, which not only fends off disease but promotes a much stronger state of mental health.
There were a number of food and beverage stalls at the finish line to help the runners hydrate after the run and a live musical perfomance was staged to further enhance the fun.