CNA Correspondent Podcast: Has huge international interest in Muay Thai diluted its traditional roots?
Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, is a symbol of cultural pride and identity and now, Thailand’s national sport is generating huge interest internationally. But with it comes the fear that it will lose its ancient traditions. With dreams of the sport making its Olympic debut growing bigger, Teresa Tang talks to correspondent Saksith Saiyasombut about how Muay Thai could change, and what is being done to preserve it.
CNA Correspondent: Muay Thai - Fighting for the Future (Full Episode)
Thailand’s national martial arts, Muay Thai (or Thai boxing), is in the spotlight — boxers may soon be fighting their way to the Olympics. But the road to the top is paved with sweat, tears, hopes and heartbreak. CNA Correspondent meets those who have made it big and those fighting to join them, and finds out the price they have to pay to make it in Thailand’s national sport.
Muay Thai sets its sights on Olympic glory
Thailand’s national martial art Muay Thai, which has an increasingly global audience, could soon make its debut on the world’s biggest sporting stage, the Olympics. But not everyone is thrilled. CNA’s Saksith Saiyasombut reports.
TRAILER: "Muay Thai - Fighting for the Future" - CNA Correspondent | Wed (30 Nov) at 8.30pm BK
Muay Thai’s time in the spotlight is now. Thailand’s national martial arts now looking to the future, with new players entering the sport and fighting its way to the Olympics. But away from the million-baht arenas, it’s the road to the top is paved with sweat, tears, hopes and heartbreak. CNA Correspondent meets those who have made it big, those fighting to join them and find out the price they have to pay to make it in Thailand’s national sport.
"Muay Thai - Fighting for the Future" airs on Wednesday, 30 Nov, at 8.30pm BK on CNA and is available as VOD on CNA Insider.
No, the Tour de France is still NOT coming to Thailand!
Originally published at Siam Voices on November 25, 2014 The Tour de France, the world's long-running, most prestigious (and somewhat plagued) cycling race, will start its 2016 edition from Manche in Normandy, France, with the rest of the route to be revealed on December 9. I might be going on a limb here, but I'm pretty sure that the last stage will be again on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
Now, why would I write something like this on this blog here? Regular readers may remember this:
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is in talks with Paris-based Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) for the possibility of staging the world’s biggest cycling race, the Tour de France, in Thailand in 2015, the year when the entire Southeast Asian region will integrate under the ASEAN Economic Community framework. (…)
[TAT Governor Mr. Thawatchai Arunyik] added, “By playing host to a world famous cycling race as the Tour de France, we are saying that Thailand is ready to host any international sporting events of all types and sizes. (…)”
“Tour de France to be held in Thailand next year“, TAT press release, October 2, 2014
The TAT jumped the starting gun on this one, issuing the press release after just one meeting with the Tour organizers (we reported). While it is nothing new for the first stage of the event to be held in countries other than France - there have been many starting locations, including this year in Utrecht, Netherlands - moving to an entirely different continent is quite a big stretch, which made the TAT announcement - which has vanished from its website - far more unbelievable.
Almost naturally - after a sufficient amount of buzz and ridicule - there was this unsurprising statement by the Tour de France organizers ASO:
ASO, however, believes something was lost in translation.
"There are talks indeed but not to bring the Tour to Thailand," a spokesman told Reuters upon hearing about the claims from the TAT. "There are discussions to settle in Thailand via a criterium, just like we did in Japan with the 'Saitama Criterium by Le Tour de France'." A criterium is a one-day race held on a circuit or though a city which often attracts the Tour de France winner but has little sporting value.
"Thailand off course on Tour hosting plans - ASO", Reuters, October 2, 2014
It's not the first time Thailand has attempted to attract a world-class sporting event, and its not the first time it has run into problems: the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2012 became a fiasco when Bangkok failed to build the main arena in time, and an ambitious bid to host a Formula 1 race on the streets of Bangkok ultimately came to a screeching halt when the city rejected the inner-city circuit. Both incidents were examples of unhealthy, unrealistic ambitions and dodgy dealings by the Thai authorities - which would normally be perfectly acceptable in the world of sports.
It still doesn't excuse the outlandish announcement by the TAT. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports (a very popular portfolio for would-be ministers for political and financial reasons), which the TAT is attached to, could for example attempt to better promote and support regional and local sporting events like the "Tour of Thailand" instead of thinking too big.
So, in case there are any doubts: NO, the Tour de France is still not coming to Thailand!
