By Martin Petty
WUHAN, China, April 23 - Thailand's new soccer
president plans to boost the kingdom's chances of World Cup
qualification by giving away tens of thousands of free soccer
balls.
Worawi Makudi, a FIFA executive committee member, said
soccer-mad Thailand was being held back by poverty and that
children in rural areas had little or no chance to play the
game properly due to a lack of equipment.
He plans to give a free soccer ball to any child who wants
one, which he hopes will create a generation of players that
can lead Thailand to its first World Cup finals.
"When I go to some parts of rural Thailand, some kids don't
even have a proper pair of shoes," Worawi told Reuters during a
visit to China.
"Many don't have a chance to play. If they want to play, I
will give every one of them a football and every kid will have
a chance."
Worawi said 80,000 soccer balls will be given out this year
to mark the 80th birthday of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, with
more to be made available in future.
Thailand is South East Asia's most successful soccer
nation, although its domestic game is suffering because of a
shortage of cash, a poorly-supported national league and no
real grassroots programme.
Most of the kingdom's 63 million people live in rural
areas, where there is a lack of adequate playing surfaces and
few organised competitions outside of schools.
The Thai sports authorities are setting up eight new soccer
academies, focusing on the country's poorest regions as well as
the capital.
"Our target is the 2014 World Cup, I think there's a real
possibility we can make it," Worawi said.
"With a good grassroots programme and a chance for every
child to play, no talented players will slip through the net,"
added Worawi, who last month became president of the Football
Association of Thailand when Vijit Getkaew quit after being
blamed for the national team's failures.