A mechanic in Yala has built a raised sidecar motorcycle designed to travel through floodwater about one metre deep, after repeated flooding made travel difficult for residents in the area.
The mechanic, 55 year old Thipakorn, owns the TC Choley shop in Yala and has more than 30 years of experience building motorcycle sidecars.
He said the idea came from recurring flooding around areas used regularly by residents. After two to three hours of continuous heavy rain, water can rise high enough to make travel in and out of the area difficult.
Thipakorn discussed the idea with his son before modifying an existing motorcycle. They removed some components and added a steel frame to raise the motorcycle higher off the ground.
The pair spent about three days building and adjusting the vehicle.
Thipakorn said the motorcycle was designed for use at home rather than as a commercial product. Flooding may affect the area for only a few days each year, but he said the vehicle could also be used to move or assist residents during an emergency.
He said the motorcycle can travel through water about one metre deep and that the modification cost no more than 10,000 baht, excluding the motorcycle itself.
After finishing the motorcycle, he asked his son to upload a video of it to social media. They did not expect much attention, but the clip spread quickly and passed 3 million views.
Despite the response, Thipakorn said the modified motorcycle has not been certified under relevant standards and may also face restrictions under traffic regulations. He advised against using a similar modification on public roads without first checking the relevant requirements.
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The story Yala man’s raised sidecar motorcycle goes viral amid floods as seen on Thaiger News.
