TAT targets Tour de France for Thailand

[animatic]

The absurdity never stops here.

The TdF is run in France even if the occasional stage has veered cross neighboring borders.

The Grand Départ is regularly held outside of France - in 2012 it was hosted by Belgium.

One stage and then back on French soil. The idea of 9 hours of air travel each way for the fist stage

and then right into the 3 week race is utter foolishness.

A tour de Thailand run partly with the French tour operators might be possible,

If the locals listened to those with experience in these events.

[bangon04]

and in related news, TAT has just announced that in 2015 Thailand will host the Wimbledon Tennis finals and the Notting Hill and Rio Carnivals

meanwhile, negotiations for the Munich Bierfest and the Northern Lights (aka Aurora Borealis)are ongoing...

Edited October 2, 2014 by bangon04

[rtco]

Great idea ... cyclists will have to undergo weeks of training to deal with hazards such as traffic coming down the wrong side of the road, rampaging cattle on motorways, that a red light in Thailand means "what the hell go on", motorbikes carrying 4-people get right of way, overloaded trucks, that they have to hand over 200 THB when they get stopped at police check point for no reason whatsoever, vehicles cutting in from the right at the last minute to do a u-turn, drivers that don't know what an inside lane is on a two or three lane highway, bus/mini bus drivers that couldn't give a 5h1t about anyone ... I'm sure you people can think of many more.

[Gunna]

Thailand is now the new HUB for ridiculous Ministry of Tourism statements.

[englishoak]

Thailand is now the new HUB for ridiculous Ministry of Tourism statements.

........... at least there are wheels to base some kind of hub claim on for a change.

Edited October 2, 2014 by englishoak

[rtco]

Paris-based ASO has no plans to stage part of the prestigious three-week French race in Thailand, Amaury said by phone. Earlier today, Thailand’s tourism authority said on its website it could host the Tour as early as 2015.

[FangFerang]

What a great idea! The land is fairly flat, so it's a good field for competition. The locals are friendly and can give either short-time or long-time help to the competitors. And, best of all, no foreigner gets ripped off, murdered or injured in Thailand!

[buck99]

They should follow the Tour de France in Thailand with the Macy Day parade.

[chasntong]

On these roads!

[nong38]

Will Victory Monument be on the route for the day just to show no hard feelings?

[RKASA]

Well if not the TdeF then at least make a hub of cycling in ASEAN or something. Maybe start with a few more crackdowns first and then a hub. I would like to see a hub of ideas that don't make me spit out my coffee when I read about them. Oh wait we need a Thanks giving-day parade - everyone loves a parade.

[llz]

The Big Start of Tour de France in Thailand is a completely unrealistic thought ; even Qatar with its petro-dollars has not (yet) succeeded to have it. The most faraway countries that have already staged the Big Start have been Ireland and West Berlin (many years before 1989).

If Thailand want to apply for a big cycling event, they had better to apply for World Championships who have already been held in Colombia, USA, Australia. I can think of a circuit in Pattaya which could do the trick (Jomtian, Pratamnak, Bali Hai pier and up to the Hill 20ish times...), but I guess it would be difficult to close the roads a whole week long, and I doubt the Thai Cycling Federation as well as Pattaya municipality would have enough organisation and structure to be in charge.

[sprq]

Firstly, the headline is a lie: it's a proposal, not a done deal.

Secondly, it's an idiotic proposal which has as much chance of happening as holding the Superbowl in Thailand.

Thirdly, only the beginning of the Tour de France is held in other countries, and those countries are always neighbours of France.

In short, TAT seems to understand nothing about the Tour de France and is making itself look totally stupid by putting out this piece of news.

[jaltsc]

"The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is in talks with Paris-based Amaury Sport Organisation for the possibility of staging the world’s biggest cycling race, the Tour de France, in Thailand in 2015"

Do they even make world maps in Thailand, or do they think that Thailand is the world? Flash....France is almost on the other side of the earth (give or take a few thousand miles), and the reason they call it the Tour de France is because the race takes place in France, albeit some small stages are held in neighboring countries that are visible from some part of France. This time, the TAT isn't stealing the idea and pretending that a Tour de Thailand is really the Tour de France. They are trying to kidnap the event.

