‘Mink’ becomes first Thai to reach world No 1 in women’s snooker
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2023
Nutcharut “Mink” Wongharuthai on Thursday became the first Thai to reach No 1 in the women’s world snooker rankings after qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Asia-Pacific Women’s Championship 2023.
The 23-year-old made it to world No 1 after winning her first three matches to top Group A, highlighted by a break of 114 against Australia’s Linda Larrea.
The young Thai snooker ace ousted Reanne Evans of England at the top of the world rankings.
Nutcharut, who learned her trade in the snooker halls of Saraburi, today faces fellow Thai Ploychompoo Laokiatphong for a place in Friday’s final.
Last year, Nutcharut was hailed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha after becoming the first Thai to win the World Women’s Snooker Championship.
She followed up by winning the Women’s Masters in November and the Belgian Women’s Open in January this year.
Last year, she also paired up with Neil Robertson of Australia to win the World Mixed Doubles Championship.
Ukrainian former boxer Klitschko tells IOC not to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes at Olympics
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2023
Ex-boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, brother of Kyiv’s mayor, called on IOC head Thomas Bach not to “betray the Olympic spirit” and become an “accomplice in this abominable war” by letting Russia compete.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is open to including Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals at the 2024 Games and has opened a door to them competing in qualifiers.
“You propose to reauthorize Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the Paris games. I tell you, the Russians are Olympic champions in crimes against civilians,” said Klitschko.
“They have the gold medal in the deportation of children and rape of women. You can’t put your Olympic emblem on these crimes because you will be an accomplice of this abominable war.”
Moscow is trying to turn the page on years of doping scandals after its teams were forced to compete without their flag or anthem at the Olympics and major international events.
The IOC’s previous recommendation to ban Russians and Belarusians has been applied by many sports federations.
But last week, it backed a proposal by the Olympic Council of Asia to allow them to compete in Asia, which could potentially include Olympic qualifying events.
Ukrainian officials have turned on the IOC in recent days for promoting “violence, mass murders, destruction” with the idea of giving Russia a “platform to promote genocide.”
The IOC has called that defamatory and said such words do not promote constructive discussion.
Manchester United sign Sabitzer on loan from Bayern munich
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2023
THE NATION
Manchester United have completed the loan signing of Marcel Sabitzer from FC Bayern Munich.
Manchester United is pleased to confirm that Marcel Sabitzer has joined the club on loan from Bayern Munich until June 2023.
The Austrian midfielder has made 443 career club appearances across Europe, including 54 since joining FC Bayern Munich in August 2021.
Previously he was club captain of RB Leipzig. He has 68 full international caps for the Austria national team.
“Sometimes in life you have to make quick and important decisions. From the moment I heard about this opportunity I knew it was right for me. I am a competitive player; I want to win and help the club achieve its aims this season.” said Marcel Sabitzer
“I feel that I am at my peak as a player, and that I can contribute a lot of experience and energy to the squad. I am excited to start with my new team-mates and manager and to show my qualities to Manchester United fans.”
Messi on kissing the World Cup trophy and his regrets at his behaviour against Dutch
TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2023
THE NATION
Argentina captain Lionel Messi said he has “achieved everything” in his career, during an interview to Urbana Play 104.3 FM Radio, his first since winning the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
The interview was recorded last Friday, 27th January, but went on-air this Monday.
(Messi On what it meant to him to have won the World Cup)
“I achieved everything with the national team, as I always dreamed of. I achieved everything in my career, at Barcelona, on a personal level too. (Winning the World Cup) was closing my career in a unique way. When I started with all this, I never imagined that it would be this way, that all this would happen to me and I think that reaching that moment was the best.”
The 35-year-old footballer who finally became world champion in his fifth participation, also referred to the iconic moment when he kissed the trophy.
(Messi On the moment he kissed the World Cup trophy during the ceremony)
“(I felt the World Cup trophy was saying) ‘It’s over, it’s over, come and grab me, now you can touch me.’ Did you see that they say you cannot touch it, or look at it, anything? That’s it, I was finally able to do all that. And apart from that, I saw that the trophy was shining, that it was sparkling in that beautiful stadium and I didn’t think about it, I didn’t think about it. And I went to kiss it, because I passed by.”
