PATTAYA, Thailand – Ray Run Pattaya 2026 will bring children, people with disabilities, families, seniors and runners of all abilities together under the inspiring theme “Run for All, Race for Hope,” promoting inclusion, equality and equal access to sport.
Organized by the Father Ray Foundation in collaboration with Pattaya City and partner organizations, the second Ray Run will take place on November 21–22, with activities at the Redemptorist Center in Pattaya on Saturday and the main running event at Central Pattaya Beach on Sunday.
The event aims to demonstrate that running is about more than speed or crossing a finish line, giving people of different ages and abilities an opportunity to participate together.
At a press conference held at the Redemptorist Center on August 21, Pattaya City Assistant Secretary Chukiat Nongyai said the city was pleased to support Ray Run and provide an accessible environment where people with and without disabilities could participate together.
He said Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet has emphasized the importance of making public spaces and sporting events accessible to everyone, regardless of physical ability, while strengthening Pattaya’s position as an international tourism and sports destination.
Continuing Father Ray’s legacy
Ray Run continues the remarkable legacy of Father Raymond Brennan, C.Ss.R., the Irish Redemptorist missionary who arrived in Pattaya in 1969 and devoted his life to helping disadvantaged children and people with disabilities.
His work eventually developed into a wide network of educational, vocational and social services now operated through the Father Ray Foundation.
Today, the foundation provides care and educational services to around 850 disadvantaged children and students with disabilities through projects including the Father Ray Children’s Village, Father Ray Day Care Center, school for children with special needs, Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind and vocational institutions for people with disabilities.
The foundation’s work goes beyond providing care, focusing on education, vocational skills, confidence and independence. Its vocational programmes are designed to help people with disabilities move towards employment and greater independence.
Father Korkiet Deesri, chairman of the Father Ray Foundation, said every race registration would help create an opportunity for a person with a disability to participate.
Krisana Lalai, chairman of the Architectural Accessibility Foundation for All, has called on wheelchair users from Pattaya, Bangkok and elsewhere to participate, with organizers aiming to bring together 300 wheelchair users in what they hope will become the largest wheelchair running event in ASEAN.
For Pattaya Mail Managing Director Pratheep (Peter) Malhotra, the event has a particularly personal meaning. “I have lived in Pattaya for more than 50 years and I knew Father Ray Brennan personally from the early days when he began caring for children here,” Pratheep said.
“What started with Father Ray helping a small number of children eventually developed into many institutions and projects that continue his work today through the Father Ray Foundation. It is remarkable to see how that vision has grown and how many lives have been touched.”
A race where everyone belongs
Participants can choose from 1-kilometre, 3-kilometre and 5-kilometre runs, together with a 2.5-kilometre wheelchair race. Participants with visual impairments will be supported by guide runners, while wheelchair users can participate with assistance where required. Elderly wheelchair users are also welcome to take part with a caregiver.
One of the most meaningful features of Ray Run is the opportunity for participants to help another person take part. Runners can nominate a specific person with a disability to receive a race entry. If no individual is nominated, the foundation will allocate the opportunity to someone under its care. People with disabilities who complete the race will also receive a commemorative gift.
Two days of activities
The Ray Run experience begins on Saturday, November 21, with BIB and T-shirt collection at the Mahatai Pattaya Convention Center from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The day will include an Open House and exhibitions showcasing the work of the Father Ray Foundation and the children and students it supports. Visitors will also have opportunities to learn about social enterprises involving people with disabilities, meet Paralympic and other athletes with disabilities, and enjoy performances by disabled artists and volunteers.
The main event takes place on Sunday, November 22, at Central Pattaya Beach.
Baggage storage opens at 5 a.m., followed by a welcome ceremony and warm-up. The wheelchair race starts at 5:30 a.m., followed by the 5-kilometre race at 6:30 a.m., the 3-kilometre race at 6:40 a.m. and the 1-kilometre race at 6:50 a.m. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 7 a.m., with the event concluding at 8 a.m.
Tourism and inclusion
TAT Pattaya Office Director Urai Mukpradabthong highlighted the event’s role in promoting tourism, encouraging travel to Pattaya and strengthening the city’s image as a destination for everyone.
Ray Run is expected to attract around 1,000 participants, turning Pattaya Beach into a symbol of inclusion, friendship and hope.
The organizers say the ultimate goal is not simply the number of runners or wheelchair users taking part, but the message they take home — that differences do not have to become barriers and that everyone deserves a place in the community.
The media has a role to play
Pratheep also believes the media has an important responsibility in helping build a more inclusive society. “Media is not only about reporting what happens in our community. It is also about helping the community understand the people and causes that need our support,” he said.
“For people with disabilities, visibility and understanding are extremely important. We need to show what people can achieve rather than focusing on what they cannot do. Events such as Ray Run provide an excellent opportunity to change attitudes and demonstrate that disability should never be a barrier to participation.”
He added that local media can help charitable organizations by telling their stories, highlighting their achievements and encouraging the public and businesses to become involved.
“Pattaya Mail has been part of the Pattaya community for more than three decades, first in print and today online. We have always believed that the media has a responsibility to support the community in which we live. Promoting Ray Run is one small but important way we can help.”
Supporting a more inclusive Thailand
The importance of inclusion extends well beyond a single sporting event. Accessibility, employment, education, transportation and public participation remain areas where communities can continue to improve.
The Father Ray Foundation’s work demonstrates the importance of giving people the skills and opportunities to become independent members of society. Its school for blind students, for example, combines mainstream education with Braille, mobility and vocational skills to help students live independently.
Ray Run provides another way for the wider community to support that mission. Every runner, supporter, volunteer and sponsor can help send a message that people with disabilities are not on the sidelines of society — they are part of society.
Registration and event information are available through Ray Run Pattaya, with further information from the Father Ray Foundation, Facebook: Ray Run Pattaya, and LINE: @inspirerunner.
