Wooden long boats reach speeds of 100kmh at Thai drag boat racing competition

Wooden long boats reach speeds of 100kmh at Thai drag boat racing competition

Adrenaline-pumping footage shows how wooden long-tail boats reach speeds of more than 100kmh at a Tha drag boat racing event.

The impressive wooden vessels, some with 13B 500horse power engines or stronger, were being piloted along a canal in the Samut Prakan province on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand.

A captain sits at the back of the boats to steer with a rudder and control the petrol engines as they bounce up and down along the water like a speeedboat.

Drag boat racing has become a popular – but dangerous – pursuit for enthusiasts in Thailand.

Competitors race the wooden long-tail boats along stretches of water – reaching speeds of more than 100kmh.

Some of the smaller crafts are no bigger than a typical kayak and made from wood by the owners and workers of small engineering shops located throughout the country who race them for cash prizes.

Despite the popularity, authorities have also cracked down on some of the events due to the high risks and lack of paperwork for holding races.

Crashes happen regularly and a number of people have been injured in the vessels, which can easily flip over at high speeds.