THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Thailand Open woos badminton fans with Swiss tour package prizes

Thailand Open woos badminton fans with Swiss tour package prizes

Unprecedented treats are in store for badminton fans at this year’s Toyota Thailand Open.

Thailand Open woos badminton fans with Swiss tour package prizes Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul 

Twenty tour packages to Switzerland will be given away during the last three days of the tournament, which will played at the Hua Mark Indoor Stadium from July 30 to August 4.


Badminton Association of Thailand president Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul said each prize -- a package for two -- also consists of tickets to watch the BWF Badminton World Championships, which takes place from August 19-25 in Munchenstein, Switzerland.


“There is no tournament in the world that gives away such prizes to fans. Each package is worth Bt160,000, or around Bt3.2 in total,” said the Thai badminton chief at a press conference for the BWF World Tour 500 tournament at Anoma Hotel Bangkok on Wednesday.


Patama said the last player to win his or her match on each of the three days will pick the lucky winners from ticket tags of fans who must be present in the stadium.


The promotional campaign to attract fans have led to tickets for the last three days being sold out. Patama, however, said more seating could be arranged to respond to the growing demands.


The US$350,000 Toyota Thailand Open brings together one of the strongest fields, Patama said, adding, several world No 1 players, world champions and Olympic gold medallists have signed up for the competition.


“This is a World Tour 500 event but the quality of the players are like that of a World Tour 1000 level. But it will serve as a great opportunity for Thai players to sharpen their skills against the top players,” Patama said.


Two-time champion Ratchanok Intanon will spearhead the local challenge at the star-studded Open.


Ratchanok, who won the title twice -- in 2013 and 2017 -- will be making her first appearance in a home tournament since leading Thailand to a historic Uber Cup final in May last year in Nonthaburi province.

Thailand Open woos badminton fans with Swiss tour package prizes


The world No 7, winner of two BWF World Tour events (Malaysia Masters and India Open) this year is among four locals in the women’s singles of the World Tour Super 500 tournament. She faces a qualifier in round one.


The others are Busanan Ongbamrungphan and Nitchaon Jindapol, who will meet in an all-Thai affair in the first round. Thai No 2 and world No 17 Pornpawee Chochuwong will take on 2016 winner Aya Ohori of Japan.


Defending champion and world No 2 Nozomi Okuhara of Japan will open her title defence campaign against Beiwen Zhang of the US while world No 3 Chen Yu Fei, the top seed, will meet An Se Young of South Korea.


In the men’s singles event, all the top four players led by No 1 and world champion Kento Momota of Japan have signed up for the competition. No 2 Shi Yu Qi of China, No 3 Chou Tien Chen of Taiwan and No 4 Chen Long, the 2011 victor, plus reigning champion Kanta Tsuneyama, No 12, will make the battle for the title one of the toughest ever.


World No 18 Khosit Phetpradab and No 19 Kantaphon Wangcharoen, along with No 21 Sitthikom Thammasin, are the three Thai hopes in the men’s singles draw. World junior champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn and 2016 champion Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk will enter the qualifying competition.


Apart from Ratchanok, mixed doubles specialists Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanacha are the other Thai favourites to steal the limelight at home.


The world No 4 pair, who won their only title together this year in the Singapore Open, will play qualifiers in the first round.

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