Sports
PM to watch Thai-Liverpool match
Writer: BangkokPost.com
Published: 22/07/2009 at 09:27 AM
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Wednesday morning welcomed Thai students who picked up gold and silver medals at the recently concluded International Mathematical Olympiad in Germany at Government House.
After that Mr Abhisit went to Thammasat University to give a special speech on “Thailand’s Direction in a Globalisation Era”. The premier will in the afternoon present a speech on “Look ahead with PM Abhisit” at the Four Seasons hotel in Bangkok.
This evening, he will go to Ratchamangkala Stadium to watch the soccer match between visiting Liverpool and the Thai national team.
Due to the flu outbreak, heat scanners will be installed at entrances to the stadium. Football fans with a high fever will not be allowed to enter. They will be reimbursed for their tickets and advised to go home.
YNWA!
By Kitinan Sanguansak
The Nation
Soccer fever has gripped the country after English Premier League club Liverpool touched down yesterday to kick off their Asia tour with tomorrow's fixture against Thailand's national team.
The arrival of Rafael Benitez's star-studded side led by Spanish duo Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres is a welcome distraction for the country dogged by the outbreak of type-A (H1N1) flu. Arriving directly on a chartered flight from the team's training camp in Austria, the plane landed at the Don Mueang airport slightly later than scheduled.
Around hundred fans - some donning the team's shirts and others holding the club's souvenirs expecting the
players to sign on it - waited patiently at the VIP building for hours.
The fans' enthusiasm to watch their favourite players never faded despite the afternoon heat. However, some of them ended up bitterly disappointed as they barely got a chance to click the buttons of their cameras as the organisers took chartered buses up to the taxied plane and asked the players to embark on them. The buses then took the back exit to avoid the supporters.
It was a contrasting scene to what Manchester United did a few days ago on their visit to Malaysia, where fans were able to greet the players upclose at the airport.
A disgruntled fan expressed his disappointment at not being able to get a glimpse of his favourite player.
"I knew it would be strict. But I never thought that they would do this to us. If they had brought the players through the main entrance, I would have had a chance to beg for an autograph."
However, no disappointment was evident at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, where the team is staying. A bigger crowd gave them a rock-star reception, with Torres getting the biggest cheers.
"We've been planning for this match for months. It's a fantastic welcome," said Ian Ayre, the club's commercial director. "We're very excited about the opportunity to play in front of Thai people. We've come here with our best players and the first-squad team.
"Unfortunately, we're without our captain Steven Gerrard as we all know that he could not make the trip due to his commitment.
"The rest of the team are looking forward to the game. As a club, we are looking forward to entertain Thai people," he said.
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