Fun Facts About Olympic Games

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Afghanistan sent 5 athletes to the 1988 Olympic Games, which were held in Seoul, the capital city of South Korea...Afghanistan is one of the ten poorest countries in the world.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

The People´s Republic of China has won a gold medal in women´s volleyball two times at the Olympic Games:Los Angeles (1984) and Athens(2004).

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Between September 15 and October 1, 2000, the Republic of Korea, or South Korea, delegation participated in the Olympic Games held in Sydney, Australia, winning 8 gold, 10 silver, and 10 bronze medals. Overall the Republic of Korea team ranked eighth, after the United States, Russia, China, Australia, Germany, France...

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Ahmed Salah was one of the most famous runners in the 1980s. He was born in Djibouti, a small country in Africa. Ahmed Salah won the bronze medal in the marathon at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

The XXVI Summer Olympic Games were held in Atlanta, Georgia (USA), with 197 nations participating. Brazil sent 195 athletes to the Games. They returned to Rio de Janeiro with three gold, three silver, and nine bronze medals.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

India is the world´s second most populous country. However,India only won 1 bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Atlanta (USA).

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Saudi Arabia sent 9 athletes to the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Ghana won the bronze medal in soccer at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Pakistan won two gold medals in filed hockey in the Olympic Games history: Rome(1960) and Mexico City(1968).

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

The people´s Republic of China sent 219 athletes to the 1984 Summer Olympics. In the end, China won 15 gold medals and 32 medals overall.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

The soccer, or football, is the national sport in Brazil.It won two silver medals in soccer in the Olympic Games: Los Angeles(1984)and Seoul(1988).

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

The 1984 Olympic Games were not boycotted by 12 socialist nations, including Benin, Congo, China, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Romania, Yugoslavia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.Nicaragua sent 25 athletes to the XXIII Summer Olympic Games, which were held in Los Angeles, California (USA).The Nicaraguan delegation had athletes competing in three areas:baseball (20),boxing (3),and weighlifting (2).

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Peru competed at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada.Peru was represented by thirteen sportswomen in Canada.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Panama sent 7 athletes to the 1972 Olympic Games, which were held in Munich,West Germany (currently Germany). The Panamanian delegation had athletes competing in four areas:track and field (1), boxing (2), wrestling (2),and weighlifting(1).

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Argentina has competed in the Olympic Games 21 times and won a total of 15 gold medals.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Chile won the bronze medal in football in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney,Australia.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Uruguay has won a bronze medal in men´s basketball two times at the Olympic Games:Helsinki(1952) and Melbourne(1956).

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Taiwan won the silver medal in baseball in the 1992 Olympic Games in Spain.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Nigeria sent 33 athletes to the 1984 Olympic Games. Nigeria finished 33rd position in the final medal rankings, with 2 medals overall

Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer.Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry.He´ve studied political science and journalism.He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso".He is an expert on foreign affairs. Futhermore, Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latina America.

He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). His favorite film is "Gorillas in the Mist".Some of his favorite books are “The Return of Eva Peron and the Killings in Trinidad” (by V.S.Naipaul), "Las Mujeres de los Dictadores" (by Juan Gasparini) and “Murder of a Gentle Land” (by John Barron and Anthony Paul).His personal motto is "The future is for those people who believe in the beauty o f their dreams" by Eleanor Roosevelt.

Sinsot Payments in Thailand

When western men get into relationships with Thai women, there are few issues more contentious than the subject of 'sinsot'. Should western men pay sinsot to the family of their prospective Thai wife?

What is Sinsot?

Sinsot is the Thai marriage tradition of the man giving money and gold to his new wife's family. The payment is put on display at the marriage ceremony. It is a way for the man to show he has the financial means to take care of his new wife and for the woman's family to gain face. It shows how highly the man values his new wife so the more money and gold they can put on show, the more face the family gain.

The parties involved hold negotiations before the wedding to agree how much the man should pay. Usually, the woman's family will make an opening request and the man will counter offer, etc. They do not just negotiate how much money and gold he will give, but also what will happen to the payment after the marriage ceremony. There are no definite rules on this. Sometimes the entire amount will go to the woman's family. However, often they will agree to return some or all of the payment after the ceremony. Sometimes, they will agree to give some or all of the money to the woman to help her set up her new home. The amount that is put on show at the wedding ceremony is not always the amount that the man will actually pay.

