The absence sparked anger among thousands of runners who had arrived early to participate, ultimately prompting them to file a formal complaint at Prawet Police Station.
Later that evening, Suchanan and Monrudee (surnames withheld), the event’s organisers, spoke to the media following their questioning by police. They acknowledged multiple failures in organising the event and admitted full responsibility.
They said the project initially launched in December 2024, with the original event date set for January 12, 2025. However, with only 300 registered participants, the event was postponed. The organisers offered full refunds to those who had already paid, or the option to continue participating at half price. Interest in the event grew after new features were added, bringing the number of registered runners to around 1,300.
According to the organisers, race kits and T-shirts were shipped to the first 600 registrants, with the remainder sent out in batches. For missing items, stickers were included for on-site collection, which was never set up due to the collapse of the event.
Last-Minute Logistics Breakdown
One major issue, according to the organisers, was a breakdown in communication with a contracted event planner. Negotiations over a two-month period failed to produce an agreement. Facing tight deadlines, the organisers attempted to handle logistics themselves, including tents, stage setup, and a race clock. However, due to a high number of running events on the same day, vendors were either fully booked or charging rates beyond budget, resulting in a complete failure to execute the event.
“We truly intended to hold this event, but as first-time organisers with limited experience, we underestimated the scale and demands. We accept full responsibility,” said Suchanan.
Compensation and Next Steps
Regarding compensation for affected participants, the organisers said they must first consult legal counsel to determine the appropriate approach. They emphasised that significant investments had already been made, such as on T-shirts, watches, and event materials, and that some items prepared for distribution had reportedly gone missing following the disruption.
Actress Pitta Na Patalung, who had been hired as the event’s master of ceremonies, also spoke out. She confirmed she had been contracted through standard channels and arrived at the venue as scheduled.
“Upon arriving, I sensed something was wrong. Runners were murmuring about problems with the event,” Pitta said. While she had received a rough schedule, the full emcee script was never delivered, raising early concerns about the event’s organisation.
After the situation deteriorated and organisers met with police at Prawet Police Station, Pitta said she joined them to clarify her role and discuss pending payment matters.
“I sincerely hope the runners receive full and fair compensation. They deserve it,” she added.
Backdrop Error Draws Online Criticism
One issue that gained significant attention online was an embarrassing mistake on the event’s backdrop — it displayed the year as 2028 instead of 2025.
Methapoom (surname withheld), the owner of the shop that produced the banner, explained that his team worked from files sent directly by the organisers. Upon noticing the error, they flagged it — but were told by the organisers there wasn’t time to make changes and to proceed with production as-is.
Photos of the backdrop quickly circulated online, drawing criticism not only of the event but also of the print shop. Methapoom stressed that his team had carefully reviewed the materials but simply followed instructions when told not to revise the date.
Following the incident, he contacted the organisers again but was reportedly dismissed with the remark: “Runners quit the event because the banner had the wrong year.”
He concluded with a pointed message: “If you truly care about your work, pay closer attention. Reputation is everything in this line of business.”