Snooker stars take their cue for Phuket Cup

PHUKET: Snooker is back in the frame from June 6 to 11 when 19 professional players challenge for the 2011 SangSom Phuket Cup to be held at the Royal Paradise Hotel and Spa Patong.

The tournament is part of Thailand’s Ranking Circuit Snooker Championship and will include two English professionals: Stuart Bingham and Alfred Burden.

Thai star Ratchapol Pu-Ob-Orm, or James Wattana as his western fans would recognize, will also compete.

Bingham’s career has seen him defeat Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and John Higgins, while Ratchapol (Wattana) has won the Thailand Open on two occasions.

Prize money of 147,000 baht will be awarded to any player who achieves a maximum break of 147, and the winner will take home 100,000 baht, explained Sakda Rattanasuban, Vice President of the Billiard Sports Association of Thailand.

Patong Hotels Association President Dr Jirachai Amornpairoj said the competition last year was a great success as a result of the “wonderful support from the people of Phuket”.

The venue will accommodate 200 seated spectators and admission is free, added Dr Jirachai.

Bangornrat Shinaprayoon, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) office in Phuket, voiced her support.

“This event will help boost tourism during the low season in Phuket. Admission is free, so we hope this will attract many people interested in the sport. We expect to generate about 50 million baht through the event,” she said.

Governor Tri Augkaradacha said he wanted Phuket to offer a variety of activities to attract tourists.

“We are hosting many sports competitions such as the National Youth Games in March 2012 and the Asian Beach Games in 2014. Snooker is another great competition to have marked on Phuket’s event calendar,” he said.

The schedule for the tournament is:

June 6

1pm WC2: Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon vs Alfred Burden

4pm WC1: James Wattana (Ratchapol Pu-Ob-Orm) vs Nakhon Cha-phon

7pm WC3: Pramual Chantad vs Stuart Bingham

June 7

11am M2: Noppadol Sangnil vs Praprut Chaithanasakun

1pm M1: Supoj Saenla vs Winner of WC1

4pm M4: Sarawut Choobubpa vs Dechawat Poomajaeng

7pm M3: Phaithoon Phonbun vs Thepchaiya Un-noo

June 8

10am: M5: Winner of WC2 vs Poramin Danjirakul

1pm: M7: Winner of WC3 vs Chuchart Trairattanapradit

4pm: M8: Worawit Suriyasriwan vs Passakorn Suwannawat

7pm: M6: Surathep Phoochalam vs Issara Kachaiwong

June 9 (Quarterfinals)

M9: Winner of M1 vs Winner of M2

M10: Winner of M3 vs Winner of M4

M11: Winner of M5 vs Winner of M6

M12: Winner of M7 vs Winner of M8

June 10 (Semifinals)

M13: The winner of M9 vs The winner of M10

M14: The winner of M11 vs The winner of M12

June 11 (Champion)

M15: The winner of M13 vs The winner of M14

— Janpen Upatising