THE first Samui Island Marathon Princess Cup will be held on Sept. 19, offering cash prizes totalling over Bt3 million, the highest purse record in Thai marathon history.

The marathon is being organized by Bangkok Airways, in collaboration with the Tourism Authority
of Thailand (TAT), Samui municipality and the Tourism Association of Koh Samui. “This is the first time ever for Bangkok Airways to organize a marathon at Samui, and we are so proud to receive our first Cup from

HRH Maka Chakri Sirindhorn. The objective of this marathon is to support the tourism campaign of TAT to encourage Thais to travel more within the country and also to attract more regional tourists to travel to Thailand,” said M.L.Nandhika Varavarn, Bangkok Airways vice president for corporate communications.

Ms. Nandhika said the airlines chose Samui as the point of sales will so that tourist can enjoy the scenery. Besides, she added, the island destination “has high potential to handle the race.”

“Samui Island is also known to be one of the most beautiful islands in the world. Bangkok Airways operates more than 30 direct flights daily to Samui from Bangkok, and two flights daily from Singapore and Hong Kong. Last year, Bangkok Airways carried 1.1 million passengers to Samui.

For this first Samui Island Marathon 2010, we expect to welcome more than a thousand runners around the world,” she said.

Police Col. Siroj Pianskool, senior vice president of the Sports Association of Thailand, said, “This race offers by now the highest prize for Princess Cup ever held in Thailand and is internationally sanctioned by the Sports Association of Thailand and the Asian Athletics Association.”

The race will be start off in the morning of Sept. 19, Saturday, from Nathon Pier and finish at the same point.

It will pass through 4169 route and Lippa Yai Crossroad, then on to Lippa Noi intersection to Ban Sakes intersection, turn around at Ban Hua Thanon, and follow the 4169 route back to Nathon Pier.

The marathon is divided into four types: Full Marathon (42.19 kilometers), which is subdivided into
18–29-year-olds (male/female),
30–39-year-olds (male/female),
40–49-year-olds (male/female),
50–59-year-olds (male),
50–year olds
and above (female) and 60–
year-olds and above (male);
Half Marathon (21.100 km.),
subdivided into 16–19-year-olds
(male/female), 30–39-year-olds
(male/female), 40–49-year-olds
(male/female), 50–59-year-olds
(male/female), and 60-year-olds
and above (male/female);
Quarter Marathon
(10.550 km.), subdivided into
15–19-year-olds (male/female),
20–29-year-olds (male/female),
30–39-year-olds (male/female),
40–49-year-olds (male/female),
50–59-year-olds and 60-yearolds
and above (male/female);
and Mini-marathon (no admission
fee) for Samui resident
students ages 12–14 years (2
km.).

The admission fees for Full Marathon, Half Marathon and Quarter Marathon from now until Aug. 31 are Bt500, Bt400 and Bt300 respectively. For applications submitted on Sept. 1-17, the fee will be Bt700, Bt500 and Bt300 respectively. Those applying on Sept. 18 will be charged Bt800, Bt600 and Bt300 respectively.