After outcry, foreigners will be allowed to run in Bangkok Midnight Marathon

The Bangkok Midnight Marathon and its organisers were scorched online yesterday after banning foreigners from entering the race, for reasons not made clear. BMM’s Facebook page and social media accounts were inundated with angry comments. The Thaiger, alone, accumulated some 20,000 people seeing the post and around 170 comments, mostly unhappy with the ban.

The BBM – which Thai authorities created 3 years ago to jumpstart sports tourism – introduced its “new normal” race policy for the event yesterday evening that will take place on December 13.

Runners and organisers are expected to comply with social distancing guidelines and adhere to fever checks, screenings and wear masks. What fuelled the outrage was the online registration that only permitted Thais to register, prompting accusations of discrimination. Gregor Rasp, a former running and sports endurance coach who’s lived in Thailand for 20 years, called the policy “misguided.”

“If you follow the news then you know that 99% of recent Covid-19 cases are imported by Thai nationals. And just like foreigners, these Thais have to spend 14 days in quarantine. One is only released from quarantine if he or she tests negative after 14 days.”

The BMM race director issued a statement yesterday apologising for “failing to take into account that there were many expats here who would want to take part in the race”.

“Offending this community is the last thing we wanted to do. We love athletes of all nationalities.”

And yesterday, this non-specific apology…

SOURCE: Bangkok Post