TAT targets Tour de France for Thailand

[BirdsandBooze]

All joking aside it would be very popular among the locals here. Leisure cycling is growing all the time among middle class Thais.

[ianf]

Yes nothing nicer than Cycling around Thailand, safe as anything ????

There is so much twaddle written here about the Tour de France. One poster has it right, though. And that it may well be a race organised by the TdF organisers but absolutely nothing to do with the Tour de France. Then someone posts a news picture of a load of older people on MTNs happily touring along at 10kph. The Tour de France is as far removed from that as a shopping trip on your Honda Wave is to the Moto Grand Prix. The Tour de France is not a sunny jaunt. It's the world's toughest sporting event run on closed roads (no traffic); It is made up of the top teams from the world pro tour squads and many of the riders are on millions of Euro a year contracts. I don't think even TAT understands the nature of the Tour de France or what it even is.Off course it does not help when organisers of events take the mickey (such as the Tour de Thailand) when in fact they are just holding, not a race, but a jaunt through the Thai countryside at your own speed. Even the Thai Cycling Association seem to have little idea of what the sport is and what the possibilities are. Makes me laugh to see this ignorant nonsense.

[jakobvarming]

Hopefully with more success than last time a big media bicycle event passed Thailand with tragic result... RIP poor Brits!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/9874682/British-couple-killed-in-crash-on-world-cycling-tour.html

[ianf]

ASO has moved promptly to correct a report circulating on Thursday morning which speculated that the Tour de France could start in Thailand in 2016, clarifying that it is in talks to hold a criterium in South-East Asia rather than the Grand Départ itself.

“We’re not sure yet how many stages we will hold whether it is one or two stages or the whole competition. This is something that still needs to be discussed,” Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Thawatchai Arunyik had optimistically told Reuters in the initial report.

An ASO spokesman later explained to Reuters that there had been some confusion and that the Tour organiser was not planning to bring the race itself to Thailand. “There are talks, but not to bring the Tour to Thailand,” he said. “There are discussions to settle in Thailand via a criterium, just like we did in Japan with the ‘Saitama Criterium by Le Tour de France.’”

Indeed, the Saitama Criterium – the first race outside the Grande Boucle itself to bear the “Tour de France” moniker – will return for its second running on October 25, with Tour winner Vincenzo Nibali and Chris Froome among those pencilled in for the trip to Japan.

The naivete and stupidity of Thais is beyond belief at times ......

[Gillyflower]

In Stage 16, I see that they are passing through my town. I suppose I will make part of the roaring crowd behind the bars as usual. Aren't you all "getting off your bikes" a bit!!

Edited October 3, 2014 by Gillyflower

[donkeykong]

New promo video to go with the Tour de Farang

[DLock]

Dumbest. Idea. Ever.

Let me understand this.

Move the Tour de France, the most prestigious cycling event in the world, where millions of supporters line the picturesque route to cheer their team and cyclist to have it in Thailand?

I agree with earlier posters, build a Tour of Thailand with serious money and marketing to be the leading Asean cycling event...or have a Tour of South East Asia over multiple countries or change countries each year...but lets crawl before we can run.

I am constantly amazed at just how stupid these people are.

[paddyjenkins]

Congratulations to Thailand for announcing their intention to become the global hub and spokes of the world of cycling, as Thailand now gains a new place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the country laying claim to be the hub of the maximum number of things, beating the previous world record holder, which was also Thailand.

But casting a shadow on Thailand's achievements, the IMF notes that now Thailand has positioned itself right at the center and as the hub of all things on the planet, it may now have no where else it can go to improve. No problem say thais, we will become the hub of the universe, and have already claimed that the sun now orbits Thailand, but that is only the beginning.

Edited October 3, 2014 by paddyjenkins

[toybits]

They can't even get the Tour de Lanna correctly. Preposterous Idea.

[webfact]

Tour de Where? French organizers dismiss claim famous race coming to Thailand
By Coconuts Bangkok


Photo: Richard S. Marks

Have you heard the one about the Tour de France breaking a century of tradition to move to Thailand next year? No, seriously.

BANGKOK: -- A day after tourism authority headlines unequivocally asserted "Tour de France to be held in Thailand next year," the race's organizers were forced to publicly repudiate the claim.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/765433-tour-de-where-french-organizers-dismiss-claim-famous-race-coming-to-thailand/

[Wombat6]

TAT is a joke. They keep issuing ridiculous statements and ridiculous media pick up on it.

Tour De france is what it is because it is held in France. The French don't like anyone using French names anywhere else ie..Wine varieties/areas.. I am sure the French wouldn't mind the TAT holdpng this event because it wouldn't affect French Tourism at all....Pigs Anus

[Fab5BKK]

The word is spreading!

http://www.traveldailymedia.com/newsletters

http://www.traveldailymedia.com/newsletters/2014/TDA3Oct14.pdf

Edited October 3, 2014 by Fab5BKK

[DLock]

The word is spreading!

http://www.traveldailymedia.com/newsletters/2014/TDA3Oct14.pdf

...in Australia also

http://www.traveller.com.au/tour-de-france-stage-for-thailand-plan-in-tourism-push-10poxb

chuckleheads.

[Fab5BKK]

It starts to be a b....y farce, the French organisation doesn't even consider it BUT the Thais want it

What will they do? Prosecute the Tour de France's organisation?

Thainess at its highest level!

Edited October 3, 2014 by Fab5BKK

[Fab5BKK]

http://www.lesechos.fr/tech-medias/medias/0203828963340-cette-nuit-en-asie-le-tour-de-france-nest-finalement-pas-delocalise-en-thailande-1049593.php

"Pendant quelques heures jeudi, les autorités thaïlandaises ont célébré l’organisation prochaine du Tour de France dans le Royaume... avant d’être douchées par la société organisatrice de l’épreuve" Extract from "Les Echos"

Well Done Thailand!