Sport Tourism

[alainbkk]

Letter to Phuket Officials, Governor, Associations, SAT, TAT...

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am pleased to advise that the fourth (4th) Phuket International Soccer 7s will be held in Phuket island on the 25-26 November this year (Open & Masters categories), but as we have had a great deal of interest from teams we could hold another tournament (Open category only) on 18-19 November.

This annual tournament has been established to allow people to combine their love of sport with a holiday and some of its aims are to:

* Foster International sporting relationships

* Provide an opportunity for participants to experience international competition in the spirit of international friendship

* Promote Phuket as a sports tourism destination

We will have in excess of 600 participants come to Phuket for the tournament this year. In the past 3 years we estimate that in excess of 20 million baht has been injected into the local economy.

The Phuket tournament in its short time has become the biggest tournament of its kind in South East Asia. It receives excellent media exposure with TVs (Nokia Football Crasy from ESPN Star TV, The Nation TV, Pattaya People TV, Thai Channel TV5, UBC True); Newspapers (Bangkok Post, The Nation, Andaman Post, Pattaya Mail, Pattaya People Weekly, Phuket Gazette, Kick Off, Super Pull, Sportmen, Thansatakij...); Magazine publications (Asia & Away, Metro, Shakers & Movers, Football Asia, Thai Football, Big Chili, Sa-Bai Thailand, SportMag, Utamed Travel...); Radios (Virgin Radio HitZ, Virgin Radio Smooth, MCOT Metropolis...); & numerous articles on Internet websites.

Unfortunately, the future of this International Sport Event is in serious jeopardy as each year we have a huge problem in securing a playing field to hold our tournament. Each year we are forced to conduct the tournament at a different location. Last year it was held at the British International School. Unfortunately this year they are repairing their fields and they will not be available at the time of our tournament.

We urgently seek your assistance in ensuring that there is a suitable venue for our tournament to be held.

The economic benefit of this tournament to Phuket is huge but this will all be lost if we cannot secure a decent, safe playing field. Each year we are denied the opportunity to use Surakul stadium, and Karon Stadium and Sanam Chai have either no grass or a dangerous playing surface.

There is an International Cricket Tournament and an International Rugby Tournament that are also held in Phuket annually. They are faced with the same concerns.

To that end, we seek your support in order to ensure that a suitable playing venue is available for all these events.

I therefore, am requesting your assistance to ensure that a venue is made available to us or alternatively ensure that Karon stadium, in particular, is maintained or repaired before any of our events.

We feel that we do a great deal to promote Phuket island, not only as a holiday destination but also as an ideal location to conduct sporting events. That effort has injected a considerable sum into the Phuket economy and more importantly, has people returning to their country promoting Phuket as a result of their wonderful experience.

We hope that you feel that these international events are important to Thailand and that you value the efforts that are being made to attract tourists to Phuket. Your support is essential in order to ensure that this event will remain in Phuket and that we can feel comfortable in establishing future events for Phuket.

We look forward to your positive response and your future support.

Yours sincerely,

Alain Brulfert

Tournament Organiser

Vice-Chairman of the Asian 7-a-side Football Federation

* Official tournament website: www.thai7s.com

* More than 3,000 pictures from past tournaments: www.photos.thai7s.com

* Press and Media reports: www.media.thai7s.com

[Big Guy]

Cannot see the point in them having a good facility like sanam Surakul then not letting anyone use it.

[phuketpat]

Alain,

We also tried to get the use of Surakul Stadium for our rugby comp but we were told it would "damage the grass" so therefore we could'nt use it. Eventually we were offered the use of Sanam Chai in Phuket town which is opposite the town hall & is a well turfed pitch with flood lights. The rest of the facilities are pretty basic & we had to provide tents, mobile toilet facilities etc. I suggest that you apply for that venue. You will have to submit a letter of request in Thai on a tournament letter head at least 1 month beforehand. You should have more success than us as they are into their football more than rugby or cricket!

