Thai star’s Mekong charity swim raises 56m baht for 2 hospitals

THAI singer, actor and footballer Phakin Khamwilaisak, nicknamed Tono, successfully completed his “One Man and the River” 15-kilometre charity swim to and fro Mekong river today (Oct. 22) raising 56 million baht in donations for a Thai and a Laotian hospital, Naewna newspaper said.

At noon today when Tono and his team reached Wat Phra That Si Kodtabon in Laos lots of people were on hand to welcome him amid a lively atmosphere.

Then at 4 p.m. the star and his team began their swim back to the Thai side at Phaya Si Sattanakharat courtyard, Nakhon Phanom province, reaching the Thai bank at 5 p.m.

In successfully completing his charity mission, Tono and his team obtained around 56 million baht in donations for Nakhon Phanom Hospital in this Thai province and Khammouane Provincial Hospital in Laos.

Tono is from Khon Kaen province and became known in 2010 from participating in the sixth season of the singing competition The Star, according to Wikipedia.

In 2021, he started to play as a midfielder for Thai League 1 club Ratchaburi Mitr Phol after being given a short six-month contract.

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Tono swimming across the Mekong river to Laos and then back home to Thailand’s Nakhon Phanom province. Photos: Naewna

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