Today is a good excuse to go to Bangsaen if you are bored at home. If nothing else it will be a great opportunity to observe and admire the athletes ...

The world famous FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour has it's final round in Thailand this year at Bangsaen Beach in Chonburi. In the Thai leg of the competition there is $190,000USD up for grabs (5.7 million baht). There were 32 teams of two athletes each from 14 countries, Thailand fielded 3 teams in this particular competition. There are 24 direct entry teams and then 8 slots for the winners of the qualifying rounds will make it to the final round in Thailand.

The finals is this Sunday, with a Russian team and second seeds from the USA making the play-off for the Gold. ....more .....

How to get to Bangsaen Beach?

Bangsaen is the 'local' Thai Beach for the residents of Bangkok. It is about an hours drive from Bangkok and Pattaya near the City of Chonburi on the South East seaboard. There are regular vans and buses from Bangkok that depart hourly. The Vans (120b) from Victory Monument and the buses form Ekemai and Mo-Chit stations. Make sure you get the express bus operated by SCR Tour (85b), avoid any bus with a orange stripe as they are much slower. The vans will take you close, how ever the buses you have to get off and get a red songtel pick up. I suggest you get off at one of the Chonburi Big C's, then tell the Songtel driver that you want to go to Bangsaen Beach, cost is 15 baht.

There are hourly buses from Pattaya, but these tend to be the slower orange strip buses that follow the coastal Suhumvit Road towards Bangkok and take about an hour.

Main Court

Sexy Russian Player in todays final

Edited October 28, 201213 yr by jcw

Phew. Lucky I re-read it. 'Swatch'.

Yeah, it sure cross my mind more than once that it should be the "snatch" world tour as well.

One of the Yankee teams held out against the Ruskies in the Gold Medal match.

Third Thailand Open title for USA’s Kessy and Ross

Bangsaen, Thailand, October 28, 2012 – USA’s Kessy and Ross claimed their third Thailand Open title on the FIVB SWATCH World Tour on Sunday in Bangsaen. In the first ever USA-Russia final in women’s FIVB World Tour history they beat Russia’s Evgenia Ukolova and Ekaterina Khomyakova in two sets: 21-17 21-19.

Brazil’s Barbara Seixas de Freitas won her first World Tour medal ever with her partner since this year Agatha Bednarczuk in the bronze medal match against USA’s Lauren Fendrick and Nicole Branagh (19-21 21-19 15-9)

Kessy (35) and Ross (30) played all six previous editions of the Thailand Open in Phuket, the first one in 2006 with different partners. ....more FIVB site....

Smoking Hot Russian Finalist Serving

Edited November 1, 201213 yr by jcw

I wasn't going mad. I saw that poster driving past Amata.

Was it busy ?

The weekend drew a good crowd, especially Sunday with the Thais. Bangsaen is always busy on Sundays, and since when has Thai guys not enjoyed a sticky beak and hot farlang chicks in bikinis doing gymnastics chasing a little ball around.