We also raise funds every year (850,000 baht + so far) at the Molly Malones Phuket International Rugby 10s for an orphans scholarship program that we set up after the tsunami and are administrating through Khun Eam Thaviwongse & Khun Roelien of the Asia Center Foundation. http://www.asiacenter.ac/

Through this scholarship program the ACF will build a relationship of trust through which children will be supported not only by financial means but also by necessary contact with people who care and who can counsel where necessary. The aim would be to provide children with all assistance and opportunities needed to prevent them from leaving school at too early an age. Furthermore to provide financial assistance or opportunities for further study should a child want to leave normal school at age 15 to learn a new skill.

Good Luck & success with the tournament

Pat

Phuket Vagabonds Rugby

www.phuketvagabondsrfc.com

9th Molly Malones Phuket International Rugby 10s 26th & 27th May 2007

Venue:: To Be Advised

Letter to Phuket Officials, Governor, Associations, SAT, TAT...

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am pleased to advise that the fourth (4th) Phuket International Soccer 7s will be held in Phuket island on the 25-26 November this year (Open & Masters categories), but as we have had a great deal of interest from teams we could hold another tournament (Open category only) on 18-19 November.

This annual tournament has been established to allow people to combine their love of sport with a holiday and some of its aims are to:

* Foster International sporting relationships

* Provide an opportunity for participants to experience international competition in the spirit of international friendship

* Promote Phuket as a sports tourism destination

We will have in excess of 600 participants come to Phuket for the tournament this year. In the past 3 years we estimate that in excess of 20 million baht has been injected into the local economy.

The Phuket tournament in its short time has become the biggest tournament of its kind in South East Asia. It receives excellent media exposure with TVs (Nokia Football Crasy from ESPN Star TV, The Nation TV, Pattaya People TV, Thai Channel TV5, UBC True); Newspapers (Bangkok Post, The Nation, Andaman Post, Pattaya Mail, Pattaya People Weekly, Phuket Gazette, Kick Off, Super Pull, Sportmen, Thansatakij...); Magazine publications (Asia & Away, Metro, Shakers & Movers, Football Asia, Thai Football, Big Chili, Sa-Bai Thailand, SportMag, Utamed Travel...); Radios (Virgin Radio HitZ, Virgin Radio Smooth, MCOT Metropolis...); & numerous articles on Internet websites.

Unfortunately, the future of this International Sport Event is in serious jeopardy as each year we have a huge problem in securing a playing field to hold our tournament. Each year we are forced to conduct the tournament at a different location. Last year it was held at the British International School. Unfortunately this year they are repairing their fields and they will not be available at the time of our tournament.

We urgently seek your assistance in ensuring that there is a suitable venue for our tournament to be held.

The economic benefit of this tournament to Phuket is huge but this will all be lost if we cannot secure a decent, safe playing field. Each year we are denied the opportunity to use Surakul stadium, and Karon Stadium and Sanam Chai have either no grass or a dangerous playing surface.

There is an International Cricket Tournament and an International Rugby Tournament that are also held in Phuket annually. They are faced with the same concerns.

To that end, we seek your support in order to ensure that a suitable playing venue is available for all these events.

I therefore, am requesting your assistance to ensure that a venue is made available to us or alternatively ensure that Karon stadium, in particular, is maintained or repaired before any of our events.

We feel that we do a great deal to promote Phuket island, not only as a holiday destination but also as an ideal location to conduct sporting events. That effort has injected a considerable sum into the Phuket economy and more importantly, has people returning to their country promoting Phuket as a result of their wonderful experience.

We hope that you feel that these international events are important to Thailand and that you value the efforts that are being made to attract tourists to Phuket. Your support is essential in order to ensure that this event will remain in Phuket and that we can feel comfortable in establishing future events for Phuket.

We look forward to your positive response and your future support.

