His Majesty gives medal hopefuls inner strength
WANCHAI RUJAWONGSANTI
For many Thai athletes, it seems that their skill is just not enough to bring them success - they need inspiration and spiritual help.
Many seek blessings from respected monks, visit temples, carry amulets or change their names. They believe that doing so will give them power, good health, confidence and luck.
His Majesty the King and the Royal family are undoubtedly the best inspiration for the Thai athletes. Fittingly, the King is a keen sports fan who won a gold medal in sailing at the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games (now SEA Games) in 1967.
As a tradition, the Thai delegation for an international event are granted an audience with the King, or his representative, to give them a moral boost.
For the Thai amateur boxers, the King is above anything else. They always hold aloft His Majesty's portrait to celebrate their triumph in the ring.
Flyweight Somjit Jongjohor, who is seen as one of Thailand's best hopes in Beijing, carries an amulet bearing the image of the King when he was in the monkhood decades ago.
"The King is already holy, he was holy in the monkhood," said the 33-year-old Buri Ram native.
The King sent an encouraging message to the boxing squad when they were competing at the 2004 Olympics and that helped spur Manus Boonjumnong to win gold.
Before the light-welterweight final, the King sent Manus a message to wish him well.
"The King's message made me stronger. I dedicate the triumph to the King," Manus said after winning gold in Athens.
Her Majesty the Queen also did the same to the female weightlifting quartet during the 2004 Olympics. The four went on to claim two golds and two bronze medals.
Not surprisingly, one of the medal winners' very first words after their competition was that they felt grateful to the Queen and decicated their success to Her Majesty.
In Beijing, weightlifting hopefuls Premsiri Bunpithak and Pensiri Laosirikul, both in the 48kg division, will be inspired by the presence of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
"I normally fight until I drop and competing before the Princess will make me try even harder," said Premsiri.
Luang Phor Koon of Wat Ban Rai in Nakhon Ratchasima is one of the most popular monks among athletes, particularly professional boxers.
The three Thai taekwondo exponents who will be competing at the Beijing Games visited the well-known monk a few weeks ago.
The three are Buttree Puedpong, Chonnapas Premwaew and Chutchawal Khaola-or.
Chutchawal is the most superstitiuos among the trio. He has got a piece of sacred cloth from Luang Phor Koon and will carry it to Beijing along with a Jatukam amulet.
The eight Thai boxers worshiped the Emerald Buddha at Royal Palace a couple of weeks ago before leaving for Vietnam where they are training.
The weightlifting squad of four women and three men visited three temples in Chiang Mai at the weekend and sought blessings from senior monks there.
"This will boost the athletes' morale and confidence," said Bussaba Yodbangtoey, president of the Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association of Thailand.
Bussaba said recently that Prapawadee Charoenrattanatharakul, who will participate in the 53kg class, could be the best bet as a fortune-teller believes her star is the brightest among the Thai lifters.
Coincidentally, three of the Thai female lifters for the Beijing Games all have changed their first name or last name or both.
Prapawadee, formerly Junpim Kantatian, changed her name last year after a suggestion from a nun that this will improve her fortune.
Premsiri Bunpithak changed her first name from Thongyim for unclear reasons. It was probably because Thongyim is seen as a "rural name" so she switched to a trendy one.
Pensiri Laosirikul changed her family name from the Chinese sae Lao. But this might have nothing to do with superstition as it is a normal practice for Thais of Chinese blood to change their Chinese family name to a Thai one.
Thailand's national weightlifting coach Saipin Detsaen also made a change to her name. The 'n' in Saipin formerly was 'nor noo' in Thai alphabet but now it is 'nor nen.'
Welterweight boxer Non Boonjumnong, younger brother of Manus Boonjumnong, changed his name from Manon following advice from a monk.
Probably because of the name change, he is now tipped to be a medal winner in Beijing.
Former boxer Somluck Kamsing probably became Thailand's first-ever Olympic champion at the 1996 Atlanta Games because of his name.
He has never changed his name but his first name is wrongly romanised. In fact, it should spell 'Somruk' or 'Somrak' but the one who first wrote it in English for him might believe 'Somluck' would bring him luck. It did, indeed.
