Well over the regular 500 participants joined the fourth Nordic Walk & Run in Bangkok on Saturday 14 November 2026, enjoying a morning of exercise, friendship and Nordic hospitality in the green surroundings of Vachirabenjatas Park and Queen Sirikit Park.
The annual event, presented by the four Nordic embassies in Thailand, brought together Nordic diplomats, Nordic and Thai businesspeople, Nordic families and Thai friends of the Nordic community for a morning that was as much about meeting people as it was about running.
This year’s Nordic Walk & Run had moved from Benjakitti Park, where participation had previously been limited to 500 people, to the larger green surroundings of Vachirabenjatas Park, better known as Rot Fai Park, and the adjacent Queen Sirikit Park. The new location allowed up to 1,000 participants, and although attendance did not quite reach that number, it was well above the previous limit.
Four ambassadors and one enthusiastic governor
Before the start, Finnish Ambassador Kristiina Kuvaja-Xanthopoulos, Swedish Ambassador Anna Hammargren, Danish Ambassador Danny Annan, and the new Norwegian Ambassador Frode Solberg took turns welcoming the participants and encouraging everyone to enjoy the morning.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, who has opened every Nordic Walk & Run since the event began, also came up on the stage and welcomed the runners.
First, however, participants were put through a series of warm-up exercises led by the Swedish fitness chain Fitness24Seven.
Then, at precisely 7.00, Governor Chadchart enthusiastically blew the starting horn, not just once but in several energetic bursts, sending the crowd off on their 5 km or 10 km routes.
Many participants set off running with considerable enthusiasm. But after the first 500 metres, an increasing number began alternating between running and walking.
That was entirely in the spirit of the event. The Nordic Walk & Run is not primarily about breaking personal records. It is about supporting an active lifestyle and enjoying a morning together.
Sara Tuxen, Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Finland, captured that spirit in a humorous LinkedIn post afterwards:
“I’m not a morning person nor a runner, but what wouldn’t you do for your country, like wake up at 5 am on a Saturday. A great turnout and nice start for the day at the 4th Nordic Walk & Run in Bangkok, this time in the lovely State Railway Park.”
She thanked Mikke Kinnari and others for the company, concluding with the words: “We Finnish-ed it!”
Running through Bangkok’s green oasis
The route wound through the beautiful park landscape, passing flowering trees, botanical displays and information signs identifying the many species of plants.
Along the way, participants also passed outdoor exercise stations where Bangkok residents were busy with their regular morning workouts.
Some Nordic runners overtook others. Some walkers overtook runners who had decided to take a break. Everybody seemed to find their own comfortable pace.
For this writer and my wife Dao, the morning was a pleasant mixture of running, walking and enjoying the surroundings.
Crossing the finishing line brought a genuine sense of accomplishment. So much so that I found myself promising to sign up for the 10 km distance next year.
Whether that promise survives until November 2027 remains to be seen.
A Nordic Village full of familiar faces
Back at the starting and finishing area, the Nordic Village had become a lively meeting place.
In many ways, it was a village in the truest sense of the word. Everybody who was somebody in the Nordic community seemed to be there.
Apart from the Nordic diplomats, participants included Danish Pastor Nicolaj Stubbe Horlyck, prominent Nordic businesspeople and many Thai friends connected in one way or another with the Nordic countries.
Most already knew one another. Others made new acquaintances. Conversations developed across nationalities and professional backgrounds, turning the village into a cheerful marketplace of Nordic connections.
The sponsors played an important role in creating this atmosphere.
Each had set up a tent presenting its products and services, and several offered entertaining challenges that participants could complete to win small gifts.
Novo Nordisk, for example, challenged visitors to negotiate an obstacle course while carrying additional weight on their shoulders and dumbbells in their hands.
Women were given 25 seconds to complete the challenge, while men had 20 seconds. The difference in time limits was not explained, but the challenge attracted plenty of enthusiastic participants.
After completing their 5 km or 10 km routes, many runners were still sufficiently energised to try their luck at the sponsors’ activities.
One sponsor, however, needed no challenge to attract a crowd.
Arla had perhaps the longest queue of all, offering participants a delicious breakfast box containing a Greek salad and a bread roll with two varieties of Arla cheese. The breakfast was served in sustainable packaging, adding an environmentally conscious touch to the morning.
Friendship beyond the finishing line
The Nordic Walk & Run has become more than an annual exercise event.
It provides an opportunity for members of the Nordic community and their Thai friends to meet in an informal setting, reconnect with old acquaintances and make new contacts.
For some of us, it was also a chance to catch up with friends whom we seem to meet only once a year at healthy events like this. Others we tend to encounter at the Nordic community’s rather less health-conscious social gatherings. Both have their place, of course!
But on this particular Saturday morning, exercise, fresh air, friendship and a healthy breakfast proved an excellent combination.
And judging by the smiles at the finishing line, the fourth Nordic Walk & Run had once again achieved exactly what it set out to do.
Thank you to the sponsors
Without the sponsors, the fourth Nordic Walk & Run would have been a lame duck. They really gave it the kick we all needed to enjoy getting out of bed at this horrible time on a November Saturday morning and join the event.
Thank you so much to all of you: AstraZeneca, Atlas Copco Group, ECCO, Finnair, IKEA, KONE, LINAK, Novo Nordisk, Orion Pharma, Pandora, PYN Elite, SAAB, SKF, Yara, Bumrungrad International Hospital and Fitness24Seven.
Hopefully you felt it was worth all your efforts – please rest assured that we all all really enjoyed your contribution!
