YES!!!!!!!!

Thailand sure proved ourselves this year!!!

Thailand's silver medallist Worapoj Petchkoomon waves from the podium during the medal ceremony for the bantamweight (54kg) boxing event at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games August 29, 2004. REUTERS/Steve Marcus



Medalists of the bantamweight boxing final in the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic Game pose with their medals during an awarding ceremony at the Peristeri boxing hall in Athens Sunday, Aug. 29, 2004. From left: silver-medalist Thailand's Petchkoom Worapoj, gold-medalist Cuba's Guillerrmo Rigondeaux Ortiz and bronze-medalists Uzbekistan's Bahodirjon Sooltonov and Azerbaijian's Aghasi Mammadov. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)


Thailand Medals

Gold

Boxing - Men's Light Welter (64kg) Manus BOONJUMNONG

Weightlifling - Women's 53kg Udomporn POLSAK

Weightlifling - Women's 75kg Pawina THONGSUK

Silver

Boxing - Men's Bantam (54kg) Worapoj PETCHKOOM

Bronze

Boxing - Men's Middle (75kg) Suriya PRASATHINPHIMAI

Weightlifling - Women's 48kg Aree WIRATTHAWORN

Weightlifling - Women's 58kg Wandee KAMEAIM

TaekWondo - Women's Under 49kg Yaowapa BOORAPOLCHAI

go thai, it proved thailand is strongest country in South East Asia

Ending with 8 Medals ( 3 gold - 1 silver - 4 bronze )

and 25th place in the ranking!!!

yo wtf. just cause a few ppl have sex changes doesnt mean the whole damn nation does it. let alone world class athletes.

Thailand is a force to be reckoned with!!!

























.....in South East Asia that is

OLYMPICS: A Grand Party

Published on Sep 4, 2004

Mana from heaven for Yaowapa

Bangkok assured Yaowapa Boorapolchai that she is not a forgotten heroine as grand welcoming parties are being planned and gifts and cash are flowing in.

After taekwondo exponent Yaowapa returned from the Athens Games with a bronze medal in the women’s under-49kg class, it seemed that among the eight Olympic medallists, she had received the least attention.

Local sports news viewed that this was probably because she was born in Bangkok, while the others are from the provinces. Each of them got a magnificent welcome when they returned to their hometowns.

To silence the critics, Bangkok yesterday initiated plans to stage welcome parties for Yaowapa, while Channel 3’s “Rueng Lao Chao Nee” programme (Morning Talk) hosted a celebration party at Benjasiri Park to honour her, with newly-elected Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin and Bangkok’s permanent secretary Khunying Nathanon Thavisin presiding.

During the party, she received gifts, cash and gold. The Government Lottery Office gave her Bt500,000, while Finansa Insurance Company gave her an additional Bt200,000 cash plus a life insurance policy worth Bt10 million. King Power Duty Free presented her with a Bt300,000 cheque.

Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Juthamas Siriwan also gave her Bt100,000 in cash plus five-baht gold, an additional Bt100,000 cash from Muang Thai Insurance and an insurance policy worth Bt2 million from Ayudhya Insurance.

Yaowapa collected Bt1.6 million in cash yesterday aside from Bt3.8 million worth of products and 13-baht gold. Chuwit Kamolvisit, an unsuccessful candidate for Bangkok governor, also showed up to give Yaowapa cash.

“I’d like to thank Khun Sorayuth, who inspired the idea to set up this party for me. He’s very kind to me,” Yaowapa said.

“In fact, I did not expect any party or celebration from Bangkok or any private section.

“I’m very happy that Thai people and Bangkokians in particular are paying more attention to my return. Actually, I did not feel disappointed with the way Bangkokians treated me a few days ago since the celebration, I think, clashed with the election for Bangkok governor.

“For now, I think my life remains unchanged. I do not want to live a fancy life. I will continue training for taekwondo in preparation for a comeback attempt in the next Olympic Games in Beijing.”

Nathanon said the city administration will organise a grand celebration for Yaowapa on Tuesday at the open space in front of Bangkok City Hall and she will get Bt10 million in cash from the city.

Tomorrow, Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan and Pimol Srivikorn, the Thai taekwondo team manager, will host a welcome party for Yaowapa in front of Central World on Rajdamri Road.

