Sittwe:  An 83-year-old Arakanese man has travelled to 146 towns in Burma on a bicycle and is currently visiting southern Shan State near the Thai border, said a relative.

U Nga Pru began his journey to 146 towns and several regions in Burma from Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State, on 9 November, 2008.

According those who know him, he started his journey early one morning in Sittwe and travelled to the nearby town of Ponna Kyunt on his old bicycle via the Sittwe-Rangoon highway.

U Nga Pru reached Burma proper from Arakan State in the first week of December and reached Shan State on 24 December.

People in several towns along the way welcomed him on his arrival, said an eyewitness. This is the fifth time that U Nga Pru has set out on a journey to visit towns of Burma on a bicycle. He began journeying on his bicycle in 2000, when he was 75-years-old.

During his bicycle trips, he mobilized young people not to smoke or drink alcohol in order to improve their health.