Thailand F1 plans hit major speed bump as Bangkok bans car racing
Originally published at Siam Voices on June 8, 2013
Thailand's plans for a nighttime Formula 1 Grand Prix in Bangkok in 2015 are in serious doubt after it emerged that Bangkok's Metropolitan Authority has banned car racing in the area the the race was planned for.
We have looked at the Thai government's plans to host a Grand Prix several times in the past, with a proposed track running through downtown Bangkok passing major landmarks such as the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, Sanam Luang and Democracy Monument.
Earlier this week we reported that these plans have been drawn up without the input of a particular group, which has now thrown a spanner in the works. Local residents and environmental groups have also voiced their opposition to the proposed Grand Prix, since the authorities have left them in the dark about the plans and the potential impact on the neighborhood.
We have raised a lot of questions regarding the ambitious plans by the government to bring Formula 1 to town. How would the already notoriously congested city cope with the shutdown of some of the capital's busiest roads? Is it really going to cost no more than $40m to host the race, with big local sponsors like Singha Beer and Red Bull reportedly willing to flip some of it? Is Thailand aready and capable of putting on a world-class sporting event or is it going to be similar to the FIFA Futsal World Cup disaster last year?
Well, we may not need to worry about these questions anymore:
But Bangkok's Metropolitan Authority has stymied the proposal with a law banning "car racing" from the zone.
"The law came into effect on May 16 prohibiting car racing in inner Bangkok because that area is a conservation for culture and arts," Kriangphon Pattanarat, director general of City Planning Department told AFP.
The law has been under discussion for two or three years, he said, adding it was not specifically targeted at F1.
"Motor Racing: Formula One stalls in Bangkok as law bans car racing", AFP, June 7, 2013
Thai federal officials like Minister of Tourism and Sports Somsak Phurisisak tried not to appear caught off guard by the apparent legislation effectively outlawing and killing the Bangkok F1 Grand Prix project, going on record stating they would not fight the ruling.
Furthermore, Somsak said that that the organizers are looking for alternative locations in Bangkok like the far Northern districts Muang Thong Thani and Chaeng Wattana, or elsewhere in the country like Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen and Phuket - all of which seem to be less attractive options.
Interestingly, no one has mentioned a racing circuit that is being currently built in Buriram, designed by Formula 1-track designer Herman Tilke, the newest brainchild of Newin Chidchob. The former (but very likely still influential) politician is now the man behind his football club Buriram United, which almost instantly became a national powerhouse within a few years. However, the 4.7km purpose-built road course will have a Category 2 rating from the motorsport governing body Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). That means, it is not eligible to host Formula 1 races and would have to be modified and upgraded for that. But then again, the likelihood of a Pheu Thai Party-led government doing any business with Newin is very slim anyways due to their bitter political rivalry.
But with that the dream of bringing Formula 1 to Thailand at all seems to be over at this point, since anything other than Bangkok would be far from satisfactory for the organizers who are now scrambling to make a graceful exit from this. While skepticism was always lurking behind these plans, this whole campaign might have been the best shot Thailand had to realize its dream of hosting a Formula 1 Grand Prix - a dream it almost realized in 1939, but on that occasion it was canceled because of World War II.
F1 Bangkok Grand Prix plans face growing local opposition
Originally published at Siam Voices on June 3, 2013
Environmental groups and local residents are voicing their disapproval over the Thai government's ambitious plans for a Formula 1 Grand Prix in the middle of Bangkok under lights, citing various potential impacts on the neighborhood. But are these concerns valid and how far have the plans progressed?
We previously followed the government's plans to host a round of the pinnacle of motorsport, the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, in the middle of Thai capital ever since the first rumors of a bid surfaced in early 2012 and the potential costs were first tallied (estimated to be around $40m, with the state covering 60 per cent of it).
Despite an endorsement by F1 promoter and supremo leader Bernie Ecclestone late last year and the announcement by Thai officials of a 'done deal' in October, there hasn't been much movement since and no contracts have been signed. The final decision will come from the sport's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), later this year.
Nevertheless, the project started to take some shape in late April with the revelation of the proposed track layout, showing a route that starts at the Grand Palace, passes key Bangkok landmarks such as Wat Phra Kaew, Sanam Luang, Pra Athit Road, Phan Fah Bridge, Democracy Monument and Ratchadamnoen Avenue, before closing the nearly 6km/3.7mi long loop at the Grand Palace again.
Furthermore, Bangkok has been shortlisted to hold a round of the Formula E Championship in 2014, a new FIA-sanctioned open wheel racing series powered with electric engines. However, while the championship rounds are solely held on inner city courses, these tracks won't be longer than 3 kilometers and the whole event - including practice, qualifying and race - will be held on one single day. Nevertheless, should Bangkok be selected to hold a race next year, it could be seen as a grand rehearsal for the Grand Prix in 2015.
