Neigh-saying no more: Horse racing chief urges PM to reopen track after four-year hiatus

Sunthorn Paengpairi, head of the Horse Racing Association in Nakhon Ratchasima, appealed to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to reopen a local horse racing track which has been closed for four years.

This long-term closure has significantly impacted the livelihood of around 400,000 individuals involved in the industry, leaving them in severe hardship and without means to support their families.

On December 6, Sunthorn submitted a letter to the 61 year old Thai PM and the Finance Minister during their visit to the Pak Chong district in Nakhon Ratchasima. The letter highlighted the plight of the horse racing community, who have been struggling with escalating costs of horse care without any income due to the closure of the Nakhon Ratchasima horse racing track.

The track, located within the Suranaree Army Camp, has been closed since February 28 this year, causing severe hardship for horse breeders. They have been burdened with the increasing costs of looking after the racehorses, which include expenses for food, medication, and daily training. These costs have been mounting while the income from racing has vanished, leaving many in the industry struggling to support their families.

Phawat Tiattrakul, a 60 year old horse stable owner in Nong Phai Lom, Nakhon Ratchasima, said that his stable houses over 20 racehorses, with more than ten people employed to take care of them. The average cost of maintaining the horses for three months stands at no less than 1 million baht, with training costs alone being around 2,500 baht per day.

Following the four-year closure of the Nakhon Ratchasima track, horse owners are left in dire straits as there are no locally held races. The only option is to transport the horses to Bangkok for races, which comes with high transportation costs and logistical difficulties, hence deterring many from participating, reported KhaoSod.

Soft power

Sunthorn stressed that horse racing is a traditional sport in Thai society and has been a significant soft power of the country. He appealed to the government and the prime minister to expedite the reopening of the Nakhon Ratchasima horse racing track. This move would alleviate the hardships faced by the horse racing community, enabling them to earn a living and support their families.

In addition, Sunthorn urged the government to amend the 1981 Ministry of Interior regulation that prohibits the establishment of new horse racing tracks. A revision to resemble the regulations governing cockfighting arenas, where local governors have the authority to issue licences, would be more appropriate.

This change would facilitate the development of horse racing as a profession across the country, with high-quality racehorses potentially worth millions of baht, creating jobs and generating income in communities nationwide.