Long tail boat

At Phi Phi Le island, Thailand .

Long-tailed boat ( Thai. เรือ หางยาว) is a type of boat common in Southeast Asia , especially in Thailand and Malaysia ^[1] . This narrow boat is made of smoothly polished wood, its length is usually 14-18 meters, but can reach 30 meters. The long -tail boat got its name because of a kind of “tail” located behind and having a length of 2–4 meters or more: it is at its end that a screw is rotated by a powerful engine, usually from a truck or pickup ^[2] . The tail can be rotated 180 ° ^[3] , which gives the boat excellent handling. Long-tailed boats are often used as a kind of taxi for transporting tourist passengers ^[4] , so they are usually equipped with seating and a canopy from the sun. Many owners of such boats treat their vehicles with awe and reverence: they decorate the bow with fresh flowers, bright ribbons and garlands ^[5] , put candles there, light the boat with incense sticks ^[6] .

Long-tailed boats are very noisy, since the open engine is aft, “in sight”; when moving, they raise a large wave ^[1] .

Long Tail Races are held in some provinces of Thailand ^[7] .