Deputy PM opens Wheelchair Tennis Thailand Open 1998

The Wheelchair Tennis Thailand Open 1998 took place at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort Hotel from the 12th to the 15th of May.

Deputy Prime Minister Bhichai Rattakul, one of the organizers of the 13th Asian Games, was an honoured guest at the Grand Opening Ceremonies on Tuesday, May 12th.

Rachini Phanmai, President of the Wheelchair Tennis Association of Thailand, opened the matches. The organizer of the match was General Thienchai Sirisamphan.

There were 44 participants in this year’s match. Countries represented included Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Switzerland and Thailand.

This was the fifth wheelchair tennis match held in Thailand and is a playoff for the International Wheelchair Tennis Competitions.

The competition received generous sponsorship and the public and private sectors. The Royal Cliff Beach Hotel, Boonrawd Brewery, Charoen Phokaphan, Wilson Sporting Goods, Thai Nam Thip and the Sports Authority of Thailand under Royal sponsorship all contributed to making the games a success.

Next week, Pattaya Mail will publish the winners and highlights of the event.

Pattaya ready to host water sports in 13th Asian Games

On April 30, Aphai Chantanajulaka, the Deputy Minister of the Interior, in his position as Head of the Board of Directors and the Vice-President of the Volleyball Association of Thailand, declared Pattaya Park Beach ready to host the windsurf competition and the beach volleyball competition in the upcoming 13th Asian Games.

Pattaya has received the honor of hosting several water sports for the 13th Asian Games. Venues will include the Mabprachan Reservoir, which will be the site of the rowing and canoeing competitions, and the beach in front of Pattaya Park where the windsurf and beach volleyball competitions will take place.

Chonburi Governor Sujarit Pajchimanan also enthusiastically revealed that the venues are ready for the influx of people interested in seeing the events, which, coincidentally, fall during the high season in Pattaya.

He stated that Pattaya should have no trouble filling up her 40,000 hotel rooms, along with the various sports venues at the Pattaya Park Beach Hotel, the center for the Asian Games’ water sports.

Pattaya City and the various hotels have been in discussions concerning safety and public relations, and released a statement saying that everything is in readiness.

The beach volleyball will open for practice on May 16, and that day there will be an official opening ceremony.

Aphai Chanthanajulaka, the Deputy Minister of the Interior, in his position as the Vice-President o the Committee and second in charge of the Beach Volleyball Association of Thailand, stated that, "In my position as Vice President of the Volleyball Association of Thailand, I would like to confirm that the Association, with Chana Yuvaboon as its head, at the latest time has received acclaim from the Media Association of Thailand for being an outstanding Sports Association. It has been praised and is continually improving its level of performance. It even sent a team to Japan to compete internationally."

"We are confident that we will win this year’s games as we have practiced a lot. In Asia, we are second to no-one. The Thai volleyball team is going to India for games on May 20. The team will play against the Indians, Bulgarians, Belgians, Austria, and Australia."

Khanshit Narasethaporn, Secretary of the Windsurfing Association of Thailand said, "Windsufers are good at adapting to their surroundings in less than a week. However, I would like to make it clear that we have a definite advantage over them. The host always has the advantage over the guest. The most frightening competitors are the Chinese and the South Koreans."

The windsurf team has plans to compete in the Netherlands and Germany in the near future to gain international experience.

Hill Climb Champ overcomes engine failure to win Bira Race

Current Pra Tum Nak Hill Climb Champion, Grant Supapong, emerged as the winner of the fourth round of the Singha Beer Thailand Touring Car Championship, held at the Bira Circuit last weekend.

Supapong had suffered an engine failure in the previous heat and his hard working crew had to change the complete unit between races.

Photo: Podium placers, team members and sponsors celebrate at the Thailand Touring Car Championship series held last weekend at the Bira Circuit. Photo Juttin Brierly

The two day meeting had many Qualifying sessions washed out with the thunderstorms on Saturday but on Sunday, the only rain fell during the running of the third round of the Touring Cars. The attrition rate was enormous with many cars leaving the circuit. Supapong blew his engine approaching the first chicane and the following five drivers all spun in the oil.

The final and fourth round was all Supapong’s, however, never being headed for the ten lap journey. The 2nd to 4th positions were very hotly contested with Chonsawas Asawahem claiming the runner-up position after a brilliant start from 5th on the grid. 3rd was Hathai Chaiwan who displaced Nuttawat Jalernsukawattana on the last corner.

In the Honda City R One Make Races, Mana Pornsiricherd, the ex GoKart Champion, showed the way home to the very professional Budweiser Team cars of Amata Aimamornjit and Somchai Saksiriwaitkul. 4th was Salan Cooptastein with the rapidly improving Anothai Eamlumnao 5th.

Spinter Winners!

PSC Splinter Golf from the Green Bottle Pub.

4 May, Monday - Natural Park Resort
Stroke
1st: Anders Karlsson, Net 67
2nd: John Hurst, Net 68
3rd: Gerard Lambert, Net 68 (Lost on C/B)

Pattaya newcomer Anders Karlsson took his first Splinter win with a career best score of 80. Playing over a short but well conditioned Natural Park Resort, Anders squeaked out a win on a day when good scores were the norm. In second, winning on count back, was the redoubtable John Hurst. John managed a better back nine than the deserving Franco-Swiss entrepreneur Gerard Lambert.

6 May, Wednesday - Bang Pra International Golf and Country Club
Stroke

"A" Flight
1st: Gerard Lambert, 41 Points
2nd: Alan Laurie, 35 Points
3rd: Steve Mascari, 34 Points

"B" Flight
1st: Nial McCarty, 40 Points
2nd: Dave Porter, 36 Points
3rd: Jim Savage, 36 Points (Lost on C/B)

On a windy day, over a dry and hard Bang Pra, Gerhard Lambert in ‘A’ and Nial McCarty in ‘B’ showed why both are in need of a handicap cut. In their respective flights no one came close to catching either of this suspiciously handicapped duo. In a display of pure chance the usually luckless Alan Laurie managed second over the on-form Steve Mascari. While in ‘B’ the equally in form Dave Porter won on count back over a disconsolate Jim Savage.

8 May, Friday - Phoenix Golf and Country Club
Team Better Ball
1st: Don Jackson/Ian Buck, Net 63
2nd: Steve Ross/Steve Mascari, Net 64
3rd: Sven Vistung/Bill Collis, Net 64 (Lost on C/B)

Justice was done at Phoenix when the team of Jackson & Buck ham and egged their way to their first Splinter victory over the two Steve’s. In a post game interview it was the widely accepted opinion of the winners that, for a change, the more deserving team had won. This in spite of Steve, the younger, shooting a gross 73 and Steve, the wider, posting a net 72. In third the morally superior team of Vistung/Collis were inconsolable after losing on count back.

PSC Golf next week

The third week of May, starting Monday May 18th, offers a visit to Sriracha from PSC Golf from the Cafe Kronborg, or Great Lake with the Splinter Golf Group, both stroke play competitions. On Wednesday the Splinter Golf Group goes to Bangpra while TAGGS from Hare House go to Green Valley. On Thursday the 21st we go back to Great Lake from Cafe Kronborg for a two man Scramble, and the week ends on Friday the 22nd with tournaments at Bangpakong Riverside and Century Banchang from the Green Bottle and Hare House respectively.

For more details of May fixtures visit the PSC Golf Web Site at www.pattayasports.org

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Created by Andy Gombaz, assisted by Chinnaporn Sangwanlek.