Bodyslam lead singer Artiwara "Toon" Kongmalai yesterday received his largest donation of 16 million baht from a businessman, since starting his 2,191km charity run on Nov 1.
Total donations now surpass 180 million baht.
Toon, 38, has captured Thai hearts with his charity marathon from Yala's Betong district in southernmost Thailand to Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district in the farthest north of the country. He will end his run on Christmas Day.
The marathon aims to raise about 700 million baht in donations for 11 state-run hospitals across the country. The money is meant to be used by the hospitals to buy medical equipment.
Toon greeted his fans flocking the area outside Jimmy Chawala's shop in Muang district in Nakhon Si Thammarat yesterday morning.
He had just arrived in Muang district from Chalerm Prakiat district.
Provincial governor Chamroen Thipayapongthada handed the indie rock idol a cheque for 16 million baht on behalf of Mr Jimmy when he arrived at Wat Phra Mahathat Maha Vihara, one of the landmarks of the province, in Muang district. The cheque was made out to the people of Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Mr Jimmy said he wanted to help the rocker on behalf of 1.6 million people in the province.
The 60-year-old textile trader owns "Jimmy Shop", the province's largest clothing store, and is one of the richest people in the province. However, Mr Jimmy tends to keep to himself and maintains a humble and low profile.
"The donation is not my money or the money of the Chawala family," he said in an interview earlier. "It was the money of all the people in Nakhon Si Thammarat who came to my shop. They came to support my family."
More than 10,000 people flocked to the temple to see their idol arrive, and several thousand occupied Ratchadamneon Road outside Mr Jimmy's shop to support Toon.
The businessman came out to meet Toon yesterday.
Toon said he was happy to see so many people in Nakhon Si Thammarat coming out to meet him and give donations.
"I am not a phra ake (leading actor). The true phra ake are the doctors and nurses at hospitals," Toon told the crowd in Nakhon Si Thammarat.
