Short-sighted race organizers hindering the development of Thailand as a runners’ destination

Running around the world is booming today. Running tourism is also accompanying this boom. Marathon runners of all ages sit back and develop ‘bucket lists’ of desirable marathons to run around the world each year.

The big city US marathons, as well as big city European marathons are always high on anybody’s list. Then there are the secondary cities with great panorama and local festivities. Next, there are the exotic runs with particularly challenging courses. Finally, there are those marathons in exotic locations.

Marathons in Thailand have the potential to draw in big foreign crowds. However local organizers appear to be more concerned with pulling in quick money than doing any improvements, long term development and market positioning of their races.

Greed on the part of Thai promoters and event management companies is preventing local marathons cashing in on this tourist running boom.

Although local organizers want top dollar from foreign participants, they are unwilling to provide the same standards and facilities as other similar marathons around the world provide runners.

Running tourists want to experience a whole race festival. Most race festivals extend over entire weekends, with many events held preceding the marathon. There are secondary races, concerts, marches, opening ceremonies, expos, and workshops.

In contrast, most Thai running events consist of race number collection the day before and the race itself, where most races are run in conjunction, so that all the races finish together.

This can be quite concerting when a person running a marathon has to manoeuvre around thousands of other runners, walking a 10km race along the same course at the same time. You would never see this in Melbourne, Gold Coast, New York, London, or Tokyo.

For someone very tired near the end of a marathon, this can be a very traumatic experience, enough to prevent a runner returning the next year.

Most international marathons have great signage and people along the way advising runners of where to go and how far to go. Bangkok and Pattaya marathons in contrast are very lucky to have any signage, and what signage is put down along the course, bares little relationship to the actual distance run and distance to go.

This is unforgivable in a major city marathon that presumes to be runner friendly.

Traffic control is another matter of concern in Thailand. Many runners along Thai marathon courses are instructed by police to stop for traffic. This is unheard of anywhere else in any major city marathon.

In Thailand, one must be vigilant in looking out for traffic in a city marathon. It is lucky so far that there have been no deaths due to poor traffic control.

Other issues where the Thai marathons often fall down are in the refreshments along the course. Other than basic water and isotonic drinks, there is very little in the range of refreshments that organizers provide along route. The big city marathons in contrast, offer a smorgasbord of items to cater for the needs and desires of most runners.

In Thailand, where the marathon course merges with the half marathon and 10km race course, towards the end of the race it can be very difficult for marathon runners to even get refreshments due to 10km runners hoarding around the refreshment stations.

These types of event organizational issues take a lot away from the quality of the race. It may save on costs, but creates a poor running experience.

Matters of insurance and course safety are issues that differentiate a big city marathon to their Thai equivalents. Some foreign runners were shocked to find that they were attacked by dogs along the course.

Then there is the matter of the cost to participate.

When one looks at the cost of a foreign tourist competing in a Thai marathon, such as the Bangkok and Pattaya Marathons, the cost is similar to the Kyoto, Paris, Melbourne, Gold Coast, or Stockholm marathons.

Anybody who has run the Bangkok and Pattaya Marathons, and anyone of the big city marathons knows the difference in the standard of facilities, organization, security, and safety.

The costs of organizing and running a marathon in Thailand are much less than in any European, Australian, or US city. Yet the organizers charge international rates for the major Thai marathons, without offering the same standards and duties of care.

There is a lot of competition for running an ‘exotic’ marathon in Asia, and some of these events in Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia are growing much faster than the current runs in Thailand today.

It’s time for organizers to take stock of their shortcomings, particularly after the debacle last week in the half marathon in Bangkok, where a 21km half marathon became a 28km torture run, which made news all around the world.

Running tourists are concerning with what they expect and how much they are willing to pay for it. Local organizers are failing in these two respects and need to lift up their game, if they are to establish marathons like Bangkok and Pattaya on runners’ ‘bucket lists’ each year.

There is no room for complacency or arrogance in international tourism, particularly when there are many alternative destinations worldwide. Marathon event organizers need to learn this lesson.

Originally published in the Asian Correspondent 25th December 2016

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