Wed, May 22, 2013 15:12:47 PM
Bangkok Post
Wed, May 22, 2013 15:12:47 PM
Bangkok Post
The handover of the Bangkok Futsal Arena to Fifa faces another delay as construction will not be completed in time for inspection.
Five days after the Bangkok governor insisted the stadium would be ready for delivery to the world football governing body, MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra said on Saturday that the planned handover would be postponed from Sunday to Oct 29 -- three days before the event is supposed to start.
MR Sukhumbhand said workers could not install the imported wooden floor because of problems with customs clearance of the materials in China.
He said Fifa officials on Sunday would go ahead as planned to inspect Chatichai Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, one of the four venues to be used for the Futsal World Cup from Nov 1-8.
The 12,000-seat stadium in Bangkok's Nong Chok district is the main venue for the tournament, including the opening ceremony. But the construction delay has forced the organisers to rearrange the schedule.
The new arena will host matches from the quarter-finals onward, while Hua Mark Indoor Stadium will be the venue for the opening ceremony.
The governor, who last week slept over at the statium to signal his commitment to complete the work, said the stadium would be ready for tests after the Fifa inspection.
