OCA, organizers hopeful of Bangkok Asian Games' success

Asian Economic News, Dec 7, 1998

BANGKOK, Dec. 4 Kyodo

One year ago, few people believed Bangkok could even host the 13th Asian Games. The construction of new facilities was woefully behind schedule, due in part to the financial crises that plague Asia as well as the ever-changing membership of the Thai government. There have also been problems with a major local sponsor that needed to be worked out. Now, as the finishing touches are being applied on many of the host venues throughout the Thai capital with only hours to spare, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and games organizers are hopeful the event will be a success. ''I am comfortable with what I see now,'' said OCA President Sheik Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah, who has been inspecting the venues and meeting with members of the Bangkok Asian Games Organizing Committee (BAGOC) since he arrived here Wednesday. ''BAGOC is really serious about solving the problems. But there are no games without a problem,'' Sheik Ahmad said. ''But, whatever problems we have here, I think it's already a success because one year ago we thought there will be no games at all in Bangkok.'' Early last year, the OCA lost confidence in Bangkok and once considered moving the continent's version of the summer Olympics elsewhere. But in December 1997, the council's Executive Board and General Assembly gave a vote of confidence to Bangkok -- which has also hosted the Asian Games in 1966, 1970 and 1978 -- as the host of the Dec. 6-20 games. At that time, Sheik Ahmad said cautiously that all doubts concerning Bangkok had been removed. ''Now, I know the games will be in Bangkok, but I don't know what will happen in the coming year,'' he had said following the OCA meetings in New Delhi last December. With the games just around the corner, the OCA chief expressed his satisfaction that the region's premier multisport event is ready to kick off in the city that was awarded the right to host the games in 1990. ''Now, there are sports facilities, there is (an athletes') village -- one of the best villages -- and there are thousands of athletes, officials and media. These are the games,'' Sheik Ahmad told Kyodo News. Meanwhile, BAGOC Director of Media Valerie McKenzie, who has been reporting to the media about the various problems at these Asian Games, expressed confidence that everything will be in place by the time the event gets under way Sunday. ''Every games have hiccups -- issues that need to be resolved, although we would like to be perfect,'' she said. One of the major tasks remaining for BAGOC is to have athletes from about 15 national Olympic committees fill out their entry forms correctly in order that they can be properly registered to compete in the 15-day games. As if to answer concerns about the construction projects for the games, the expressway connecting the northernmost Thammasat University Sports Complex, where many of the major competitions will take place, and the Muang Thong Thani Sports Complex, which houses the Main Press Center and several sporting venues, opened on Thursday. ''This is the Thai system -- when they move, they move quickly. I've lived here for nine years and I assure you they will be ready. I am very impressed that, by the time something starts, everything is organized,'' MacKenzie said. While the actual success of the games itself is still to be seen, Sheik Ahmad said Bangkok has a big shoe to fill following the success of Hiroshima, host of the previous Asian Games in 1994. ''It's very difficult to go from success to success.''