Bangkok, 3 December, 2022 – Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha presided over the opening ceremony of the World Athletics Global Running Conference 2022 (WAGRC 2022), and extended his best wishes to delegates attending the three-day gathering in the Thai capital as well as runners participating in the world-class Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 2022 (ATMBKK 2022).
Also present at the ceremony were officials and figures from the Thai public and private sector relating to sports and tourism, including H.E. Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Tourism and Sports, and Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
The WAGRC 2022 is taking place from 1-3 December, and is also incorporating the Mass Participation World Conference.
In addition, the Conference is being timed in the lead up to the ATMBKK 2022 on 4 December, which is expected to be attended by some 25,000 runners.
The hosting of the WAGRC 2022 and the ATMBKK 2022 are part of the 3 world-class athletics events scheduled for this year under the partnership between Thailand and the World Athletics – the world governing body for the sport of track and field athletics.
The two events followed the inaugural Amazing Thailand World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, from 3-6 November, 2022.
TAT anticipates all three events to draw some 35,000 Thai and foreign participants, and generate 950 million Baht circulating capital for the Thai economy.
Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said “Sports tourism forms part of TAT’s strategies to revitalise Thai tourism post-pandemic, by driving travel demand from key source markets focusing on various segments including hyper-personalisation groups. Hosting of world championship events helps showcase Thailand’s ability to host world-class sporting events.”