Thailand denies SEAG pullout move

JAKARTA (JP): The 1999 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games sepak takraw champion Thailand denied reports saying it would pull out of the Sept. 8 to Sept. 17 biennial event in Kuala Lumpur if the new 21-point scoring system was used.

Bernama news agency reported that Thai team manager Nippon Siripontham had informed Malaysian team manager Mohammad Omar of his objections at the Khon Kean Cup championship in Bangkok last April.

Thailand prefers the 15-point scoring system although the new system has been approved by the International Sepaktakraw Federation (Istaf) for use at the Games.

"We are fully prepared for the Games. The players are training very hard (in Bangkok). There is no question of us withdrawing," an official of the Thailand National Olympic Council, who requested anonymity, said as quoted by Bernama.

"In fact, Thailand was among the promoters of sepaktakraw, so we can't simply pull out of the competition." (yan)