Phuket Football 7s vs Bangkok Football 7s
Posted: Wednesday, January 13, 2010
by Michel Gerard
Reperage Group
Football pitches can be seen everywhere in Thailand making football the sport the most popular in the country. Thais usually start their training or friendly games everyday in the evening when it is obviously cooler. Just a few local tournaments are organized beside the well-known International Football 7s held in Bangkok and Phuket.
The tournament in Phuket is the most popular as the island is the perfect place for a sport holiday combining sport and leisure. Football in a team of 7 players can be played over a week-end, with between games the opportunity for a swim in the sea, and in the evening, parties in selected entertainment places to enjoy the most vibrant nightlife of the country.
These two friendly tournaments have no price money at stake but teams earn a trophy for each category and level: Masters Cup, Masters Plate, Masters Bowl, Open Cup, Open Plate and Open Bowl. All 10 players in every teams also get a medallion they can proudly bring back home.
Teams are mostly made of foreigners from many different countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and Hong-Kong in South-East Asia, but also from France, Australia or the United Kingdom. South East Asian teams are formed of mostly expatriates with a couple of locals as there are no purely local teams participating to these international events.
Contrary to the local football tournaments held on the dirt football field in Patong, the International Phuket Football 7s is held on top quality grass pitches where players can enjoy playing football safely. The playing venue, is changed every year and in the event an injury occurs, an ambulance is in standby with a doctor and nurses from an International class hospital of the province.
Bangkok has a multitude of grass pitches and also many local clubs and expat leagues. In addition to well-maintained grass pitches from private sport facilities, football can be played in the few International schools, which have top quality fields. The International Bangkok Football 7s is usually held either in the Pattana International school, or the Arrow International school depending on the availability of the venue.
Another International football 7s took place in Pattaya a few years ago but it seems that despite the seaside and the nightlife, the city only makes it to the third position. Pattaya is conveniently situated at 2 hours from Bangkok by car and is a location that should get more expression of interest by foreign teams.
As a conclusion, Phuket, Thailand's famous traveler destination, is the football 7s favorite location in South East Asia with three tournaments taking place every year, before Bangkok, which is the second with one tournament.
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Michel Gerard is a Travel author living in Asia. Visit the Thailand Football 7s website to know more about the International Football 7s tournaments in Thailand. => http://www.thai7s.com
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