Ultrarunner Stephen Sammut Nurminen has set off on a 765 km charity run across Thailand in aid of Soup Kitchen OFM and Dar Hosea.

He began the run in the western city of Mae Sot in the early hours of Sunday morning and over the week will make his way east across the country to the town of Mukdahan on the border with Laos.

The athlete aims to complete the run in eight days and says he will be the first person to run east across the country if he completes the trek.

The attempt will see Sammut Nurminen battle high heat and humidity while having to be on the lookout for road dangers – and even packs of stray dogs, he says.

At around 2am on Sunday morning on a lonely highway in western Thailand, the ultrarunner set off on one of his toughest challenges yet, and one he says could be the first of its kind.

Over the next week he will traverse highways and mountains as he attempts to cross the width of Thailand to raise money to provide meals for those in need, supported by a team including his partner, a videographer, driver and his pet dog.

To complete the run in the eight days as planned, he will need to cover more than 100 km and run up to 18 hours each day.

Sammut Nurminen's journey began in the early hours of Sunday morning. Photo: Sinegugu Ngwenya.

Speaking to Times of Malta hours before the run, Sammut Nurminen said he was “anxious to get started; I want to get the first 80 km over and done with.”

But he will have to temper his enthusiasm with caution, noting Thailand is “quite dangerous in parts,” pointing to dangerous roads – he says there are around 30,000 road deaths in the country each year – and even packs of stray dogs, which he said could be “quite confident” in large numbers.

“I’m well aware of the risks but I’ll have a team with me every step of the way,” he said.

Thailand’s tropical climate will also prove a challenge, he said, describing the humidity in the country as “crazy... I’m used to it living in Malta, but here it’s insane.”

He moved to the country’s capital Bangkok in May to prepare for the run and now says he has acclimatised to the conditions.

Asked why he chose Thailand for the run, Sammut Nurminen said he visited the country last year and enjoyed running there so much he decided to plan a trek across the country, becoming more enthusiastic as he researched possible routes.

“I really love the running here – for what I do, Malta is a bit small. Then I looked to see if anyone had run from east to west and nobody had done it.”

The runner will have a team supporting him "every step of the way". Photo: Sinegugu Ngwenya.

Sammut Nurminen hopes to raise enough money during his run to provide 5,000 meals for Soup Kitchen OFM and Dar Hosea in partnership with Maltese company Garnish, with each meal costing €4.

Valletta-based Soup Kitchen OFM provides freshly prepared meals three times per week, legal and psychological help and assistance finding a job. Dar Hosea aids vulnerable women exploited into prostitution.

This is not the first time Sammut Nurminen has put his running shoes to charitable use, with his annual runs around the university track in Msida now a regular December feature.

The ultrarunner plans to stay in Thailand long-term – or, at least, for the foreseeable future. But he says he will be back in Malta in time for his next run in Msida.

To follow Sammut Nurminen’s journey and to donate, head to his funding page.