Running Clubs, Races and Marathons: Where to Run in Bangkok

Bangkok is hot, humid and, most of the time, it's incredibly uncomfortable to be outside. It's the last place you would think would have a thriving running community, but it does. At every park in Bangkok, you'll see runners from dawn until dusk and, every Sunday there are 5K and 10K races all year round. There are runs to benefit charity, running clubs, marathons sponsored by major international companies, and even temple runs. These clubs and runs are not only a great way to exercise and have some fun, but also a great place to meet people - Western expats and Thais - who might have similar interests to you.

If you haven't started running in Bangkok yet, one of the best places to start is your local park. Lumpini Park in downtown Bangkok is the best place if you're anywhere close by. It's an enormous public park where you'll find runners at all times of the day and every day. People start running as early as 4am, so you can get a good run in before you head out to work. At 8pm, people will still be running there, so no excuses after you've finished work and would rather head home to veg on the coach. One lap around the park is about 1 ¾ miles.

Once you've managed to get in shape, there are running events all over the city, all of them welcoming Westerners and Thais alike.

One great place to start is with the Bangkok Monday Hash House Harriers. This is a group of Westerners and Thais who run every Monday night starting at 5:30pm. Every week, they start at a different way place in Bangkok, run for anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour, and then head to a pub or restaurant for dinner and a few beers. It's a fabulous way to get in or keep in shape, and to meet a fun group of people to socialize with. Each run costs 200 baht (about $6) and that includes the beer after the run. Great thing about this too is they usually run in out of the way places, so you'll see a lot more of Bangkok than you would otherwise.