Looking for some Thai Longtail racing, the motorized kind.

[impulse]

I'd really like to watch some Thai Longtail boat racing, the kind where they strap on a tiny boat with a modified scooter engine and go like the devil.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKzyLIonf0c#t=30

http://www.dragzine.com/news/long-tail-boats-thailands-outrageous-form-of-drag-boat-racing/

Anyone know where I can find a race to watch and amble around the pits, preferably near BKK?

Edited August 9, 2014 by impulse

[bkkden]

That looks pretty cool!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[impulse]

That looks pretty cool!

Accidentally got to see some Drift Racing last week. I laughed my butt off- reminded me of a Tom and Jerry cartoon the way they scrambled around the track. (Also gave me a real dose of respect for their driving skills- awesome)

Reminded me that I would really like to see some Longtail Boat races, but I never see them advertised- just pictures and vids after the fact.

[gomangosteen]

Roger Moore had an over-powered one, as James Bond in The Man With the Golden Gun

[gomangosteen]

long way from Bangkok - but three race meetings held in Chanthaburi province each year, March and April, some of my own photos here

Edited September 3, 2014 by gomangosteen

[gomangosteen]

engines . . . as as you can see my photos at 2012/13 events, the 'pits' are fairly accessible

Edited September 3, 2014 by gomangosteen

[gomangosteen]

more racing, today on Chanthaburi coast at Laem Sing

First time I've seen them on the sea, perfect conditions, though it'd be interesting to see how they handle even a mild chop/swell, given they are airborne much of the time

Today's races a lot longer than the ones I've seen on rivers/dams, estimate course was approx 1500m, and some events held over 4 laps

[impulse]

Bumping this to see if anyone else knows of any.

Thanks, gomangsteen!

[melvinmelvin]

Well,

in case someone is still interested:

In Nonthaburi, the next province north of Bangkok there are races now and then on Chao Praya.

There was a fairly big event in the beginning of November.

Bang Pakong, a fairly big river that enters the sea in ChonBuri or maybe Samuth Prakhan there is some fairly

serious boat racing. Fist price is up to 1 million baht. The races often takes place quiet a distance upstream, ChaChoengSao province.

Now, the word longtail.

Thais do not call the boats shown above for longtailboats.

The boats that thais call Longtail boat are the rather biggish tourist boats you see in central Bangkok, taking tourists along on the canals

stoping at the odd floating market, croc farm, snake farm etc etc. That is a longtail boat, Ruua Haeng Yao.

The boats above do not have longtails, Haeng Yao, in thai, they have tails, Haeng.

[gomangosteen]

Central Chanthaburi city, and often see these boats at speed along the river, including at night have seen them in pairs, enough lights from houses and buildings as they howl along the Chan River

[melvinmelvin]

My boat, krap:

I can assure you, this boat is way faster than the boats on your pics from the river in Chantaburi, way faster.

[gomangosteen]

Some info, pics and videos at links below

https://johntom.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/long-tail-boat-racing-in-thailand/

http://racecarthings.com/thai-long-tail-race-boat-steroids/

http://www.dragzine.com/news/long-tail-boats-thailands-outrageous-form-of-drag-boat-racing/

http://www.john-tom.com/Klong16/LongTail.html

Aug 2009 - Ang Nam Chaimongkol in Samut Sakorn (70km outside Bangkok)

Confirmed highest speed of the day (by radar gun) was 165 kph (102 mph)

　

[impulse]

Aug 2009 - Ang Nam Chaimongkol in Samut Sakorn (70km outside Bangkok)

Confirmed highest speed of the day (by radar gun) was 165 kph (102 mph)　

Plus, there's a huge difference between doing 100 MPH in a 3 ton 30 footer and doing it in a 100 Lb 10 footer.

Please, please, please, post back if you know (in advance) when a race event will be taking place. I always hear about them long after they're over.

Edited December 3, 2015 by impulse

[melvinmelvin]

1 ton / 33 foot

yes, I'll shout if/when I hear of a race

Not so many races in Chao Praya north of Bangkok, I think.

I think the river Bang Pakong is a fairly good place for races, prizes up to 1 million baht.

[rws85]

I'd also love to see these boats in action.

That's an old add I found on Facebook for them. Unfortunately I can't read most of it.

[rws85]

Their page hasn't been updated since August.

[gomangosteen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oZ1wGm-hCA

Edited December 22, 2015 by gomangosteen

[melvinmelvin]

never seen boats or races like that before

this is just a small piece of lightweight wood with a mini engine attached

the races I see now and then have real working boats (doesn't mean they are slow) as competitors

the exception being the boats that thais call speedboats (speedboats in thai) they have small speedboats and large speedboats,

these are pure pleasure crafts not working boats

[rws85]

I would love to see the boats as shown in the video above.

[rws85]

[melvinmelvin]

1 ton / 33 foot

yes, I'll shout if/when I hear of a race

Not so many races in Chao Praya north of Bangkok, I think.

