The streets and sidewalks of Pattaya will be reverberating to the sound of thousands of pattering footsteps early Sunday morning, July 27, as the city gears up to play host to the 23rd edition of the King’s Cup Pattaya Marathon.
Some 10,000 plus participants, including pro-athletes, weekend runners, joggers and walkers are expected to make the start line at this year’s event, making it one of the biggest sporting events in the kingdom that involves public participation.
Pattaya mayor Itthiphol Kunplome (standing center) poses with organizers, city officials and sponsors following a July 9 press conference to announce details of this weekend’s King’s Cup Pattaya Marathon.
Both city and TAT officials are hopeful that the marathon will act as a springboard to restore confidence and attract more tourists to the area following the ending of the nationwide military curfew last month. It is anticipated that the race alone could bring in up to 50 million baht in additional tourism revenue for local hotels and restaurants.
As always, the marathon will be accompanied by the usual forms of peripheral entertainment including live music, dancing and market stalls along Beach Road throughout the weekend.
This year’s route for the runners will follow a similar path to the 2013 event. The marathon route (Red on the map) will take the runners and wheelchair athletes north from the start point opposite Central Beach shopping mall on Beach Road out onto Sukhumvit Road before heading towards Sattahip as far as the Wat Khao Cheejan turn-off and then back to Pattaya via Jomtien and Khao Phratamnak.
The half marathon (Yellow) and quarter marathon (Green) will follow a similar route except that runners will turn for home at Soi Wat Boon and the South Pattaya Road respectively before heading back via Jomtien Beach and Pattaya Central Road.
A separate 5km fun run/micro marathon will follow a circuitous route along North Road, Third Road and Central before ending back at the start-finish point.
Start times for the various races are listed as follows: wheelchair racers leave at 3:30 a.m., full-marathon runners at 3:45 a.m., half-marathoners at 5:30 a.m., and quarter marathoners at 6.00 a.m. Participants in the 5km. “fun run” and walk will depart at 6:15 a.m. All races are expected to be over by 9:45 a.m.
Runners in the full race will be segregated by gender and into five age brackets: 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-and-up. In addition to cash prizes and trophies for the first four athletes in each race category, there also will be a 50,000 baht bonus paid to anyone breaking the current Pattaya Marathon record (male 2.19.35) and (female 2.42.41) or 100,000 baht if the Thai national all-comers records are broken, currently (male 2.12.32) and (female 2.21.41).
Registration in Pattaya is open until July 26. Applications are being accepted at the Tourism Promotion Office at Pattaya City Hall, Athletic Association of Thailand offices, nationwide running clubs, schools, government agencies and state enterprises.
Prices for entry into the various races are 2,800 for the full marathon (but only 1,000 baht for Thai nationals), 2,500 baht for the half-race (800 baht for Thais) and 2,000 baht, or if Thai, 500 baht for the quarter marathon. The “fun run” is free.
Online registration can be made at Pattaya-Marathon. net or for more information call 038-251-128 in Pattaya or 02-669-6645 in Bangkok.
