Do You Think Thailand Could Host The Olympics?

[Jingthing]

I think if Thais in power ever seriously looked at this and realized the odds were high that it was overall a major money LOSING event for the host country, they wouldn't even bother putting in a bid (the bid itself costs massively). Thailand has no need for such events to draw huge tourism numbers. Much more trouble than its worth for Thailand.

[MrRealDeal]

I agree with jing .... However Thailand could easily build the necessary things and host one if it wanted to it's not nearly as backwards as most people on here think , it's just that you don't frequent the upscale parts as often so it seems that way .... It's like asking if Thailand can have a stock market ..... Yes they can. Can Thailand host a Lady Gaga concert .... yes they can.

Could Thailand bullzone patpong and turn it into an Olympic village if it wanted to ...... yup

The Thai Monarchy is considered one of the wealthiest in the world if the King wanted to make it happen and fund it, it would and all the Thai people would rally around him and help.

[theblether]

I can't see the relevance if TS to this thread. Some people here have a very myopic and naive veiw of corruption..........some US cities could give lessons to the World on this subject and even we Brits are far from immune. ( See current libor scandal ).

I'll go one stage further and suggest there is more honesty in some good old fashioned corruption than there is in the Old Boys networks and country club goings on that pervade Western societies.

.............

May I lend you my shortsightedness glasses?

No thanks.........however you could make an attempt at explaining how the insider trading, ponzi schemes a la Bernie Madoff, Libor manipulation and reckless bets that caused the meltdown of the Western financial system were any less corrupt than anything you see in Thailand.

[RabC]

I can't see the relevance if TS to this thread. Some people here have a very myopic and naive veiw of corruption..........some US cities could give lessons to the World on this subject and even we Brits are far from immune. ( See current libor scandal ).

I'll go one stage further and suggest there is more honesty in some good old fashioned corruption than there is in the Old Boys networks and country club goings on that pervade Western societies.

.............

May I lend you my shortsightedness glasses?

No thanks.........however you could make an attempt at explaining how the insider trading, ponzi schemes a la Bernie Madoff, Libor manipulation and reckless bets that caused the meltdown of the Western financial system were any less corrupt than anything you see in Thailand.

But the corruption here would lead to skimming off budgets therefore compromised designs, materials and then become a safety risk. Hey bet they have loads of bomb detectors they could use at the security checks that don't even work, so that's one back hander not needed.

The whole idea of Thai infrastructure coping with an event like the Olympics is laughable. Doesn't stop me loving the country and wanting to live here but I don't walk around with rose tinted specs or in a drunken haze.

Edited August 14, 2012 by RabC

[Sayonarax]

Olympic games being hosted by poor country's is a hypocrisy. While its only fair other country's get to host the game.. spending billions to host a show for 2 weeks is the biggest waste of money since credit cards.

[theblether]

@RabC........I'm not suggesting that Thailand has the capability at the moment to host the Olympics. There are plenty of countries that are incapable of hosting the Olympics, including some ( many ) Western countries.

A lot of the reasons put foward in regards to the lack of infrastructure and political instability are valid, however I can see Bangkok developing into one of the Worlds primary cities over the next few years so the notion of that particular city being able to host the Olympics is not out of the question.

So rose tinted spectacles maybe a bit unfair, I know they couldn't handle it now.......however with some infrastructure projects which are already planned such as the high speed

rail links etc they may be able to do it in 20 years or so.

There is nowhere else in Thailand capable of handling the Olympics......and I believe the IOC has now banned secondary cities from applying since the Atlanta shambles.

[RabC]

@RabC........I'm not suggesting that Thailand has the capability at the moment to host the Olympics. There are plenty of countries that are incapable of hosting the Olympics, including some ( many ) Western countries.

A lot of the reasons put foward in regards to the lack of infrastructure and political instability are valid, however I can see Bangkok developing into one of the Worlds primary cities over the next few years so the notion of that particular city being able to host the Olympics is not out of the question.

So rose tinted spectacles maybe a bit unfair, I know they couldn't handle it now.......however with some infrastructure projects which are already planned such as the high speed

rail links etc they may be able to do it in 20 years or so.

There is nowhere else in Thailand capable of handling the Olympics......and I believe the IOC has now banned secondary cities from applying since the Atlanta shambles.

I am sorry until such time as there is a halt to the totally overt Government corruption and cronyism then This Country should not even be allowed to bid it really would be a disaster in the making.

As to high speed rail links I believe those as much as I do the Pattaya Mayors Monorail ( script written by/for The Simpsons)

Also an awful lot of international cooperation is required to get the Games running smoothly and we all know how well Thais take to foreign advice.

