Mini-diary by Pim Hoonhout: What a disappointment
Khao Tao with its beautiful quiet beach and the Queen Sirikit lake where rowing competitions are held annually was the talk of the day this week. The King would come! First on the 25th when the games started. The 24th was clear: it would be the 26th.
The vendors had bought in extra to serve the tens of thousands of people and began happily setting up their tents. Naturally, it promised to be a good turnover that would far exceed previous years. In contrast to the previous days, the day started brightly, there was not a cloud in the sky.
The number of police officers could not be counted early in the morning. At 7 o'clock in the morning they started directing all the cars to far away parking lots, so that the 10 baht vans had also left their original route for extra income. Everyone happy!
Until the moment came around 11 o'clock when the announcer announced that the King was unable to attend. This on the advice of the doctors who were afraid of contamination with harmful bacteria. It could become too much for the King
What a strange situation can arise. Many left the scene with unsmiling faces and tried to get their vehicles out of the mud. Others, who didn't know anything yet, arrived in a festive mood because a parking space became available.
It was a day to remember for the police, finally they were unexpectedly busy with incoming and outgoing traffic. With happy people on one side and – to put it mildly – angry people on the other. I think it's unique to be able to arrange that.
My girlfriend called me that she was on her way home. She still had a mile to go, that was 1,5 minutes ago. I think I'm just going to take a detour.
The sport of rowing (was involved in it for many years in the Netherlands) has my interest. When are they next year and how do I get there? I hope that in Thailand they understand the sport of rowing the same as I do.