Why Thailand will have a MotoGP Champ someday, maybe female...

[bbradsby]

OK, we've all railed on the local scooterists' street antics as they almost drag us into the mayhem for merely being unlucky enough to be in the general proximity.... but, some of these Tossers have some skills, if not much sense. And assuming they live past puberty, on a track it could get interesting.

Example 1: the Thai teen female just made the Grid for Dorna's new Asian Talent Racing Class (see motogp.com for info)

Example 2: see the 3rd frame down from the top in this fun link: http://pantip.com/topic/31117552

Example 3: any faring who's spent time upcountry knows the local kids ride scooters - beginning 'round the 6th Grade - to school, to market two blocks away, and to just have fun.

[phitsanulokjohn]

Beginning around the 6th grade?We've got them here out and about at the age of 10,can hardly put their feet on the ground.

[KRS1]

I agree, Thailand has a lot of talent. Funding is a major obstacle to achieve world rankings. When I use to do car stereo sound pressure level competitions, many world records were broken in thailand, but the rest of the world never knew about them. There's also the problem of honest sponsors, notorious for using people for financial gain, after a while it gets old.

But with the advent of big bikes now becoming readily available, i see thailand entering the world stage in the very near future.

[JonnyF]

It's one thing kids riding scooters at a young age, but in Europe and the US the kids are racing in well organized youth series at the same age. That's far more beneficial for racing GP's later than learning to wheelie while your mate drags his flip flops off the back of Grannie's Honda Wave (even though I've seen some pretty impressive things on Youtube by Thai's on scooters).

There's no doubt in my mind that a Thai could do it if given the opportunity, but it's an expensive sport and he/she would probably have to be overseas from a relatively young age to achieve it IMO. There's only so far they could go practicing at the limited number of tracks in Thailand against limited competition. Plus they'd need a wealthy family/backer from a young age which limits the pool from which they can be picked even further.

Won't happen for a while IMO.

[nikster]

How about dirt bike? I know nothing about the scene but I was in Nan once when there was some sort of youth championship and it all looked way more professional than I'd have imagined, with kids, coaches, team buses, really nice bikes, etc. And there seemed to be hundreds of competitors - just a whole lot of people!

I guess to succeed in moto gp Thailand would have to do whatever Spain is doing. Talent doesn't matter, organization matters. I don't see a big grass roots racing culture here.

[fasteddie]

I wouldn't think so, takes more than a bunch of kids on mopeds, and as for it being female, I really hope not.

[BirdsandBooze]

Being able to do tricks on a bike doesn't necessarily mean that they have the skills to race. That takes something altogether different. At many professional football matches a top ball juggler entertains at half time but they haven`t got what it takes to be a professional footballer. Same applies to most disciplines.

[KRS1]

There are already thai riders in the motogp/Lemans circuits

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/Moto2+chassis+switches+continue+at+Le+Mans

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/thai+honda+sag+jerez+review

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/194108/1/moto2_wilairot_retires_replaced_by_fellow_thai_rider.html

With more and more big bikes coming in legally and riding groups building up, times will change. In BKK you may not notice a lot of these groups, but in CNX they are everywhere, and the mountainside is the perfect primer for future track stars.

[KRS1]

Honda sens people to Malaysia to ride the NSF 250

http://www.aphonda.co.th/2010/2010_page829.asp?id=0798

Thailand road racing school

http://www.aphonda.co.th/2010/2010_page779.asp?id=0784

its all in thai, just look at the pictures.

Edited October 20, 2013 by KRS1

[KRS1]

Maybe Indo has a better chance