TOKYO, JAPAN
December 1, 2008
Antigovernment protests in Thailand fervently asking for Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat’s resignation have closed Suvarnabhumi Airport, the main international gateway in Bangkok, since November 25. It is said the crisis is the worst in decades there. Thai riot police is confronting huge protesters sitting in around the airport even now (watch CNN). Thailand is a main supplier of foreign opponents to Japan, which has suffered great damage in Thai boxers booked here coming in time or not.
Yesterday (Sunday), a Thailander named Pet Sithsaithong failed to arrive here, so his substitute Baby Lorona Jr., 147.5, a Filipino recently traded to a Japanese Hokuriku Ishimaru club, appeared on his behalf only to be stopped Makoto Aoki, 147.25, at 0:52 of the third round in a scheduled ten in Yuki city.
Today (Monday), another Thailander Petchnamuek Sithsaithong (9-6, 2 KOs), 157, managed to arrive in Tokyo, via Cambodia after going there with a ten-hour drive from Bangkok, yesterday morning (so, he was fortunately in time for the weigh-in), but looked sluggish and tired from the start after a long transportation only to be floored four times en route to a TKO defeat by Tatsuki Kawasaki (22-5, 17 KOs), 154, at 0:51 of the third round in a scheduled ten in Tokyo. Petchnamuek, however, fought well by showing his gameness to beat the count time and again despite his severe effort to arrive here in Tokyo. The promoter and matchmaker seemed greatly relieved to welcome the Thai opponent as it was, in fact, very hard to look for a late substitute with all not-yet-booked boxers being excessively overweight.
Our problem still goes on unsolved since it is quite uncertain when the Bangkok international airport will reopen, and, further more, there are following cards here featuring Thai boxers on December 6, 13, 14, 15, etc. On December 31, WBA top flyweight contender Denkaosen Singwangcha of Thailand is supposed to have a mandatory shot at defending champ Takefumi Sakata in Hiroshima. We hope the Thai political turmoil will cease soonest to save our boxing shows.
(12-1-08)