Grom Patrol Youth Surfing Season Opens in Khao Lak

The new season of the Tipi Jabrik’s Grom Patrol youth surfing series has begun in Khao Lak, with the opening competition held from September 25 to 27 at Pakarang Beach in Phang Nga province.

The event brought together young surfers from Thailand and other parts of Asia. The series will conclude with the annual Grand Final in Bali next August.

Qualification for the Bali final is the main prize offered at Grom Patrol events, including the Khao Lak round.

Places are awarded to winners of the senior age categories. The annual Grom Patrol Grand Final brings together the leading under-18 shortboard and longboard surfers, along with the under-16 shortboard winners in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions.

One of the standout performers in Khao Lak was Bunyharit Khansiri from Koh Phayam, who won two divisions — the boys’ under-18 longboard and under-16 shortboard.

Bunyharit had already competed in the series’ Grand Final in Bali in August, finishing third in the longboard competition. His two Khao Lak victories earned him two qualification spots for next year’s final.

Erng Jirapat also claimed two wins, taking first place in the girls’ under-14 and under-16 divisions. Her under-16 victory secured her a place in the Bali final.

She did not compete in the previous Grand Final because she was representing Thailand at the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in El Salvador.

In the boys’ under-18 shortboard division, Sayamrat Chaiyakham took the title after a dramatic finish. Thai national team surfer Gwynt Yandke had led for much of the final, but Sayamrat moved into first place during the closing minutes.

Aonnarin Engsrisawang won the girls’ under-18 shortboard division, while Montita Na-Takuathung took the under-18 longboard title.

Aonnarin had previously won the U16 division at the recent Grand Final in Bali. Immediately after the Khao Lak event, she travelled to Taiwan for the next Grom Patrol competition.

Changing surf conditions

Competitors enjoyed almost ideal conditions on the opening day, with clean waves measuring around 1–2 feet. Organisers were able to complete 24 heats, each lasting 15 minutes.

Conditions deteriorated later in the event as the waves weakened and winds increased. At one point, the weather forced organisers to suspend competition for 45 minutes.

Most competitors in the senior divisions were Thai surfers or athletes who train regularly in Thailand, although young surfers from Bali also travelled to Khao Lak for the event.

Grom Patrol was established by Tipi Jabrik and the Asian Surf Cooperative in 2019. The series was created in part to give young Thai surfers international competition experience without requiring them to travel abroad for every event.

The Khao Lak round was held as part of the Phangnga Surf Festival @ Khao Lak and combined the sporting programme with a broader beach festival. Alongside the surf competitions, visitors could attend a market and food and drink stalls, while evening entertainment included live music and DJ performances.