Pattaya International Bikini Beach Race draws 3,000 runners

Interested in watching a 5-kilometre running race? What if all the runners are scantily clad in bikinis? On Saturday, the Pattaya International Bikini Beach Race was held and welcomed 3,000 participants. The event is thrown each year in Pattaya and welcomes hundreds of tourists.

The annual race started in 2015 and is held along the beach in Pattaya. The idea is to promote the hub as a sports tourism destination to appeal to Thai and foreign tourists alike. But… it’s still Pattaya, so throw in some skimpy swimwear for the sexy runners and you’ve got the Pattaya International Bikini Beach Race.

The event drew runners and participants in bikinis and skimpy outfits, both Thai and foreigners. The race is a five-kilometre run along the beach and culminates in front of Central Pattaya, which organises the event each year.

Should you make it through the scantily-clad streak, there is a party at the end of the race to celebrate. And on the starting line, Thai celebrities were on hand to set people running. This year’s race featured Thai Rangsan “Songkran” Panyaruean, the winner of Season 2 of “Voice of Thailand.”

Organisers at Central Pattaya said that, with the success of this year’s run and the 3,000 participants, many in bikinis, they hope to widen the scope of the event for next year. They intend to invite international celebrities from around the world to participate and to create a global draw to lure in even more participants and tourists to Pattaya.

The promoters of the bikini run – which has now become the largest beach run event in Thailand – believe that it showcases the beauty of Pattaya, its beaches, and the seaside town. They find it a good promotion to attract tourists from around Thailand and abroad to explore the various activities and adventures that Pattaya has to offer.

And if the runners get their blood pumping with some healthy exercise? Well, that’s just an added bonus!