Thailand has big plans and is in a hurry. A cross-country course is to be built on the site of the Akara gold mine within six months. A King's Cup race will be held there in June 2024, those responsible announced in the Thai press. The facility is also set to become a training center for Thai athletes. The association also plans to have a downhill course built at a later date. There are enough high mountains in the area.

The future track between the Thai jungle and quarry ponds in deep open-cast pits will undoubtedly provide spectacular racing images. The flaw is that the Akara gold mine has been controversial since mining began in 2001. First, the residents of the area who had to abandon their villages stood for the downside of gold mining, then those who stayed and had to live in permanent noise and dust. Finally, several studies showed that half of the people in the area had unhealthy levels of heavy metals in their blood.

In fact, the operator Chatree Mining had to cease production in 2017. Together with its Australian parent company, it responded with counterclaims against the Thai government. The latter finally allowed gold mining to resume in March 2023.

A little later, the provincial governor announced the good news that a mountain bike trail was being built on the part of the mine that was no longer being worked. Eco-tourism offers are also set to make the gold mine an attraction in the future.