An enthusiastic longtail boatman shows off the blistering speed of his engine on a canal in western Thailand.

Manop Ruaprasert, 25, took his boat onto a canal in Ratchaburi and showed off the extreme speed and manoeuvrability of his craft, as well as his skill and reflexes as a boatman.

He bought the wooden body of the boat then modified it by attaching a 1-litre car engine which is more powerful than the standard 150cc drag racing engines.

Manop's boat, which he modified himself, can reach speeds of more than 100kmh. He started for fun when he was in his late teens.

The canals in central Bangkok can’t be used for motorboats but on the outskirts, where passenger canal boats aren’t used, they can be. They’re easy to navigate as they’re straight and flat.

An enthusiastic longtail boatman showed off the blistering speed of his engine on a canal in western Thailand.

Manop Ruaprasert, 25, took his boat onto a canal in Ratchaburi and showed off the extreme speed and manoeuvrability of his craft, as well as his skill and reflexes as a boatman.

He bought the wooden body of the boat then modified it by attaching a 1-litre car engine which is more powerful than the standard 150cc drag racing engines. The engine then had the rudder added. He built this all himself using his mechanic skills.

This is his only boat. He started for fun when he was in his late teens.

The boat can reach speeds of more than 100kmh.

The canals in central Bangkok can’t be used for motorboats but on the outskirts, where passenger canal boats aren’t used, they can be. They’re easy to navigate as they’re straight and flat.