A MAJOR international football match has been switched to Phuket from Bangkok because of concerns about the red shirt protest.
The game between Muang Thong United of Thailand and South China will now be held at Phuket City's Surakul Stadium on Tuesday, April 20.
The decision to switch the game from Bangkok to ''safe'' Phuket highlights the difference between the embattled city of Bangkok and the holiday island of Phuket, where thousands of tourists are coming and enjoying their breaks.
The two teams were to play in the Asia Football Confederation Cup in Thailand's capital but Hong Kong-based South China officials told organisers that they were happy to fly to Phuket, but not to Bangkok.
AFC officials telephoned the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation chief executive, Paiboon Upatising, who called them back, and said: ''Yes, Phuket can help you out.''
Accommodation for the players was found after another call to Pramok Achariyachai, president of the Kata Group, which runs several Phuket resorts.
Inventive local tourism industry chiefs are likely to promote the safety of Phuket as a destination at every opportunity.
South China requested AFC to move the match to a neutral venue because of ''security reasons.'' Many tour groups from China are being advised not to travel to Bangkok because of lack of travel insurance.
Tuesday night's big match at 6pm will be the most important international game at Surakul Stadium and on Phuket since Denmark beat Thailand at Surakul in the King's Cup in 2009. The local Phuket team uses Surakul as a base as it struggles to rise from the national second division.
The final 16 of the current AFC Cup regional competition is likely to be know by mid-May.
South China suffered a major blow ahead of the game with top scorer Chan Siu-ki ruled out for the rest of the season when he broke his ankle at the weekend.
''The AFC Cup is reaching the crucial stages and I really want to help South China get into the Round of 16 and then the quarter-finals,'' he told reporters.
In the last round, Thailand's Muang Thong United scored an important 3-2 away victory over Maldives' VB to take control of Group G.
They are on 10 points, three ahead of South China, who revived their hopes with a 2-0 away win at Persiwa Wamena, of Indonesia.
The game between Muang Thong United of Thailand and South China will now be held at Phuket City's Surakul Stadium on Tuesday, April 20.
The decision to switch the game from Bangkok to ''safe'' Phuket highlights the difference between the embattled city of Bangkok and the holiday island of Phuket, where thousands of tourists are coming and enjoying their breaks.
The two teams were to play in the Asia Football Confederation Cup in Thailand's capital but Hong Kong-based South China officials told organisers that they were happy to fly to Phuket, but not to Bangkok.
AFC officials telephoned the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation chief executive, Paiboon Upatising, who called them back, and said: ''Yes, Phuket can help you out.''
Accommodation for the players was found after another call to Pramok Achariyachai, president of the Kata Group, which runs several Phuket resorts.
Inventive local tourism industry chiefs are likely to promote the safety of Phuket as a destination at every opportunity.
South China requested AFC to move the match to a neutral venue because of ''security reasons.'' Many tour groups from China are being advised not to travel to Bangkok because of lack of travel insurance.
Tuesday night's big match at 6pm will be the most important international game at Surakul Stadium and on Phuket since Denmark beat Thailand at Surakul in the King's Cup in 2009. The local Phuket team uses Surakul as a base as it struggles to rise from the national second division.
The final 16 of the current AFC Cup regional competition is likely to be know by mid-May.
South China suffered a major blow ahead of the game with top scorer Chan Siu-ki ruled out for the rest of the season when he broke his ankle at the weekend.
''The AFC Cup is reaching the crucial stages and I really want to help South China get into the Round of 16 and then the quarter-finals,'' he told reporters.
In the last round, Thailand's Muang Thong United scored an important 3-2 away victory over Maldives' VB to take control of Group G.
They are on 10 points, three ahead of South China, who revived their hopes with a 2-0 away win at Persiwa Wamena, of Indonesia.
'The local Phuket team uses Surakul as a base as it struggles to rise from the national second division.'
I wouldn't call sitting at the top of the league having lost once all season and with a perfect home record struggling....
Posted by Southern Sea Kirin on April 15, 2010 09:25