Pattaya – Pattaya City Clerk Kiattisak Sriwongchai, acting mayor as the city awaits the election for mayor later this month, has clarified that the postponement of the “Pattaya Marathon 2026” was not caused by any cancellation order from city administrators or political issues like the election, but by legal requirements in the public procurement process.
Speaking after a meeting with senior Pattaya officials, Kiattisak explained that the event, originally scheduled for mid July, could not proceed as planned due to complications in the bidding procedure. Officials understood this was difficult for many people who had pre-booked flights and hotels but stressed it was not a city or political decision. According to city officials, the project was put out to tender to select an event management contractor.
Only one company submitted a bid and passed the initial qualification screening, said officials. However, on May 21st, the firm failed to present its technical proposal to the evaluation committee, making it impossible to legally continue the procurement process. As a result, the first bidding round had to be cancelled, but was only due to legal requirements and not city officials making a decision. They have strongly denied speculation and rumors on social media the cancellation is political or tied to the current mayor election.
City officials later briefed the House of Representatives Tourism Committee on the situation, stressing that the delay stemmed purely from compliance with procurement laws and regulations, not from any administrative decision or politics. During discussions, committee members suggested holding the event in September rather than pushing it to December, which falls during the peak tourist season and is already very busy with events.
Kiattisak said the city has since revised the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the project, removing a previous requirement that the contractor publicise the event at least 30 days in advance. The adjustment is to encourage broader participation from event organisers. At least two or three companies have already expressed interest.
The revised TOR is currently open for public comment from 15 to 17 June 2026. The official invitation to bid will be issued on 18 June, with proposals due by 3 July and the winning bidder expected to be announced on 16 July.
If there are no appeals, the city anticipates signing the contract by 6 August, providing sufficient time to organise the Pattaya Marathon 2026 on 26–27 September as planned. However, any appeal could delay the process by up to 60 days, potentially pushing the event beyond late September.
Kiattisak stressed that the 2026 TOR maintains standards comparable to previous years, with only minor adjustments to enhance event quality and rumors the event would scale down or accept less runners is completely false. The competition’s scale and importance remain unchanged. He firmly denied any speculation that the first bidding round was cancelled to await a new mayor and city council administration, insisting the process followed all relevant laws and government regulations strictly.
Pattaya City is proceeding with the second bidding round according to the established timeline and has invited capable operators to participate. The goal is to successfully revive the Pattaya Marathon 2026, restoring confidence among both Thai and international runners.