He also said he is sorry for the crosses he had with coach Louis Van Gaal and the Dutch players during the World Cup match.
La Albiceleste beat the Netherlands 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw at 2022 World Cup Quarterfinals.
(On Messi dedicating a goal to Louis Van Gaal during match and when he said”What are you looking at, silly? Go over there” to Wout Werghorst)
Messi: “Obviously I don’t like what I did, I don’t like what happened next,”
Journalist: “The “Andá pa’ allá” (Go over there)
Messi: “The “Andá pa’ allá” and all that. But hey, these are moments of great tension, a lot of nervousness and everything happens very quickly. You don’t have time to think about anything and you react the way you can. But in reality, nothing was planned, it happened like that. I don’t like to leave that image, but these are things that happen too.”
The game was marked by several controversies.
Van Gaal provoked his South American rivals by stating that if there was a penalty shootout his players were better prepared.
He also recalled that “Messi did not touch the ball” in the 2014 World Cup semifinal, which Argentina won via penalties.
Thailand comes up with non-communicable disease prevention
TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2023
THE NATION
Physical activity has been emphasised by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) as a mean to tackle noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
In collaboration with its partners, such as the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand Physical Activity Knowledge Development Centre (TPAK), and Mahidol University, ThaiHealth organised the Thailand Physical Activity Conference 2022 (TPAC2022), which took place at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre on Monday (January 30).
TPAC 2022 aims to promote the “Integrating knowledge for physical activity regeneration” campaign, said Advisor to ThaiHealth Dr Udomsil Srisaengnam.
“ThaiHealth, now in its twentieth-second year, has been working to promote wellbeing of Thai society on all fronts: physical, mental, social, and intellectual,” he said.
Dr Prasit Watanapa, Advisor to the Faculty of Medicine at Mahidol University’s Siriraj Hospital, advised people to monitor their body mass index (BMI), avoid unhealthy foods and beverages, engage in regular exercise, drink more water (3.7 litres for men and 2.7 litres for women), get enough sleep, and use technology to develop healthy habits.
According to statistics, around 24.7% of people in the working age range (30-69) have NCDs, which causes premature death, resulting in around 139 billion in government expenses, said Udom Asawutmangkul, Director of the Division of Physical Activity and Health.
“Physical activities are the key to enhancing good health and preventing the NCDs diseases. ThaiHealth is pushing a national plan that aims to promote physical activities in the country” Udom added.
Why Chonburi’s Sasom declined to shake hands with Buriram’s Japanese coach
MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2023
Chonburi FC coach Sasom Pobprasert has denied snubbing Buriram United’s Japanese coach on Sunday, explaining that they did not know each other.
Sasom’s clarification came after he reportedly declined to shake hands with Buriram coach Masatada Ishii before the start of the Hilux Revo Thai League 2022/23 match between the two teams on Sunday.
Speaking to the press after his team’s 0-2 defeat, Sasom said that he did not know Ishii personally, and added that he did not regret losing to Buriram United.
A video of Sasom’s apparent snub went viral among netizens. The video shows him avoiding the Japanese coach twice. Sasom had also declined to shake hands with the Japanese coach at Chonburi Stadium on August 27 when the home team lost 2-3 to Buriram United.
“Masatada Ishii is just a football coach, not a friend,” he replied in response to queries from the press.
At Chang Arena Stadium in Buri Ram province on Sunday, Buriram United beat Chonburi FC 2-0, following strikes by Supachai Jaided in the 42nd minute and Goran Čaušić in the 63rd minute.
Tantikorn and Arisa Enjoy Double Delights at 1st Junior Asian Tour
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2023
THE NATION
Tantikorn Klinpeng and Arisa Bintachitt won the boys’ and girls’ open and B class titles as the inaugural Junior Asian Tour golf tournament came to a conclusion at the Southern Hills Golf & Country Club in Hat Yai, Songkhla on Sunday.
Tantikorn, a protégé from the Thongchai Jaidee Golf Academy, signed off with a 73 and a total one over-par-217 to triumph in the boy’s B class (age 13-14), beating Sarunyapong Hongamata by 17 strokes. His total of 217 also propelled him to the boy’s open crown.
