sun soon chuah

Chuah Sun Soon is a third year undergraduate business student at the Singapore Management University (SMU). Prior to that, he completed a diploma in mechanical engineering at Temasek Polytechnic (2005). Strongly inclined in machine design and development and well versed in overseas expeditions, he conceived this unique journey of embarking onto the Silk Road on a bamboo bicycle. In this capacity, he had already started developing a prototype of a reliable bamboo bicycle that could be used not only for this trip but developed elsewhere. The intention is to educate locals along the way and to return to Singapore sharing his experience and training others to develop their own sustainable project. Depending on the level of support received, Sun Soon hopes to explore business opportunities in eco-tourism and social enterprise, especially in under-discovered parts of the Silk Road (countries of Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan). Sun Soon, 25 years old, revives the ‘road concept’ in a time where tour operators are monopolizing the tourist industry and airlines are struggling to deliver basic services while complying with today’s environmental standards. Going back to the basics of traveling and exploring countries where few have tread, Sun Soon is redefining modern humanism. He deliberately goes back to the roots and essence of traveling (surface, slow motion), combining various elements on the top of cultural exposure and self challenges such as social enterprise and environmental concerns. In 2004, he joined the Singapore International Foundation (SIF) and helped build a road for a rural village in Chang Rai, Thailand, under the Youth Expedition Project (YEP), after which he took the role of project coordinator in tsunami relief efforts in Sri Lanka to help villagers affected by the tsunami. In 2009, he embarked on a solo 12,000 km motorbike ride from India to Russia crossing 14 countries in 8 weeks, including Pakistan, Iran and Turkey. He returned to Singapore by train and buses, crossing another 9 countries in 4 weeks. Along his way on his 150 cc motorbike, Sun Soon could not forget the people he had met, all of whom were very hospitable and curious towards him. They were simply amazed to see a young man visiting and crossing their country on a second hand motorbike. He was invited into homes and he witnessed first-hand the beauty of their country and how the people were living in peace, contrary to news reports. Touched by his experiences, Sun Soon made himself a promise to revisit certain portions of his journey, to reconnect with the people and to encourage others to lead a simpler lifestyle. Sun Soon is a born and bred Singaporean. He speaks English and Mandarin, with a smattering of Russian.

Businesses that created with an impact for societies

Entitled The Circle of Life, this expedition embodies the concept of the connectivity of life and relationships across cultures, legacies and geographical boundaries. Exploring the Silk Road on a bamboo bicycle – this expedition goes back to basics. It aims to reconnect with the rich, forgotten lands of Central Asia that have been tormented by the aftereffects of war, and rediscover the gem that used to be the epicenter of trade. The use of a bamboo bicycle emphasizes the interconnectivity between humans and nature and captures the charm of simplicity. This adventure will allow an individual to EXPLORE forgotten foreign lands, EXPERIENCE diverse and mystical cultures and EXEMPLIFY the enterprising spirit of an ordinary Singaporean.

Enterpreneurship, Mechanical, Operation Management

Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) was, in its glory days, the epicenter of the longest and most enduring trade route bridging East and West – the legendary Silk Road. Political unrest has resulted in the diminishing positions of these beautiful and historical lands. One gung-ho undergraduate will attempt to retrace the glory of the Silk Route on a traditional bamboo bicycle. The unprecedented solo bicycle trip will take him over some of the roughest terrains and an inhospitable climate covering some 3,400 km. This is an adventure of self-discovery motivated by one person’s intense desire to reconnect with nature, culture and history at their rawest and most basic.

I am another ordinary person that keep trying to push the limits of myself