Bangkok runners to get shirts for 'longest-ever' half-marathon

[webfact]

HALF-MARATHON?
Bangkok runners to get shirts for 'longest-ever' half-marathon
The Nation, Agencies

BANGKOK: -- Organisers of the Standard Chartered Bangkok Marathon have promised to hand finisher jerseys in compensation to participants who were made to run an extra 5.5 kilometres on top of the standard 21.1km in Sunday's early morning race.

Organisers of the Standard Chartered Bangkok National Jogging Association of Thailand (NJAT) chairman Gen Manus Klaimanee apologised for the error yesterday, stating that his organisation had miscalculated the half-marathon course distance.

"Our staff mistakenly marked a U-turn onto the course, which added around six kilometres to the route," said Songkram Kraisonthi, a co-organiser.

"We admit our mistake and have apologised. Our staff worked hard but they were confused," he said.

According to international standards, a half-marathon should be 21.1km but the course for Sunday's competition, which started and ended in front of the Grand Palace, was longer by 5.5 kilometres. About 7,000 runners gauged the distance via their GPS devices. Many were thoroughly exhausted by the finish and took to the social media to slam the organisers.

British Ambassador Mark Kent tweeted: "Just completed my longest ever half marathon this morning……30% extra."

On its website, the Standard Chartered Bangkok Marathon is billed as a "world standard" race in which runners "will forget about the tiredness" as they snake through the city's historic heart.

"The incident should not have happened. ... We will take this mistake as a lesson for the future," NJAT said in its official apology.

"On behalf of the organising committee we feel terribly sorry," the statement said.

Organisers added that runners would receive a special limited-edition shirt in recognition of the extra distance travelled. All shirts would be sent via mail within 45 days, the statement said.

However, that offer was not enough to quell the anger of some runners, who pilloried the organisers on NJAT's official Facebook page.

"Will I recover from my leg ache when I wear the shirt you are sending?" Thai Facebook user Poonwanat Peem sarcastically asked. "Montri", another runner, described the event as an "embarrassment to the country".

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/sports/Bangkok-runners-to-get-shirts-for-longest-ever-hal-30273165.html


-- The Nation 2015-11-18

[ukrules]

So what we have here is a complete failure to check anything at all.

I wonder how many people knew about this well before the event but would not discuss it because the planning was quite likely made by someone who's either very wealthy or powerful yet incredibly stupid.

[nkg]

Sounds like they were dual pricing too. Quote from Newsweek:

Another commenter said that she “nearly did my knee in having upped the pace for what was supposed to be the last 1.5 km. This race was an absolute joke. On top of this, I had to pay four times the amount for race registration than a Thai national.” According to Asian Correspondent, Sunday’s race is not the first time Amazing Field has been criticized for charging foreign runners multiple times the price it charges Thai nationals.

[Bluespunk]

Sounds like they were dual pricing too. Quote from Newsweek:

Another commenter said that she nearly did my knee in having upped the pace for what was supposed to be the last 1.5 km. This race was an absolute joke. On top of this, I had to pay four times the amount for race registration than a Thai national. According to Asian Correspondent, Sundays race is not the first time Amazing Field has been criticized for charging foreign runners multiple times the price it charges Thai nationals.

I could be wrong but when I ran it there was a price for those living in Thailand and a higher one for overseas runners. I thought the living in Thailand price was the same for all nationalities, but as I say I could be wrong.

[nkg]

I could be wrong but when I ran it there was a price for those living in Thailand and a higher one for overseas runners. I thought the living in Thailand price was the same for all nationalities, but as I say I could be wrong.

Well, since you've run the race you would know. How you define "living in Thailand" is probably what makes the difference.

Edited November 17, 2015 by nkg

[saakura]

Sounds like they were dual pricing too. Quote from Newsweek:

Another commenter said that she nearly did my knee in having upped the pace for what was supposed to be the last 1.5 km. This race was an absolute joke. On top of this, I had to pay four times the amount for race registration than a Thai national. According to Asian Correspondent, Sundays race is not the first time Amazing Field has been criticized for charging foreign runners multiple times the price it charges Thai nationals.

I could be wrong but when I ran it there was a price for those living in Thailand and a higher one for overseas runners. I thought the living in Thailand price was the same for all nationalities, but as I say I could be wrong.

You are correct and that is the way it has always been and still is.

[Aussieroaming]

Imbeciles

[NongKhaiKid]

How long before the ' limited edition ' shirts appear being worn by people who were nowhere near the run ?

[Bluespunk]

I could be wrong but when I ran it there was a price for those living in Thailand and a higher one for overseas runners. I thought the living in Thailand price was the same for all nationalities, but as I say I could be wrong.

Well, since you've run the race you would know. How you define "living in Thailand" is probably what makes the difference.

You tick the box that says 'resident in Thailand' and give your address from what I recall.

[Bluespunk]

"Organisers of the Standard Chartered Bangkok National Jogging Association of Thailand (NJAT) chairman Gen Manus Klaimanee apologised for the error yesterday, stating that his organisation had miscalculated the half-marathon course distance."

