The Federal Tyres, Flex stores in Japan, and several Thai officials and drivers were at the Bira circuit for one of the special stages of the rally which went from Pattaya to Ubon Ratchathani then into Laos finishing at Pakse (10th-16th August).
Holder of the number 1 plate is last year’s winner, Thai national Nuttapon Angritthanon (Isuzu D-Max), closely followed by another Thai, Chamnan On-Sri (Mitsubishi Triton).
One well known competitor, but on two wheels rather than four, is the ex Moto GP rider Takuma Aoki, who these days has to use hand controls, having fractured his spine in a racing accident.
One interesting vehicle is the Japanese entry of the PHEV Mitsubishi Outlander of Takatsugu, with co-driver Kenji Ishida stating before the rally that they were a little concerned with water crossings and the plug-in electrics.
In the motorcycle division, again Thailand is tops with Manoch Abdullkalee with the number 1 plate, in front of teams from Japan, Cambodia and Sweden.
Last year there were 22 vehicles and 20 motorcycles that took part in this grueling Asian event.