The hugely popular road race takes place from Saturday through Sunday (June 13-14) as participants take five varying distances of a 2-kilometre run, a 5km run, 10km run, 21.097km half marathon, and 42.195km marathon.
The route travels through the streets in immediate proximity to Laguna Phuket and will see road disruptions and closures at certain times as a result, organisers confirmed at a pre-event meeting on Monday (June 8).
The meeting, held at Phuket Provincial Hall, was overseen by Phuket Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn, who was joined by: Pol. Col. Phaskorn Sonthikul, Deputy Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police; Somchai Semmanee, Director of Tourism and Sports, Phuket Province; Prapha Hemminth, Director of Corporate Affairs and Partnerships, Laguna Phuket Group; and representatives from government agencies, local administrative organisations, security agencies, public health agencies, and relevant private sector organisations.
Event organisers Laguna Resorts and Hotels Public Company Limited provided an update on the event by confirming that up to 6,000 runners are expected to participate, comprising 63% Thai runners and 37% international runners.
Consequently, there will be disruptions to traffic flow in the area and local residents and tourists are advised to plan accordingly in advance.
On Saturday the 2km, 5km and 10km races will take place between 4pm and 7:30pm, while Sunday sees the half-marathon and full marathons take place between 4am and 12pm. Areas affected by the races include parts of Thepkrasattri Road, Ban Don–Cherng Talay Road, Ban Phru Road, Na Khok–Pru Champa Road, Nong Wa Road, Pru Somphan Road, Ban Khai Road, Nai Yang Road, and the area around Layan Beach. Some sections will be temporarily closed or have restricted access for the safety of the athletes.
Governor Nirat requested the public to avoid the competition routes during this time, closely monitor information from government agencies and event organisers, and cooperate in welcoming runners and tourists from around the world.
Regarding security, the Phuket Provincial Police will provide personnel and equipment for inspecting suspicious objects and ensuring security along the entire race route, including a face recognition system. Additionally Thalang District will provide 213 members of the Volunteer Defense Corps to be stationed at various points along the race route, while tourist Police Division 3 will provide personnel and vehicles to escort the leading athletes.
In terms of medical and public health, the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office will provide emergency medical vehicles with staff to care for participants throughout the competition. The Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization and local administrative organisations will provide mobile toilets, LED screens, and cleaning services at the event area.
Governor Nirat concluded the meeting by emphasising the need for all agencies to work closely together, overseeing safety measures, traffic management, medical services, and comprehensive facilities to ensure the smooth running of the event in order to create a positive impression on participants, and promote Phuket’s image as a Sports City and a world-class sports tourism destination.