Dek wan and a 2,000,000 baht motorcycle race in Bangkok

Dek wan (who are teenage motorcycle racers), plague the sois, highways and back alleys of Bangkok. This is not a new problem for Bangkok. It has been going on for years. The dek wan sub-culture embodies everything that it means to be a young adult male; recklessness, the need for speed, an invincibility complex, and of course a desperate need to impress the ladies.

How can you spot a Dek wan?

Dek wan are conspicuous by their tattoos, silly hairstyles and offensively loud motorcycles. They can be found in large groups of riders, sometimes numbering many hundreds. It’s the Dek wan who make up the majority of riders in the underground illegal racing scene in Bangkok. Because of strength in numbers, and a fiery temperament, they close roads and stop traffic. This is generally done at the dead of night. Few people, including the police, are able to stop these road closures. That said, the Thai army has had some success in recent years.

No helmets, crazy speeds and a blatant disregard for traffic has cost many dek wan their lives. The local media have publicizing traffic safety campaigns put on by the police to try and stop illegal racing. So far these efforts have had little impact.

Video footage from the 2,000,000 baht race

Bangkok Unmasked came across the video below over the weekend just past. We believe that the race was held in Bangkok at some point over the weekend.

The two motorcycles racing each other on a road that the dek wan had closed did not surprise us. What did through come as a surprise was the 2,000,000 baht purse for the race! [THB2,000,000 is nearly $US64,000 as of writing]. If these kids really do have 2,000,000 baht, we wonder why they don’t purchase better motorcycles rather than risk it all on a bet. This though makes sense, a trait sorely lacking in the dek wan.

Below is another race that we believe took place in Bangkok over the weekend. The riders again have closed a road, and hit dangerously high speeds for their rides.

Click on the following link to check out more Bangkok and Thailand News.