“I was unable to hit the driver the way I wanted to and missed some fairways. So, I had to switch to a 3 wood on some holes,” said the 13-year-old from Rayong province.
“I’m happy that I won, but I should have done better. There were some mistakes I shouldn’t have made. I need to go home and try to fix this issue,” added Tantikorn who won the JAT Qualifiers last December.
In the girls’ B class, Arisa bounced back from two bogeys on the second and fourth holes to fire three birdies at the back and finished her campaign with a 71 and a three-day total of two over-par-218. She beat Thai-French Louise Uma Landgraf by six strokes.
“I was trying to be patient out there, hitting one shot at a time,” said Arisa who also won the girl’s open trophy. “I had to stay solid, focus on my breathing technique and tried not to rush. It was so amazing to win this week,” she added.
In the A class (age 15-18) division, Wittaya Ngamhom pipped Ingtawan Wangrungwichaisri in the boys’ category by a stroke after each hit an ending 75. Wittaya’s seven over-par-223 saw him walk away with the victory with Ingtawa coming at second on 224. The girls’ trophy belonged to Pryfon Prom-on who closed with a 74 and a total 14 over-par-230, 34 shots better than Peeyaporn Intasae.
Winners in class A and B will be granted wildcard entries into the Thailand Mixed circuits 1-3 due later this year. Each also receives 500 points on the JAT Order of Merits which will be used to award wildcards for the Asian Mixed Stableford Challenge.
The season-opening edition is one of the six JAT circuits to be held in Thailand this year. It is competed in a stroke-play format and divided into three age groups: 10-12 years, 13-14 years, and 15-18 years.
Each stop features World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and Junior Golf Scoreboard which will serve as the path for youngsters to pursue their golf career in the future. Apart from opportunities to gain world ranking points, youngsters with outstanding results on the Asian Junior Tour will receive wildcards into prestigious events including the LPGA, Ladies European Tour, Asian Tour, TrustGolf Tour and several professional events due in Thailand.
The second circuit of the Junior Asian Tour will take place at Grand Prix Golf Club in Kanchanaburi between March 17-19.
Takrit and Suritpreeya Emerge Victorious in JAT C Class
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023
THE NATION
Takrit Supagonchoowong and Suritpreeya Pruksanubal employed their impressive forms to lift up the boys’ and girls’ C class trophies during the Junior Asian Tour (JAT) golf event at the Southern Hills Golf & Country Club in Hat Yai, Songkhla on Saturday.
The 11-year-old Takrit birdied once on the 11th hole and made two bogeys on the sixth and eighth for a 73. His total of seven over-par-151 was matched by first round leader Wannagorn Bennukul but his better hole-by-hole record propelled him to the title in the boys 10-12 division.
“I was playing really well. I had my heart in my mouth at some point. But I tried to clam down even I didn’t make some putts. I tried to give my all out there,” said Takrit.
Suritpreeya, also at 11, fought back from two bogeys at the front nine to fire four birdies after the turn for a final 70. She completed a wire-to-wire victory on one under-par-143, eight ahead of Rinlapat Jantara on the girls’ side.
“I was really determined to do well since the qualifying round. I was training hard and it paid off this week. I hit the iron close to the pins and made birdies. To be honest, I was so excited at the first tee, but I was so happy to keep my cool and ended with a win,” the girl said.
In class A (age 15-18), Wittaya Ngamhom, despite a disappointing 77, still maintained in the lead on four over-par-148 after the second round of the boys’ category. The 14-year-old had only one birdie as opposed to three bogeys and a double bogey on the fourth hole. Falling a shot behind on 149 was Ingtawan Wangrungwichaisri who shot a round of 73. In the girls’ event, Pryfon Prom-on carded a 75 and an overall 12 over-par-156. She is now the favourite to win the title with a huge lead over Peeyaporn Intasae who trailed 16 strokes behind.
In B class (age 13-14), Tantikorn Klinpeng fired three birdies against two bogeys for a second round 71, sitting glued on top of the leader’s board with a total even-par-144 in the boys’ event while Arisa Bintachitt shot a 74 for a total three over-par-147 in the girls’ competition.