(Side note: The Nation's business reporter bizarrely tweeted that Bangkok's GP bid has failed and thus got Formula E instead. After asking him about the reason, the reporter cited "advertisement rules due to tobacco sponsors", even though Formula 1 stopped carrying these several years ago - only then for him to admit that his tweet was based on a headline several years old but still refused to explain why he led with an outdated and highly misleading headline - read the whole conversation here.)
There are of course many questions left unanswered and a good number of these come from those that are most affected by the plans: the residents and local business owners in central Bangkok. As for most mega-projects in Thailand, this group of stakeholders is always approached last, if at all, as a recent gathering ofpeople affected by the race plans has illustrated:
Representatives from 20 communities convened on Saturday at Thammasat University's Tha Prachan campus to discuss the protection of historical sites on Rattanakosin Island from the F1 event.
"So far we have heard about this project from the media and others, but we have yet to see what is in the plan of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. We have to see the proposal in detail and study the impact on historical sites and our way of life," said Parntip Likkachai, leader of Youth Banglamphu Community , who added that the communities' priority now is to create public awareness about the F1 race through a campaign this Saturday.
"Rattanakosin residents want to see F1 race plan", The Nation, June 3, 2013
"We didn't know anything about it from government agencies. We only learned about it from the media and social networks," community Theeraphol Kachachiva said on Wednesday. "We don't oppose an F1 event in Thailand. But it should not be raced on that route. It should be held elsewhere," Mr Theeraphol said.
"F1 backers feel the heat, as communities oppose plans", Bangkok Post, May 29, 2013
Srisakra Valibhotama, a prominent anthropologist and archaeologist, told Saturday's forum that it is "not appropriate" to hold a street race on Ratchadamnoen Avenue, whose name means "a path where the monarch travels" in Thai.
The protesters, especially residents in the 20 communities, are also worried about the noise caused by the racing cars at night as well as the vibration that may damage old trackside buildings.
A law restricts noise levels from cars on Bangkok streets to between 80 and 90 decibels, but the F1 cars would produce more than 100 decibels, said Thammasat second-year student Kasidit Kruthangphar.
"F1 race proposal riles Rattanakosin locals", Bangkok Post, June 2, 2013
Normally, when it comes to big government projects and policies by the current Pheu Thai Party, the opposition Democrat Party is quick to criticize (with various degrees of factual accuracy and shrillness). However, they have been pretty silent on this topic. Perhaps their close links to the main sponsors Singha Beer and Red Bull - as we have highlighted here - has increased their enthusiasm for the project.
A lot of valid concerns have been voiced (okay, apart from the "royal road" argument - that's ludicrous!) about the impact on the environment and local business. However, the overbearing impression is that no one actually really has an idea how all this will pan out, including the organizers themselves as they only have expressed general commitment.
Residents and fans are both questioning whether or not Thailand and its officials are capable of hosting a Formula 1 Grand Prix - and a city night race to boot - in Bangkok. Given the track record of issues surrounding such big projects - as recently seen with the debacle with Bangkok Futsal Arena not being built in time for the FIFA Futsal World Cup - the fear is that instead of a world class event we'll witness a world class embarrassment.
Ecclestone gives Bangkok Formula 1 GP the green light
Originally published at Siam Voices on December 19, 2012
The much-rumored and highly anticipated Thailand Formula 1 Grand Prix has made a big step forward with the championship's promoter and Formula One Management (FOM) president Bernie Ecclestone giving the project his blessing, according to the Wall Street Journal:
Formula One Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone revealed that the 2015 Grand Prix calendar will feature a night race on the streets of Bangkok. (...) Ecclestone said that the location has now been chosen, and specified that the race would come a year later. "They say 2014 and I say 2015. It is serious and it is good," he added.
"F1 Adds Bangkok Race to 2015 Schedule", Wall Street Journal, December 18, 2012
This comes after weeks of silence and months of campaigning by the Thai side, as government officials (potentially prematurely) announced the race as a done deal in October. Normally, Ecclestone and the FOM are not very keen on future hosts jumping the gun, but this seemed to have no effect on the negotiations.
Thailand's Formula 1 ambitions go back as far as late 2010 when Red Bull Racing, whose parent company that makes the energy drinks is rooted in Thailand and is now co-owned by Chalerm Yoovidhya with a 51 per cent majority, did one of their popular demo runs in a Red Bull Formula 1 car around Democracy Monument on Rajadamnoen Avenue, watched, reportedly, by over 100,000 onlookers.