No wonder the military keep straying over borders if they work out 21km out and back route.

[Bluespunk]

"Organisers of the Standard Chartered Bangkok National Jogging Association of Thailand (NJAT) chairman Gen Manus Klaimanee apologised for the error yesterday, stating that his organisation had miscalculated the half-marathon course distance."

A General was in charge?

No wonder the military keep straying over borders if they can't work out 21km out and back route.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Bluespunk

[MartinL]

Every cloud has a silver lining.

Now the organisers can apply for an entry in the Guinness Book of Records under "World's Longest Half-Marathon" - that'd really show the world the quality of Thai organisation.

Edited November 18, 2015 by MartinL

[klauskunkel]

Sounds like they were dual pricing too. Quote from Newsweek:

Another commenter said that she nearly did my knee in having upped the pace for what was supposed to be the last 1.5 km. This race was an absolute joke. On top of this, I had to pay four times the amount for race registration than a Thai national. According to Asian Correspondent, Sundays race is not the first time Amazing Field has been criticized for charging foreign runners multiple times the price it charges Thai nationals.

I could be wrong but when I ran it there was a price for those living in Thailand and a higher one for overseas runners. I thought the living in Thailand price was the same for all nationalities, but as I say I could be wrong.

In previous races there was a pricing category for "Foreigners residing in Thailand" which was the same amount as Thai pricing. This year they dropped that category.

[klauskunkel]

So what we have here is a complete failure to check anything at all.

I wonder how many people knew about this well before the event but would not discuss it because the planning was quite likely made by someone who's either very wealthy or powerful yet incredibly stupid.

General Manus Klaimanee, chairman of NJAT, my guess; all three of the above

[jaywalker]

"Our staff worked hard but they were confused imbeciles."

A ten year old can read an odometer and/or use a GPS, but the General's staff was confused????

Imbeciles.

[jaywalker]

"Organisers of the Standard Chartered Bangkok National Jogging Association of Thailand (NJAT) chairman Gen Manus Klaimanee apologised for the error yesterday, stating that his organisation had miscalculated the half-marathon course distance."

A General was in charge?

No wonder the military keep straying over borders if they can't work out 21km out and back route.

Also explains all the confusion over national park boundaries and encroachment.

[dageurreotype]

Emblazoned with 'Thailand F*cks Up Again'

[Langsuan Man]

Even if they were too lazy or incompetent to physically measure the course

Google Earth has a measuring tool that they could have used from the comfort of their offices

My bad, that is foreign, so couldn't be any good

[jaywalker]

I just sent the original article to my brother. His reply:

"They were "confused".

Can you imagine, an extra 3 and a half miles???

They ought to make the measurers run the whole thing and sting 'em in the ass with a cattle prod if they slow down."

[jaywalker]

Even if they were too lazy or incompetent to physically measure the course

Google Earth has a measuring tool that they could have used from the comfort of their offices

My bad, that is foreign, so couldn't be any good

They probably DID use Google Earth, just the person using it doesn't know the difference between millimeters and parsecs.

[thesetat2013]

Didn't a previous article claim this is not the first time mistakes such as this has happened before? If so then how can they lay claim to being sorry and ensuring it will never happen again?

[arrowsdawdle]

Imbeciles

Amen....takes a super-size serving of stupidity to advertise that you cannot layout a marathon properly. Then again, maybe Thai marathons are different, like Thai electricity.

[DrTuner]

It was probably a clueless BIB having opened an ad-hoc u-turn to "ease" the traffic. Meddling with barriers and traffic lights should be punishable by instant death.

[jaywalker]

It was probably a clueless BIB having opened an ad-hoc u-turn to "ease" the traffic. Meddling with barriers and traffic lights should be punishable by instant death.

On my first ever visit to BKK in 1999, I was riding around with an expat who'd been there for 25+ years & he made the same statement.

He also pronounced "Summary Execution" on Thai bus drivers in the same breathe.

Not much has changed.

[Jonmarleesco]

Sounds like they were dual pricing too. Quote from Newsweek:

Another commenter said that she nearly did my knee in having upped the pace for what was supposed to be the last 1.5 km. This race was an absolute joke. On top of this, I had to pay four times the amount for race registration than a Thai national. According to Asian Correspondent, Sundays race is not the first time Amazing Field has been criticized for charging foreign runners multiple times the price it charges Thai nationals.

I could be wrong but when I ran it there was a price for those living in Thailand and a higher one for overseas runners. I thought the living in Thailand price was the same for all nationalities, but as I say I could be wrong.

Well, I thought the race was for charity, in which case, if they are dual charging, they have more brass neck showing than usual. But then, an appropriate time for the foreign runners to refuse to pay more than the Thais.

[samsensam]

so it's the fault of the staff? not the inadequate training and bad organisation carried out by the event management?

nice one thailand.

[RichCor]

I predict that the "special limited-edition shirt in recognition of the extra distance travelled" will be 30% too small for most of the recipients.

[Srikcir]

Just change "world standard" race to "Thai standard" race and all is well.

[Torrens54]

Wonder if this could qualify for the Guinness Book Of Records ?