Floating football pitch keeps Thai tourist blues at bay

[webfact]

Floating football pitch keeps Thai tourist blues at bay
Koh Panyee, Thailand | AFP |

With its stunning limestone cliffs towering over stilt houses surrounded by azure waters, the island of Panyee is a typical Thai paradise. But it's not mother nature drawing tourists here -- it's a floating football pitch.

Thailand's tourism industry has taken a battering this year following months of protests, the May military coup, the subsequent imposition of martial law and the brutal slaying of two young Britons on the holiday isle of Koh Tao in September.

The Immigration Bureau says there has been a near nine percent drop in tourist arrivals between January and October compared to the same period in 2013 -- a painful blow for the millions of Thais whose livelihoods depend on the industry.

But in Panyee, part of Thailand's picturesque Phanga Nga province, foreign visitors keep coming thanks to excitement over the community's innovative and highly unusual football pitch.

Nestled next to the largely Muslim island's ferry pier, the 16 by 25 metre (50 by 80 foot) pitch has become something of a national treasure after an advertising campaign by a Thai bank in 2010 made the fishing community locally famous for their dedication to football.

"What do you do when you come to Panyee Island? You must see the floating football pitch," beams island chief Muhammad Prasanpan, who says 50,000-70,000 baht ($1,500-2,100) now comes in from tourists each day.

That represents a five-fold income increase for the 320 household-island since a decade ago when fishing was its mainstay, the chief says.

The island has long had a reputation for football-obsessed inhabitants who have refused to let something as inconvenient as a complete lack of flat surfaces hold them back from practising the "Beautiful Game".

- Dangerous nails -

Originally islanders played on a beach, but could only do so during low tide when enough sand was visible.

The first floating pitch was built 30-years ago but was a dangerous hotchpotch of wooden boards knocked together with rusty nails.

"We had to avoid nails coming up. It was risky and dangerous. But we had to play on it because we had no pitch," recalls boat driver 
Prakit Prasanpan, sporting the local team's shirt.

Inspired by their dedication, TMB Bank commissioned a series of adverts charting the local team's success in a football tournament despite the rickety pitch. After the campaign aired the islanders, with help from local authorities, built themselves a new -- and crucially nail-free -- floating pitch.

Since those adverts aired in 2011, Panyee has become famous both locally -- and increasingly internationally -- for football.

But the pitch has done more than attract new arrivals. It has kept the island's younger inhabitants from leaving.

Depopulation is often a major problem in Thailand's poor communities, with youngsters travelling significant distances to find better paid work -- usually to support large families back home.

In Panyee the young are staying put. The island's population has increased to 1,800 from 1,200 over the last 10 years.


"Jobs here are better than on the mainland -- the young can find money more easily here, they can earn thousands of baht driving canoes," explains 74-year-old Aporn Janchulee, a market stall holder.

- Tourism suffering elsewhere -

But other tourist hotspots are not so fortunate. Between January and October tourism income in Thailand fell 6.1 percent compared to the same period last year to 905 million baht ($27.5 billion).

With so many reliant on tourism in a country that dubs itself the "Land of Smiles", Thailand's generals know they must restore confidence.

The junta have vowed to "Return beaches to the people" -- a side project of their wider promise to "Return happiness to Thailand".

The first clean-up campaign was launched in the large resort island of Phuket where the authorities took down unregistered umbrella and food stalls.

But while the campaign restored a more pristine look to some of Phuket's beaches, it angered many local businesses.

Meanwhile the junta's attempts to bolster tourism were dealt a blow by the September murder of David Miller, 24, and the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge, 23 on Koh Tao.

The authorities have charged two Myanmar nationals with killing the British pair but they later retracted their confessions, alleging they were obtained under duress.

Thailand's junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha also caused widespread dismay after the murders when he suggested that attractive foreign women could not expect to be safe from attack if they walked around in bikinis. He later made a rare apology for his remarks.

Back in Panyee the locals hope Thailand's tourist troubles don't put off visitors -- and that the floating pitch will continue to draw curious football fans -- if they are to provide for future generations.

As village chief Muhammad concludes: 
"I think we should keep the football pitch for our children and grandchildren because we can say that the floating pitch is unique to the village.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-11-28

[EricBerg]

"The island's population has increased to 1,800 from 1,200 over the last 10 years."

Good old TAT logic.

