Thailand to host first Euro-Asia snooker tournament

BANGKOK: Thailand will host the first Europe-Asia snooker tournament in August after losing the Thailand Masters which it had held for a decade, officials said yesterday. 

The £70,000 (US$115,000) Thailand 2003 Europe vs Asia Challenge will be held in Bangkok on August 27-30. 

Sindhu Pulsirivong, president of the Asian Confederation of Billiard Sports, said the tournament would have an all-star line-up featuring several former world champions, runner-up world champs and Asian stars. 

Top players will include seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry, current world number one Mark J. Williams, former world champion Ken Doherty and six-times world champion runner-up Jimmy White, he said. 

The Asian squad will comprise in-form Marco Fu of Hong Kong who took his first professional title by beating Williams in Sunderland, Thai tornado James Wattana Phu-Ob-Orm, Pakistan's Shokat Ali and new Asian sensation Ding Junhui of China. 

“It will be an historic tournament and the games will be very exciting as many top players are coming to play,” Sindhu told a press conference. 

Tourism and Sports Minister Sonthaya Khumpluem said the tournament would celebrate the 75th birthday of Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej this year, and would also be a valuable boost for the nation's profile. 

“The sporting event will be good public relations for the country, telling people worldwide that Thailand is safe and free from SARS,” he said. The SARS epidemic which swept across Asia has cut the number of tourists visiting Thailand. 

The Thailand Masters tournament was cancelled this year because World Snooker could not subsidise the budget, officials said. – AFP