Most Thais want to host Olympics

JAKARTA (JP): Most Thais want their country to host the Olympic Games following their success in hosting the Asian Games which conclude on Sunday, a survey said.

Nearly 82 percent of 400 Bangkok residents surveyed on Dec. 12 believed that they deserve the chance to stage the world's largest sporting event after Tokyo and Seoul.

The poll, commissioned by South Korean electronics giant Samsung, revealed that most Thais were proud of the Games they are hosting and felt that it had boosted the kingdom's image in international fora.

The survey also discovered the Thais' enthusiasm for the Asiad in spite of the unabated financial crisis. It said 81 percent of the respondents watch the Asiad programs on televisions, while 75 percent of the Bangkok residents polled wished to go to venues to watch their favorite sport competitions. (amd)