Ratchaburi Province has opened the exhibition "Light Leads the Nation: Walk, Run, Cycle to Prevent Stroke, 12th Edition Honoring the King" to promote stroke prevention and is preparing for a simultaneous running event on 1 Nov at Chakri Chakkraphan Memorial Park.
At 09:30 on 27 Oct 2026 GMT+7, Ms. Thitilak Khampha, Governor of Ratchaburi, Dr. Pacharee Areerob, Chief Medical Officer of Ratchaburi, Mr. Chitsakorn Rangsrisermsuk, Deputy Chief of Ratchaburi Provincial Administrative Organization, and related agencies joined the honorary exhibition and stroke awareness exhibition under the project "Light Leads the Nation: Walk, Run, Cycle to Prevent Stroke, 12th Edition Honoring the King, Ratchaburi Province" at the Ban Pong Municipality Community Hall building, Ratchaburi.
Dr. Pacharee Areerob, Chief Medical Officer of Ratchaburi, stated that stroke is a major global and national public health problem. Each year, the World Health Organization reports over 15 million stroke cases worldwide, with about 5 million deaths and more than 5 million permanent disabilities.
In Thailand, stroke remains a leading cause of death among the population. Data from the Ministry of Public Health for 2022-2024 shows an average of over 330 cases per 100,000 people annually, equating to more than 300,000 new patients each year. Among these, the death rate is approximately 5–10%, and over 60–70% suffer disabilities after treatment, severely affecting patients' and families' quality of life.
This activity results from cooperation among Siriraj Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Interior, and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. It has three main objectives: to honor His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen, who are inspiring examples in health preservation; to promote stroke prevention activities emphasizing exercise such as walking and running; and to educate the public about stroke, prevention methods, and treatment access to reduce disability and mortality rates.
Ratchaburi Province will hold the "Walk, Run to Prevent Stroke" event nationwide on Sunday, 1 November 2026, at Chakri Chakkraphan Memorial Park (at the base of Khao Kaen Chan), Mueang District, Ratchaburi. The event includes two categories: a 4.4-kilometer walk and a 9.4-kilometer run.
