Even the sign is falling apart at the new
stadium.
Warunya Thongrod
Plans to renovate the Eastern National Sports Center into Thailand’s
main venue for disabled athletes took a step forward, albeit a small
one, with a city committee recommending spending 13 million of the 3
billion baht Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome originally proposed.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh met Feb. 27 with Surasith Thongjan of the
Paralympic Committee of Thailand, Udomchok Churat of the Redemptorist
School for People with Disabilities, and Samrit Chaphirom, manager of
the Disabled Persons Rights Protection Center.
The meeting was called after plans to make improvements to the Soi
Chaiyapruek 2 complex were sent to the Pattaya Technical Office. The
city council now must act on plans to move forward with the second phase
of the center’s development, which would add facilities for the
disabled.
The project would add two buildings to accommodate competitions and
training in 10 sports, including table tennis, wheelchair basketball,
volleyball, goal ball, boccia, badminton, wheelchair sword, swimming and
shooting. Two residential buildings, one outfitted for the disabled,
also are planned.
Itthiphol in September requested 3 billion baht to transform the sports
complex into a host site for the Paralympic Committee of Thailand. The
committee wants the new facility to offer a swimming pool, care fitness
center, training programs, ramps, accessible restrooms and doctors
living on the premises.
Funding for the project remains in question, however, as Itthiphol
earlier diverted money earmarked for construction of a football field to
cut trees, plant flowers and otherwise beautify Pattaya Beach. More than
560 million baht is needed to complete the stadium and budget for
completion of the entire athletics compound totals about 800 million.
Construction of the buildings would cost about 13 million baht. The
deputy mayor forwarded his recommendation on to the Pattaya City
Council, which must approve the plan before any construction begins.