And it was Red Bull's influence that eventually will bring Grand Prix racing to Bangkok, as first concrete rumors surfaced earlier this year and hardened over the summer that the race could take place as early as 2014.
A lot of work lies ahead for the organizers of the race, if it actually takes place on the streets of Bangkok during the night as proposed. They already need to think about how they will close off the roads for weeks before and after the Grand Prix without causing a total traffic disaster in a city that already has chronic traffic problems.
It would be the third race in Southeast Asia, with Sepang in Malaysia and Singapore being the other two. Singapore is currently also the host of the only night race on the calendar.
Then there's the issue of financing: as reported here and elsewhere, the Thai government will foot 60 per cent of the costs to host a Formula 1 race, which is at least $27m per year or, by the Thai authorities estimations, almost $40m, which will rise by 10 per cent annually. The rest will be paid by large Thai corporations like Singha Beer and Red Bull.
And finally, there needs to be a lot of promotion: last weekend's Race of Champions (think of it as the motorsports equivalent of All-Star Weekend) went without any problems, but was not very well attended. Sources familiar with the matter have expressed their disappointment with the very low-key promotion campaign in Bangkok, on billboards and in local media alike.
So, there is a lot to be done between now and 2015 if the dream of Formula 1 cars in Bangkok can be finally realized. This dream goes as far back as 1939, when a scheduled non-championship race around Grand Palace had to be cancelled because of World War 2.
Bangkok's Formula 1 Grand Prix a done deal?
Originally published at Siam Voices on October 19, 2012
We have been following the attempts by the Sports Authority of Thailand to bring the Formula 1 World Championship to Thailand in 2014 and even possibly to the streets of the capital Bangkok. From the first concrete declaration to bid for a race in March and the estimated costs in July and motorsports' exhibition equivalent to All-Star Weekend, the Race of Champions, taking place later this December, we have heard a lot from the Thai organizers revving up their efforts, as much as now calling it numerous times a 'done deal'. Ironically, this early call could potentially throw a speed bump into Thailand's F1 ambitions. But first things first...
Rumors about a potential Formula 1 race in Thailand's capital Bangkok have gained considerable traction this week with the Thai organizers going to press to say this:
Thailand's government sports authority says it has struck an in-principle deal to host a Formula One race in Bangkok in 2014, with negotiations ongoing about the hosting fee, according to a report in The Nation newspaper.
Kanokphand Chulakasem, governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand, was quoted as saying "Formula One has decided to include Thailand in its 2014 season calendar" with a race slated for November. (...)
"Once the negotiations are complete, we will bring this before the cabinet for discussion and approval," Kanokphand was quoted as saying. "We will sign a deal only after we get the nod from the government."
"Thailand government claims to have struck deal to host Bangkok Grand Prix in 2014", Associated Press, October 18, 2012
First off, that report from The Nation is nowhere to be found! Most likely, AP has confused it for this article from the Bangkok Post, which we will get to later.
Secondly, we are used to Thai politicians and officials saying things that could be premature. Numerous international news outlets have picked up on this non-existant The Nation article and also on Kanokphand's confident words that this deal is as good as done. However, there's at least one important person who wouldn't like that - both the words and especially the timing: Bernie Ecclestone, president of the Formula One Management (FOM) and effectively F1's promoter for decades, is not a friend when the other party of a deal does something not OK'ed by him. Seasoned Formula 1 journalist Joe Saward had this to say:
Bernie Ecclestone likes race promoters who do not talk a lot and deliver deals – before they go public. Thus he cannot be overly impressed with the Thailand’s government’s sports authority, which has been putting out stories for some weeks that it will be hosting a Formula 1 race in Bangkok in 2014. If a contract has been signed, numbers agreed and guaranteed by the government then it is a good moment to make a noise, but Kanokphand Chulakasem, the man in charge of the Sports Authority, admits that the negotiations are not yet completed and the project has not been signed off by the Thai government.
"A lot of talk in Thailand…", by Joe Saward, October 14, 2012
Then there's also the financial aspect to this. Various reports have quoted Kanokphand's estimation that the hosting fee will be 1.2 billion baht ($39.2 million) per year and "not more expensive than Singapore". 60 per cent will be paid by the government and the rest will come from wealthy sponsors such as Red Bull and Singha. However the bill could get bigger - a lot bigger:
It would be a surprise if the Formula One group would be willing to accept such a deal. One can understand that the total may have dropped from the high-spending days in the early 2000s, when deals up to $50 million a year were agreed. All the F1 contracts are believed to include a 10 percent increase per year, which means that a $40 million a year race fee with a normal 10 percent annual hike means that over a seven-year contract a promoter must find around $380 million, without including the money needed to either build a track or assemble and disassemble a street circuit each year. This will add around $200 million to the bill.
