Thailand
THAIS TAKE DRASTIC STEPS TO CUT CONGESTION
Thailand will close all schools and colleges, suspend road works and deploy an army of policemen to prevent traffic jams during next month's Asian Games, the chairman of the organising committee said on Monday.
TICKET SALES HIGHER THAN EXPECTED
Despite the region's economic crisis, ticket sales for the Asian Games in Thailand are higher than expected, an official has said.
THAILAND ASKS FIFA TO MOVE IRAQ MATCH
The Thailand Football Association has written to FIFA to request a change of venue for their Asian World Cup qualifying match scheduled for Baghdad on Friday, a Thai official said on Tuesday.
TIGER BEER SPONSORS VIETNAM FOOTBALL TEAM
Tiger Beer and the Vietnam Football Federation have inked a three-year agreement under which the beer company will provide the national football team with US$450,000 over three years.
OLYMPIC BID CITIES ATTEND IOC SEMINAR
The 10 cities hoping to host the 2008 Summer Games left International Olympic Committee headquarters this week confident they would all clear the first hurdle in the bidding process.
INDONESIA AND THAILAND BANNED AFTER TIGER CUP FARCE
Thailand and Indonesia were banned from international soccer by Asia's governing body on Friday following their farcical match in last month's Tiger Cup.
THAI OFFICIAL SAYS TALEBAN SHOULD REPLACE SPORTS HEAD
A senior Asian Games official has said Afghanistan's Taleban administration should change its top sports official after criticising Thailand's ability to host next month's Games.
OCA CHIEF SAYS ASIA BOYCOTT CALL WELL BACKED
A top Asian sports official has said there was growing support within the region for a boycott of the 2002 World Cup in protest at Asia's representation in the finals.
PHILLIPINE SOCCER HIT BY CASH SHORTAGE
A shortage of cash has forced the Philippines to pull out of the South East Asian (SEA) Games soccer tournament, the Philippines Football Federation (PFF) has stated.
AUSTRALIAN DESIGN FIRM BECOMES HOK PROPERTY.
Australian-based design and planning firm Hassell has formed an alliance with HOK, the world's biggest sports facility architectural firm.
10 CITIES BID FOR 2008 OLYMPICS
The IOC has confirmed that ten cities have submitted preliminary bids for the 2008 Summer Games.
NIKE EXPECTS ASIA-PACIFIC AND EUROPEAN EXPANSION
Nike is to open 10 new flagship stores in Asia-Pacific amid growing optimism about the economic recovery in the region, according to Financial Times registered sources.
FORMER THAI COACH HOPES AFC BAN SHORT TERM
Former Thai soccer coach Withaya Laohakul said he hoped a decision by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to ban the country from international competition would only be a temporary punishment.
CASH CRUNCH HITS CAMBODIAN SHOOTING TEAM
Cambodia has not paid subscriptions to two shooting federations and so can not take part in the event at the Asian Games in Bangkok next month, a sports official has said.
ASIA THREATENS WORLD CUP BOYCOTT
Asian soccer chiefs have gaven FIFA until March to avert a regional boycott of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea by giving Asia the chance of an extra place in the finals.
THAI SOCCER SQUAD GIVEN CASH INCENTIVE FOR WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Players in Thailand's national soccer team will earn $44,000 (?50,000) between them for each away game they win during the second phase of Asia's World Cup qualifying tournament.
BEIJING TOUTS 2008 GAMES AS PANACEA FOR CITY ILLS
Beijing is eyeing the 2008 Olympics as a cure for problems ranging from choking smog to taxi-clogged streets, and as an image boost for the Communist capital.
BANGKOK JOIN RACE FOR OLYMPICS
The Thai capital Bangkok has been given cabinet approval to apply to host the 2008 Summer Olympics.