Chartpattanakla Party leader Korn Chatikavanij is undergoing possibly his biggest endurance test in the pre-poll campaign by attempting to swim across a section of the vast Songkhla Lake.
In a Facebook post, the former finance minister said the swim will be the highlight of his three-day campaign visit to Songkhla, which begins on Friday.
He is set to join his campaign team and the party's potential MP candidates who will be touring all four constituencies in the province.
On Friday, Mr Korn said he and his team will meet supporters in the old quarter of Songkhla's Muang district and take part in the celebration marking the 181st anniversary of Songkhla's founding. He is also scheduled to speak at a forum on economic issues.
On Saturday, the party will get together with a group of "smart farmers", so-called because they employ new technology in their farming practices. The party will also address complaints from local residents about a waste problem in tambon Khuan Lang in downtown Hat Yai district.
"But the highlight of the campaign in Songkhla is on March 12 when I will be swimming two kilometres across Songkhla Lake," he said.
The charity swim, Mr Korn added, is meant to promote community tourism in the Muang Kao-Hua Khao area.
He will start from Rong See Daeng point and swim to Songkhla Pier. The activity will raise funds to buy medical equipment for the Hua Khao Health Promoting Hospital in Songkhla's Singha Nakhon district.
Mr Korn said Songkhla is a province where Chartpattanakla has high hopes of winning seats.
According to Songkhla Focus, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is the most popular party leader among Songkhla residents, at 39%, followed by Mr Korn at 20%.
