Tourism Minister eyeing to turn Chiang Mai into a new ground for Formula 1 race

BANGKOK, 29 June 2012 (NNT) – The Tourism Ministry is eyeing to make one of the country’s popular touristic towns a new ground for Formula-1 race.

Tourism Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa said on Thursday that the ministry is conducting a feasibility study on Chiang Mai Province as a new host city for Formula 1 race.

Mr. Chumpol stated that Chiang Mai is a preferred choice due to its well-managed land used in organizing the Royal Flora Ratchapruek, which can be allocated for other uses.

He added that the northern city’s vast, natural space will pose minimal noise pollution while allowing for the construction of stands to accommodate viewers.

If this plan is approved, the Highland Research and Development Institute (Public Organization) will be in charge of landscape adjustment.

The Tourism Minister believes that the Formula-1 face project will add more value to Chiang Mai’s tourism industry and attract more visitors to the annual Royal Flora Ratchapruek fair in the future.

-- NNT 2012-06-29

Wow! Yes please :)

Guess who owns the land on which the track will be built? I think the family name starts with an S or a D.

but I thought that Roads had be be flat, drive-worthy and without pot-holes every 20 metres to race cars!

Dream on silly man, talk to the Dwarf first - will never happen

It was London yesterday, Chiang Mai today. Where will it be tomorrow?

Dream on silly man, talk to the Dwarf first - will never happen

Chalerm will actually have rid the tourism industry of mafia before this happens. Or maybe the mafia will go home, because there wont be a tourism industry worth getting excited about.

"He added that the northern city’s vast, natural space will pose minimal noise pollution while allowing for the construction of stands to accommodate viewers."

Another nail in the coffin of "The Rose of the North" justified by a load of bolloc*s.

Well, and then the race will get cancelled due to the haze and smoke. Only way to avoid this is to provide free tickets (through a sub-sub-committee of a working group of 317 government officers) to all those hill tribes so there will be slash-and-burn before and during the race.

Ah, and the Labour Department has to set-up a big 10-storey building to process all those work permits for the pit crews and the drivers; latter passing a Thai driving test at the local Dept. of Land Transport.

Wonders never seize

Oh.... I heard it was going to be the Pattaya Grand Prix.

It was London yesterday, Chiang Mai today. Where will it be tomorrow?

Scam-ket uh I mean Phuket

Hopefully the F1 governing body will only laugh at the idea, knowing that Thai safety standards are basically non-existent.

So apart from whom the landowner might be, what other reasons are there for holding it in Chiang Mai?

1. Maximum inconvenience for spectators to get to the venue.

2. Unlikely to have sufficient quality accommodation for spectators.

3. Renown for bad smog and/or flooding.

4. Apart from using the venue and facilities for F1, what other use can be made of them during the rest of the year?

5. Will Bernie want to come here, bearing in mind the cancellation of one event due to very dodgy politics. Must have cost someone quite a lot of money? Politicshere are even more dodgy!!

6. What hurdles will Thai Government throw in the way of visas/work permits for teams?

Hm-m-m-m-m-m-m-m, anyone else see any other "advantages" to holding it in Thailand.

Hopefully the F1 governing body will only laugh at the idea, knowing that Thai safety standards are basically non-existent.

I have a mental picture of a diesel generator behind the pits with a long line of extension cables all plugged into one socket and each pit having an extension hanging thru the back window at about waist height.

I hear U-Tapao is available...

Guess who owns the land on which the track will be built? I think the family name starts with an S or a D.

It's all government land.

Anyway, I love the idea. It will take major, MAJOR blasting of hilly areas around the Mae Hia area, but the space does seem to be available for a good sized circuit.

If it's the best usage of money is something else.

anything that kills off that wretched flower festival that sucks in domestic tourists that fill up the trains & planes is worth considering.

And it would bring some much needed testosterone back to Northern tourism. Chiang Mai would be the racing capital of Thailand.

canopus1969 got it right. This will never happen. How much do you have to pay Bernie to have a F1 race? That is on top of providing all the facilities.

Another bright idea from bright leaders.

Chiang Mai is indeed the perfect place. The F1 race will be promoted as the only one in the world nestled between a zoo and a night safari. Animals from both locations will be just so happy with it.

Gosh, that's just what Thailand needs the F1. Wonder what the F1 will say on the next red shirt/yellow shirt protest? Remember Bahrain was boycotted over some protest by the F1 for 1 year. Also I am not sure how many folks would make that trip to Chang Mai for an F1 event. It might be like the Asian Games was in 1998 I think it was with empty bleachers.

The F1 Calendar is run during the Asian wet-season, Here in CM the best time would be November to January, but the F1 season over then.

Nice dream.

Ratchapruk flower festival is already a roaring success, don't mess with it.

Ox cart or buffalo cart races would be a better bet, considering this is Thailand, they could not organize much more than that.

Bernie one smart cookie when it comes to $$$, if it's to be made, even by methods that are ... true and proven here

Are they talking about a permanent track or a road course?

A permanent facility would be great, Thailand could use a world class track.

But I can't imagine they would get a serious look from F1

Anyone who builds a circuit according to the standards and (crucially) pays enough money gets a serious look from F1.

The F1 Calendar is run during the Asian wet-season, Here in CM the best time would be November to January, but the F1 season over then.

Nice dream.

First race of the calendar is in March, prefectly dry then as is April and May. We don't have to worry though as it will never happen. Chiangmai just does not have the infrastructure to handle such an event.

The F1 Calendar is run during the Asian wet-season, Here in CM the best time would be November to January, but the F1 season over then.

Nice dream.

First race of the calendar is in March, prefectly dry then as is April and May. We don't have to worry though as it will never happen. Chiangmai just does not have the infrastructure to handle such an event.

......doubtful about atmospheric studies also, but.......?????

If there is some way to fleece out some money, then the ability to do that is surely here......

One time anyway.....

Are they talking about a permanent track or a road course?

A permanent facility would be great, Thailand could use a world class track.

But I can't imagine they would get a serious look from F1

well maybe it could use a world class track. Or maybe it Couldn't but do you really think Chiang Mai would be the place to locate it

Yes because it is close to me