Hundreds turn up in Bangkok park after paying up to £45 for ‘fake’ mini-marathon

Local media reports said that approximately 1,800 participants arrived expecting a fully organised race with facilities, drinks tables, prizes and event staff. Instead, they found a quiet park with no infrastructure except a single banner displaying the wrong date.

The banner read “Run for Destination 2025” but with the date “Sunday 28th May 2028”.

Participants had paid registration fees ranging from 450 (£10) to 2,000 baht (£45), the local outlet Thaiger reported.

Some participants said a woman at the venue, claiming to be an organiser, told runners to start the race themselves. One runner claimed the organiser said: “I have only 1,300 baht in cash now and can only give 10 baht (about 20p) each if you all want,” after it became clear that the event was not as advertised.

Police eventually intervened to manage the situation at the park and brought the woman in for questioning.

ณ สวนหลวง ร.9 ออแกนไนซ์จัดงานวิ่งแล้วเท ก็ได้เหรอ
แล้วป้ายก็เขียนปี คศ. ไม่ตรงกันอีก จงใจมั้ยอ่ะ#Runfordestination pic.twitter.com/dMCUjblGgq

— เฉียนเฉี่ยน (@zsar14940693) May 25, 2025

Hundreds of runners have now filed complaints with Bangkok’s Prawet police, alleging they were scammed by the organisers, Thai PBS reported. The Independent reached out to the organisers for comment, but had not received a reply at the time of publication.

A prominent Thai actress, model and TV host, Pitta Na Patalung, who had been appointed as the event’s master of ceremonies, was quoted as saying by Thailand’s The Nation outlet that she had been hired through standard procedures and arrived at the venue as planned.

“Upon arriving, I sensed something was wrong. Runners were murmuring about problems with the event,” Ms Pitta said. Although she was given a rough schedule, the complete emcee script was never provided, she said, an early red flag about the event’s organisation.

“I sincerely hope the runners receive full and fair compensation. They deserve it,” she added.

The 10km race was set to begin at 6am local time, followed by a 5km race beginning 10 minutes later.

Runners told Thai PBS that the event was heavily promoted across online running communities. The organiser had reportedly promised numerous gifts to participants, including running shirts, backpacks, trainers, smartwatches, and wireless earbuds.

Cash prizes were also advertised, with the event’s official Facebook page stating that the overall winner of the race would receive 10,000 baht (£225).

Pparticipants said they trusted the event because of the involvement of well-known sponsors, including the popular restaurant chain MK.

In a statement, MK Restaurant said it only provided limited budget support and was not involved in the event’s organisation. The company is reportedly considering legal action.

“MK has long supported healthy living campaigns, including fun runs. But we were not involved in the execution or cancellation of this event,” the company said.

One complainant said she signed up for “Run for Destination 2025” after discovering it through fellow runners on Facebook, trusting the involvement of reputable sponsors and paying 2,000 baht for “VIP” entry.

She said that upon arrival that morning, she found the event fell far short of expectations – there were no snacks or drinking water, no timing system, and no organised activities. After speaking with other participants, she said she quickly realised they had been deceived.

Police Colonel Tosaphol Ampaiphiphatkul, superintendent of Prawet police, said that authorities are gathering evidence to assess whether the event constituted fraud, and if enough proof is found, formal charges will be brought against the organisers.

The Bangkok Post reported that police interrogated two organisers – identified as Monruedee Aepthonglang, 42, and Suchanan Doroman, 31 – for eight hours.

As they emerged from police questioning the organisers told reporters that supplier problems shortly before the event had prevented them from holding the race. They apologised to the public and promised to compensate affected runners.

“We truly intended to hold this event, but as first-time organisers with limited experience, we underestimated the scale and demands. We accept full responsibility,” said Suchanan.