A Thai singer-actor on Tuesday announced he would swim across the Gulf of Thailand to raise funds for marine wildlife and to raise awareness of plastic pollution.
Phakin “Tono” Khamwilaisak rolled out his One Man and the Sea campaign last night with a flashy media event at the EmQuartier shopping mall, saying he would swim 82 kilometers from Surat Thani to Koh Samui over the course of 18 days starting March 19.
The campaign, which seeks to recreate the magic of rockstar Artiwara “Toon” Kongmalai’s 2017 charity run, is meant to encourage Thais to reduce plastic waste while raising funds for government marine wildlife centers in Phuket and Rayong provinces that care for threatened species.
The 33-year-old former reality TV star said he came to appreciate the threat plastic pollution poses to Thailand’s seas while working on a volunteer beach-cleaning project for a year.
“If I’m doing something to encourage people to reduce single-use plastics, there’s no more perfect place than the ocean,” Tono said at Tuesday’s press conference.
His itinerary includes stops at 12 islands with Koh Samui as the final destination.
Tono rose to fame as a contestant of reality TV singing competition The Star Season 6 in 2010. He went on to act in several television soap operas, sitcoms and movies. He’s also been a tabloid fixture for his romantic life.
The One Man and the Sea campaign will provide more information at its Facebook page.
Tono joins the ranks of high-profile swims to raise ocean health awareness. In 2018, Lewis Pugh swam the entire length of the English Channel to call for 30% of the world’s oceans to be protected by 2030.
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