Yours sincerely,

Alain Brulfert

Tournament Organiser

Vice-Chairman of the Asian 7-a-side Football Federation

* Official tournament website: www.thai7s.com

* More than 3,000 pictures from past tournaments: www.photos.thai7s.com

* Press and Media reports: www.media.thai7s.com

[alainbkk]

Thanks for your message Pat.

On last year, we have booked Sanam Chai for the 2005 Phuket Soccer 7s, but 3 days before the tournament when we came back to Phuket and have inspected the playing venue, many holes (that was supposed to be repaired!) in the pitch (too dangerous for soccer games), all around was very dirty, some people was living/sleeping in the complex, etc, etc. So impossible for us to organise an international sport event on this place, then we have decided to move to Dulwich that have provided 2 great pitches for the tournament (but of course no beers was allowed on the playing venue and the fee rental quite expensive, but no choice!). This year, the school is repairing all pitches and not sure that it will be finished for November but we still hope as it is the only place in Phuket where we can have pitches with grass in good condition.

Concerning Surakul, it is a shame that we cannot use it, but it looks like they deny use this pitch to (apparently) all tournaments involving foreigners...

[thaiintokyo]

why not ask for help from one of the major thai's media on you list?

such as Nation TV, TV5.

they have connection all over the country.

you know it... in thailand, it all about the connection. (and/or money )

i recommend TV3, Itv, siam soccer.

[alainbkk]

why not ask for help from one of the major thai's media on you list?

such as Nation TV, TV5.

they have connection all over the country.

you know it... in thailand, it all about the connection. (and/or money )

i recommend TV3, Itv, siam soccer.

Thanks for your advice. The information letter have been sent to all of these media and we know that some of them have forwarded the letter to Phuket officials, government, etc. So now, we hope to have a quick feedback in order to confirm the Phuket Soccer 7s...

[alainbkk]

Is anyone know a new/future stadium in Thalang area? About 1 km from Thalang Police station, near the Thalang Hospital? Have you seen the pitch? Thanks in advance.

[phuketpat]

Letter to Phuket Officials, Governor, Associations, SAT, TAT...

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am pleased to advise that the fourth (4th) Phuket International Soccer 7s will be held in Phuket island on the 25-26 November this year (Open & Masters categories), but as we have had a great deal of interest from teams we could hold another tournament (Open category only) on 18-19 November.

This annual tournament has been established to allow people to combine their love of sport with a holiday and some of its aims are to:

* Foster International sporting relationships

* Provide an opportunity for participants to experience international competition in the spirit of international friendship

* Promote Phuket as a sports tourism destination

We will have in excess of 600 participants come to Phuket for the tournament this year. In the past 3 years we estimate that in excess of 20 million baht has been injected into the local economy.

The Phuket tournament in its short time has become the biggest tournament of its kind in South East Asia. It receives excellent media exposure with TVs (Nokia Football Crasy from ESPN Star TV, The Nation TV, Pattaya People TV, Thai Channel TV5, UBC True); Newspapers (Bangkok Post, The Nation, Andaman Post, Pattaya Mail, Pattaya People Weekly, Phuket Gazette, Kick Off, Super Pull, Sportmen, Thansatakij...); Magazine publications (Asia & Away, Metro, Shakers & Movers, Football Asia, Thai Football, Big Chili, Sa-Bai Thailand, SportMag, Utamed Travel...); Radios (Virgin Radio HitZ, Virgin Radio Smooth, MCOT Metropolis...); & numerous articles on Internet websites.

Unfortunately, the future of this International Sport Event is in serious jeopardy as each year we have a huge problem in securing a playing field to hold our tournament. Each year we are forced to conduct the tournament at a different location. Last year it was held at the British International School. Unfortunately this year they are repairing their fields and they will not be available at the time of our tournament.

We urgently seek your assistance in ensuring that there is a suitable venue for our tournament to be held.

The economic benefit of this tournament to Phuket is huge but this will all be lost if we cannot secure a decent, safe playing field. Each year we are denied the opportunity to use Surakul stadium, and Karon Stadium and Sanam Chai have either no grass or a dangerous playing surface.

