Sports competitions on land, air, sea eyed to lift economies in South
Thailand is set to hold an “Air Sea Land Southern International Sports Tourism Festival” this year in a bid to stimulate the economy of seven provinces in the South.
Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said on Friday that 177 million baht has been allocated for the project, which is expected to generate more than 10-fold in revenue.
The festival will be held in the southern provinces of Songkhla, Satun, Phatthalung, Krabi, Phang Nga, Phuket and Surat Thani.
The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), which contributed the bulk of the budget, has been coordinating with its arm in each province to ensure the competition is held in line with international standards.
SAT governor Kongsak Yodmanee said competitions will be held in air, land and sea sports, such as surfing, jet-skiing, beach versions of teqball, football and volleyball, as well as the martial art pencak silat, triathlon, adventure racing, e-sports and motocross among others.
SAT will also be holding the Air Sea Land Expo in all seven provinces to showcase local products, services, cuisine, beverages and traditions to help generate revenue and stimulate the economy. The event will be promoted by the Tourism Authority Thailand.
As of press time, no date for the event had been set.
