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Journalism of Courage
BANGKOK, DEC 5: Drivers of a fleet of motor tricycles assigned to transport athletes and officials between venues during the Games agreed to resume work, after their employer promised to pay them.
The drivers of the noisy three-wheelers known in Thailand as Tuk Tuks refused to drive this morning, complaining they had not been paid for two weeks. Choosak Meeratana, manager of the 200-strong Tuk Tuk fleet spent the morning negotiating with the drivers, who agreed to resume work.
No to shrimps
Japan’s powerful judo team have been told by team officials to steer well clear of Thailand’s famous shrimps and prawns if they fancy eating sushi or a delicate sashimi.
“Team doctors have told us that raw shrimps are no-no, particularly shrimps in the salad,” tiny female bantamweight Tomoe Makabe said.
Officials to hit right note
Worried Games organisers have been busily going through their stock of Asian national anthems sheet music to make sure they get it right infuture.They issued an official apology for mistakenly playing the Saudi Arabian national anthem during a United Arab Emirates (UAE) football game on Monday.Of the 41 countries and regions taking part in the competition, 20 have yet to check their anthems up to now.
Charity should stop at home
Four Thai boxers are upset over plans to give away 10 per cent of their winnings to charity.
Any Thai boxer who wins gold stands to make $ 280,000 but when the fighters, all members of the royal Navy Thai Club, were told 10 per cent would be taken off and given to the Royal Thai Navy Foundation, they were floored.The four agreed to give a donation but insisted 10 per cent was being over generous.
Free passes
Asian Games officials said they have been swamped with last-minute requests for passes giving free access to venues from people claiming to be VIPs.Tens of thousands of applications for special identity cards have piled up on the desks of games officials and hundreds of people have turned updaily to demand passes.
Organisers had planned to supply a maximum of 45,000 special passes allowing free access to venues to sports officials, government agencies, the media and visiting delegations.
Squabbling undermines Japan A bitter quarrel within the ranks of Asian Games defending volleyball champions Japan has thrown open the Bangkok contest.Head coach Futoshi Teramawari has been at the centre of the storm since Japan failed to win any of their second round group matches at the World Championships which they hosted last month.
Their 15th place finish was the worst ever for Japan and left their preparations for the Asian Games in tatters. The battle for gold is now between Japan, 1994 silver medalists China and bronze medallists South Korea.
