The ongoing political crisis has affected Thailand’s sporting circles, officials said on Thursday.
Suthep Thaugsuban leads a rally yesterday. SEKSAN ROJJANAMETAKUN
Several events have been cancelled while it is not likely that the country will be allowed to host major international sporting tournaments in the near future.
Maj Gen Charouck Arirachakaran, secretary-general of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, said that while the kingdom should be able to host the fourth Asian Beach Games in Phuket in November, it is impossible for Thailand to win a bid to organise any major international sporting events including the 2023 Asian Games.
“We have to wait and see the new sports minister’s policy,’’ he said.
On Wednesday, Yingluck Shinawatra was ousted as prime minister by the Constitutional Court for interfering in the transfer of a government official.
Yingluck yesterday was indicted by the National Anti-Corruption Commission over a widely criticised rice policy that her government introduced.
The People’s Democratic Reform Committee, led by Suthep Thaugsuban, has staged anti-government rallies in Bangkok since November calling for reforms.
On Wednesday, the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) approved the cancellation of an international beach volleyball event in Phuket.
“With continued political unrest in Thailand, the promoters of the FIVB Beach Volleyball Open in Phuket have informed the FIVB of their decision to cancel the event scheduled for Oct 15 to 19,” the sport’s governing body said on its website www.fivb.org.
“With the safety and security of players and officials of paramount importance, the FIVB have accepted the promoters’ decision.”
A source from the organising committee said the Phuket Open was cancelled because of both political and financial reasons.
“The organising budget was mainly from government agencies but it was difficult to get financial support from them during the current situation,” he said.
The Phuket Open was one of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour events and more than 60 teams from 32 countries took part in last year’s edition at Karon beach.
However, the Volleyball World Grand Prix in Bangkok from Aug 15-17 and the Asian Girls’ U17 Volleyball Championship in Nakhon Ratchasima in October should take place as scheduled, officials said.
Rangsrid Luxitanond, president of the Thailand Golf Association, said a new date for the Thailand Open had not yet been determined.
The Thailand Open, one of Asia’s oldest national championships, was originally scheduled to be held earlier this year but has been postponed since due to political reasons.
“Actually, the situation is so bad that we are likely to cancel this year’s tournament,” he said.
As the event is sanctioned by both OneAsia and the Japan Golf Tour, it is extremely difficult to find a new date for the Thailand Open in the second half of the year because both circuits already have busy schedules.
Meanwhile, taekwondo officials believe the inaugural Thailand Open, to be staged in Bangkok in November, should not be affected by the political impasse.
“With five months to go, we are not worried,” said Pimol Srivikorn, president of the Taekwondo Association of Thailand. “But if the situation becomes worse in the next few months, we may reconsider our plan. I hope the political crisis ends with an election.”
Sakol Wannapong, deputy governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand, admitted the political crisis had affected the country’s sporting circles. However, the SAT still has enough reserve funds to prepare the athletes for the Asian Games to be held in South Korea later this year, he said.
Sakol is tipped to be the new SAT governor but his nomination reportedly has been put on hold until a new government is in place.