THAI boxing on the beach will be a new sport when Phuket hosts the Fourth Asian Beach Games in November 2014.
Jet-ski racing will be retained but several other sports, including surfing, 3x3 basketball, beach water polo and the marathon swim have been dropped.
All events will be held at Patong, Kata and Karon beaches, a preliminary meeting heard today at Royal Phuket City Hotel.
The Phuket gathering was chaired by Major General Charouck Arirachakaran, Secretary General of the Olympic Committee of Thailand, who led delegates on a tour of Phuket beach sites.
Several thousand competitors and spectators are expected to visit Phuket from as many as 45 countries for the Games.
One uncertainty remains: Reports in the past few days say that Boracay in the Philippines, which was to be the appointed venue in 2014, has revived its bid after allegedly opting out because of the high cost of applying to hold the Games.
Philippines competitors returned empty-handed from the Second Asian Beach Games, held in Muscat, Oman, last month, while Thailand took the overall title with a collection of 15 gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze medals.
The First Asia Beach Games were held in Bali in 2008 and the Third Asia Beach Games are set for Hainan, China, in 2012.
Phuket Resort Occupancy Rate Boosted in 2011Jet-ski racing will be retained but several other sports, including surfing, 3x3 basketball, beach water polo and the marathon swim have been dropped.
All events will be held at Patong, Kata and Karon beaches, a preliminary meeting heard today at Royal Phuket City Hotel.
The Phuket gathering was chaired by Major General Charouck Arirachakaran, Secretary General of the Olympic Committee of Thailand, who led delegates on a tour of Phuket beach sites.
Several thousand competitors and spectators are expected to visit Phuket from as many as 45 countries for the Games.
One uncertainty remains: Reports in the past few days say that Boracay in the Philippines, which was to be the appointed venue in 2014, has revived its bid after allegedly opting out because of the high cost of applying to hold the Games.
Philippines competitors returned empty-handed from the Second Asian Beach Games, held in Muscat, Oman, last month, while Thailand took the overall title with a collection of 15 gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze medals.
The First Asia Beach Games were held in Bali in 2008 and the Third Asia Beach Games are set for Hainan, China, in 2012.
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