Although sometimes the wife's family just wants to negotiate as much money as they can get, there are many other nuances to these negotiations. If the parties agree that some of the payment will be returned, then the man is showing trust in his wife's family that they will honour the agreement. They in turn can show they are trustworthy by repaying the agreed amount.

A successful sinsot agreement and transaction shows the man values his new wife and the families can work together. It is a good start to the couple's married life and for the relationship between both families. An unsuccessful sinsot transaction can cause bitterness and have repercussions for years to come.

Do Thai Men Really Pay Sinsot?

Some western men believe that sinsot is a tradition invented purely for Thai families to squeeze money out of their new foreign son-in-law. They do not believe that Thai men really have to make these payments.

Well sinsot is a tradition that is slowly fading in Thailand. There are many Thai marriages where no sinsot payment is given. However, the sinsot tradition is genuine and many Thai men still have to make this payment to get the wife they want. The amounts involved can be very high and often the Thai man will need to save for years or borrow the money to make the payment.

As with so many things in Thailand, the answer is not clear-cut. Some Thai men pay sinsot and some do not.

How Much Should Men Pay?

There are no definite rules about how much sinsot to pay. It is down to negotiation. It does depend a great deal on the circumstances of the woman. For a well-educated young woman from a high-class family who is beautiful and has a good career, her family can demand a high sinsot. I have heard of Thai men paying two million baht for such women.

Women from lower class backgrounds can still be worth high sums if they are beautiful and especially if they are still virgins. The Thais use the word 'fresh' to describe such women and there is still a lingering tradition that some women save themselves for their marriage partner. Such women may command sinsot payments up to 500,000 baht.

However, such high payments are certainly not the norm. I would say a typical Thai sinsot would be under 100,000-baht and probably with half the payment returned to the man after the ceremony.

There are factors that reduce a woman's value. If a woman is divorced or has children then her value is greatly reduced. My wife is previously divorced and I certainly did not consider making a sinsot payment and was never asked for one.

If a woman has worked in the sex industry then she is sullied goods and Thai men would not pay a large sinsot. Still I know one Thai man who found his wife in a girly bar and paid 200,000-baht sinsot to her family, none returned.

Should Western Men Pay Sinsot?

The contentious bit -- should western men give sinsot if they marry a Thai woman? Many men will point out that sinsot is not a western tradition so why should they have to follow it. In fact, the western tradition is almost the opposite where the bride's family should pay for the wedding ceremony. Just like in Thailand, that tradition has become a little outdated and many marriage ceremonies do not follow it.

There is no simple answer. It is up to the man and his fiancé to find a compromise solution that works for both parties. It does seem that many western men are more willing to bend to Thai traditions than the other way around. Therefore, it is common that western men agree to make some kind of sinsot payment. That should not mean they pay over the odds just because they are western. If the western man is willing to give sinsot then he should negotiate an amount with which he is comfortable. Remember that agreeing to a sinsot payment that leaves you feeling bitter will not make for a good start to the marriage.

Also remember, dare I say it, that if you found your fiancé working in the sex industry, then this does reduce her sinsot value.

What I would say is that the sinsot negotiation can tell you a great deal about your fiancé's family. If they are willing to accept that sinsot is not your tradition or they do not want a sinsot, then this is a very positive sign. It shows they may be enlightened about accepting other people's values and they are more interested in the happiness of their daughter than making money.

Even if her family are traditional and do want to negotiate a sinsot, this is not always a bad sign. It is how they carry out the negotiation and how much they ask for that you should judge. If they ask for a fair amount or if they are willing to return some or give the money to your wife, then they are probably a good family. It is when they start asking for unreasonable amounts and will not negotiate that you should become wary. If they start using negotiating tactics like 'take it or leave it' or suggesting that other men are willing to pay this amount, then you may be dealing with a family that are going to be a problem.

This might sound harsh, but no matter how lovely your Thai woman may be, if you are marrying into a bad family then you are going to have problems. They will always be a bad influence in the marriage and Thai family ties are so strong that it will be tough for your wife to side with you. A bad family has been the doom of many mixed marriages in Thailand. If you get the feeling that your fiancé's family are only interested in your money, then sometimes it is best to walk away from the whole thing and start again.

