Pattaya
Phuket sports organizations make it to SPIA Asia finals

PHUKET: A handful of Phuket events and sports businesses have made the final shortlists of the 2016 Asian Sports Industry Awards (SPIA Asia) and will be competing against the best in Thailand and Asia for a prestigious SPIA award this year.
A total of 72 Thai entries made the final shortlist for SPIA Asia 2016 in a variety of categories, it was announced last week.
The awards are endorsed and supported by Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Sports Authority of Thailand, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and SPIA Asia.
The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in Bangkok from October 3-4.
From Phuket, the Laguna Phuket Triathlon and the Phuket Rugby 10s were listed under ‘Best Amateur Sports Event of The Year in Thailand’. The Laguna Phuket Marathon was recognized in the ‘Best Mass Participation Event of the Year’ and British International School Phuket was awarded a place in ‘Best Sports Youth Academy of the Year in Thailand’ category.
Several Thai organizations were listed in the ‘Sports CSR Initiative of the Year’ category. They were Human Run by Days Poet Company (Thailand); Kings Cup Elephant Polo by Chao Phaya Resort Limited (Thailand); and Care for Cancer Run by Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel (Thailand).
The Senior Asian Wrestling Championships by the Thai Amateur Wrestling Association (Thailand) was listed in the ‘Best Live Experience at a Professional Sporting Event’
Centara Grand, the Bangkok Convention Center and the Honda LPGA Thailand by Siam Country Club Pattaya were listed in the ‘Best Hospitality, Recreation or Leisure Offering in Sports’ category. The Youth Development by Thai Amateur Wrestling Association (Thailand) scored in the ‘Best Sports Youth Program of the Year’ category and Siam Inter Multimedia PCL (Thailand) was recognized as one of the ‘Best Sports Organization of the Year’.
The National Olympic Committee (Thailand) made it into the ‘Best Sports Marketing Campaign of The Year’ for their feature ‘Team Thailand – Millions for One’, and Lab Bangkok made it into the ‘Best Use of Social Media in Sport’ category.
The Lab Bangkok also made it into the ‘Best Sports Recreation Facility of the Year In Thailand’ category, along with Centara Grand Bangkok & Convention Center; Royal Bangkok Sports Club; Siam Country Club Pattaya; The Green Cycle Track at Suvarnabhumi Airport; Muang Pattaya Sports Complex; and True Arena Hua Hin.
The Asian Sports Industry Awards series is the official celebration of business leaders, organizations, facilities and campaigns at the forefront of the sporting industry, that have made a contribution to the growth and development of sport across the Asian region over the past 12 months.
It was founded by MMC Sportz, a Dubai and Manila based sports advertising and communication agency, and Sport360, the leading daily sports content provider in the Middle East and North Africa.
Speaking at the announcement, Lt Col Ruj Saengudom, Deputy Governor for Professional Sports and Privileges, Sports Authority of Thailand, said, “Thailand has seen tremendous growth in the sports arena in recent years, both in terms of athletes’ skills and the appearance of Thai athletes at international competitions all over the globe, including the Olympics and World Championships, and also in terms of our domestic facilities and sports industry.
“SPIA Asia is a great opportunity for Thailand’s sports industry to gather with key players in international sports and showcase Thailand’s talents and we hope to pick up a few of the prestigious awards which would be an additional catalyst and motivator for our local organizers and brands to encourage them to further invest into the local sports development.
“We are excited about hosting SPIA Asia 2016 from October 3-4 in Bangkok under the MOTS and SAT sanction and encourage our local sports community to participate and to reach out to the Asian Sports industry Community during the awards and the conference.”
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Pattaya police warn restaurants not to act like bars

Following the closure of entertainment venues in 41 provinces for 2 weeks, Pattaya police warn that bars acting as restaurants and restaurants acting as bars would be punished. In Pattaya, police patrolled heavily to check in on venues and remind them of the penalties and fines for breaking shut-down rules. The current outbreak of Covid-19 throughout Thailand has been disproportionately spread by nightclubs and bars, including many pubs in Chon Buri and Bangkok. While the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has called for a 2-week closure, the Chon Buri edict is open-dated, expected to be in effect until conditions improve. One warning Pattaya police stressed was that, while restaurants are allowed to stay open and sell alcohol, abusing that exception will be punished.
In previous entertainment venue shutdowns during the pandemic, many businesses took advantage of the restaurant loophole. As there’s no exact wording in the law saying people have to order food and not only drinks, many restaurants served drinks and allowed dancing and socializing without any social distancing. Some bars were even seen hastily adding a quick food menu of easy snacks in an attempt to skirt the rules and operate as a restaurant serving alcohol. But this time Pattaya police warn that restaurants using these sneaky tricks won’t be tolerated. Even businesses with multi licenses will need to take measures to make it clear they are not operating more like a bar as police will have the discretion to make judgement calls on venues.
The 2-week closure of entertainment venues went into effect yesterday and banquet halls, movie theatres, saunas and soapies are all closed. Restaurants are allowed to stay open, but with a 10 pm curfew on dine-in services. Takeaway food is allowed after 10 pm until 5 in the morning. Officials hope this shutdown on Covid-19 spreading entertainment venues will slow the outbreak enough to avoid the dreaded full lockdowns, travel restrictions, and domestic quarantines.
SOURCE: The Pattaya News
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Chiang Mai
Tourism officials slash Songkran travel expectations by half