Thus the government must be willing to guarantee funds of around $600 million if a deal is to go ahead. If private partners are going to kick in 40 percent that is fine, but the guarantee is likely to be at government level only.
"A lot of talk in Thailand…", by Joe Saward, October 14, 2012
And finally, there's the question about the venue of that potential Thailand Grand Prix. Many possible places have been named, from an upgrade of the nation's only internationally certified Bira Circuit near Pattaya to a new purpose-built circuit in Chiang Mai, it looks like the organizers have zeroed in on the most obvious, but also potentially most complicated, solutions to where the F1 cars will run:
It is likely to be a night race and could be staged at Ratchadamnoen Avenue or Muang Thong Thani, the governor said. "We have been working closely with F1 officials to look for the best site," Mr Kanokphand said. Such a big project must be approved by the government and a public hearing may be needed, he said.
"Formula 1 venues in Thailand", Bangkok Post, October 17, 2012
The idea of a night race is an obvious attempt to rival the championship's only night race so far at Singapore's Marina Bay. However, closing off the area of Ratchadamnoen Avenue, a large boulevard not far from the Democracy Monument but also from the back-packer district of Kao San Road, for weeks before and after race to construct and dismantle all the barriers, catch-fences, etc. would be a daunting task for literally everybody involved, especially the traffic that would be diverted.
As much as I'm personally a fan of Formula 1 and motorsports in general and have been since my childhood, a Thailand Grand Prix and much less a Bangkok city race still would not create enough excitement to care about. Maybe it's the fact that this country doesn't have a large enough fan base for the sport.
But maybe it is also be due to the fact of how of things work in Thailand, especially if politicians are involved in the organization of large-scale international events - or not, as the fiasco of the still unfinished Futsal stadium shows, while the FIFA Futsal World Cup is just two weeks away from now. We will have to wait and see if the Formula 1 grid will ever race on Thai soil or even through the streets of Bangkok. However, if the deal suddenly does not materialize, we may know why.
Thailand: What we missed in August 2012
Originally published at Siam Voices on August 27, 2012 In a new section on Siam Voices, we look back at some news stories that made the headlines in Thailand this month.
Thailand's Olympic medal winners: Sporting hurt pride
Earlier this month, the 30th Olympic Summer Games took place in London. As usual, Thailand's Olympic ambitions included the expectation of some medals, having won seven gold, four silver and 10 bronze medals at previous games in the weightlifting, boxing and taekwondo competitions. That was not the exception this time around again, as silver medal winners Pimsiri Sirikaew, Kaeo Pongprayoon and bronze medalist Chanatip Sonkham won medals at exactly these sports respectively.
However, it wasn't all smiles and joy: especially in the case of light flyweight boxer Kaeo Pongprayoon, many Thais took offense to his loss in a controversial final against China's Zou Shiming due to some questionable officiating and actions by Zou. Predictably the Thai fans couldn't shake off the feeling that 'they' got robbed and some of them predictably took their anger online, partly in very poor taste. An example of nationalism-fueled rage was to be seen on the Facebook page of the International Boxing Association, whose picture of a celebrating Zou Shiming got over 65,000 comments, most of them negative and still counting two weeks after the end of the games.
And generally, despite the fact that Thailand did quite well compared to its neighbors, these games were a disappointment for the officials, who hoped for two gold medals as a target (that's nothing compared to the secret German medals target that was missed by lightyears) and now have to think about how to improve the support for athletes, both olympic and paralympic, whose summer games are starting later this week.
Pheu Thai's rice scheme: The Price is Right?
It bears many names: pledging scheme, mortgage scheme, fixed pricing scheme - but they all mean the same rice policy of the Yingluck government that has been one of the essential cornerstones of Pheu Thai Party's campaign before the election and of the current administration since last October. In a nutshell, the government buys rice at 15,000 Baht (about $480) per ton - that is 50 per cent more than the market price. What was primarily aimed to help the around 8 million rice farmers in the country was met with criticism and concerns that it will either lead to a global price hike, a loss of Thailand's status as the world's top exporter of rice or both.