For more information about relationships with Thai girls in Phuket, you can start at our Phuket Girls page and then browse the rest of our site for all you need to know about Phuket.

Surin Elephant Round Up

The northeastern part of Thailand has always been popular with tourists for its festivals. However, the festival that is considered to be the most popular is the Surin Elephant Round Up which held annually in November.

The people of Surin have long been renowned for their skill in capturing and training wild elephants and rounding them up. In the past, wild elephants lived in the forests near Cambodia. Unfortunately due to the war in Cambodia, the forests have become inaccessible and the elephant population has dwindled drastically. Now the elephant catchers make their living by performing shows with their elephants.

The Surin Elephant Round Up Festival is a display of talents and abilities of the elephants. The first round up happened in 1960. The festival usually begins with a procession where all elephants take part. The number of elephants range from 120 to 150 and include calves and adults.

Once the procession is over, the elephants begin to demonstrate their prowess by moving logs, playing soccer and tug-of-war. The events are designed to show that the elephant is not only a strong animal but intelligent, gentle and obedient. The festival concludes with a mock battle which used to be an important part of the elephants' lives in the days bygone.

In earlier times, the Surin Elephant Round Up Festival used to be presided over by the king. Prayers, specially designed for this ceremony, were read and these included prayers for taming the captured elephants. In recent times, this festival has become a major tourist attraction in Thailand with Surin being the hub.

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History of Whitewater Rafting

It is interesting to note that whitewater rafting was one of the earliest forms of transportation. It was not only used for carrying people but also for transferring goods from one place to another. However, it became quite popular as a form of leisure activity in the 1980s.

In 1811, the first recorded attempt to navigate the Snake River in Wyoming was planned by the Overland Astorians. While attempting to boat the stretch below Jackson Hole, the river was found to be too treacherous and it came to be called ?Mad River.?

The rubber river raft is believed to have been invented in the early 1840s. It was first made by Lt. John Fremont, who was then serving in the U.S army and Horace H. Day. They invented the rubber raft with the intention of surveying the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains. Although the raft was invented in the mid-nineteenth century, it was not until the turn of the century that the first ever commercial whitewater trip was undertaken. At first, surplus military rafts were used as boats and it was only much later that inflatable rafts were used.

Private companies played a major role in augmenting the rafting business. In 1956, one of the members of the most affluent business families of America, John D. Rockefeller built a resort that introduced one of the first floating trips in the country. However, it only evoked a lukewarm response. Later, in the 1960s and 1970s, exclusive whitewater rafting companies were formed. These include the Becker-Cooke Expeditions, Hatch River Expeditions and Slickrock Adventures.

Rafting was first included in the Munich Olympic Games, 1972. Subsequently, it was included in the 1992 Barcelona Games and the 1996 Atlanta Games. In 1996, the Ocoee River in Tennessee Valley played host to the whitewater events of the Summer Olympic Games.

Whitewater Rafting [http://www.e-WhitewaterRafting.com] provides detailed information on Whitewater Rafting, Whitewater Rafting Trips, History of Whitewater Rafting, Whitewater Rafting Terminology and more. Whitewater Rafting is affiliated with Mediterranean Yacht Charters .

Grappling Versus Non-Grappling, Bruce Lee Style

Bruce Lee's Thoughts on Style Limitations

While I was perusing some Bruce Lee books, I found some comments from Bruce on certain style limitations.

Compare what Bruce Lee did with grappling and locks on film and descriptions in his writings, to what he says about the limitations of Judo, Wrestling, and Thai Boxing. You get at least one person's view of making sense of grappling in the martial arts.

Bruce Lee felt that all three, Judo, Wrestling, and Thai Boxing were sports.

Bruce Lee said they lacked "foul tactics"

Hmm, that was my only beef with those formalized UFC and NHB tournaments.

They were missing a lot of dirty tactics, if you were going to use them as a model for 'real' fighting. (Boy, did I receive flack for that comment when I first wrote it on the Net.)

