Bangkok
กรุงเทพฯ
Run the parks before the city wakes up.
Bangkok is not a city you run across; it is a city you run inside. The good running happens in a handful of big parks, most of them a short MRT or BTS ride apart, and almost all of it happens before 8 am or after sunset. These guides start with the parks local runners actually use.
Routes
Lumpini Park Loop
สวนลุมพินี
2.6 kmLoop
The Green Mile
สะพานเขียว
6.4 kmA to B
Benjakitti Lake & Forest
สวนป่าเบญจกิติ
5.3 kmFigure-eight
| Route | Distance | Nearest station | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lumpini Park Loop | 2.6 km loop | MRT Si Lom | 5–8 am |
| The Green Mile | 6.4 km A to B | MRT Si Lom | 6–8 am |
| Benjakitti Lake & Forest | 5.3 km figure-eight | MRT Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre | 5–7 am |
Before you run
Heat
Hot all year: highs of 32–36°C and humidity of 66–79%. March to May is hottest; November to February is the least bad. Finish by about 7:30 am, or go after sunset.
Haze season
PM2.5 builds from about December to April; in 2025 it peaked near 108 µg/m³ against Thailand's standard of 37.5. Check Air4Thai or IQAir before a hard run. Local clubs cancel above about 120.
Rain
The rainy season runs from mid-May to October, and September is the wettest month. Storms mostly hit in the afternoon or evening, so mornings are the safe bet.
Dawn starts
Sunrise moves between about 5:50 (June) and 6:45 (January). The first BTS trains run from about 5:15 and the MRT Blue Line from about 5:30, so plan dawn starts around them.
The anthem
At 8:00 and 18:00 the national anthem plays over park speakers and everyone stops where they are for about a minute. Stop with them.
Streets and dogs
Stay in the parks: pavements are broken, crowded and crossed by open drains. If a soi dog comes at you, face it and back off slowly; don't sprint. Any bite or scratch needs same-day medical care.