Almost a year after its introduction, the criticism has increased in recent months, as export numbers are declining and projections that Thailand will lose its number one position in global exports. And so the critical analysis pieces go on, and on, and on, and on - but the consensus was the same: the government's rice policy causes private rice millers and exporters to suffer and the governments sits on a huge pile of rice that they can't get rid off in bi-lateral deals, as it is about to spoil. Nevertheless, the government will continue it. More details can be read over here at Bangkok Pundit's post.
Policemen found guilty of extrajudicial killing - and released on bail!
In early August the Criminal Court in Bangkok found five police officers guilty of the murder of a 17-year old man. The teenager was arrested by these policemen in 2004 in the southern province of Kalasin for allegedly stealing a motorcycle. That was during the time of the "War on Drugs", a heavily-propagated campaign by the Thaksin administration that targeted drug dealers and traffickers, but also ensured security officials to use a heavy-handed and violent approach, in which, according to rights groups, over 2,500 people were killed - many of them extrajudicially - and over 1,600 died in prison or custody, about 131 of them as a result of police brutality. The 17-year-old was one of them, as he was detained for over a week and later found dead in another province.
Three police officers have been sentenced to death for premeditated murder and hiding the young man's body, one to life imprisonment for premeditated murder and the Police Colonel was sentenced to seven years in jail for abusing his power to cover up the murder. However, despite the convictions, these men are walking free on bail pending appeal. Understandably, the key witnesses are concerned over their safety, since their witness protection program ironically ended with the court verdict. Calls for new witness protection have been so far unanswered.
Thaksin's US travels spark anti-American tantrum
Yeah, Thaksin is still traveling freely around the world, even more so since many countries have re-granted him entry. The United States was the latest to do so and that issue alone has stirred up some diatribes from his enemies, most of all the self-proclaimed Thaksin hunter, diplomatic wrecking-ball and former foreign minister Kasit, who immediately called to severe ties with the US, should they not extradite him to Thailand. If only when he and his cabinet issued an extradition request for Thaksin when they were in government - but they didn't!
The fugitive former prime minister traveled to New York first and then was scheduled to appear at a red shirt gathering in Los Angeles - but Thai media reported that some "700 to 2,000" yellow shirts have allegedly foiled the event and Thaksin had to bail out. The problem is that the numbers were from a Thai community paper in LA and cannot the independently verified. And let's be honest: an assembly of 2,000 similarly dressed people would have made local news already over there - only it didn't! Meanwhile, back in Thailand the anti-Thaksin protesters gathered at the US Embassy and have come up with some rather bizarre conspiracy theories. Let's see where Thaksin goes next...
Thai Senator 'accidentally' kills secretary with uzi - or pistol - or wife - or cousin...!
In mid-August, a news headline from Thailand went around the world that was both shocking and bizarre: "Senator 'accidentally' kills secretary with Uzi". Mae Hong Son Senator Boonsong Kowawisarat was carrying the firearm during dinner at a resort when it accidentally discharged and killed a woman believed to be his secretary. Of course, these circumstances were perfect ingredients for yet another 'quirky' news item from Asia for Western media - and when even Gawker was reporting it (predictably not without mistakes), you know something has hit critical mass.
But the next morning, the circumstances weren't that clear anymore as nearly every detail of this incident was put in question: What was the weapon and who did it kill? In the end it emerged that the Senator's pistol, a 9mm Jericho 941 (also named Uzi Eagle), fired a bullet into the stomach of Chanakarn Detkard, his domestic partner with whom he has two children.
Saksith Saiyasombut is a Thai blogger and journalist currently based in Hamburg, Germany. He can be followed on Twitter @Saksith and on Facebook here.
Thailand on track to host Formula 1 GP in 2014?
Originally published at Siam Voices on June 22, 2012
In March we reported about the early moves for a potential Formula 1 race in Thailand, and the costs and the chances. To recap: The Ministry of Tourism and Sports announced it is campaigning for a Formula 1 Grand Prix of Thailand in 2014, with the backing of corporate heavyweights Red Bull and Singha Beer.
Chalerm Yoovidhya - who is inheriting Krating Daeng (the original Red Bull) from his recently deceased father Chaleo - is the co-owner of the championship-winning Red Bull Racing team, the other being Austrian Dietrich Mateschitz who made Red Bull (the fizzy one) a world-wide brand. Mateschitz and Chaleo held 49 per cent each in shares, with Chalerm previously holding 2 per cent acting the wedge between them. Now that Chalerm seems most likely gets his father's shares, it is likely that Chalerm may try to increase his influence over the Red Bull operations. Both Chalerm and the Singha Beer corporation are well-connected to the decision makers in Thailand, most notably to the opposition Democrat Party.
