Rain awaits ironman Toon again

Toon Bodyslam chats with Prayoon Khumkuar, 75, who was waiting to donate money to the rocker's charity run for hospitals, in Chaiya district of Surat Thani on Friday. (Photo by Supapong Chaolan)

If weather forecasters are correct, marathon rocker Toon Bodyslam will be running in the rain again as early as Sunday.

The Meteorological Department on Saturday issued a warning for a dozen provinces including Chumphon and Prachuap Khiri Khan from Sunday to Tuesday. Some areas could be battered by heavy downpours as tropical storm Kirogi makes landfall in Vietnam and Cambodia on Sunday, it added.

The 38-year-old Bodyslam frontman is now in Chumphon, one of the storm targets.

Toon, also known as Artiwara Kongmalai, took Saturday off in Lamae district of Chumphon after finishing his run on Friday in Tha Chana district of Surat Thani. His doctors had advised a rest day to recover his strength given the gruelling pace he set to make up lost time in Surat Thani where tens of thousands of people waited to welcome him.

Rain is not an unfamiliar obstacle for Toon. The ironman was greeted by heavy showers on the fourth day of his charity run in Yala and at least twice on Nov 11 while he was on the road in Nakhon Si Thammarat, and again five days later in Surat Thani.

The singer will hit the road again on Sunday from Langsuan district in Chumphon. His goal for the day is to reach the Thung Kha post office in Muang district to add another 50 kilometres to his journey.

Toon has logged 676 kilometres since he set off on Nov 1 from Betong district in Yala, the country's southernmost point, on a quest for donations to help state hospitals in need of more and better equipment for patients. All told, he intends to cover 2,191km in 55 days.

He plans to reach Mae Sai district in Chiang Rai on Dec 25, with 700 million baht in donations in hand. So far, according to the Kao Kon Lakao (everyone takes a step) website, contributions have surpassed 280 million baht.