It may sound very unpatriotic, but I really hope the Federation International de l'Automobile (FIA) will not select Thailand as the Formula One race host.
In fact, I'm pleading with the FIA to reject Thailand's proposal to host the F1 race because I love my country so much that I don't want the government to spend several billion baht of taxpayer money to build a racing track as well as large sums of money on the licensing fee and other promotional activities.
Earlier this year, the Tourism and Sports Ministry unveiled a plan to nominate Thailand to host a F1 race in 2014.
The ministry had discussed the plan with the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) and private companies such as Red Bull, PTT and some automobile manufacturers who were "enthusiastic about co-hosting the event", according to media reports.
The ministry claimed there would be many gains for Thailand from hosting F1, saying the country's image would benefit from being seen as the venue of a world-class sporting event and that hundreds of thousands of F1 spectators who are expected to travel here would boost tourism revenues.
SAT governor Kanokphan Julakasem said hosting the race would cost five billion baht _ three billion to build the racetrack and two billion to secure the licensing fee.
Mr Kanokphan said the SAT has come up with two options for the racetrack. The first is to turn Bangkok's roads into a temporary F1 circuit _ just like when F! Red Bull driver Mark Webber darted through Ratchadamnoen Avenue during a show drive in 2010. The second option is to build a new track on SAT land in Chon Buri.
Talk about F1 racing in the heart of Bangkok and a five-billion-baht budget is shocking enough for me.
But Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa's remark last week gave me even more cause for dread.
He proposed building a F1 racetrack on land close to the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek exposition site in tambon Mae Hia of Chiang Mai.
Imagine a vast green area near the Royal Flora Expo site, part of the Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, turned into a racetrack. Imagine the thundering noise of racing car engines piercing its tranquil atmosphere.
It is unclear whether the ministry has already submitted Thailand's letter of intent to be a candidate to host a F1 race to the sport's governing body.
Regardless, I insist F1 is not for Thailand. The biggest reason is that the multi-billion baht budget earmarked for the race should be spent on other projects that would more useful.
If you want to promote tourism, then allocate the budget to improve tourist safety or preserve natural resources _ Thai tourism's most important assets.
If you want to lift the country's profile in the sporting world, then inject the money into local sports associations and give scholarships to young talent, supporting them on their path to winning world competitions.
I do not want to see the government spend three billion baht or more (if corruption is taken into account) to build a motor racing track while so many of our boys and girls don't even have a standard football pitch to play on.
I visited the deep South recently and saw dozens of young men crammed in a small makeshift futsal pitch trying to play a game. Our youth should have access to wider and better fields.
Pattani municipality's community sport centre, which is located nearby, was also congested, with people lining up to use exercise equipment.
In neighbouring Narathiwat province, I met a group of children playing volleyball and football at a community recreational ground. They could have been enjoying themselves more and becoming better athletes if the nets and the balls were not so old.
The government should spend the money on creating or upgrading sports facilities. This will be much more useful for our youth and the general public than making one F1 racetrack.
I believe we can build sports complexes in every province or purchase high-quality equipment for children nationwide with this five-billion-baht budget.
After building provincial sports complexes, the government might even have some hundreds of millions of baht left to support the Thai female volleyball team, which has brought fame to Thailand with their impressive performances in world tournaments.
Of course, money is not the most important factor in improving the performance of Thai athletes, but spending it on these activities still makes more sense than wasting it on hosting a race.
Kultida Samabuddhi is Deputy News Editor, Bangkok Post.