I believe this is the weekend for the Pattaya Marathon. they usually have several of the roads half blocked off for the runners and that messes with traffic.

It is usually all over by the time most people wake up though.

I noticed Pattaya Klang had barriers all the way down the middle yesterday from Suk to Beach Road - could that be for the marathon??

2012 Pattaya Marathon Kicks Off On July 15

Story HERE

thanks to Pattaya City Expat Club for the following post:

ROAD CLOSURES AND TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS THIS SUNDAY, JULY 15 – It’s Pattaya Marathon time again. The “King Cup Pattaya Marathon 2012” will feature runners and wheelchair racers. The first race starts at 4:20 am in front of Central Festival Pattaya beach department store. Marathon runners from all over the world are expected to join the competition. Road closures will be put into effect from 3am on Sunday until early afternoon around Pattaya. So drivers should avoid the area during these times. The full and wheel chair Marathon route is from Central Festival going north and then east along Pattaya Nua (North Road) to Sukhumvit Road. Then it is south on Sukhumvit past the Ambassador Hotel toward Sattahip making a U-turn a bit further on and going north to Na Jomtien Soi 2 where it turns west to Jomtien Beach Road. Then it turns north on Jomtien Beach Road and continues onto Thappraya Road to the Bali Hai Overpass where it turns left to Walking Street. It continues up Walking Street/Pattaya Beach Road and finishes where it started at Central Festival Pattaya Shopping Mall. The half Marathon follows the same route, but does a U-turn on Sukhumvit just past the Soi Wat Boon intersection then proceeds down Soi Wat Boon to Jomtien Beach Road and follows the same route again as the full Marathon. The quarter Marathon goes to just past Tesco Lotus before doing a U-turn and going back up Sukhumvit to Pattaya Tai (South Road) where it turns and proceeds to Pattaya Beach Road then goes north to Central Festival. For maps, use the following links (maps are in English):

Full Marathon - http://www.pattaya-marathon.net/images/MENG.jpg;

Wheelchair Marathon - http://www.pattaya-marathon.net/images/WENG.jpg;

Half Marathon - http://www.pattaya-marathon.net/images/HENG.jpg;

and Quarter Marathon - http://www.pattaya-marathon.net/images/QENG.jpg. Since our meeting is about 5 hours after the first start time, the road from Dolphin