Dec 08
About 20 years ago three friends and avid climbers came to Thailand to climb its limestone cliffs. They went to a tiny town called Railay and later started also climbing in nearby Tonsai. The bolts they used to set the 500 or more routes were steel bolts like what the rest of the world was using. However, about a year later they noticed that the bolts were starting to erode and break. Climbers are in danger of falling to their deaths if bolts break when they are climbing. Many bolts broke but no one died. The men immediately started looking for a solution knowing that if someone did die from an accident the Thai government would most likely shut down rock climbing in Thailand forever. They learned from researchers that the bolts were eroding quickly because the water flowing through this specific limestone, with its many plants on top, has a higher acidity. They were told that the only type of bolt that would last was one made of titanium.
Titanium bolts, however, are extremely expensive. Each bolt and its special glue costs about $40. Thus, they started the Thaitanium Project. The Thaitanium Project is raising money through the selling of a climbing movie and t-shirts to replace the steel bolts. In the last 2 seasons alone 850 bolts have been replaced. That is about 215 routes’ worth.
Thousands of climbers from almost every country in the world come here to enjoy the awesome rock climbing. For one of my International Service projects I decided to help the cause. While Rebekah was climbing those routes I went around and invited climbers to the showing of the movie mentioned above. I met people from all over the world. Then I helped the people at Basecamp set up a projector to show it. A bunch of people came, enjoyed the movie, and bought shirts afterwards.
The Thaitanium Project will hopefully continue to help replace all the steel bolts, and in turn, save lives and rock climbing in Thailand.
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