It appears that officials of TAT have broken into Lance Armstrong's stash. There is no way a rational human being could make such a stupid statement without being under the influence of some mind/body altering substance.

Edited October 2, 2014 by jaltsc

[gyrosman]

They'll call it the " Pothole da Thailand race. Can't imagine the bike taxis' guys think the cyclist are here without a WP.

[gyrosman]

I vote all TAT workers submit to a drug test soon. And make sure they are not talking about a motorbike race but a pedal bike race.

[Loptr]

Thailand is now the new HUB for ridiculous Ministry of Tourism statements.

This is in conjunction with the Ministry of Silly Walks...

[VINCENT2012]

Tour de France to be held in Thailand whats that?

tour de france can only be in france.......perhaps some thais want to organize a tour of thailand in thailand.......fine........ then do it and call a cat, a cat not a dog

it is funny how some fellows use all our staff to try to make money.........(the name is protected exactly like cognac, champagne, barcelona, etc etc )

i dont think europeen will come anyway.....the tour de france with the "giro de espana" and "giro di italia" make a complete year allready

but they can make it with the new asian atlete comunity...........for example!

[Phuketboy]

I thought it was Tour De France simply because of that, it is a cycling even touring France. Will they have to change the name to Tour De Thailand if held here?

[asdecas]

Hmmm, the Tour de Saraburi, what? Leo kwaa?

[j15mth]

Why do they report such Rubbish.

The Guardian Newspaper TODAY reports" something has been lost in the Translation"

TAT has lost the Plot.

[Pib]

NEWS FLASH! Thailand expects to receive the winning bid for the 2024 Winter Olympics! Local officials in Kohn Kaen have assured the Olympic committee that all the alpine events will go off without a hitch.

The Ski jump probably won't meet international safety standards with its support structure being built from used bamboo poles previously used to paint houses.

[taony]

Thailand is now the new HUB for ridiculous Ministry of Tourism statements.

now? I think its been for a long time.

Be prepared for many many more now that the Koh Tao situation is "over".

[Gillyflower]

Apart from the fact that things for the Tour are planned long in advance, I wonder if they realise that any town that has the Tour passing, finishing, starting or staying the night has to pay a hell of a lot of money for the privilege. Perhaps it would be better to send the teams on to the beach for the night. We all know what happens to foreigners on beaches at night. Before the race even starts each day, there are the caravans that go on forever. Have they any idea of the logistics for the hundreds of people that are part of the Tour. And I'm not even talking about the press. I have seen so many Tours. They always pass, finish, start or spend the night in my little town. It's the last town before they ATTACK the Pyrenees. Not only that who would make part of the thousands that line the route, whether it be in England, Belgium etc.And it is thousands. Do the Thais know anything about it.

[Arkady]

Will be great business for suppliers of the new tourist ID bracelets.

[Gillyflower]

When the Tour is scheduled to pass, there is NO OTHER TRAFFIC. The route is barred for some time before. The cyclists and their motor bike helpers are alone. They are proceeded by the motor gendarmes and accompanied all the way by them . AND WOE BETIDE you if you are for some reason in the path of the Tour.

Those that are saying Tour de France and that means France....well for some years past, it has started in other European countries, where it has an enormous success. Of course after the first or second day the rest of it is in France.

[BillyBobThai]

As an annual event to be held in the Thai beach resort town of Pattaya, down the beautiful Walking Street. The running of the buffalos by all of Pattaya's scantily clad pole dancers. Truly a sight to behold.

[Songhua]

The 2018 Melbourne Cup is to be held at National Stadium.

[Gillyflower]

Well it's closer than France anyway. Where is the National Stadium? And when is the Cup? I will be there.

Edited October 2, 2014 by Gillyflower

[ableguy]

Absolute sheer lunacy, how these buffoons ever land these jobs is beyond my comprehension.