Rotary bed race aids local poor

Pattaya’s second annual Rotary International Bed Race competition was held on January 31, with more than Bt300,000 (about $US9,000) being raised to improve the lot of underprivileged families in the area.

An estimated 25,000 holiday makers and residents lined the route to watch teams from local Thai and foreign businesses take part in the event, which entailed teams of people pushing four-wheeled objects loosely described as beds with a passenger onboard around a gruelling street circuit in 30C (about 86F) temperatures.

Supported by the Tourism authority of Thailand (TAT) and Pattaya City Hall, the 32 entrants each paid Bt5,000 ($150) to enter the event, with additional funds raised through the sale of raffle tickets for prizes donated by local businesses, including a Bt38,000 ($1,145) electric powered bicycle.

In the lead-up to the races the marshalling area at The Avenue shopping complex on Pattaya’s second road took on a festive atmosphere, with sponsors erecting booths to display their goods and services, traditional Thai music and dancing, and face paining for children.

Local media mogul and leading Pattaya Rotarian, Niels Colov, said the 2010 Pattaya International Bed Race had attracted a larger field of contestants that last year, as well as a greater range of donated prizes.

“The support of cIty hall and the TAT, as well as from local business owners, is extremely encouraging and there is no doubt the bed race will now be an annual occurrence and be both an attraction for tourists and an important way the ex-pat community can help the underprivileged in the area”, he said.

Money raised from the event will be used by the Pattaya Rotary Club to help disadvantaged families in the area to offset the cost of school fees and uniforms, as well as to provide schools in the area with computers for in-classroom use.

Mr Colov said he had received a text message from Pattaya mayor Ittipol Kumpleum at 10.20pm on the evening of the race after he had seen news reports on Japanese television of the event.

First prize was won by a team from Walking Streets MIXX Discotheque and the Sitpholek Muay Thai Boxing Academy, who finished narrowly ahead on time of an entry from the Mercure Hotel Pattaya, while CTLS English language School finished in third place.

The most decorated bed trophy was awarded to CTLS English Language School, while the team from local Irish bar Murphy’s Law were penalised by officials and awarded the booby prize after, in true Irish fashion, they were found to have stopped along the way for liquid refreshments at one of the beer bars lining the route.