Opinion: What sports events bring to the island

[Lite Beer]

Opinion: What sports events bring to the island
The Phuket News

The Moorabbin Rams, winners of the Athena Siam Coffin Dodgers Vets competition at the Phuket International Rugby 10s.

PHUKET: -- Last weekend, Phuket played host to the Phuket International Rugby 10s for the 17th year running. The tourney, won by the local Phuket Vagabonds team for the first time in history, saw more than 20 teams from across the Asia-Pacific region compete, something for which the organisers should be very proud.

This Sunday (May 7) the island will also play host to the 10th Laguna Phuket International Marathon, an event which each and every year draws thousands of athletes from around the world. At least 7,000 are expected on Sunday.

These regular major sporting events have long played the role of forerunners to other major sporting competitions brought to the island, now touted and promoted by government agencies after finally realising the benefits to be had through developing this form of tourism.

Last year, Phuket was the chosen venue for the fourth Asian Beach Games, a fantastic sporting event where between 4,000 and 5,000 athletes from 45 nations competed in 26 sports at six different beach locations over nine days.

The event was described by many who attended as “an outstanding success”, and even led to calls for the island to be the selected venue for a World Beach Games.

Events such as those already mentioned not only take a long time to organise, it also takes a lot of work to ensure they run smoothly and successfully, and all those involved should be credited for all their hard work ensuring that they do so.

These events draw vast amounts of people who spend money and bring a large amount of revenue.

The Asian Beach Games generated more than B2.5 billion for the province, estimated Kriengsak Suksomboon, chairman of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce. His estimate was based on the conservative guess that each athlete, official and visitor supporting the event spent a meagre B5,000 each.

While the number of the foreign tourists visiting Phuket has dropped in recent months, events such as the Rugby 10s, the Laguna Marathon and the Asian Beach Games bolster the industry by providing another reason for tourists to come to Phuket, and to return time and again.

Thailand and Phuket should focus more on bringing sporting events to the island so that tourists continue to come to the province, and it has already been proved that we can host such events with the maximum of success.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/opinion-what-sports-events-bring-to-the-island-52630.php

-- Phuket News 2015-06-07

[grumpyoldman]

Needs an edit (June 7), but otherwise I think a racetrack with garages for the kids to tune their bikes would be great. Saturday night speedway races, get these kids that like to drag on public streets into a proper facility. Cheap beers and food for the families in the stands whose otherwise troubled teenagers can then wow them with their weeks work tuning up the bikes.

At the same time have counselors/anti drug advocates around to supervise/ talk with the kids.

[NamKangMan]

With all the Chinese coming here, why not stage "The Phuket Table Tennis Championship."

[impulse]

How'za 'bout a contest to see which driver can get the highest fare for pickups at the airport?

On a more conciliatory note, it's good to see some thought going in to attracting tourists with activities that go beyond feeding the usual vices. Living in So California for a few years, I was amazed at the crowds they could draw for beach volleyball, surfing contests, lifeguard competitions, thunder boat races, etc.

Seems like some of those activities could be a big draw for Thai beach resort towns, but all I have usually found is wine, women and crappy music at ear splitting volumes.

[JetsetBkk]

Foosball!

(Misspent youth)

[steelepulse]

How'za 'bout a contest to see which driver can get the highest fare for pickups at the airport?

On a more conciliatory note, it's good to see some thought going in to attracting tourists with activities that go beyond feeding the usual vices. Living in So California for a few years, I was amazed at the crowds they could draw for beach volleyball, surfing contests, lifeguard competitions, thunder boat races, etc.

Seems like some of those activities could be a big draw for Thai beach resort towns, but all I have usually found is wine, women and crappy music at ear splitting volumes.

We did have the fivb beach volleyball here for a number of years, but the locals in Karon demanded payment from the the promoter for every single little thing so he finally said he had had enough. Too bad as this was a decent draw for tourism in late October early November.

[northernphil]

Shooting is doing well in the Asian Games. Lots of gun owners about , shouldn't be confined to Pattaya on a Sat. night.

[Srikcir]

Women's Olympic Beach Vollyball

A picture would be worth a thousand words but Prayut would object to the "uniforms."