World Dragon Boat Racing Championships 2023 Goes to Thailand

The biggest dragon boat racing competition in the world will be moving its location from Hong Kong to Thailand, the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) announced on Saturday, Sept. 17.

Members at the IDBF Extra Ordinary Congress, which was held online, reached a majority decision after casting their votes for the final venue of the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships 2023. The race will now be held at Pattaya, Thailand in August next year.

While the competition left Hong Kong this time, the IDBF said it’s looking forward to return in the future.

“The IDBF would like to wholeheartedly thank the HKCDBA and the Hong Kong Organising Committee for their hard work, dedication, and commitment in the preparation of the Championships. We look forward to returning to Hong Kong in the future,” their Facebook caption reads.

The Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association also announced on Facebook about the decision, mentioning that Hong Kong’s current quarantine and isolation arrangements for visitors are still stricter than other countries, which played a huge factor in moving the race to another country.