I think the river Bang Pakong is a fairly good place for races, prizes up to 1 million baht.

shout shout

my mechanic called me this late afternoon and called off an agreement we had for tomorrow,

his workshop on Koh Kred will be closed tomorrow because he wants to watch a boat race

the race will start 1100/1200 hours and it will be along the northern shore of Koh Kred, the western end of the northern shore

cannot really guarantee the info, but whats above is what I learned an hour ago

to get there;

go to Tha Naam Pak Kred there you can take a taxi boat to the race area

or go to Wat Sanaam Nuua which is in soi 4 Thanon Chaeng Wattana (Pak Kred) there take the ferry across to Koh Kred and the a motocy taxi or walk (about 2 km I'd guess)

or go to Tha Naam Nonthaburi by taxi meter or the Chao Praya Express service and then a taxi boat from there

[melvinmelvin]

 

More shouting:

 

My neighbour told me last week that on the 23rd of this month there will be racing in Chao Praya.

 

A little bit upstream/North of Pak Kred (Rama 4 bridge).

 

Race village will be at a temple on the Western bank of the river.

 

I assume there will be heats for at least the following classes of boats;

 

soong dtoon lek

soong dtoon yai

long tail 4 cylinder

long tail 6 cylinder

speedboat lek

speed boat yai

 

 

[melvinmelvin]

 

and I assume there will be some heats for Katoey boats,

not sure how these are categorized in different classes.

 

[Mosha]

 
More shouting:
 
My neighbour told me last week that on the 23rd of this month there will be racing in Chao Praya.
 
A little bit upstream/North of Pak Kred (Rama 4 bridge).
 
Race village will be at a temple on the Western bank of the river.
 
I assume there will be heats for at least the following classes of boats;
 
soong dtoon lek
soong dtoon yai
long tail 4 cylinder
long tail 6 cylinder
speedboat lek
speed boat yai
 
 

Probably cancelled now.

Sent from my SMART_4G_Speedy_5inch using Tapatalk

[melvinmelvin]

Don't know. But I can ask my neighbour when he gets home from work this evening.

 

(There are problems upstream of Saphan Phra Nang Klao re very high water levels.)

[melvinmelvin]

17 hours ago, Mosha said:

Probably cancelled now.

Sent from my SMART_4G_Speedy_5inch using Tapatalk
 

 

Yes, it is cancelled. Just talked to the neighbours's wife, she says its cancelled.

 

[melvinmelvin]

On 10.10.2016 at 4:44 AM, melvinmelvin said:

 

More shouting:

 

My neighbour told me last week that on the 23rd of this month there will be racing in Chao Praya.

 

A little bit upstream/North of Pak Kred (Rama 4 bridge).

 

Race village will be at a temple on the Western bank of the river.

 

I assume there will be heats for at least the following classes of boats;

 

soong dtoon lek

soong dtoon yai

long tail 4 cylinder

long tail 6 cylinder

speed boat lek

speed boat yai

 

 

 

The race referred to above was cancelled last year.

 

This year the race is scheduled for the 4th of November, the day after Loi Kratong.

 

Race village will be at a Wat on the western bank of Chao Praya, some 2-3 kilometers

north of Pak Kred (Rama 4 bridge).

 

I'd expect pretty much the same classes will compete, + maybe Katoy big and Katoy small.

 

(my neighbour will drive long tail 4 cylinder, he won last time)

 

[melvinmelvin]

 

As promised:  SHOUT SHOUT SHOUT

 

There will be a Thai boat race on the coming Sunday.

 

I expect the following classes will participate;

 

speedboat lek

speedboat yai

longtail 4 cylinder

longtail 6 cylinder

soong dtoon lek

soong dtoon yai

and likely the odd heat with katoey boats

 

Race Village will be at Wat Saeng, Wat Saeng is by Chao Praya river's south bank across from the southern side of Koh Kred.

Likely start noonish.

 

This is in Nonthaburi province, but only a handfull of kilometers north of Bangkok.

To get there;

a) get to the taxi boat stand under the eastern side of the Rama 4 bridge, then take a tadxi boat.

    (this is at the western end of Chaeng Wattana road)

get to Tha Naam Non, the end stop for Chao Praya Express service, take  a taxi boat from there.

c) Wat Saeng is reachable by car, it is in an area named Tha It. If you drive Rachapruk road north

    you make a right after you have crossed purple skytrain and Rattanathibet road and before you reach Chayapruk road,

    it is signed in Thai.

    But of course there would be people to ask if you don't hack Thai.

d) If you drive Rattanatibet westwards there is also a road going off to the right before you reach Rachapruk road.

 

Those events are usually quite entertaining.

 

[gomangosteen]

An old thread; but still alive

 

There's racing in Chanthaburi on Sunday 29 January 2023 and 5 March 2023.

 

These events for the smaller boats as I'd pictured previously, presume same as previous years where they race up to six at a time.

 

[gomangosteen]

A Youtube clip from 2019