The season-opening edition is one of the six JAT circuits to be held in Thailand this year. It is competed in a stroke-play format and divided into three age groups: 10-12 years, 13-14 years, and 15-18 years.
Each stop features World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and Junior Golf Scoreboard which will serve as the path for youngsters to pursue their golf career in the future. Apart from opportunities to gain world ranking points, youngsters with outstanding results on the Asian Junior Tour will receive wildcards into prestigious events including the LPGA, Ladies European Tour, Asian Tour, TrustGolf Tour and several professional events due in Thailand.
Four girls with the best results from JAT circuits 1-3 will be awarded wildcards into the final qualifying round of the LPGA-Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned Trustgolf Women Scottish Open.
Players, boy and girl, with outstanding results from circuits 1-2 will be granted spots in the Asian Tour – Ladies European co-sanctioned Asian Mixed Cup while those with best results from the JAT circuits 2-3 will earn their slots in the Asian Mixed Stableford Challenge. Furthermore, winners from each JAT circuit will receive wildcards to the Thailand Mixed circuits 1-3 and the No 1 player on the JAT Order of Merits from JAT circuits 1-3 will be eligible for the Thailand Mixed circuit 4.
SEA Games told to choose either ‘Muay Thai’ or ‘Kun Khmer’
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023
One of the most controversial issues regarding this year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Phnom Penh is the host country’s announcement that kickboxing will be named “Kun Khmer”.
All references to “Muay Thai” have been removed from the kickboxing schedule from May 5-17.
Instead, the popular sport will be referred to by its Khmer name and will follow Cambodian rules and regulations.
This means Kun Khmer will not be using the same rules and regulations as Muay Thai, which were recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in July 2021.
The IOC also stipulated that all official tournaments of Muay Thai must be supervised by the International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA).
Cambodia’s announcement has sparked a backlash in Thailand. The Amateur Muaythai Association of Thailand (AMTAT) announced that it would not send athletes to compete in kickboxing at this year’s SEA Games unless the host switched to using Muay Thai rules under IFMA supervision.
To explore the issue, Nation Thailand spoke with Sakchye Tapsuwan, president of both the IFMA and AMTAT, regarding the latter’s decision to boycott the SEA Games in Cambodia, and the role of IFMA at the international level.
Despite the plethora of Muay Thai associations, only the AMTAT has been recognised by the Sports Authority of Thailand. Why?
Thailand is the birthplace of Muay Thai. This fact has made the country the top destination among kickboxing athletes worldwide who seek authentic training in Muay Thai. As a result, there are over a thousand Muay Thai gyms and several Muay Thai associations across Thailand. However, only the Amateur Muaythai Association of Thailand (AMTAT) has been approved by the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), which allowed it to add “of Thailand” to its name.
Sakchye explained:
“Thai law stipulates that each sport can have only one association to represent the country. Although there are many Muay Thai associations in Thailand, only the AMTAT can send Thai athletes to compete at international tournaments in the name of Thailand. These tournaments include the World Games and SEA Games.”
Sakchye said he had chaired the AMTAT for over 20 years and helped push Thailand to become a member of the IFMA, which now has 148 member countries.
He explained:
“After I retired from the position of SAT governor in 2000, I worked with the AMTAT and have been coordinating with the IMFA since until Muay Thai, the IMFA and AMTAT were officially recognised by the IOC in 2021. Getting the IOC’s approval is not an easy task, and it took us over 10 years to be at the top of the waiting list to be included in the Olympic Games. This international recognition proves that Muay Thai is a globally popular sport.”
Sakchye Tapsuwan, president of both the IFMA and AMTAT
Why Cambodia is “wrong”
Sakchye insisted that Cambodia’s decision to change the name from “Muay Thai” to “Kun Khmer” and to host the sport without supervision of an international governing body is “wrong” and “cannot be done”.
Sakchye explained:
“In hosting any international sport event, the organiser must coordinate with the international authority responsible for that sport, such as Fifa for football, Aiba (Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur) for boxing, and IFMA for Muay Thai. Furthermore, the organiser must follow the rules and regulations of the respective authority. This is an internationally accepted practice.”
