Community Runners Baffled as Phantom Run Lacks Organisers, Confusion Over “Run For Destination 2025”

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

 

Early morning runners were left bewildered and frustrated on 25 May, at Suan Luang Rama IX Park in Bangkok after arriving for the much-anticipated “Run For Destination 2025” event, only to discover that no organisers were present to oversee the race.

 

According to the event schedule, the 10km run was set to commence at 06:00, followed by a 5km race at 06:10. Hundreds of participants, many of whom had paid a 450 baht registration fee and dedicated weeks to training, arrived punctually, only to find a ghost event with no operational staff in sight.

 

While the event setup appeared superficially ready, complete with a start line arch, activity tents, and mobile toilets, there were no officials or event coordinators on the ground to manage the run. The absence of any organising presence sparked confusion and frustration among attendees, with several taking to social media to voice their disappointment over what has been dubbed a “phantom run”.

Adding to the confusion, sharp-eyed runners noticed a glaring error on the English signage at the event’s start gate, which read:

 

“RUN FOR DESTINATION 2025 SUNDAY 28th MAY 2028 @SUANLUANG RAMA”, suggesting a race date three years and three days in the future. The typo has become a viral point of ridicule and speculation online.

 

Several participants have questioned the event’s legitimacy and demanded accountability for the disorganised debacle. As news of the fiasco spread, local police were reportedly dispatched to the venue to receive complaints and begin an investigation.

 

Disappointed runners are now seeking answers as to how such a large-scale event could collapse so completely, with many left wondering whether the race was the victim of administrative error or something more deliberate.

 

Authorities have yet to confirm if any legal action will follow, but runners are calling for refunds, transparency, and assurance that future events will not suffer the same fate.

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-05-25.

 

 

 

[Georgealbert]

UPDATE
‘Phantom Run’ Organiser Taken into Custody

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

Pandemonium broke out at Suan Luang Rama IX Park on the morning of 25 May, as more than a thousand furious runners gathered to demand refunds for a run event that turned out to be a scam. The so-called running event, which charged participants between 400 and 450 baht each, failed to materialise, leaving only a confused MC at the venue and a crowd of duped runners.

 

The situation escalated when police arrived and escorted a woman believed to be the organiser away from the scene. Viral footage shared by social media page “เจ๊ม้อย v+” captured the moment of her detention, along with the audible outrage from the crowd. At one point, a scream rang out as officers took her into custody and escorted her to Phra Khanong Police Station for questioning.

 

Reports reveal that the woman claimed she had only 1,300 baht remaining in the event’s account, a paltry sum considering over 1,000 participants had registered. A quick calculation by onlookers showed this would amount to barely 1 baht per person, sparking further outrage and disbelief among the crowd.

One runner commented, “We were sold a dream of a race with prizes, T-shirts, and a great community event. But when we showed up, there was nothing. A start line, no staff, just a confused announcer telling us to start running if we wanted.”

 

The day before the event, the organiser had set up a booth to accept last-minute registrations and sell merchandise, further misleading attendees and boosting confidence that the race was legitimate.

 

Authorities are continuing to investigate the incident, while disappointed runners are filing complaints in hopes of recovering their registration fees. The police are expected to press fraud-related charges, pending further evidence.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-05-25.

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

When corruption is so systemic it becomes normalised, it’s no longer shocking - it’s almost expected - but the publicity of this scam shows a huge degree of hubris - or perhaps is was a last minute 'dash' as the organisers realised they were working at a loss.. No prize money, no remaining face...  they'd blown the budget ?

 

But make not mistake - the 'organisers' will be sitting pretty - with sponsorship from MK and others, plus the entrance fees - they've profited nicely.

 

So endemic is the graft within society that everyone’s queuing up for their shot at the grift, and events like this run are just the latest hustle in a long line of small-time scams that slip through the cracks as the organisers may well take greater profit that any fines they face.

 

Until there's real accountability - actual prison time, asset seizure, public exposure - scams like this will keep happening. Because when everyone thinks corruption is normal, no one bothers to fight it.

 

The organisers will likely get little more than a warning and a shrug from the system, while everyone else is left wondering whether they’re the fools for playing fair.

 

It breeds a quiet distrust of almost everyone, yet somehow this sits alongside a society that remains naively, almost charmingly, positive - and that odd contradiction is exactly why Thailand continues to be such a strangely refreshing place to be.