There is an International Cricket Tournament and an International Rugby Tournament that are also held in Phuket annually. They are faced with the same concerns.

To that end, we seek your support in order to ensure that a suitable playing venue is available for all these events.

I therefore, am requesting your assistance to ensure that a venue is made available to us or alternatively ensure that Karon stadium, in particular, is maintained or repaired before any of our events.

We feel that we do a great deal to promote Phuket island, not only as a holiday destination but also as an ideal location to conduct sporting events. That effort has injected a considerable sum into the Phuket economy and more importantly, has people returning to their country promoting Phuket as a result of their wonderful experience.

We hope that you feel that these international events are important to Thailand and that you value the efforts that are being made to attract tourists to Phuket. Your support is essential in order to ensure that this event will remain in Phuket and that we can feel comfortable in establishing future events for Phuket.

We look forward to your positive response and your future support.

Yours sincerely,

Alain Brulfert

Tournament Organiser

Vice-Chairman of the Asian 7-a-side Football Federation

* Official tournament website: www.thai7s.com

* More than 3,000 pictures from past tournaments: www.photos.thai7s.com

* Press and Media reports: www.media.thai7s.com

Alain

The teachers training collage at Rajhabat near tesco have a good pitch and good facilaties for your football comp and they are receptive to sports events being held there. We have played rugby there in the past. Give them a try

[alainbkk]

Alain

The teachers training collage at Rajhabat near tesco have a good pitch and good facilaties for your football comp and they are receptive to sports events being held there. We have played rugby there in the past. Give them a try

Thanks Pat.

We have checked this place on last year: it was one of the option, but the pitch was not enough on good condition than pitches at the British School for our soccer tournaments that have the reputation to be played on good grassed pitches! Maybe, now the pitch is fully grassed.. any way I will check it again by next week. Thanks again for the information.

2 different persons recommend me the Thalang Stadium. Do you know this playing venue?

Alain

[alainbkk]

No bias in bookings for Surakul Stadium: Anchalee

PHUKET: The President of the Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor), Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr, has denied allegations that Surakul Stadium is for the use of Thais only, though the OrBorJor has rejected a request to hold the Phuket International Soccer 7s tournament, planned for November, in the Stadium.

“I know the organizers of the Phuket International Soccer 7s competition would like to hold it in Surakul Stadium. But the competition will last two whole days and will consist of many matches. That could damage the field, so we cannot permit it.

“If it is only for one day with a couple of matches involving two or four teams however, then maybe we can allow them to use the stadium,” K. Anchalee said.

When asked whether there was an anti-foreigner policy in allocating use of the stadium, K. Anchalee replied that the OrBorJor would carefully examine all requests to hold soccer tournaments at Surakul Stadium from both Thais and foreigners.

She added, however, “If the schedule is full or there is more than one request to use the stadium on the same date then domestic users will be given priority.”

K. Anchalee cited the Senior World Cup, held in April of this year, as an example of the stadium being used by foreigners.

She explained that she is not normally be involved in the decision-making process; a committee led by OrBorJor Vice-President Suthep Thepsakul manages the schedule for the stadium and decides whether to permit tournaments to be held there.

She added that match days at the stadium are followed by a few days of no play, to allow the grass pitch to recover. Anyone requesting to use the pitch during these rest periods would be turned down. This she surmised, might be the reason why some requests for use of the pitch by foreigners have been rejected.

Commenting on the controversy over the international Rugby 10s tournament earlier this year, which was also denied permission to use Surakul stadium, K. Anchalee explained that the OrBorJor had a no-rugby policy due to worries about it the damage to the turf.

“We didn’t even the allow the Ministry of Justice to play rugby on the field,” she said.

The OrBorJor did allow matches in the world’s first international 80-80 rugby tournament to be played at Surakul in August last year, though the Gazette understands that this was only after pressure from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

From The Phuket Gazette

[jimbob]

So they don't want sports to happen in the stadium because:

1) It might mess up the pitch (which is a sports pitch!)

