Thailand plans Phuket bid for Asian Beach Games
PHUKET: Thailand looks likely to bid for Phuket to host the fourth-ever Asian Beach Games in November 2014, following a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Sports and Tourism.
The 500-million-baht event would take place between November 15 to 24. Events would include handball, kabaddi, takraw, volleyball, sailing, paragliding, football, water skiing, bodybuilding, windsurfing, jet-skiing, triathlon, woodball, swim marathon, boat racing, pencak silat, muay thai, extreme sports, climbing and wakeboarding.
If Cabinet gives the go ahead, a bid will be submitted to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) by the end of October.
Minister for Sports and Tourism Chumpon Silpa-archa chaired the high-level meeting, held on September 30. Former Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa, older brother of Mr Chumpon, was also in attendance.
Kanokpan Julkasem, director of the Sport Authority of Thailand, told the committee that initial details for the bid had already been worked out.
Noting that costs were high, Mr Banharn questioned whether the event would represent good value for money.
Mr Kanokpan replied that the event would bring great benefits to Thai sport and tourism.
The committee agreed to put the proposals forward to Cabinet in order to have a bid before the OCA before October 31.
The OCA will announce the winning bid on November 13, during the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.
— Kom Chad Luek