Hosting a Muay Thai event anywhere in the world must be done under IFMA’s supervision, as the ICO has recognised it as the governing body of Muay Thai since July 2021, Sakchye added.
Cambodia must play by the rulse in naming a sport in SEA Games
“Muay Thai is the name of the sport that has been approved by the ICO. If Cambodia were to use ‘Muay’ or ‘Thai Boxing’, we would have no problem as they still carry the same meaning,” said Sakchye. “However, it is not acceptable to change the name entirely to Kun Khmer, not to mention changing of rules and not coordinating with IFMA in hosting the sport.”
Sakchye added that Cambodia had earlier discussed with Thailand to name the sport Kun Khmer Muay, but later cut the last part in the technical handbook for athletes, prompting the AMTAT to decide not to send athletes to the game.
“After Cambodia’s announcement of a new name, the IFMA has alerted all 148 members that sending athletes to an event not sponsored by IFMA will result in punishment. This is the same practice used by other international sport organisations such as Fifa.”
Will Muay Thai change its name to gain international acceptance?
“Many people believe that Muay Thai could be more popular with a different name. But to me, Muay Thai will always be Muay Thai, as that is the name officially recognised by the IOC. This is the first undisputed fact.”
“Secondly, Muay Thai is a cultural heritage of Thailand, therefore, we must not change the name for whatever purpose.”
Sakchye added that the name-change of Thailand’s “Takraw” to “Sepak Takraw” was a different case. The sport shares its origin with other countries, and using a new name would promote cooperation, he explained.
“Muay Thai is unique. It is a part of Thai tradition. Before every match of Muay Thai there must be a ‘Wai Kru’ [guru worshiping] ritual with traditional Thai music played in the background. This was demonstrated in the Muay Thai tournament at Birmingham 2022 World Games, where three orchestra bands from Thailand were invited to participate.”
Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar do not recognise “Muay Thai”
Sakchye said there are only three countries that refuse to recognise Muay Thai as a sport: Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar.
“Frankly, I don’t care what they think, since the IFMA, which has 148 countries, already officially recognises Muay Thai,” he said, adding that more than 20 other countries are waiting to join.
“If these three countries won’t join IFMA, then they clearly don’t think of the future of their athletes. This is a shame as there are many excellent kickboxers from these countries.”
Adidas unveils new match ball for 2023 Women’s World Cup
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023
THE NATION
OCEAUNZ, the official match ball of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 held in Australia and New Zealand, has just been introduced by Adidas, becoming the brand’s ninth match ball produced for the Women’s World Cup.
Designed by Australian local painter Chern’ee Sutton and Kiwi artist Fiona Collis, the match ball’s design features a decoration of blues and greens, inspired by the unique Australasian and New Zealand landscapes.
OCEAUNZ is also decorated with patterns that illustrate various parts of the game, such as goals and footballs.
Since the Women’s Euros tournament set records for watching last year, the upcoming World Cup is expected to be a huge moment, said Franziska Loeffelmann, Design Director of Football Graphics at Adidas.
“We are turning up with a match ball that we’re incredibly proud of – featuring our innovative technology and with a design that represents the natural beauty of the landscape,” he added.
OCEAUNZ features connected ball technology, offering accurate ball data that will be made available to Video Match Officials in real-time, just like the official match ball of the 2022 World Cup.
The innovative connected ball technology results in FIFA’s semi-automated offside technology and offers Video Assistant Referees real-time information to help optimise decision-making.
The ball will cost €150 – or US$163- and be available starting on January 25 in Adidas shops, selected retailers, and online at adidas.com.
To enhance female participation, representation, and leadership, FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 contributed to Common Goal’s “Global Goal 5 Accelerator” project.
The project focuses on increasing women’s participation in a football game.
The tournament will begin on July 20 with the host nation, New Zealand, taking on Norway in the first match, and end with the final on August 20.
If Thailand’s women’s national football team can defeat Cameroon and Portugal in the play-off games, they will be eligible to make their third appearance at the Women’s World Cup.
Sakchye Tapsuwan, president of both the IFMA and AMTAT
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