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WANCHAI RUJAWONGSANTI
For many Thai athletes, it seems that their skill is just not enough to bring them success - they need inspiration and spiritual help.
Many seek blessings from respected monks, visit temples, carry amulets or change their names. They believe that doing so will give them power, good health, confidence and luck.
His Majesty the King and the Royal family are undoubtedly the best inspiration for the Thai athletes. Fittingly, the King is a keen sports fan who won a gold medal in sailing at the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games (now SEA Games) in 1967.
As a tradition, the Thai delegation for an international event are granted an audience with the King, or his representative, to give them a moral boost.
For the Thai amateur boxers, the King is above anything else. They always hold aloft His Majesty's portrait to celebrate their triumph in the ring.
Flyweight Somjit Jongjohor, who is seen as one of Thailand's best hopes in Beijing, carries an amulet bearing the image of the King when he was in the monkhood decades ago.
"The King is already holy, he was holy in the monkhood," said the 33-year-old Buri Ram native.
The King sent an encouraging message to the boxing squad when they were competing at the 2004 Olympics and that helped spur Manus Boonjumnong to win gold.
Before the light-welterweight final, the King sent Manus a message to wish him well.
"The King's message made me stronger. I dedicate the triumph to the King," Manus said after winning gold in Athens.
Her Majesty the Queen also did the same to the female weightlifting quartet during the 2004 Olympics. The four went on to claim two golds and two bronze medals.
Not surprisingly, one of the medal winners' very first words after their competition was that they felt grateful to the Queen and decicated their success to Her Majesty.
In Beijing, weightlifting hopefuls Premsiri Bunpithak and Pensiri Laosirikul, both in the 48kg division, will be inspired by the presence of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
"I normally fight until I drop and competing before the Princess will make me try even harder," said Premsiri.
Luang Phor Koon of Wat Ban Rai in Nakhon Ratchasima is one of the most popular monks among athletes, particularly professional boxers.
The three Thai taekwondo exponents who will be competing at the Beijing Games visited the well-known monk a few weeks ago.
The three are Buttree Puedpong, Chonnapas Premwaew and Chutchawal Khaola-or.
Chutchawal is the most superstitiuos among the trio. He has got a piece of sacred cloth from Luang Phor Koon and will carry it to Beijing along with a Jatukam amulet.
The eight Thai boxers worshiped the Emerald Buddha at Royal Palace a couple of weeks ago before leaving for Vietnam where they are training.
The weightlifting squad of four women and three men visited three temples in Chiang Mai at the weekend and sought blessings from senior monks there.
"This will boost the athletes' morale and confidence," said Bussaba Yodbangtoey, president of the Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association of Thailand.
Bussaba said recently that Prapawadee Charoenrattanatharakul, who will participate in the 53kg class, could be the best bet as a fortune-teller believes her star is the brightest among the Thai lifters.
Coincidentally, three of the Thai female lifters for the Beijing Games all have changed their first name or last name or both.
Prapawadee, formerly Junpim Kantatian, changed her name last year after a suggestion from a nun that this will improve her fortune.
Premsiri Bunpithak changed her first name from Thongyim for unclear reasons. It was probably because Thongyim is seen as a "rural name" so she switched to a trendy one.
Pensiri Laosirikul changed her family name from the Chinese sae Lao. But this might have nothing to do with superstition as it is a normal practice for Thais of Chinese blood to change their Chinese family name to a Thai one.
Thailand's national weightlifting coach Saipin Detsaen also made a change to her name. The 'n' in Saipin formerly was 'nor noo' in Thai alphabet but now it is 'nor nen.'
Welterweight boxer Non Boonjumnong, younger brother of Manus Boonjumnong, changed his name from Manon following advice from a monk.
Probably because of the name change, he is now tipped to be a medal winner in Beijing.
Former boxer Somluck Kamsing probably became Thailand's first-ever Olympic champion at the 1996 Atlanta Games because of his name.
He has never changed his name but his first name is wrongly romanised. In fact, it should spell 'Somruk' or 'Somrak' but the one who first wrote it in English for him might believe 'Somluck' would bring him luck. It did, indeed.
2 Comments
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