2) It is for Thai's first and tax paying, revenue generating residents second (who probably are married to a Thai and have Thai children anyway!)

They are being very silly and short-sighted.

Edited August 16, 2006 by jimbob

[Coolpix]

Alain did you try to contact Karon municipality about Karon stadium?

[alainbkk]

Alain did you try to contact Karon municipality about Karon stadium?

Thanks, but no grass on the pitch at Karon stadium!

The tournament will be held at Rajabhat University on a grass pitch.

[alainbkk]

Hi everyone,

For the 2008 Phuket International Soccer 7s, we will come back again to Phuket in late November with more than 60 teams, mostly expatriate players with this year a bonus with a few teams of ex-pro: Team Bondi (AUS), Marseille All-Stars (FRA), Footy Japan, Cap Town All-Stars...

However, we have not secured a suitable playing venue for the tournaments this year.

We understand that Karon Stadium is now in a very poor condition and would be unsafe for the international visitors.

We have once again worked very hard to attract tourists to Phuket but again we seem to get no support from anyone in terms of a playing venue.

As you can imagine this is very frustrating as it happens every year in Phuket!!!

If anyone could advise us any authority able to assist us in securing a safe and decent playing field, or any pitches suitable for an international sport event, you will be welcomed!

We think that as we are attracting nearly 900 people to Phuket in November that someone might think that this is an important issue.

Alain & Tim

Organizers Andaman & Phuket International Soccer 7s

[12xu]

Is anyone know a new/future stadium in Thalang area? About 1 km from Thalang Police station, near the Thalang Hospital? Have you seen the pitch? Thanks in advance.

Could it be the Youth Football Home field? http://home.exetel.com.au/katjahouse/Thail...html/index.html

[alainbkk]

Is anyone know a new/future stadium in Thalang area? About 1 km from Thalang Police station, near the Thalang Hospital? Have you seen the pitch? Thanks in advance.

Could it be the Youth Football Home field? http://home.exetel.com.au/katjahouse/Thail...html/index.html

Thanks 12xu. Last year, someone advised me that the playing venue size was to small for 2 soccer 7s pitches (70m x 45m each) and not in good condition as shown on pictures... Next month I will go to check again.

Alain

[Boater]

good luck

[easy_jim]

Hi Alain,

Have you tried Prince Of Songkhla University Campus. I have no idea if they are amenable to hiring their pitch out but they do have a good size, flat, grass pitch.

Jim.

[fiddlehead]

Alain did you try to contact Karon municipality about Karon stadium?

Thanks, but no grass on the pitch at Karon stadium!

Such a shame that they took such valuable waterfront land, built that stadium blocking many guesthouses, hotels and houses views of the sea, and now just let it fall into disarray and no money or no one cares about upkeep.

I never really understood why they would build a stadium on waterfront land as it is so expensive.

But to build it and then let it go is a real waste.

[mrtoad]

Alain did you try to contact Karon municipality about Karon stadium?

Thanks, but no grass on the pitch at Karon stadium!

Such a shame that they took such valuable waterfront land, built that stadium blocking many guesthouses, hotels and houses views of the sea, and now just let it fall into disarray and no money or no one cares about upkeep.

I never really understood why they would build a stadium on waterfront land as it is so expensive.

But to build it and then let it go is a real waste.

The sad thing about the Karon Stadium is that they spent money on relaying the pitch last year, and then have been to lazy to maintain it.We played cricket there in April, and I have to say it was a bloody mess, large patches of no grass. To be fair it wouldn't take much to rectify it, but probably far too much like hard work.

As regards Surakul stadium total <deleted> nonsense about damaging the pitch. I think it's highly unlikely there will be any long term damage to the pitch from such a tournamnet, and appears that the local administrators are probably worried that the grass might get a little messy in places, and that wouldn't make the sports pitch look any good, or is it more likely that it is a non - foreigner venue.