WANCHAI RUJAWONGSANTI
Thailand enjoyed their most glittering Olympics at the Athens Games four years ago when they won three gold, one silver and four bronze medals.
The gold winners were boxer Manus Boonjumnong and weightlifters Udomporn Polsak and Pawina Thongsuk, who became Thailand's first female Olympic champions.
Will the Kingdom be able to repeat the feat four years on? Not likely.
While Thai officials are confident that their athletes are capable of winning a considerable number of medals in Beijing, they admit that it is almost a mission impossible for the Kingdom to clinch three golds.
A large number of Thailand's medal winners in Athens will not be at the 2008 Games.
Udomporn quit after the 2004 Games, while Pawina called it a day earlier this year due to injury. Bronze medallist Yaowapa Burapolchai is quitting taekwondo as she will undergo foot surgery this week.
Boxing bronze medallist Suriya Prasathinphimai failed to take part in the qualifying tournaments and is being suspended for doping during last year's SEA Games.
Thailand are pinning their hopes for success in boxing with eight fighters earning tickets to Beijing.
"We should win two golds in boxing," says Adm Suravudh Maharom, chairman of the Thai athletes' preparation committee.
Gen Yutthasak Sasiprapha, president of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, also considers boxing the Kingdom's only prospect for gold.
"We should win at least one gold in boxing," he says. "If luck is on our side and other factors go our way, then we may win two golds."
The eight boxers who qualify for the Beijing Games are light-welterweight Manus, Athens bantamweight silver medallist Worapoj Petchkoom, light-flyweight Amnat Ruenroeng, flyweight Somjit Jongjohor, featherweight Sailom Adi, lightweight Pichai Sayota, welterweight Non Boonjumnong and middleweight Angkhan Chomphuphuang.
Gen Taweep Jantararoj, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of Thailand, is brimming with confidence that his team will have a golden performance in the Chinese capital.
"I am sure that we will win one or two golds," he says. "Manus, Somjit and Worapoj are our best hopes."
Dubbed "bad boy" or "playboy", Manus is still regarded as Thailand's best amateur boxer and could become the country's first athlete to have won more than one Olympic medal. But his problem is whether he will behave and train hard for the Games.
In his 30s, Somjit will fight in his last major tournament in Beijing. A world champion in 2003, Somjit came close to winning a medal in Athens.
The Buri Ram native led Cuba's Yuriorkis Gamboa Toledano 19-16 after three rounds in their round of 16 clash. But the Thai ran out of steam in the final round to lose 26-21. Toledano went on to win gold.
While he tips Manus, Somjit and Worapoj to shine in Beijing, Taweep says dark horses like ex-convict-turned-boxer Amnat, Non and Angkhan, could eclipse the favourites.
Khassaraporn Suta became the first Thai woman - and the first Thai in a sport other than boxing - to win an Olympic medal when she took bronze at the 2000 Sydney Games.
The Thai women's weightlifting team fared much better in Athens when they won two golds and two bronzes.
But without Udomporn and Pawina, it is not likely that the weightlifting squad will win gold in Beijing.
Thailand will have four women and four men in the Beijing weightlifting tournament. For the men, Olympic qualification is already an achievement.
Thailand get three taekwondo berths for the 2008 Olympiad with 2007 World University Games champion Mae-num Cherdkiattisak or last year's SEA Games champion Buttree Puedpong considered the best Thai prospect.
The two will meet in a play-off on Saturday to determine who will represent Thailand in the 49kg division where Yaowapa took bronze four years ago.
"We will win medal but I can't tell you if it will be gold, silver or bronze," says Pimol Srivikorn, president of the Taekwondo Association of Thailand.
A number of Thai athletes in other sports including shooting, fencing and track and field have secured Olympic spots but are unlikely to finish on the podium.
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Thailand enjoyed their most glittering Olympics at the Athens Games four years ago when they won three gold, one silver and four bronze medals.
The gold winners were boxer Manus Boonjumnong and weightlifters Udomporn Polsak and Pawina Thongsuk, who became Thailand's first female Olympic champions.
Will the Kingdom be able to repeat the feat four years on? Not likely.
While Thai officials are confident that their athletes are capable of winning a considerable number of medals in Beijing, they admit that it is almost a mission impossible for the Kingdom to clinch three golds.
A large number of Thailand's medal winners in Athens will not be at the 2008 Games.
Udomporn quit after the 2004 Games, while Pawina called it a day earlier this year due to injury. Bronze medallist Yaowapa Burapolchai is quitting taekwondo as she will undergo foot surgery this week.
Boxing bronze medallist Suriya Prasathinphimai failed to take part in the qualifying tournaments and is being suspended for doping during last year's SEA Games.
Thailand are pinning their hopes for success in boxing with eight fighters earning tickets to Beijing.
"We should win two golds in boxing," says Adm Suravudh Maharom, chairman of the Thai athletes' preparation committee.
Gen Yutthasak Sasiprapha, president of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, also considers boxing the Kingdom's only prospect for gold.
"We should win at least one gold in boxing," he says. "If luck is on our side and other factors go our way, then we may win two golds."
The eight boxers who qualify for the Beijing Games are light-welterweight Manus, Athens bantamweight silver medallist Worapoj Petchkoom, light-flyweight Amnat Ruenroeng, flyweight Somjit Jongjohor, featherweight Sailom Adi, lightweight Pichai Sayota, welterweight Non Boonjumnong and middleweight Angkhan Chomphuphuang.
Gen Taweep Jantararoj, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of Thailand, is brimming with confidence that his team will have a golden performance in the Chinese capital.
"I am sure that we will win one or two golds," he says. "Manus, Somjit and Worapoj are our best hopes."
Dubbed "bad boy" or "playboy", Manus is still regarded as Thailand's best amateur boxer and could become the country's first athlete to have won more than one Olympic medal. But his problem is whether he will behave and train hard for the Games.
In his 30s, Somjit will fight in his last major tournament in Beijing. A world champion in 2003, Somjit came close to winning a medal in Athens.
The Buri Ram native led Cuba's Yuriorkis Gamboa Toledano 19-16 after three rounds in their round of 16 clash. But the Thai ran out of steam in the final round to lose 26-21. Toledano went on to win gold.
While he tips Manus, Somjit and Worapoj to shine in Beijing, Taweep says dark horses like ex-convict-turned-boxer Amnat, Non and Angkhan, could eclipse the favourites.
Khassaraporn Suta became the first Thai woman - and the first Thai in a sport other than boxing - to win an Olympic medal when she took bronze at the 2000 Sydney Games.
The Thai women's weightlifting team fared much better in Athens when they won two golds and two bronzes.
But without Udomporn and Pawina, it is not likely that the weightlifting squad will win gold in Beijing.
Thailand will have four women and four men in the Beijing weightlifting tournament. For the men, Olympic qualification is already an achievement.
Thailand get three taekwondo berths for the 2008 Olympiad with 2007 World University Games champion Mae-num Cherdkiattisak or last year's SEA Games champion Buttree Puedpong considered the best Thai prospect.
The two will meet in a play-off on Saturday to determine who will represent Thailand in the 49kg division where Yaowapa took bronze four years ago.
"We will win medal but I can't tell you if it will be gold, silver or bronze," says Pimol Srivikorn, president of the Taekwondo Association of Thailand.
A number of Thai athletes in other sports including shooting, fencing and track and field have secured Olympic spots but are unlikely to finish on the podium.
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