[Costas2008]

According to the official measurements, the length of a pitch must be between 100 yards (90m) and 130 yards (120m) and the width not less than 50 yards (45m) and not more than 100 yards (90m).

So we are speaking here about a big sun lounge of 25 x 16 meters.

I won't forget to add this in my "bucket list"

[JOC]

So they hope a floating football pitch, will make people forget about the Koh Tao murders??

Clearly no end to Thai stupidity in sight!!

Congratulations on a very wellwritten and easily understandable OP!! NOT

[WitawatWatawit]

So what happens when a prissy soccer player takes a dive?

[Fat Haggis]

Of course quality tourists really want to travel to Thailand to play football!!

In all my years travelling the world as a tourist stopping anywhere for a game of footie was never on my agenda.

But great arithmetic again 1200 is greater than 1800 ? Maybe he was thinking along the lines of 300 Spartans are much more than 1 million Persians eh Costas? ?

[SABloke]

"The island's population has increased to 1,800 from 1,200 over the last 10 years."

Good old TAT logic.

Fail! No TAT logic here...just simple maths: The population has increased by 600 people over the past 10 years. I think you should read your post again and you might notice how you misread the article

[DM07]

I have been there and it is 100% not worth it.

The ad by that bank, who made the place famous is really good.

[wirat69]

"The island's population has increased to 1,800 from 1,200 over the last 10 years."

Good old TAT logic.

Fail! No TAT logic here...just simple maths: The population has increased by 600 people over the past 10 years. I think you should read your post again and you might notice how you misread the article

Guess they did not all play football then!!!

[mike324]

"The island's population has increased to 1,800 from 1,200 over the last 10 years."

Good old TAT logic.

Fail! No TAT logic here...just simple maths: The population has increased by 600 people over the past 10 years. I think you should read your post again and you might notice how you misread the article

a lot of people can't read properly indeed! and why can't an areas population increase?

This pitch has been around for years, the bank advertise it as a commercial for their company, NOT TAT. Whats all the cry babies whining about? Its mostly Thais who go to locations like this when they join a local tour that stops by for lunch stops, not foreign tourists who wants to go see the football pitch.

[Commerce]

It's nearly Friday afternoon. This must be time to get the trophy ready for Prathom 2's accumulation awards given at 2.30 p.m. for silly idea of the week, most of which shall be better from Prathom kids, than all the silly ideas made this week by; the PM, his assistants, other suckers on, and wild hazardous guesses of what's a great idea.

I think the Prathom M class president will win the trophy, personally.

[Fat Haggis]

I put my hands up and misread the population part but still think the pitch has sis all to do with any increase in tourism ?

[AliasJohn]

So they hope a floating football pitch, will make people forget about the Koh Tao murders??

Clearly no end to Thai stupidity in sight!!

Congratulations on a very wellwritten and easily understandable OP!! NOT

You should take a look at the story of the Payee football club and what they did before you be so critical. Why speak so harshly of the Thai's. Are you so perfect?? Your very short sighted.

[LuckyLew]

A photo would have been nice, at least let us know what they are on about

God thing Al Gore invented the internet so we can use google

on a side note, why in so many threads people bashing Thailand and always mentioning the KT murders?

there have been stitch ups and murders for eons and this is nothing new and nothing surprising

Yes it is a sad case ... but enough of the bashing using the KT example

[darrendsd]

Only Thai Visa could generate some of the idiotic responses we have above to a simple story about a football pitch.

Some of you really do not deserve to live here.

[EricBerg]

"The island's population has increased to 1,800 from 1,200 over the last 10 years."

Good old TAT logic.

Fail! No TAT logic here...just simple maths: The population has increased by 600 people over the past 10 years. I think you should read your post again and you might notice how you misread the article

I stand corrected

too fast reading

[darrendsd]

Of course quality tourists really want to travel to Thailand to play football!!

In all my years travelling the world as a tourist stopping anywhere for a game of footie was never on my agenda.

But great arithmetic again 1200 is greater than 1800 ? Maybe he was thinking along the lines of 300 Spartans are much more than 1 million Persians eh Costas? ?

I guess learning to read was never on your agenda as well.

[deckape]

I think that is the pitch that was supposed to be installed at my son's school.

[Fat Haggis]

Of course quality tourists really want to travel to Thailand to play football!!

