PATTAYA, THAILAND – More than 5,000 runners from Thailand and abroad turned Pattaya Beach into a colourful sports arena on Friday evening during the 9th Pattaya International Bikini Beach Race 2025, staged as a mix of running event, beach party and tourism promotion.
Official opening in front of Central Pattaya
The opening ceremony began at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Central Pattaya shopping mall, chaired by Isara Charoenchaisri, deputy governor of Chonburi province. He was joined by Pattaya mayor Poramese Ngampichet and Dr. Natkit Tangpoolsinthana, Chief Marketing Officer of Central Pattaya Public Company Limited, who outlined the aims and background of the race. Other guests included Banglamung district chief Anusak Piriyayothorn, Rattanachai Sutthidechanai representing the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Chaiwat Tamthai, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand office in Pattaya, executives from Central Pattaya, vice presidents of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association and representatives of numerous public and private supporters.
‘Coral and Pearl Edition’ on Pattaya Beach
This year’s race was held under the motto “The Coral and Pearl Edition”, inspired by the beauty and richness of the sea, and was promoted locally as the country’s “sexiest beach run”. The 5‑kilometre course started at 5:50 p.m. directly on the beach in front of Central Pattaya and led along Central and North Pattaya Road before finishing back at the shoreline starting point. Fitness enthusiasts, onlookers and tourists lined the route, many wearing eye‑catching, sometimes very skimpy sports and beach outfits that gave the event a distinctly summery character.
Sports, glamour and tourism strategy
In his address, mayor Poramese Ngampichet underlined the economic and tourism value of the race.
“Every participant helps to permanently strengthen Pattaya’s tourism,”
said Poramese Ngampichet, mayor of Pattaya. He pointed out that the city pursued several key goals with the event: enhancing Pattaya’s image as a sports city, positioning it as a sports tourism hub and destination, boosting the local economy through additional visitors, and upgrading Pattaya as an everyday travel choice for returning guests. According to the organisers, the race highlighted the drive to use sports‑driven events as an engine for community‑oriented economic development.
Celebrity appearances energise the course
Celebrity appearances added further attention to the evening, including well‑known actor Aum Atichart Chumnanon, who joined more than 30 “sexy running influencers” and helped fire up the atmosphere along the route. The band Season Five performed at the end of the night, and the energetic concert kept many participants and visitors on the beach long after the race had finished. The event report was written by Ms. Khwanchai Suetrong, with photos and the English version provided by Adam Judd for The Pattaya News.
Multiple agencies back tourism push
Support from bodies such as TCEB and the Tourism Authority of Thailand office in Pattaya reflected the broader strategy behind the race. By bringing together local authorities, business associations and private sponsors, organisers aimed to link sport and entertainment with long‑term tourism promotion. The Bikini Beach Race thus served both as a spectacle on the shoreline and as a showcase for Pattaya’s ambitions in sports‑led development.