Bruce Lee also felt that Wrestling and Judo lacked the ability to deal with attackers at a long range. The tactics just aren't contained in the system.

Bruce thought that the whole time you are doing wrestling or judo moves, you should be doing more. He believed, the long range tactics lacked "kicking, hair-pulling, butting, finger jab, kneeing, elbowing, stomping on shin or instep, grabbing groin, pinching skin, pulling ears, biting, etc." (Page 39, Jeet Kune Do, Volume 3, edited by John Little.)

He felt that Thai Boxing lacked a grappling element.

More Martial Limitations, According to Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee's other criticisms of pure Thai Boxing were that it "lacks economy structure and scientific leads" and that Thai Boxers were unfamiliar with martial arts' more delicate movements, like advance attacks (jabs) to eyes or groin. (Someday, we should explore what he meant by these limitations, in more detail.)

So, it's pretty easy to see why Bruce Lee might have wanted to combine styles. He wanted to "plug the holes" in classical systems.

Think about a grappler being able to deal with the long range before he comes in close. It's not as common as you might think.

Also, imagine a destruction machine, like a Thai boxer, being able to tie up someone with grappling controls, while still incorporating demolishing techniques.

Now, combine all of the above thoughts with the way Bruce Lee grappled in 'Game of Death' from 'A Warrior's Journey.' Then you start to see when Bruce used grappling. He combined it all -- he didn't grapple at a distance.

Every encounter need not end in a grapple.

When he did grapple, he combined. In his own handwriting (p. 78, Jeet Kune Do, Vol. 3), he writes:

"Two hits, side arm throw, and elbow."

Hits and kicks, kicks and hits -- BAM, take-down! With more kicks and hits following.

Can you say "whirlwind"?

Read another article on grappling here: Grappling

In your quest for realistic,Bruce-Lee style martial-arts techniques, you should also read my new, Free ebooklet, "Elbow Strike Counters": Elbow Strike Counters

Also, you'll find 2 ebooklets on Grappling, here -- Free, Wrist Locks

Keith Pascal has been a full-time martial-arts author for eight years and a martial-arts teacher for 25 years.

Qatar Getting Ready - Eying the 2016 Olympics

Qatar, host of the 15th Asian held on Dec. 1-15, is progressively getting dressed up for the sporting event.

Qatar was preparing the Games for the last two years. All infrastructures are now ready for the games. Besides roads are being widened, some buildings are also getting redesigned or renovated, while some are demolished to make room for new ones. The Qataris want to prepare the perfect games. On Oct. 8th. The Asian Games Committee launch the start of the Doha Asian Games Torch Relay procession at the Doha Golf Club. The torch will travel through fifteen countries, covering a distance of 55,000 kilometres, or about 30,000 miles, in 55 days, a record for the longest ever Asian Games Torch Relay procession in the Asian games history. The torch will make stops in India, Korea, the Philippines, Japan, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Iran, Oman, the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain. The torch will be carried by around 3,500 torch-bearers and will finally culminate its journey when it enters the state-of-the-art Khalifa Stadium on Dec. 1, 2006.

In fact Qatar, with a budget of $2.8 billion, has been heavily preparing the Asian Games because the Qatar Olympic association is eyeing another event: the 2016 Olympics. Therefore the Asian games' failure or success may determine their chance to host the Olympics. For a long time Qatari leaders have been focusing on making Qatar the sports capital of the Middle East. The bottom line of the Qatari leaders has been that with the hosting of the games Qatar will be able to bring in tourists which they prefer to call "sports tourism". Qatar is hoping for an increase of tourism starting in 2009, the same time as when the new Doha airport would be ready.

Qatar also planned to make best use of the sports infrastructure which is being constructed for the games. For instance the eleven new state-of-the-art stadiums would be utilized throughout the year for the football league. In addition, the athlete village built at a cost of $450 million would be handed over to Hamad hospital and would provide for lodging and other facilities for the nurses and guests at the hospital. The Qatari leaders also want to turn Hamad hospital into the leading health care centre in the region.

