Bangsaen 42 Marathon Celebrates Decade as World Athletics Elite Race

Chonburi province is preparing to host the "Bangsaen 42 Chonburi Marathon 2026," celebrating its 10th anniversary under the theme "The Black Kong," emphasizing development toward world-class marathon standards with World Athletics Elite Label Road Race certification. The event reinforces multi-sector cooperation to elevate the competition alongside promoting sports, tourism, and the community economy, driving Chonburi toward becoming an ASEAN-level Sports & Tourism Hub. The 42.195-kilometer race will take place on Sunday, November 15, 2026, with the start and finish lines in front of the Bangsaen Heritage Hotel in Chonburi.

On Saturday, November 14, 2026, a press conference for the "Bangsaen 42 Chonburi Marathon 2026" was held at the Thai Army Strategic Studies Center, King Rama VIII 80th Anniversary, Chonburi. Organizing committee representatives provided details to the media on the event's readiness and organizational approach.

Chonburi Deputy Governor Pongsathis Pichanant stated: "On behalf of Chonburi province, we are delighted and immensely proud to support the Bangsaen 42 Chonburi Marathon 2026, which has been one of the national and international sporting events bringing fame to the province over the past 10 years. Chonburi is pleased to fully support the Sport Tourism policy to drive the province's economy and tourism. We thank all partner agencies from every sector — government, private sector, police, local volunteers, and all stakeholders — who have played a crucial role in jointly driving Bangsaen 42 to success and achieving world-class standards. Chonburi is delighted to welcome runners from across the country and around the world, confident that our province has outstanding landmarks, renowned beauty and cuisine, and is ready to welcome every runner with warmth, befitting Thailand's center of tourism and sports."

Chonburi Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO) President Witya Khunpluem stated: "Over the past 10 years, it has been a great pride to witness the growth of the Bangsaen 42 Chonburi Marathon. The PAO has been committed since the first year to pushing this event beyond an ordinary race, and today it has proven to be genuinely world-recognized with the World Athletics Elite Label standard. The PAO has acted as a bridge connecting cooperation with all agencies — municipalities, police, public health, highways, electricity, Chonburi Sports Association, private sector, and the public — fully supporting resources in budget, personnel, and equipment to ensure every aspect is planned and managed according to strict competition standards.

Additionally, the PAO has a project to extend the Chaloem Maha Rachawatthi Bridge to support urban development, which is part of the context of adjusting the Bangsaen 42 marathon route to be more challenging and linking sports activities with tourism, supporting economic growth, and driving Sport Tourism as a concrete part of Chonburi's development."