SE Asian Games strengthen peace and unity in region
SE Asian Games strengthen peace and unity in region
By Dwiatmanta
CHIANG MAI, Thailand (JP): A summit meeting seems insufficient to keep peace and unity alive in Southeast Asia.
Not only the heads of the Southeast Asian governments need to gather to talk on how to maintaining peace and unity, but people in the region literally have to break into a sweat to fulfill this everlasting agenda.
Here in Chiang Mai, 700 kilometers north of Bangkok, the flexing muscles, pumping adrenalin and jubilation of some 2,000 sportsmen and women will draw the attention of more than 300 million people of the region for the whole next week.
It was the spirit of peaceful co-existence that inspired Supaksorn Supawat Jongsiri to compose a modern dance performance which is to adorn the opening ceremony of the 18th Southeast Asian Games today.
"I believe that peace and unity can be achieved through sports activities," Supaksorn, a renowned movie director, said of his performance titled "War and Peace" to be presented at the ceremony. Supaksorn is the director of both the opening and closing ceremonies.
Dancers
Some 320 dancers will dress in black and white, representing good and evil respectively in Supaksorn's composition. The complex choreography, which was originally devoted to 10 heroines of Chiang Mai, will be highlighted in interminable fight between the black and white.
Supaksorn, 41, will suffuse the 12-minute performance with sophisticated light and sound effects, a job he is familiar with from making films.
"Good and evil fight against each other forever, and it is we who decide the winner," he said. He implied that even sportsmen and women should battle it out against evil before considering themselves the defenders of the peace and unity.
Despite the guarantee from the SEA Games Organizing Committee to run the competition run in a fair manner, complaints and protests about Games ruling marred the run-up of the biennial event.
Thai movie star "Bird" Tongchai McIntyre will join the quest for peace and unity in his performance named "Welcome to the Golden Stars."
Bird, named best actor at the Thai Grammy Awards for his film "Sunset at Chao Praya," will represent all Thais in the final performance along with 1,300 Chiang Mai students in a song. One of the verses reads: "We come together to see everyone winning, peacefully united as one."
A total of 6,133 dancers will crowd around the soccer field at the newly built 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai during the opening ceremony. Supaksorn said that about 50 million baht (US$2 million) have been spent on both the opening and closing ceremonies.
The opening ceremony will start with several compositions performed by the Chiang Mai Wind Orchestra.
Right after a big parade by the 10 contingents of the Games, Thailand's Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will declare the sporting event open.
Thailand has chosen footballer Kiattisak Senamuang and female tennis singles player Tammarin Thanasukan, representing the country's young stars, to light the flame. Badminton past champion Charoen Wattanasin will become the first torch bearer during the flame lighting procession.
The handing over of the torch from the old star to his young successors reflects Thailand's continuing quest for excellence in sports. The host team is now seeking its second win over Indonesia since 1977.
The medal race will swing into action properly on Sunday, with 27 gold medals at stake in track and field, billiard, diving, fencing, equestrian events, cycling and yachting race.