THAI PRIME MINISTER LAUDS SEA GAMES ATHLETES FOR MAKING HIM HAPPY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 26 Jun 2015
Thailand?s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has welcomed the South East Asian Games champions and told them the SEA Games success was one of the few things that had made him happy since taking over the reins of government in a coup.
The Bangkok Post reported that the premier made the statement at a reception he hosted at Government House for the Thai athletes and officials who took part in the Singapore SEA Games.
The participants were taken on open top buses in a parade from Bangkok?s Victory Monument for a ceremony in which Thai prime minister Prayut rewarded the SEA Games medalists along with thir coaches and associations with cash bonuses worth a total of almost 145 million baht provided by the national sports development fund.
Gold medalists received 200,000 baht or the equivalent of just over P266,000 while silver medalists received the equivalent of P133,000 and bronze medalists the equivalent of P66,500.
In contrast Filipino gold medal winners receive P100,000, silver medalists P50,000 and bronze medalists P10.000 while coaches receive half of what the individual winners get.
Thailand ran away with the overall title 95 gold, 83 silver and 69 bronze medalists while the Philippines finished a miserable sixth in the overall standings with only 29 gold medals while tiny Singapore with a population of less than six million compared to the Philippines 100 million finished a glowing second with 84 gold medals.
Prayut told the SEA Games contingent that the first place finish in Singapore was only among a few things that had made him rejoice after the May 22. 2014 power seizure.
The Bangkok Post quoted the prime minister who said ? I am very happy today and this makes me smile? even as he promised to support and promote every sport, adding that when Thailand becomes stronger, the successful athletes may get higher bonuses under the National Sports Development Fund.
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