Wow! Long tail boat drag racing! 
This is some insane ‘water sports’! Highly modified drag racing boats have become the new ‘poor man’s’ sport, in Thailand. The boats are of the same style ‘long tail’ boats that are seemingly ubiquitous to Thailand. Here’s an article describing the activities.
I wonder if our own Siam Sam, has had a chance to attend one of these events.
Seems like you run the very real risk of landing on the prop if you hit some turbulence and fall or bounce off the back of the boat.
Alas! I’ve not had the privilege. Wouldn’t want to be in one of those babies when it flips though.
Also entertaining is water-buffalo racing, a fairly regular sport in the Northeast especially. They’re ridden bareback, I believe.
I’m curious as to why the long tail is considered better than a short one.
I don’t think it’s better, just cheaper. I don’t think they’re actual boat engines, just random engines* with propellers bolted to the output and the whole thing lashed to the back of a boat. It’s got the long shaft because that’s the only way to get it into the water without any gears.
*Literally, random engines. car, truck, lawnmower, whatever’s laying around.