Deputy Finance Minister Warathep Ratanakorn has presented a cheque for Bt5.7 million to the eight Olympic medallists – gold winners Udomporn Polsak, Pawina Thongsuk and Manus Boonjum-nong collect Bt1 million each, while Bt700,000 goes to silver medallist Worapoj Petchkoom and Bt500,000 apiece to Wandee Kameiam, Aree Wiratthaworn, Suriya Prasathin-phimai and Yaowapa.

Suratchada Sawangnate

The Nation

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Athletics/Games/.../622052-ap.html


Fan completes run for Thai hero

BANGKOK (AP) - His knees hurting and feet swollen, boxing fan Uthen Theekayu completed an eight-day 400-kilometre run to the house of Thailand's Olympic boxing champion, fulfilling a promise he had made before the Games.

Hundreds of people greeted Uthen late Wednesday when he reached the home of Thailand's latest sporting hero Manus Boonchamnong in Ratchaburi province. Uthen, a 41-year-old waiter, had set out from his home in Rayong province on Sept. 1 to make good on his promise that he would run to the house of any Thai boxer who won a gold medal at the Athens Olympics.

Manus was not home when Uthen arrived. He had gone to the nearby beach resort of Hua Hin where he and seven other athletes who won medals at the Olympics are scheduled to be given an audience by Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej at his palace later Thursday.

Manus had, however, instructed his mother Malee to bring Uthen to Hua Hin.

After the audition with the king, Manus plans to present Uthen with a 30-gram gold necklace, Malee told reporters.

Uthen ran between six to eight hours every day, spending the nights at highway police stations. And while he ate with the policemen, he refused their offer to give him a ride in their vehicles, despite extreme physical discomfort.

"Manus is a real hero. He will give me a gold necklace, a bonus I did not expect," Uthen said, adding that he will be back at work at the Amarin Cafe in Rayong very soon.

The Ratchaburi Sports Association has promised to give Uthen him 2,000 baht ($61.90 Cdn) for expenses on his journey back home.

Besides Manus, two women weightlifters also won gold medals at Athens. In addition, Thailand got one silver in boxing and four bronze medals in women's weightlifting, boxing and taekwondo.

Fun Fact

Thailand is Asia best boxing team at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

With


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http://sports.yahoo.com/oly/boxing/medals

Thailand are the best Athletes in SE Asia

Rei, I do think that Laotian and cambodian athletes have a shot for gold medals. Physically, thai, laotian and cambodian are so similar. Just the training programs that differ the performance, think so?

I have heard that laos and cambodia had asked amateur boxing association of thailand to co-train with thai boxers. I think that is a good idea to improve athlete performance as a whole.

I am worried about SEAGames held in Philippines next year. Prob thailand will send B-classed boxers there and I wonder how well they can compete with wiry tagalog boxers (I am more worried about the referees!).

oh shut up, thailand is not invited just dont come.

I am sorry if I offend you. In reallity, every hosts have advantage especially in sports that need referees or judges. So, it just normally happened. I just guess Philippines will be medal champion in this coming SEAGames.

Anyway, look at the bright side, SEAGames is for peace in SEA. No matter what the result is.

You're 100% correct there



Money, training utlities, competition...etc is also a factor

But when i say Thais are the best athletes in SE Asia, I mean currently

Why are you worry about SEAGames.

When Thailand have this. http://sports.yahoo.com/oly/boxing/medals

Manus (gold-medalled boxer) and Worapot (silver-medalled boxer) said they will continue their services in big tournaments like Asian Games and Olympics Games. So, I guess The association has to find someone to fill those holes. Don't know about Suriya (bronze-medalled boxer) though. And it is unlikely the association will send whole A-classed boxers to compete in SEAGames. I have heard they wanna try their young bloods to gain more experiences and I think it is a good idea.

At the 2003 SEAGames Thailand get 7 gold medals out of 10 boxing medal.

Don't worry we have so many good boxer for SEAGames 2005.

And don't forget Thailand rank # 1 in Asia at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

http://sports.yahoo.com/oly/boxing/medals

Thailand also rank # 1 overall in Southeast Asia at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

http://sports.yahoo.com/oly/medals

Thailand is #1 at boxing