Now it seems that plans for a potential Formula 1 race have been given a minor boost, if the words by those involved are anything to go by:
"Our discussions with (Formula One CEO) Bernie Ecclestone have gone smoothly. We expect to get rights to host a grand prix from 2014 onwards. The race might be held at night to accommodate viewers in Europe and help earn more in sponsorship.
"Chalerm Yoovidhya, Red Bull team owner, is helping negotiate the hosting fee, which is likely to be about Bt1.2 billion [$37m], compared to the Bt2 billion [$62m] China paid.
"The cost of building a new F1 venue to accommodate 100,000 spectators will be about Bt100 million [$3.1m]. We need to finalise the budget before we propose it to the cabinet. We expect the overall budget for hosting an F1 race to be around Bt5 billion [$157m]," said Kanokphand [Chulakasem, Sports Authority of Thailand governor].
"Vettel, Schumacher in Thai grand prix preview", The Nation, June 12, 2012
So, there are a few interesting aspects here. First off, this deal is not done yet. Nevertheless, the organizers have already come up with a plans and most off all a budget - which seem to vastly differ to what has been said before:
Ministry of Tourism and Sports spokesperson, Watchara Kannikar (…) added: “Initially, the budget was Bt10 billion [$314m]. However, it is possible that the cost will triple.”
“Chumpol catches F1 fever“, TTR Weekly, March 14, 2012
How they have miraculously halved the initial budget for the Grand Prix is beyond me - even with the heavy financial backing of Red Bull, Singha and also maybe state-owned oil company PTT.
Second, there's still no word about the venue of the race. The ultimate dream for many involved would be a street circuit in the middle of Bangkok on Rajdamnoen Avenue, which saw a demo run by a Red Bull F1 car back in 2010 - although this would be logistical nightmare, as it would probably lock down the area for weeks before, during and after the event. And financially, to compare with the other two most recently added temporary street circuits: The European Grand Prix in the port of Valencia is said to cost €21m or $26m per year and the night race in Singapore reportedly costs $120m.
Another possibility would be to either overhaul the only existing racing circuit in Thailand (Bira Circuit near Pattaya) certified by the world motorsports governing body FIA up to international standards or to build an entirely new one. No word on where this one would be built was uttered either. And again to give some financial benchmarks of the most recently added events: the Korean International Circuit was built in 2010 for reportedly $270m ($77m for track itself), last year saw the construction of the Buddh International Circuit in India including a whole sports complex for $820m and currently the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas is being built with investors and the state chipping in a total of $500m for the return of the United States Grand Prix later this year.
And as mentioned before, just because there were good talks, doesn't mean that there will be a race! Furthermore, the silly season of the F1 circuits for the next few years needs to be taken into account: many current races are either on the edge or were already taken off the schedule for next year. Some other circuits are already forced to alternate with another event in order to save costs, while other events are coming, such as a street race in New Jersey next year and yet another new circuit in Russia for 2014, while there are rumors of Argentina making a return among others. What could help Thailand to get a spot on the F1 calendar is the rumor that the already extensive schedule might be increased from 20 to 23 races in 2013.
Despite all the uncertainty as to whether or not a Thai Grand Prix will take place, the organizers have already secured another motorsports event to warm up the Thais for potential F1 race: The Race of Champions, an invitational exhibition tournament at the end of the year where race champions (and other all-stars) from different disciplines and championships race head-to-head in identical cars, will be held this year in Bangkok's Rajamangala Stadium. This is the second time the event has come to Asia after 2009's event took place in Beijing, which bizarrely took place in the middle of the week. Hopefully, this year will be better attended at a viewer-friendlier time of the week and maybe it could spark a sizable interest among Thais - and then the country might actually have its first ever Formula 1 Grand Prix after all, especially since the one planned in 1939 did not take place.
Thailand's Formula 1 ambitions - revving up a pipe dream?
Originally published at Siam Voices on March 26, 2012
On Sunday the Formula One World Championship made its first annual stop in Southeast Asia with the Grand Prix of Malaysia near Kuala Lumpur. A night race on the streets of Singapore will be the other race in the region later this year in September. Even though the 2012 calendar is filled to the brim with 20 races until late November, there are other venues vying to host Formula 1 in their country - Thailand is one of them:
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism and Sports Chumpol Silpa-archa has announced that Thailand has its eyes set on being host of the Formula One (F1) racing in 2014.
