Thailand plans to submit bid for Formula One race in 2028

BANGKOK – Thailand is planning a bid to host a Formula One street race in its capital Bangkok in 2028 and will seek Cabinet approval for its proposal next week, a government official said on May 26.

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who attended the Monaco Grand Prix at the weekend, will propose a “sustainable F1”, government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said, adding that race officials had responded positively. 

The bid proposal and results of a feasibility study will be submitted to the Cabinet on June 4 before proceeding, he said.

No specific details were provided on the sustainability aspect of the plan, but Mr Jirayu said the proposed Bangkok race would be environmentally friendly and aims to attract investment in green technology alongside motor sports.

F1 already has a crowded schedule of 24 races around the world, with four in the Asia-Pacific region, including

the Singapore Grand Prix in South-east Asia

. 

Hosting the race would help promote tourism, a key driver of Thailand’s economy, said Mr Jirayu.  

Thailand has previous experience hosting a round of the MotoGP world championship at its FIA-accredited track in Buriram.

Thailand’s announcement follows Ms Paetongtarn’s previous talks with F1 chief Stefano Domenicali in March.

“Thailand sees the opportunity to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix in the future as a key initiative to elevate our profile as a hub for international tourism and global events,” Ms Paetongtarn said on social media at the weekend following a meeting with Prince Albert II of Monaco.

Thailand has representation on track via Thai driver Alexander Albon, who is eighth in the drivers’ standings after finishing ninth for Williams in Monte Carlo on May 25.

Neighbouring Vietnam was set to make its F1 debut in 2020 but the inaugural Vietnamese Grand Prix was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and Hanoi has not appeared on the race calendar since.

The country inked a 10-year deal – costing US$60 million (S$77 million) a year – with F1 in 2018, betting that the glamour of the sport could reshape Hanoi’s staid image and reflect the country’s economic lift-off.

But after the 2020 cancellation, the race was dropped from the 2021 calendar when city mayor Nguyen Duc Chung, a major supporter of the GP, was arrested.

In January 2024, it was reported that Malaysia’s state oil company Petronas was looking to bring back F1 races to the country in 2026 after a nine-year hiatus.

Malaysia hosted a grand prix at its Sepang International Circuit from 1999, but staged its last race in 2017 due to declining ticket sales and rising costs.
REUTERS, BLOOMBERG