A week of inspiration and scandals

The Third Eye System, Ear Tip Solution and Smart Leg Technology mobile phone apps are being promoted via the Facebook pages of Run 2gether Mini-Marathon (LINE ID @runto?gether) and Khon Thai Foundation.

The organisers have posted a video clip demonstrating how it works. It shows how a person with visual disability needs to merely press a button on his mobile phone and say “Hi Meng, bring me to run.”

This request is then passed on to volunteers who can help guide their disabled fellow runners on the 10, 5 and 2.5-kilometre range of the mini-marathon. 

These guides can lead the blind down the track, warn the deaf of any accidents they may face, run hand-in-hand with friends with prosthetic legs or push wheelchairs. 

The mini-marathon is scheduled for March 20 at Lumpini Park. 

The disabled without a running partner have until the end of this month to apply, while volunteers who have not found a partner can apply from January 14-17 at the “Give Me A Hand, Khon Thai” event to be held at CentralWorld. 

The inspirational promotional video clip, https://www.facebook.com/RunTogetherMiniMarathon/videos/995261597179424/, won a lot of positive comments. 

Yudhdhabhumi Ruechai wrote: “What a great idea! It makes me want to go and run.”

Chill FM89 wrote: “A good thing we want to share, [this is] what gives the blind the courage to come and run.”

Amornthep Nantasing wrote: “Let’s make some friends.”

Yupa Thongchuchuay wrote: “It would be great if such an event is also held in the provinces.” 

Natpakorn Pattaranit wrote: “Interesting. By the way, who is the organiser? I am afraid it may be like other marathon events held previously that had so many problems.”

Apart from this clip, there were several other topics doing the rounds in social media over the past week. 

Several people discussed the prime minister and his government’s “handling” of slumping rubber prices, while others talked about the seizure of 2016 calendars featuring photos of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his sister Yingluck. 

Some social-media users also monitored the irregularities in Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s projects, including its “Light of Happiness” scheme, while others discussed the state of the economy and advised people to save their money and use it wisely. 

There were also some who watched developments in the love-triangle involving actress Napapa “Pat” Tantrakul. 

Wilairat Aimaiem wrote: “I finished reading the story of Pat as I was wondering what the issue was about. It’s about nothing! It’s personal and we have nothing to do with it... Save your time and travel or eat something... Just posting this on Facebook took me five minutes. Is that a waste?”

Since today is Children’s Day in Thailand, several people chose to use their childhood photo as their profile picture, though there weren’t that many this year. 

Pramon Tangtrakulsub noticed this and posted: “Is it no longer trendy to post childhood photos to welcome Children’s Day this year?”