Following discussions with relevant parties on the possibility of Thailand hosting the Formula One race, Mr. Chumpol stated that the Thai government has confirmed its interest to host the racing tournament within three years time. He also revealed that a number of companies from the private sector, such as Red Bull, PTT and automobile manufacturers, have shown enthusiasm in co-hosting the event with the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT).
Meanwhile, Tourism and Sports Spokesperson Watchara Kannikar disclosed that , Mr. Chumpol will within this week submit Thailand's letter of intent to be a candidate to host the race to Formula One President, Mr. Bernie Ecklestone [sic!].
"Thailand eyes hosting Formula One race in 2014", National News Bureau, March 7, 2012
This is not the first time Thailand has expressed its ambitions to host a F1 race. The most recent campaign was fueled in late 2010, when Red Bull Racing (back then freshly crowned world champions for the first time) did a demo run on the streets of Bangkok. Reportedly, over 100,000 spectators were there when Australia's Mark Webber drove (a somewhat modified 2009 RB5) around Democracy Monument on Rajadamnoen Avenue.
It is not surprising that Red Bull Racing were involved in that show run, given the titular energy drink's origins in Thailand. In its original form, Krathing Daeng (Red Bull in Thai) was created by Chaleo Yoovidhya in the late 1970s and then over the next decades became world famous after a joint venture with Austrian Dietrich Mateschitz, both holding a 49 percent share each.
However, it is Mateschitz who runs the company and thanks to aggressive marketing, the drink became a ubiquitous sponsor at sport events, beginning with extreme sports and more recently with the ownership of several football clubs worldwide and two Formula One teams: championship winning Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso (formerly the backmarkers known as Minardi).
Chaleo, considered to be among the richest people in Thailand, recently passed away and it is now speculated whether or not his son Chalerm, who until now holds the remaining 2 per cent of the company, will take over the shares of his father. Chalerm Yoovidhya is the founder of Siam Winery and also co-owner of Cavallino Motors, the country's only Ferrari dealer. The other half is owned by the Bhirombhakdi family of the Singha Corporation, who are reportedly close to the opposition Democrat Party - we have previously reported on Chitpas Bhirombhakdi, the Singha-'heiress', and her political ambitions.
In that regard, there's enough financial support for a potential F1 race from the private sector. And it is Mateschitz himself who apparently is working on a deal with Bernie Ecclestone, the series' commercial rights holder and promoter, to build up a potential Thai Grand Prix:
"The idea is good. We are in talks. Thailand could host a Formula One race in the next two or three years," Msteschitz said in an interview yesterday."Ecclestone agrees with the idea. We may sign an agreement soon."
Asked how long it would take for Thailand to get approval, Matesschitz said: "I don't know. That is as far as I know. I can't give you details because it is not my responsibility. All I can tell you is that a race could take place here in the next two or three years."
"Thailand receives Grand Prix boost", Bangkok Post, March 25, 2012
The other question would be where the Grand Prix would take place? The only race track in Thailand that is certified by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), F1's governing body, is Bira Circuit near Pattaya. However, the 2.41 km long track is nowhere near to the standard to host Formula One, having only been the venue to national and regional championship touring car races - a costly reconstruction is virtually unavoidable.
The other option is of course a very attractive one, albeit very challenging:
On possible circuits, Mr Chumpol said he favoured Rajdamnoen Avenue (...)
Ministry of Tourism and Sports spokesperson, Watchara Kannikar (...) added: “Initially, the budget was Bt10 billion. However, it is possible that the cost will triple.”
Although racing on city street requires a lower initial budget, there will be additional costs that could cause opposition. They include the annual closure of roads for set-up, building stadiums annually and noise prevention measures.
"Chumpol catches F1 fever", TTR Weekly, March 14, 2012
No doubt temporary street race circuits like Monaco and Singapore serve here as ideal role models, the latter being the season's only night race. However, given Bangkok's notorious traffic problems, one can hardly imagine what would happen if a substantial part of the city would be blocked for weeks.
Costs are indeed a potential problem for hosting a Grand Prix. The Singapore Grand Prix was estimated to have cost $120m with the government paying 60 per cent of it. Also, another question is whether or not Thailand has an big enough fan base for the sport that can also afford to pay the (more than often very expensive) tickets to see the event.
That's not to say that Thailand does not have any tradition with Grand Prix racing - it's just been quite a long while though. Prince Birabongse is so far the country's only Formula 1 driver, starting out in the first years of the F1 World Championship between 1950-55. Before that, he organized a race in Bangkok on a 3.22 km circuit around Sanam Luang and the Royal Palace. However, the even was supposed to take place on December 10, 1939 - and was subsequently cancelled due to the second World War.