The relentless attempt of Ko Yao Yai villagers to chase after the dream of getting a faux grass football pitch for their children has driven King Power Thai Power to grant them a wish to come true. Despite their remote location, King Power has conjured up a blue faux grass football pitch for 7 players on Ko Yao Yai at Aokapor School in Phang Gna Province. The world standard pitch will be used to train local youth to become professional footballers and to get the people in the communities to exercise together.
The ceremony to launch the pitch officially on 14 November 2019 was graced by Jurit Laksanawisit – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha – King Power Group CEO, Aroonroong Srivaddhanaprabha – Assistant to King Power Group CFO, Chotinarin Kerdsom – Deputy Governor of Phang Nga Province, Sompap Nakphan – Deputy of Phang Nga Provincial Primary Education Office, Udom Kuldee – Director of Aokapor School and Toon- Artiwara Kongmalai who has turned into some sort of nation’s sports icon and his Kao Khon La Kao Team including Koy – Rachwin Wongviriya and other celebs including Oil – Thana Suthikamorn. The students of Aokapor School gave performed Hulu Likay – the signature performance of the Southern region to give a warm welcome to everyone.
Furthermore, the highlight of the trip was a special match between Toon and Kao Khon La Kao Team + Press members VS Aokapor School Team which brought joys and laughters to all. 1,000 footballs were given away to students of every school in Ko Yao Yai.
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King Power Group’s CEO Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said, “100 Football Pitches to Strengthen Thai Youth Power is part of King Power Group’s CSR activities. Aokapor School is the first school in the island to get the faux grass pitch installed. We are proud to pass on the good opportunity to the youth and the community. No matter where you live in Thailand, even in a remote island, if your school lacks a world standard football pitch, we are ready to make it happen. Let us be a part of supporting Thai youth to develop their football skills. We want every kid to have a chance to become a professional footballer in the future and promote the robust health for the communities.”
Udom Kuldee – Director of Aokapor School told us that, “Ko Yao Yai villagers would like to thank King Power for installing the faux grass football pitch for us. Despite the difficulties in transporting all the equipment here, they did it with good faith in order to enable our kids to have access to sharpen their football skills. Before all this, our kids had to play football on the soil ground which didn’t live up to any standards. If it rains, the ground will be all muddy and they had to play on the beach instead. That’s why they had all been eagerly waiting for this artificial pitch the whole time. I believe that this pitch will definitely make a football hero who will make it to national team of Thailand. Everyone is ready to pitch in with maintaining this football pitch so that the kids can use it as long as they can. We know that travelling all the way here to install the pitch is not an easy task. Every piece of equipment needed to be send here on a ship crossing over to Ko Yao Yai. It took them 6 rides; 2 hours for each ride. What’s more, when they came we had heavy rain during that period, too. It was supposed to take 60 days for installation but as it turned out, they had to take as many as 75 days to do it. When they installed, the students, the teachers and the volunteers from the local community also came to help to facilitate the process whenever they can. They had a hand in helping setting up the pitch and the atmosphere was full of the warmth of the community power.”
Toon- Artiwara Kongmalai said, “Having a world-standard football pitch right on the island is a rare case but it’s happened. Part of this was because the kids on the island are talented and they have always been on a lookout to get the tools that they need to be a successful football player. More than anything, they had always been longing to have this pitch right here. I feel happy for the school to finally have this football pitch for the kids. On behalf of Ko Yao Yai’s kids, I’d to thank you King Power for giving them this big opportunity.”
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