Competitors started by swimming from the Mekong River bank in Laos for 1.7 km to Wiang in Thailand.
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CHIANG RAI – The Chiang Rai Provincial administration hosted a triathlon competition with more than 250 ASEAN athletes at Wiang sub-district in Chiang Saen district Sunday.
Athletes competed in the race that saw them swimming, cycling and running through three ASEAN nations: Lao PDR, Thailand and Myanmar.
Competitors started by swimming from the Mekong River bank in Laos for 1.7 km to Wiang in Thailand. They biked another 53 km to Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district, before running 12 more km to Tachileik in Myanmar, then making a return run to the finish line in Mae Sai. The total distance of the race was 71 km.
The triathlon celebrates the 61st birthday of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on April 2.
The race also demonstrates the good relationship of the three Mekong and ASEAN nations, while promoting tourism in Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.
The competition is expected to attract triathlon competitors from around the world to the area in the future, helping to make Chiang Rai an important tourism hub in ASEAN.