About the writer: Nigel Kerry is an American free lance writer born in Los Angeles, California. Kerry writes among others for Sportus.com - Sportsbook reviews, UsBookies.com - Sports Betting Online and Get-best-mortgage-loan.com - Mortgage lenders, get the best mortgage loan

How Thailand is Becoming a Friendly Football Destination

For most people, Thailand is a place with wonderful beaches and nice temples. For some others it is an adventure destination with mountain biking, trekking and rafting. Sport tourism is on the rise now with a category of people wanting to visit the country, but also willing to participate in a soccer training, friendly games or tournaments.

Other sports like rugby, cricket or volley-ball are also popular but this article is going to describe soccer or football specifically. A group of sport men or women may join one of the following activity:

- Soccer training camps
- Friendly football games
- Soccer 7s tournaments

A soccer training camp is a good way to enjoy Thailand while practicing football. A team of amateur or professional football players can chose training in the morning while enjoying the beach or other visits in the afternoon. Isn't that a good way to combine leisure and the love of sport? The lively nightlife is not to be forgotten with many places offering food and entertainment at a very competitive price.

A friendly football game is a good opportunity to meet another group of people with the same interest. It is feasible for a group of players from Hong-Kong to play with an European team in any of the Thai provinces when the games have been organized locally. Through football new friendships are made and further activities such as pool and beer drinking can be shared.

International soccer 7s tournaments are regularly run during the year with 3 international tournaments in Phuket, one in Pattaya and one in Bangkok. Other Thai destinations like Koh Samui and Chiang Mai may see more sport tourists when games will become available there. More interest has been seen for a women soccer 7s tournament, which is now considered.

The Thai Soccer 7s Tournaments are usually played on 2 days during the week-end, on grass pitches of 70 x 45 meters, full size goals, 7 minute halves, no offside, rolling substitution and a maximum of 12 registered players. Teams are mainly composed of non-Thais even for Thailand teams who mostly have expatriate football players. The Phuket events have regular teams who have participated since the first tournament in 2003.

FIFA rules apply during these tournaments and are enforced by an international team of referees from Australia, Singapore and Thailand. The masters over 35 years or over 40 years and the open are the two categories of the tournaments. Champions and runners-up of the Cup, Plate and Bowl are both awarded a trophy for their achievement and players also receive medallions.

Welcome and awards parties are organized in entertainment places for each tournament week-end, adding to the event an atmosphere of friendship among players and referees of different nationalities. The newest international soccer 7s tournament in Thailand is the Phuket Spicy Soccer 7s, the hottest event in Phuket during February!

Michel Gerard is a Travel author based in Asia. Visit the Thai Soccer 7s website to learn more about these Thailand International Soccer 7s tournaments in Phuket, Bangkok and Pattaya. => http://www.thai7s.com

Volleyball Facts

Did you know...

Boris Yeltsin -who was president of the Russian Federation- was a volleyball player. Russia hosted the Boris Yeltsin Cup in 2008.

The Japanese men's team won the gold medal at the Munich Olympics in 1972. Japan beat East Germany 3-1 in the final. This team also won the gold medal at the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok (Thailand). The Olympic players were: Yoshihide Fukao, Kenji Kimura, Masayuki Minami, Jungo Morita, Yuzo Nakamura, Katsutoshi Nekoda, Tetsuo Nishimoto, Yasuhiro Noguchi, Seijo Oko, Tetsuo Sato, Kenji Shimaoka, Todayoshi Yokota.

The FIVB (Federation Internationale de Volleyball) is one of the most successful sports organizations in the world. Dr. Ruben Acosta (president of the FIVB) said, "There are no secret to success. Just organization, administration and management, sharing know-how and skills, and seizing opportunities..."

In 2006, the United States was defeated by Venezuela at the Men's Volleyball World Championships in Tokyo (Japan)...

In 1952, India was among 8 countries which took part in the First Women's World Championships in Moscow (USSR).

The United States men's volleyball squad finished 6th place in the Volleyball World League. The team members were: Marc Jones (played for SDSU), Parker Blackman (played for Stanford), Allen Allen (played for Hawaii ), Dan Greenbaum (played for USC ), Uvaldo Acosta (George Mason), Craig Buck (El Charro PD, Italy), Bryan Ivie (USC), Jose Gandara (UCSB), Tom Sorenson (Pepperdine), Eric Sato(SMCC), Brent Hilliard (CSULB), Jon Root (Stanford), Scott Fortune (Stanford), Carlos Briceño (Hawaii), Bob Samuelson (CSUN), Mark Arnold (Pepperdine), Mark Kerins (CSULB), Shirman Trevor (UCLA), Javier Gaspar (Penn Saint), Dan Hanan (Stanford).

