There is no question the Toon Bodyslam's cause is the most robust in town at the moment. The scrawny rocker set off on a charity super-marathon less than a week ago and people are already screaming he should be prime minister.
The massive recognition the rocker has generated from his latest charity super-marathon is a remarkable feat in itself. However, what could be more noteworthy is what his cause has stirred -- the goodwill, arguments both for and against his attempt, how it has brought the country's problems to the fore and what are the best ways to address them.
Whether or not Artiwara Kongmalai, aka Toon, of the rock band Bodyslam, achieves what he has set out to do, to raise 700 million baht for 11 public hospitals by running 2,191km from Yala to Chiang Rai, his attempt has already attained phenomenal attention.
Atiya Achakulwisut is a columnist, Bangkok Post.
In trying to help state hospitals known to be suffering from inadequate funding, a lack of staff and excessive demands from ever increasing patients, people see in Toon Bodyslam a selfless act to shore up a crumbling system even though it is immensely difficult.
By daring to tackle a huge system that seems to be beyond an individual touch, Artiwara is giving people hope.
The rocker has shown people he is not asking for anything for free. He is willing to go through hardship himself to earn their donations.
Also, his attempt to do what seems impossible by running the equivalent of a full marathon a day for 55 days, is encouragement for people to start thinking big and coming up with grand plans such as fixing problems in the country that are not being solved.
Artiwara has raised more than 80 million baht so far, plus an immeasurable amount of goodwill. Thousands of people line the street where he is running. Children wait to give him coins collected from their piggy banks. Soldiers chip in their 20-baht notes. Sick and disabled people sit in wheelchairs waiting to catch a glimpse of the inspiring runner.
As Artiwara runs on, his quest becomes more inspirational. It has become a reminder that goodwill and humanitarianism still exist in a country marred by suppression, inequalities and almost unbearable deficiencies in certain areas -- the public health service the rocker is trying to improve included.
The bright, inspiring side of Toon's charity run belies a depressing reality, however. The Toon Bodyslam run may be the strongest bandwagon people have jumped on in a long while, but is unlikely to make a structural difference. No matter how nice Artiwara is to people he runs past, how touched the public are about his dedication or how much they would be willing to donate, the bottom line will remain the same.
Artiwara might be able to raise 700 million baht or more from his charity run but the money will not make a major difference, not in the 11 state hospitals benefiting from the campaign or the public health service in general. The money might buy some new equipment which could save lives. But overall conditions; overcrowding, lack of funds and inadequate medical staff, are unlikely to be resolved by the charity money.
Even if Artiwara manages to accomplish his run on Dec 26 in Chiang Rai as planned, the country's priorities in terms of budget allocation are still set, with the Defence Ministry getting almost twice as much as the Public Health Ministry.
The singer may have seen some miserable aspects of state hospitals. Many of his donors have likely experienced them first-hand. Still, the government deems we need to spend more than 222 billion baht on submarines, tanks and other fancy planes and weapons.
Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha may thank Toon Bodyslam for his charity run, but the premier has kept the public health budget at some 136 billion baht. There is no clear direction from the regime leader either about how he plans to go about improving the system, increasingly burdened by an ageing population.
Amid the cheers and optimism the Toon Bodyslam bandwagon has created, most people agree the campaign is not just about the ambitious distance or money raised. They say the smiles and sense of fraternity the rocker has brought back to people as he runs from the country's southernmost point to its northernmost tip are more than worth it.
In a way, most people know deep in their hearts that Toon Bodyslam will not make the public health system better from the money he raises.
His run shows us we have some huge problems. How do we tackle them? The cause is huge but it's running to a standstill.
