| Why we Need to Develop Mountain Biking Trails in | | | | Khao Yai National Park in Nakhon Rachasima |
| Thailand | | | | Province which gave mountain bikers in Central |
| The potential for MTB in Thailand is endless. | | | | Thailand some hope that the sport had reached a |
| Bangkok itself and the surrounding provinces like | | | | new level and more trails would be built but after |
| Nonthaburi, Suphanburi and Ayutthaya are ultra | | | | a visit to the site where the event was held just |
| flat but travel just a couple of hours in any | | | | a few months after the trail had gone back to |
| direction and the mountainous terrain is amazing. | | | | being an unused overgrown path and the locals |
| Unfortunately for most Bangkokians don’t | | | | had forgotten all about it. |
| even know what all mountain or downhill mountain | | | | There is some great potential for mountain biking |
| biking is all about and although I don’t want to | | | | trails in Central Thailand too but the locals and |
| knock XC MTBers the locals spend most of their | | | | expats who live there don’t seem to get the |
| biking time riding on flat boring dirt roads traveling | | | | time or feel the need to go out and build more |
| as slow as possible and stopping now and again to | | | | trails just keep riding the same old trails at Khao |
| point at and pick fruit from trees. | | | | I-to in Prachinburi and Tamp Pra Toon in Chonburi. |
| As well as these flat dirt roaders there are others | | | | Again, these are two great trails to get your |
| that think mountain biking means riding a mountain | | | | teeth into but become boring for the people who |
| bike on tarmac roads dressed in their best | | | | ride them all the time and are quite difficult for |
| Sunday spandex with racing slicks on their 24,000 | | | | those who are just getting into the sport with |
| baht Mavic Crossmax, when it would be fair to | | | | their awkward and steep uphill sections being very |
| say that that’s road biking and you can use a | | | | punishing in the hotter months. |
| sports cycle with rigid forks for that. | | | | What mountain bikers in Thailand would like to see |
| Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand is the | | | | is more purpose built trails developed in the area. |
| established Mecca of downhill mountain biking. With | | | | Locations such as Kanchanaburi, Phetchaburi and |
| a handful of downhill and all mountain trails, great | | | | Khao Yai would be perfect locations for mountain |
| trails but still none of which are of a world-class | | | | bikers in the country to get together and develop |
| standard. The hype for most mountain bikers | | | | some world-class trails with manageable uphill |
| who travel to Chiang Mai to have a go at the | | | | sections and great downhill sections to cater for |
| trails there is simply to say that they had a go at | | | | all MTB disciplines. |
| the sport in a country warm enough to call it | | | | M.T. Hill Tours encourages the growth of Mountain |
| jungle single track. | | | | Biking and Eco-tours in Thailand and our Mountain |
| With tourism at a 49 years low in the kingdom it | | | | Bike Tours Thailand website is a free information |
| would be great to see the MTB Tour companies | | | | site with free GPS waypoints for all central |
| who operate in Chiang Mai and its surrounding | | | | Thailand trails and information about mountain |
| areas investing more time developing tracks and | | | | biking in central Thailand and Chiang Mai. Our all |
| promoting the sport more with XC and downhill | | | | new English MTB forum has been set up to |
| races and maybe some even some 4x and slope | | | | encourage groups of mountain bikers to get |
| style competitions. | | | | together and help to develop new mountain bike |
| The 2007 Asean Downhill competition was held | | | | trails all over the country. |
| near Lam Tha Khong Dam on the outskirts of | | | | |