Asian Beach Games: Opening ceremony wows Phuket

PHUKET: The curtain formally rose on the 4th Asian Beach Games in Phuket last night with the stunning opening ceremony at the Saphan Hin Sports Center near Phuket Town.

His Excellency Privy Councilor and the Royal Representative Gen Surayud Chulanont presided over the ceremony.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), and Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul were also in attendance, along with Phuket Governor Nisit Chansomwong and key Thai sports persons.

The fantastic performances to mark the official opening of the games featured stage shows and performances, starting with “Miracle of the Merry Land”, followed by “Miracle Pearl of the Andaman Sea” and “Miracle of the Unity Sand”.

The opening continued with the march-past ceremony of the athletes from 43 participating countries and the procession of the OCA and the Asian Beach Games Flags.

Thai-Czech powered paraglider Jiri George Macak, who captured three gold medals at the 3rd Asian Beach Games in Haiyang, China, two years ago, was the flag-bearer to lead the Thai athletes to the stadium.

The ceremony continued with its fourth performance, “Miracle of the Charming Sunshine”, followed by the run of defending beach volleyball champions Varapatsorn Radarong and Tanarattha Udomchavee carrying the Games Flame.

The duo then passed the Games torch to extreme sports BMX rider Chokchai Wanitsakul, who used an RC model aircraft to carry the Games Flame to be lit at the cauldron, maintaining an altitude of eight meters above sea level, marking the official start of the 4th Asian Beach Games.

The Opening Ceremony ended with the “Miracle of the 4th Asian Beach Games” performance before a spectacular fireworks display illuminated the night sky.

The Phuket Gazette is proud to have been selected as the sole English-language media sponsor for the 2014 Asian Beach Games being held in Phuket (story here).

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