[Jingthing]

I feel the general Thai attitude is that OTHER countries do these kinds of things. Have space programs. Build nuclear bombs. Host Olympics. I just don't think it is in the Thai national character to feel the need to be international "leaders" in this way and I also feel there is nothing wrong with that at all.

[transam]

They could do it if farang pay for it. But if LOS had to pay for it the corruption hand out % would be astronomical, ask McDonald's.

[theblether]

It looks like corruption beats all........I can't say I'm particularly shocked to see that however it's not been that long since wealthy politicians were buying votes in the UK..........maybe it will take a few more decades before Thailand gets on top of the problem.....if ever.

[PaullyW]

It looks like corruption beats all........I can't say I'm particularly shocked to see that however it's not been that long since wealthy politicians were buying votes in the UK..........maybe it will take a few more decades before Thailand gets on top of the problem.....if ever.

I think more importantly, it has been centuries (perhaps) since most Westerners have AT LEAST regarded such corruption as fundamentally wrong and bad for their respective countries. Perhaps it will be centuries until the Thais, by-and-large, AT LEAST regard such corruption as fundementally wrong and bad for Thailand..... perhaps never.

In other words, it's not likely to improve by the powerful and rich relinquishing their power and wealth. It will change when average Somchais and Nappadons take it upon themselves to force the change.

Edited August 14, 2012 by PaullyW

[theblether]

Hmmm.....could be argued it's not been as long as that but the principle is sound......things may improve over time.

[asiawatcher]

Can just see it, timing will be right - first the contracts would all be way overloaded to pay off and scam the Thai peoples funds (otherwise known as consolidated revenue or taxes being distributed illegally), then you would have the airport lock down with various coloured shirts and if that doesn't work we can always seize the centre of the city and run loud speakers at the point of pain - to get the message across. Of course Thailand could host Olympics... it is all a question of money, smoke and mirrors and substandard workmanship for the venue. And let's not forget the offshore payment plan...

Have I missed anything?

Edited August 14, 2012 by asiawatcher

[Huayrat]

Im laughing at this stupid thread

[Kananga]

Nah, Thailand is way too insular to host something like the Olympics.

I reckon Singapore could do it though - perhaps the only ASEAN country that could, and should, have a crack at it.

I've watched a lot of the Olympics and I agree with the OP, its been a tremendous success, on every level.

Singapore hosted the Youth Olympics recently and made a big song and dance about it and then no one went and watched. As one person summed it up, who wants to see a bunch of kids better at sport than your own. Cost a fortune and sank silently without trace. Not only that but they would have to entice far more ping pong playing Chinese nationals to take Singaporean citizenship before they can get up the medal table which they would certainly want if they were hosting it.

F1 lasts a week and the hotel prices skyrocket during that time. The Olympics lasts for almost a month. The cost to the average spectator would be astronomical. Can't see it myself.

[Payboy]

What are the odds that the mascot will be an elephant?

[theblether]

While I'm at.........pray tell me of any Olympic city that was not beset and worried about gridlock before the games? You would be hard pressed to find a more gridlocked city than Beijing, and London has a reputation for difficult traffic issues.

These things can be overcome with planning and management and, wait for it, infrastructure investment.

[TwoDogz]

Too right and the PM of the da will just declare a 2 week public holiday for everyone to relieve the traffic.

[theblether]

Well the London mayor effectively scared off all the traffic......and get this, he told the major employers to introduce flexible working hours and start times........and it worked!!!!

Who would have thought???

[Kerryd]

Actually, Bangkok was a "Non-Finalized Candidate" city in the bidding for the 2016 Games (i.e. they tried but didn't make it into the "final four" that actually got voted on by the IOC.)

the Olympic committee would stop it somehow, Olympics and sex tourism image don't mix well.

Now the Olympics.... some say that it is the biggest mass sex tourism event in the world.

IIRC - over 150,000 free condoms handed out in the Olympic Village during the games this year (enough for an average of 15 per athlete !) I suspect not all were actually used for their intended purpose, and no doubt there were a lot of unprotected "encounters".

Suffice to say, a whole lot of them boys and girls were participating in other kinds of sporting events during the games.

As far as hosting an Olympics ? Not going to happen anytime soon, that's for sure. Graft, corruption, cronyism, nepotism and politics would make any bid hard to sell to begin with. And that's not even taking into consideration all the construction, organizing and management of the Games themselves if ever they actually won a bid.

However, the IOC has (parts of it at least) shown itself to be "buyable", so the right bid, with the right "incentives" could stand a chance. Especially when considering the next possible bid they could go for is the 2024 Olympics (2016 is in Rio of course and 2020 will be in either Tokyo, Istanbul or Madrid).

