TAT targets Tour de France for Thailand

[Jeremy50]

The original idea wasn't as stupid as it looked. Almost every year the TdF has a couple starting stages in another country.

Obviously, for logistic and sport reasons (think about the racers who would have to race jet lagged after a 10 hours flight) it will never happen in asia.

Yes, but those chosen countries have a very strong cycling tradition, and are also neighboring France, thus the race moves seamlessly into the main French stages. Thailand has almost no cycle racing history, although there is the 'Tour of Thailand' and amateur events such as the Tour de Farm. At the end of the day it sounds as ridiculous as Qatar hosting the World Cup.

[mikiea]

eh eh ..... anyone know where i go to apply for a tat job? it does not seem you need any known skills except the ability to pull a whopper outta your keester once in while :-)

[Jeremy50]

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.

The Tour de Thailand is already a yearly event. Google Thailand Cycling Events

[dunque]

This will go over like the last FIFA event that never happened.

Do you mean this one ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_FIFA_Futsal_World_Cup

[seajae]

would be impossible to do on thai roads, it bad enough that none of the roads in Thailand are built properly and are full of pot holes etc but the local drivers would run over half of them trying to get past, there is no way they would not use cordoned off roads if they wanted to go in that direction, ignorance is bliss here.

[wernerkl]

When I read this 1st in BKK POST I had to laugh. And after about 1 hour it sank in: they must have all be laughing at such a request and simple saidd yes, yes, good on you before their bellies burst. Thailand has become the number one place of satire (black humor) already since June but this one tops it all. I can see the french laughing now.

A cyclist.

[eldragon]

This will go over like the last FIFA event that never happened.

Do you mean this one ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_FIFA_Futsal_World_Cup

Wow! It actually happened? I was told TH botched the preparations and it never happened.

[Lupatria]

Only a local can win, as they are the only ones knowing all the potholes on the roads.

What else is it the TAT got up the sleeve- Rio's Carnival in Surat Thani - the New York Marathon in Hua Hin and the Winter Olympics in Surin?

[eldragon]

would be impossible to do on thai roads, it bad enough that none of the roads in Thailand are built properly and are full of pot holes etc but the local drivers would run over half of them trying to get past, there is no way they would not use cordoned off roads if they wanted to go in that direction, ignorance is bliss here.

They're build fine. Maintenance is another issue though.

[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.

The Tour de Thailand is already a yearly event. Google Thailand Cycling Events

Yes, but I was meaning a closer tie-in.

[Neilly]

eh eh ..... anyone know where i go to apply for a tat job? it does not seem you need any known skills except the ability to pull a whopper outta your keester once in while :-)

I would say you're over qualified as you seem to be able to just about string a sentence together

[phil2407]

Not Tour de France anymore - tour Le monde

[Fab5BKK]

Another scoop: Les 24 Heures du Mans will take in Bangkok next year

[Fab5BKK]

and Roland-Garros tournament as well!

LoS "The" Hub of...

[FredNL]

What a load of BULL$#!T....

A bit late, April fool's day was over half a year ago...

What is next? Thailand will host the 2022 Winter Olympics???

[FredNL]

TAT

Don't Thai to me.

The route for 2015 is already published. The start will be in Utrecht, The Netherlands, not in Bangkok!!!

http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2014/us/grand-depart-2015.html

[Felt 35]

Why do TAT talk about Tour de France and Thailand? Tour de France mean touring France, shall they make the French alps up in Chiang Mai? Why not only make Tour de Thailand attractive for foreign teams, i.e. big money.

[CNXTim]

"And I'd be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats ......"

[khunsiam]

Why do TAT talk about Tour de France and Thailand? Tour de France mean touring France, shall they make the French alps up in Chiang Mai? Why not only make Tour de Thailand attractive for foreign teams, i.e. big money.

not only touring in France, in Belgium and the Netherlands also, last year the UK involved.

ASO said it was a misinterpretation by the TAT, they talked about organizing a criterium as in Japan, that's all.

[chooka]

If it is held in Thailand wouldn't it be the Tour De Thailand. How can you tour France in Thailand.

[noitom]

Worthless dreams and visions of grandeur for Thais.

[chooka]

Isn't Wimbledon being held in Thailand in 2015? What is the date of the F1 race TAT are holding in 2015. Have they finished the circuit?

[Daniel Boon]

Won't happen.

Maybe a Tour Thailand, as they have some formidable riders ...

[Strangebrew]

Say what Now the Thai's want to copy tour de France ? Look stick with your toilet beauty contest Cause you just screw it up with extra fees for Farangs. TAT tourism that bad you stoop this low the EBOLA cure scam wasn't good enough?

[khunjamesjohnson]

Thailand boldly announced they were in talks to host the Tour de France on Thursday, much to the surprise of organizers of the world’s greatest cycle race.

[Keesters]

Will the TAT do something about the stray street dogs as I'm sure these professional cyclists won't like being chased by them.

[Mosha]

Tour de France Thailand.........ridiculous!!

I thought UK was bad enough, keep it in France

Thailand could organise it's own T de T in conjunction with TAT and sponsored by TOT.

There was for a few years a Tour of Siam. I know because one year it passed about 1lm from where I live. Why not revive that?

[apetley]

would be impossible to do on thai roads, it bad enough that none of the roads in Thailand are built properly and are full of pot holes etc but the local drivers would run over half of them trying to get past, there is no way they would not use cordoned off roads if they wanted to go in that direction, ignorance is bliss here.

The Thai police seem to be pretty good at closing the roads off when a member of the Royal Family is passing through.

Of more concern would be the stray dog problem.

Anyway, never gonna happen.

[apetley]

If it is held in Thailand wouldn't it be the Tour De Thailand. How can you tour France in Thailand.

I guess the same way this years Tour de France started in the UK.

It was a fantastic success there btw with hundreds of thousands lining the entire route.

[gyrosman]

I look forward to watching cyclist racing, carrying their umbrella at the same time during RAINY season June-July, let's see with weather delays the Tour da Pothole Thailand should only take 4 months instead of 28 days. Good for the Thai's, more time to steal the bikes and rob and hurt the tourist. I think after I rode 167 miles in one day that I would look forward to a good night sleep with the dogs barking and the roosters crowing at 4am in the morning to get me going again. And If I'm really lucky getting bit by mosiqtios and getting Dangue fever woud prove to be a great experince in the LOS.

I think Lance Armstrong should be allowed to compete because you would have to be doing drugs if your going to ride 3,500km in Thailand. They need to make it a small circle because the roads would destroy the bikes and riders.