Thread: Phuket loses more money

Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Pencak Silat moved to Turkey

PHUKET: The 13th Pencak Silat Martial Arts World Championship, set to open in Phuket this Saturday, has been moved to Turkey due to the coup.

The competition was originally scheduled to be held November 18 to 26, with more than 500 competitors from 25 countries registered for the event.

Pencak Silat is a group of martial arts of Indo-Malaysian origin that can include hundreds of styles and is practiced throughout Southeast Asia. It has several names, including Panchak, Montjak, and Silék, but is most commonly known as Pencak Silat.

Songsak Kitikarnkul, Chief of Phuket Sports Authority of Thailand, told the Gazette that organizers moved the competition to Turkey due to [surprisingly] “political instability”.

“Because of the difficulties with the changing administration and the new Prime Minister, as well as a complete change in the people they were organizing with, the organizer decided to move the competition to Turkey,” Songsak said.

phuket gazette