The TAT, ever the optimists regarding anything tourism related, even domestic tourism, predict that the Bangkok clusters that have emerged in the week before the Songkran break could reduce traffic and spending by up to half.
Today the CCSA is reporting 789 new infections and one additional death. 522 were local infections, mostly walk-ins to Bangkok hospitals, 259 were discovered through track and tracing. The remaining 8 were found in quarantine from overseas arrivals. In Phuket, another 17 cases have been reported today, taking the island’s week total to 43.
GRAPH: Worldometer figures for Thailand, up to April 9
A 68 year old man from Nakhon Pathom province died on April 4 but wasn’t reported until today. The CCSA report that he died from Covid and “complications”. 33 other former patients have recovered and been discharged.
Last week the TAT estimated 3.2 million domestic trips would circulate 12 billion baht for the Thai economy. But the Tourism Authority has now slashed their estimates by half after hotels, airlines and bus companies reported mass cancellations in the last few days. Other provinces are reporting less than 20% cancellations. Although this weekend will see a lot of travel, Songkran doesn’t formally start until next Tuesday and the TAT expect there could be additional fallout as travellers decide to have a staycation for Songkran instead heading home.
Bangkok Post reports that 70% of travellers to Prachuap Khiri Khan and Hua Hin have already cancelled hotel bookings. Similar cancellations have been reported in Pattaya, Phuket and Chiang Mai. Many other provinces, particularly in the north east and north, are also enforcing quarantine on arrivals or additional paperwork to try and protect their provinces from any of the Bangkok clusters.
8 north eastern provinces rare now requiring 10 or 14 day quarantine periods for anyone arriving from areas where new clusters have been reported. Chiang Mai provincial officials say that tourists from Samut Prakan, Nakhon Pathom, Bangkok, Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi – basically Bangkok and surrounding provinces – must complete a 14 day mandatory quarantine or conduct a test for Covid when they arrive.
The reality is that the travel and quarantine changes are outstripping the ability to communicate them all. Anyone crossing into other provinces in the next few day, especially if you’re travelling from Bangkok and surrounding provincial ‘red zones’ can expect some additional paperwork or a Covid test. Or even quarantine.
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Pattaya
Unemployed elephants walk 500 kilometres from Pattaya to Surin

A group of 5 elephants and their owners began the long walk today from Pattaya to Surin after giving up on the return of tourism anytime soon. The 500 kilometre journey has to be done on foot as they couldn’t afford to hire trucks large enough to carry each elephant.
After waiting a year for the Chinese tourists that make up a majority of their customer base to return, the families decided to embark on the long journey with the 5 elephants to their home in the northeastern province of Surin. As they walk they’re protected on both sides by pickup trucks to keep them safe from cars.
5 years ago Napalai Mai-ngam came with her relatives to work in an elephant resort in Tambon Lam Huay Yai of Bang Lamung near Pattaya with their 5 elephants. They told the Bangkok Post that their earned a good living, about 75,000 baht (15,000 per elephant) plus tips from the tourists to ride elephants on nature trails, each month.
But with the borders closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic the tourists from China who usually flocked to elephant activities, were stuck back in China and Napalai’s boss had to cut their pay. Even with vaccinations finally underway, tourists in numbers, enough to sustain activities like elephant camps, may not be back anytime soon. The families finally had to surrender to the reality and start the long walk home.
They avoid the blistering Thai sun by walking early mornings while the weather was still cool, and hope the roadways out of Pattaya would provide snacking opportunities for the elephants to graze. They expect the journey to take about 2 weeks. The families have turned down offers of cash donations for fear that their long walk will be viewed as a publicity stunt.
That said, the families have expressed gratitude to the locals in towns they pass who have donated drinking water, food and fruit to the entourage of people and elephants. If you would like to donate resources you can contact them on phone number 093 335 7062.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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