Hey, if Baku (Azerbaijan) feels like they can do it (they tried for both the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, with support from Russia), why not Thailand ? They will have to go against Baku though, as they (Baku) apparently are going to try for the 2024 Games as well. Bidding for the 2024 Games begins in 2015 and the winning city will be decided in 2017.

Hmmm, potential bidding cities for the 2024 Olympics include: Beirut (?!?!?), Lima (?!?!?!?), and Monterrey (Mexico) among others. Surely Thailand couldn't be any worse than those choices (and of course, will have improved immensely in the next 12 years) ! However, if Tokyo gets the 2020 games, it's unlikely the 2024 games would go to another Asian city, in which case the next earliest possibility would be the 2028 games, a mere 16 years down the road !

[theblether]

That's interesting KerryD........there must have been some official input into the 2016 bidding process,and even though it failed it shows it's on the radar in Thailand.

That will upset a few members on this thread.

[autan]

Budget over runs.

Widespread suppression of the the host nations business to have any mention of the olympics.

Huge national debt laid at the door kof the tax payer

No clear plan for olympic legacy. Resulting in legal challenges.

The Armed forces used a security guards because of widespread mismanagement by the contractors.

Policitans jumping on the bandwagon and giving preferential seats to main events to their chums.

This m Londons rapsheet and its still growing.

Yes, I think Thailand would make a excellent host nation. Perhaps the armed forces wouldnt be needed though as Thai are even more patriotic than the Brits to their sovereign, who wouldopen the games. Every spectatator who was Thai would be the eyes and ears of the state run media fest.

There ready, come on Thailand make a bid next time.

[Judecalling]

Budget over runs.

Widespread suppression of the the host nations business to have any mention of the olympics.

Huge national debt laid at the door kof the tax payer

No clear plan for olympic legacy. Resulting in legal challenges.

The Armed forces used a security guards because of widespread mismanagement by the contractors.

Policitans jumping on the bandwagon and giving preferential seats to main events to their chums.

This m Londons rapsheet and its still growing.

Yes, I think Thailand would make a excellent host nation. Perhaps the armed forces wouldnt be needed though as Thai are even more patriotic than the Brits to their sovereign, who wouldopen the games. Every spectatator who was Thai would be the eyes and ears of the state run media fest.

There ready, come on Thailand make a bid next time.

Mmmh ... yes do make a bid next time and best luck to you.

[londoedan]

Nah, Thailand is way too insular to host something like the Olympics.

I reckon Singapore could do it though - perhaps the only ASEAN country that could, and should, have a crack at it.

I've watched a lot of the Olympics and I agree with the OP, its been a tremendous success, on every level.

Singapore hosted the Youth Olympics recently and made a big song and dance about it and then no one went and watched. As one person summed it up, who wants to see a bunch of kids better at sport than your own. Cost a fortune and sank silently without trace. Not only that but they would have to entice far more ping pong playing Chinese nationals to take Singaporean citizenship before they can get up the medal table which they would certainly want if they were hosting it.

F1 lasts a week and the hotel prices skyrocket during that time. The Olympics lasts for almost a month. The cost to the average spectator would be astronomical. Can't see it myself.

I never said it would be cheap ! But they do have great infrastructure, the MRT, good airport, plus its very central for a lot of Asia to travel to, plus the obvious clean air and safety considerations.

Not sure it matters how many medals they'd win - from 4-5 million people I'm not sure they can expect too much. Plus I can't see Brazil winning many at the Rio games - apart from the obvious.

[BwindiBoy]

Over on the Papua New Guinea forum they're asking the same question...and there appears to be a better chance of THEM staging it!!

[Judecalling]

Actually ... facts and figures would be good (without the personal opinion) ... seriously what do you reckon the Games in Thailand would cost. ? In 4 to 16 yrs (if not Rio) ... ?? A 'guesstimate' will do - so interesting. : )

Edited August 14, 2012 by Judecalling

[Chittychangchang]

50 billion + but the return would be ten fold

[kurnell]

Off the top off my head we won 8 golds.......not bad.

I take your point wellred......on the one hand if we allowed the negative aspects of Thailand to dominate then yes it would be easy to undermine any notion of a major event taking place here. However on the other hand I reckon Thailand at it's best could put out a glorious welcome to the World.

Scotland won no gold medals. GB won them all. Scotland can't have it both ways (England taking them under their wing and paying for training etc) and then try to separate the medals. Good try though

[daoyai]

Thailand should start smaller, maybe make a bid for the winter olympics.

[Johnniey]

Ahem.........i would pay good money to watch a Thai pit stop........I could picture the wheels disappearing and the promotion girls offering the drivers super short time relief.

Not all Thai girls are like the ones you meet in beer bars in tourist places.