BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand’s Sports Authority defended the costly MotoGP contract through 2031, presenting figures it said showed multi‑billion‑baht benefits for the country.
High fees to Dorna under scrutiny
The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) reported that total licence fees of 3.997 billion baht were paid directly to rights holder Dorna Sports, without intermediaries.
“This money goes exclusively to Dorna, no middlemen,”
said SAT officials. Revenues from ticket sales and sponsorship were returned to the Thai state under what the agency described as a system designed to be financially worthwhile.
SAT highlights crowd pull in Buriram
According to the SAT, MotoGP races at the Buriram circuit remained a major draw, attracting 222,535 spectators in 2018 and 226,655 in 2019. Attendance dropped to 178,463 in 2022, a decline the agency attributed clearly to COVID restrictions, but the numbers had been rising again since then.
“No other event in Thailand has such pulling power,”
said the SAT, adding that this translated into wider economic effects.
Multi-billion-baht boost to the economy
From 2018 to 2025, MotoGP generated an estimated economic value of 24.927 billion baht, according to SAT data. The authority firmly rejected claims that MotoGP funding came at the expense of disaster relief budgets.
“Those are separate budgets,”
said SAT representatives. Thailand was among the few host countries where the state paid only a relatively small share, with the private sector also contributing, the agency noted.
Buriram circuit seen as the only option
The Buriram track was used free of charge, resulting in savings of 72 million baht over six years, the SAT stated. It is also the only circuit in Thailand with FIM Grade A homologation, leaving, in the agency’s words, no practical alternative for hosting MotoGP.
“All revenues are managed directly by the SAT,”
said the authority, stressing that the track owner received no special advantages.
Contract extension secures races to 2031
The contract extension until 2031 was described as necessary because Dorna required at least one year of lead time, while other countries were already lining up to host the series. For the next five years, the SAT expected an additional 28 billion baht in economic impact from MotoGP. The government continued to back motorsport, arguing that Thailand’s position in global elite sport would remain secured for years despite ongoing criticism.
Debate over public money continues
Public discussion in Thailand remained divided between those celebrating the projected multi‑billion‑baht returns and those questioning whether taxpayers’ money should be allocated elsewhere. The government reiterated its position that sports funding and disaster relief were handled separately. Critics, however, were left to weigh the SAT’s figures against concerns over whether the long‑term MotoGP deal represented a forward‑looking investment or an expensive prestige project.