F1 powerboat race postponed to March 2006

PHUKET: The Formula One powerboat race scheduled to take place next month in Ao Makham has been postponed for a year.

Kata Group Chairman Pamuke Archariyachai told the Gazette today that a combination of the tsunami and the Cabinet’s slowness in approving funds to support the event had forced the decision to postpone until March 2006.

“We had only a short time to make all the arrangements [if the race was going to take place this year]. After Tourism and Sports Minister Sontaya Kunplome and Varathep Rattanakorn, the Deputy Minister of Finance, came to Phuket in mid-January, we decided to postpone it,” K. Pamuke said.

He stressed, however, that the 50-million-baht budget has now been approved for the event to take place next year.