Thailand has successfully organised MotoGP motorcycle racing for many years, but the government has suddenly decided to end its essential support, according to politician-turned-sports-promoter Newin Chidchob.
Mr Newin, chairman of Chang International Circuit in Buriram province, wrote on Facebook on Sunday night that the Sports Authority of Thailand officially informed him that the government would not extend its contract with the world MotoGP organisers after next year's event in Thailand.
Unless the government changed its mind, MotoGP 2026 in Buriram would be the last event of its kind in Thailand.
Mr Newin is seen as the de facto leader of the coalition Bhumjaithai Party, which is involved in a heated dispute with the coalition leader, Thaksin Shinawatra's Pheu Thai, over land ownership. The Minister for Tourism and Sports is Sorawong Thienthong, a Pheu Thai MP.
Mr Newin said the government's decision was regretful.
The MotoGP event cost the government no more than 500 million baht a year. Private sector sponsorship brought in at least 300 million baht.
“But this results in the circulation of more than 5 billion baht in all, which boosts business and stimulates the economy,” he wrote.
Chang International Circuit is the venue of the MotoGP event in Thailand and the company is one of the private sector sponsors, he said.
He considered the MotoGP to be the world’s best motorcyle race.
Mr Newin said this year's just concluded MotoGP in Thailand, held from Feb 28 to March 2, was the opening event of the MotoGP 2025 calendar. It drew 224,634 spectators, a new record for the venue, and injected about 5.04 billion baht into the economies of Buriram and the other provinces the spectators visited.
MotoGP had nearly one billion viewers through live broadcasts to more than 200 countries. Chang International Circuit was honoured to be host the opening event of MotoGP 2025. Fans could see the riders and the motorcycles of the competing teams, he said.
Thailand had organised MotoGP for seven years and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports was the official organiser on behalf of the government. The MotoGP rights owner required government participation to ensure its smooth organisation, Mr Newin said.
He said fans could still attend the next MotoGP event in Thailand, next year, to bid it farewell - unless the government could be persuaded to reverse its decision.
- Business, not politics, says PM -
Senior government officials on Monday later insisted no decision had been made yet, and that the issue boiled down to revenue, not politics.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Monday she would have to consider tourism statistics before deciding whether to extend the MotoGP contract. It was still under negotiation, she said.
“It can be viewed as a political issue but I would like to consider its business aspect, and the income for provinces and the country. The private sector and the government must cooperate.
"Who owns the circuit is another matter. I prefer to consider the issue of revenue, in a rational manner,” the prime minister said.
Sports Authority of Thailand governor Gongsak Yodmani said he never told reporters that the government was ending its sponsorship for MotoGP. Officials were still discussing the issue.
The sports authority would report the relevant statistics so that the government could make a decision.
“This year's MotoGP event set new records, including an economic value that exceeded 5 billion baht… Competition to organise the event is fierce and many countries are queueing up for it,” Mr Gongsak said.
Newin Chidchob (Photo: Lung Newin Facebook page)
