ABAT chief General Taweep Jantararoj says he is confident of the Thai boxers at Beijing as he consider them the best Olympic team the country has ever had, although he is worried with the effect of weigh loss on light flyweight Amnat Ruenroeng  
 
General Taweep Jantararoj, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of Thailand (ABAT), in a press conference on August 8, said he is confident the eight Thai Olympic boxers, currently at the athlete’s village in Beijing, make up the best boxing squad Thailand has ever had.

The general is satisfied with the overall preparation and the development of the Thai boxing team, although he is concerned with light flyweight fighter Amnat Ruenroeng who became exhausted during a weigh control program.

The eight Thai Olympic boxers have arrived at Beijing for the Games on August 8-24 after three months of intensive training and sparring in Vietnam.

The Vietnam Airlines flight from Ho Chi Minh City arrived at Beijing, China, at noon on August 3, carrying eight Thai boxing athletes including light flyweight Amnat Ruenroeng, flyweight Somjit Jongjohor, bantamweight Worapoj Petchkhoom, featherweight Sailom Adi, lightweight Pichai Sayotha, light welterweight Manus Boonjumnong, welterweight Non Boonjumnong, and middleweight Angkhan Chomphuphuang.

Accompanying the athletes to Beijing were four coaches including Kammanit Nareerat, Omar Paragon, Chaichumporn Chamnanmak, and Suparb Bonnror.

The Beijing Games organizer has released the schedule of boxing matches, putting middleweight Angkhan Chomphuphuang as the first Thai athlete in the ring with a match on August 9.

The 29th Olympic boxing event will be held at the Workers’ Stadium in Beijing from August 9 to 24. The matches are scheduled on either 1.30-4.45 pm or 7.00-10.15 pm local time, or 2.30-5.34 pm and 8.00-11.15 pm Thai time.

Middleweight newcomer Angkhan Chomphuphuang will be the first Thai boxer to fight as his match is scheduled in the first period of Saturday August 9, unless he is awarded a random bye.

The captain of Thai Olympic boxers complains of squeaking beds of the new facility in Vietnam, while IBA calls for host countries for Olympic qualification events. 
 
Team captain of the Thai Olympic boxers Somjit Jongjohor said the athletes were having troubles sleeping at Army Sport Center training facility in Vietnam due to the old wooden beds that swayed and creaked.

Somjit said the bathrooms were also in bad conditions as some did not have shower heads. He has informed the coach who will coordinate with the facility staff to fix the problems.

The Thai athletes earlier stayed at a hotel in downtown Ho Chi Minh City but have moved to the Sport Center to save time and avoid traffic congestion. Asides from the squeaking beds, the Thai boxers are mostly satisfied with the new facility.

The boxers will compete in the Beijing Olympic Games on September 8-24.