The event was inaugurated at 6:46am yesterday at the Thanyapura Sports & Health Resort in Thalang by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew who signalled the start of the trail run for the athletes.
He was joined by Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO or OrBorJor) President Rewat Areerob, Jirapohn Khaosawad, the Chief Executive Officer and President of PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited (OR), in addition to various heads and executives of government agencies and representatives of select private sector organisations.
“This year’s ‘OR Thanyapura Trail Run 2021’ competition is the 8th time being held at Thanyapura Sports & Health Resort, and this year is special as there is great support from OR, PPAO and the private sector,” Mr Rewat said.
“More than 1,000 people took part in the challenge to scale the top of the Khao Phra Thaeo mountain,” he added.
“The objective is to raise awareness of the importance that playing sports and exercising has on people’s health while stimulating the ecotourism economy for Khao Phra Thaeo. Income generated after expenses will be donated to public charity. For example, PPAO will allocate a share of the income towards utility packages for the unemployed in Phuket and the Gibbon Reintroduction Project, part of the Wild Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand.”
Ms Jiraporn explained that the trail run is part of an initiative being run by OR called “Empowering All toward Inclusive Growth” that strives to create benefits for society, the community and the environment.
“It is an honour for OR to be the main sponsor of the Thanyapura Trail Run 2021, an event that avid runners have been waiting for,” she said.
Ms Jiraporn added that the event was made possible thanks to the cooperation of many agencies, including Thanyapura Sports & Health Resort, OR, PPAO and others that have all lent great support.
“OR fully supports Thai tourism which has been so badly affected by COVID-19,” she said.
“Phuket successfully piloted the Phuket Sandbox project as the first province open to fully vaccinated foreign tourists, an initiative which we believe has helped drive domestic tourism and stimulate the Phuket economy,” she added.
Additional highlights included a range of local delicacies that were distributed to the runners and observers. These included Garcinia juice from Kamala Bang Wan Tourism Community, Kosui dessert from Lipon Tourism Community, the sacred dessert of Ew Pueng from Baan Khian Tourism Community, Sai Oua Gai from Bang Rong Tourism Community and Khao Yam from Cherng Talay Tourism Community.
The occasion fully adhered to mandatory health and safety measures to control and prevent any possible spread of COVID-19.