Pattaya Sport's Stadium In Progress

[thaimee]

Look's to be a good thing in the making!

Who will benefit the most I wonder?

Thaimee.

[Up2U]

Where did you hear this?

Where is the location of the stadium?

What is proposed for the whole thing?

Outdoor pitch for soccer / rugby / Aussie rules? Athletics track? All-weather?

Indoor swimming pool? Badminton?

Municipality project? We've only just had elections (with an ell) and I doubt that either the outgoing or incoming politico's have authorised this lately - maybe a long-delayed project, or private finance.

Will it be open to all, or just local schools and so on, will registered sports clubs be able to use it? What fee-structure?

This may be a good thing for the community, may just be a good thing for a few politicians or investors.

[monty]

Pattaya mail, Vol.XII No.21

Construction begins on Pattaya’s indoor athletics stadium

Scheduled for completion some time next year

Suchada Tupchai

Construction has begun on Pattaya’s indoor athletics stadium which, when completed, will host the 1st Asian Indoor Games scheduled for 2005.

Sontaya Khunplome, tourism and sports minister, signed the 400 million baht construction contract at the Radisson Hotel, Bangkok on May 10. Contractors have estimated they will complete construction by August 2005.

The indoor athletics stadium will be located in Soi Chaiypruek 2, behind a public park that is to be officially opened to the public soon.

An officer from the Pattaya Engineering Office said that some associated organizations had begun to explore the area and construction is underway. He said he estimates it will take about a year for the entire project - including the indoor athletics stadium, public park, residence and other facilities - to be completed.

Minister Sontaya said at the signing ceremony, “As Thailand will host the upcoming inaugural Asian Indoor Games in 2005, the Cabinet has agreed to build a new indoor athletics stadium in Pattaya to support this international competition. The Sport Authority of Thailand has been given responsibility for this construction.”

Dr Santipab Techavanich, governor of the Sport Authority of Thailand, confirmed, “This indoor stadium will definitely be completed in time. It will be the first indoor athletics stadium in Thailand and Southeast Asia to meet international standards.

“We have planned to use this stadium for other athletic competitions, held by the public and private sectors from all around the country. It will be used as a practicing stadium for athletes. I am certain that it will bring a lot of advantages to the society and people in the area,” Dr Santipab concluded.

[Up2U]

Thanks, Monty, that answers some of my questions.

Soi Chaiyapruk is South Jomtien, isn't it? Seems that a lot of new development is headed for Jomtien - Underwater World and so on.

I will try to get hold of outline plans for this before I comment further, but to build an indoor athletics facility to international standards within one year seems overly anbitious. Don't know how much ancillary facilities and so on are included, but the air-conditioning will be a six-month job from start to commissioning.

[astral]

Another white elephant,

like the Pattaya "International" Motor Racing Circuit.

Hands up those who know where that is?

[Up2U]

Another white elephant,

like the Pattaya "International" Motor Racing Circuit.

Hands up those who know where that is?

You talking about Bira ?

Again - South of Jomtien

[lemel]

I believe it's East of Pattaya- just off the A36, up2u

[Up2U]

Here's the best web-site I know on it.

http://www.grandprixgroup.com/bira/about.asp

[derek]

I am against the government (tax-payers) financing stadiums. Why? In my home country - the USA, sports teams rent the use of tax-payer built stadiums for: Football: 8 times per year; Basketball: 41 times per year; Baseball: 81 times per year. These are all different stadiums, so the maximum usage is for baseball. The clubs all claim that the city needs a stadium for their sort and that their team actuall brings in revenue to the city that far exces the cost of the stadium. That has been proven to be wrong i the US, and I am sure thatit is wrong in Thailand. Building a sports stadium when girls canot go to school after 6th grade is shameful.