South Korea has contributed greatly to the development of volleyball in the world. In the past century, this Asian nation sent several coaches to Latin America and other countries: Man Bok Park (Peru, 1975-1993), Young Wang Sohn (Argentina, 1977-1983), Park Jik Kuk (Mexico, 1981-1984), Park Moo (Canada, 1974-1976)...

The Netherlands men's national volleyball team was coached by Arie Selinger, who had previously led the U.S. women's volleyball team to Olympic silver medal in 1984...

Bulgaria hosted the FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championships in 1970.
Final standings:

1.East Germany (now Germany)
2.Bulgaria
3.Japan
4.Czechoslovakia (now Slovak Republic)
5.Poland
6.USSR (now Russia)
7.Romania
8.Belgium
9.North Korea
10.Hungary
11.Brazil
12.Cuba
13.Holland
14. Italy
15.Mongolia
16.France
17.USA
18.Israel
19.Finland
20.Iran
21.Tunisia
22.Venezuela
23.Guinea

The U.S. men's volleyball team has participated in nine Summer Olympics: Tokyo 1964, Mexico City 1968, Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008... America has qualified for the 2012 London Olympic Games...

Julio Velasco was assistant coach for Argentina at the FIVB Men's World Cup in 1982. Seven years later, Julio, who was born and grew up in Buenos Aires (Argentina), was head coach of the Italian men's national volleyball team, one of the world's five greatest volleyball teams. Under his leadership, Italy won the following titles and medals:

1990: FIVB Men's World Championships-1st place
1990: Volleyball World League -1st place
1991: European Tournament-2nd place
1991: Volleyball World League -1st place
1992: Volleyball World League -1st place
1993: European Tournament-1st place
1993: Volleyball World League -3rd place
1993: World Cup-1st place
1994: World Championships-1st place
1994: Volleyball World League -1st place
1995: European Tournament-1st place
1995: Volleyball World League -1st place
1995: World Cup-1st place
1996: Summer Olympic Games- 2nd place (silver medal)
1996: Volleyball World League -2nd place

Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer. Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry. He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso". He is an expert on foreign affairs. Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latin America.

He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), José Gamarra (former president of the Bolivian Olympic Committee ,1970- 1982), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). Alejandro said: "The person who I admire the most is José Gamarra . He devoted his professional and personal life to sport. José played an important role in the promotion of Olympism in Bolivia -it is one of the Third World`s poorest countries- and Latin America. His biography is interesting". The sportspeople he most admire is Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman. "This African-American sportswoman is my idol... "

Thai King 60th Anniversary Celebrations

Thailand celebrated with all grandeur, the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol's accession to the royal throne. Termed as the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, Thai King's 60th anniversary celebrations included a series of events describing the reign of King Bhumibol.

King Bhumibol ascended the royal throne in 1950 after the untimely death of his brother, King Ananda Mahidol. Since then, he has been the longest serving monarch in the Thai history. He initiated several developmental projects for the welfare of the people of Thailand and is the most revered ruler of Thailand.

Several international dignitaries were invited during the five-day long celebrations. Prominent among them include the United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Kofi Annan, Japan's Emperor Akihito, Queen Beatrix of Netherlands and UK's Prince Andrew. During the Thai King's 60th Anniversary Celebrations, King Bhumibol was honored with the prestigious United Nations First Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award. The diamond jubilee celebrations included the Royal barge procession on Chao Phraya River, fireworks displays, dance and song competitions, grand feasts and art exhibitions.

On the eve of Thai King's 60th Anniversary Celebrations, around 25,000 prisoners were given mercy and released. In the honor of their King, the people of Thailand organized a three-month long International Botanical Exhibition and an Official Royal Flora Expo in Chiang Mai Province.

Addressing the public gathering on this occasion from the balcony of Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, King Bhumibol urged his countrymen and his subjects to stay united since only unity can bring prosperity to the nation. The celebrations were officially closed on January 16, 2007.

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