In all my years travelling the world as a tourist stopping anywhere for a game of footie was never on my agenda.

But great arithmetic again 1200 is greater than 1800 ? Maybe he was thinking along the lines of 300 Spartans are much more than 1 million Persians eh Costas? ?

I guess learning to read was never on your agenda as well.

And I guess reading comprehension isn't your forte either when I already owned up to misreading !!

[Fat Haggis]

Only Thai Visa could generate some of the idiotic responses we have above to a simple story about a football pitch.

Some of you really do not deserve to live here.

And the fact you took the time to be a pillar of society we bow down to your supreme being!!

Just who in the hell do you think you are to say who should and shouldn't live here Mr Perfect?

Get a life if all you have to complain about is a story about a football pitch that has been there for a few years supposedly a reason for an increase in tourism, do you get many splinters from the straws you clutch ?

[darrendsd]

Only Thai Visa could generate some of the idiotic responses we have above to a simple story about a football pitch.

Some of you really do not deserve to live here.

And the fact you took the time to be a pillar of society we bow down to your supreme being!!

Just who in the hell do you think you are to say who should and shouldn't live here Mr Perfect?

Get a life if all you have to complain about is a story about a football pitch that has been there for a few years supposedly a reason for an increase in tourism, do you get many splinters from the straws you clutch ?

Now Now,

You don't get it do you? I am not complaining about the football pitch or the related tourism attributed to it, read my post (You have already shown that you don't read posts but please try on this occasion)

My post is in relation to the idiotic replies to it, including people not reading the OP, people commenting on Ko Tao (bad that this happened but life does move on, something that many posters don't seem to understand and like to bring the KT incident up on every thread) and general Thai bashing over a simple story about a Football Pitch, Thai bashing seems to be something that a lot of TV posters enjoy no matter what the story

PS : Straws are made of plastic not wood so there would not be any splinters

Edited November 28, 2014 by darrendsd

[Fat Haggis]

I will offer a full apology to you then sir ?

[Tuskfish]

Here is the video for those who haven't seen it yet...

The video depicts excellent ball control by the kids to prevent the ball going in the water - they're absolutely right!! I played on the field once

Edited November 28, 2014 by Tuskfish

[shaggy851]

Love the video cheers for the post. For once a positive news story from tv. Good on them for building a footy pitch haven't seen anything like it. For the posts above... Wow...

Might need a boxing ring inside the tvcafe so we can work out some of those issues. Lol

[Fat Haggis]

Let's not forget the opening paragraph

"With its stunning limestone cliffs towering over stilt houses surrounded by azure waters, the island of Panyee is a typical Thai paradise. But it's not mother nature drawing tourists here -- it's a floating football pitch."

Really? It's the football pitch and nothing else?

THAT is why people are being critical of thread it's the claims it's all down to a floating football pitch.

has anyone looked this attraction up on trip advisor.con to read the rave reviews about paying money to see a floating football pitch ?

Yes I know I spelt tripadvisor.con wrong ?

[Chao Lao Beach]

No Photo ????C'mon TV.

[djayz]

So what happens when a prissy soccer player takes a dive?

LMAO!!! Love it!

[bangon04]

"But in Panyee, part of Thailand's picturesque Phanga Nga province, foreign visitors keep coming thanks to excitement over the community's innovative and highly unusual football pitch"

strange definition of the word 'picturesque'..... a floating football pitch??

since when has giant flotsam been picturesque?

how about some crashed airliners, rusting fishing boats, or parking a redundant submarine off the beach, or even a redundant aircraft carrier... just to make it really really beautiful.

Edited November 28, 2014 by bangon04

[orang37]

So we are speaking here about a big sun lounge of 25 x 16 meters

You forget that "Ko Panyee" in Thai translates to "Island of Midgets," and, that Thai midgets have been sent there, and migrated there, and midget refugees from Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos have all arrived under special immigration provisions based on a Royal decree going back to before the destruction of Ayudhya.

The local inhabitants often refer to their sunny island home, where everything is build to scale for their typical sizes (except, of course, housing for tourists) as "Panyee Suwan," meaning "midget heaven."

But, I do not suggest that any foreign tourists are going there for the aspect of the demography qua midget; and the locals are very, very friendly to tourists: they enjoy seeing the grotesquely distorted bodies of farangs, particularly.

~o:37;

Edited November 28, 2014 by orang37

[BillyBobThai]