BANGKOK — After the ceremonial suits for Thai athletes at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, became a heavily criticized issue on Thai social media, the National Olympic Committee of Thailand had to hold a press conference and apologize for the misunderstanding. They also urged Thai people to focus on giving support to the athletes and staff of the Thai national team.
On July 20, Choi Young Seok, known to Thais as ‘Coach Che’, the South Korean head coach of the Thai national taekwondo team, was another person who showcased this suit on his personal Facebook page. However, his message did not mention the suit but instead focused on the team’s preparation for the games.
“Departing tomorrow for the 2024 Paris Olympics. This time, the Thai Taekwondo Olympic Team will compete for the Paris Olympic team on August 1st after 10 days of adaptation training and final training in London, England. Please support our Thai Taekwondo Olympic Team, which has been preparing hard. Thank you,” he said.
Previously, other athletes had gradually posted photos of themselves wearing this suit on social media. For example, Panipak Wongpattanakit, the taekwondo athlete who won a gold medal in the 2020 Olympics, and Ratchanok Intanon, the badminton player who was the world champion in women’s singles in 2013.
Although the athletes didn’t post any accompanying messages, it’s understood that they wanted to show support for the Thai Olympic Committee and Songsamai, the designer and producer of the heavily criticized suits. They also likely wanted to redirect Thai people’s attention towards supporting the athletes.
Meanwhile, the ‘Songsamai Sang-hee (Headquarters)’ Facebook page posted a clarification stating, ‘Songsamai Sang-hee would like to clarify, to avoid confusion, that we are not involved with the ceremonial suits for Thai athletes participating in the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.’
“Songsamai is an international suit tailoring business established by our grandfather in 1938. Songsamai Sang-hee is a business passed down from our grandfather’s generation to our father’s, and currently, it’s being run by the third generation of direct descendants. We are committed to development by combining the expertise accumulated over 80 years with the contemporary changes in the world. The company would like to thank everyone for their questions, opinions, and interest in this event. We refrain from commenting as taste is a personal matter. We respect all designers equally and thank you for your continued support,” it stated.
Previously, General Wit Thephasadin Na Ayudhya, Secretary-General of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, addressed the criticism regarding the Thai athletes’ uniforms on July 19.
He stated,“We listen to opinions and respect each other as fellow Thais. We apologize here for any misunderstandings and mistakes made by our team, regardless of which part. This is because, up until now, the Olympic Committee has not clearly explained which outfit is to be used for which occasion during these Olympic Games.”
General Wit explained that in the past, the attire we used in international sports events, from the SEA Games to the Asian Games and Olympic Games, was standard international suits. This year, the Thai Olympic Committee and team intend to promote Thai art, culture, and contribute to Thailand’s soft power through our textile culture and fabrics.
“We selected, designed, and tailored the uniforms ourselves under the brand name ‘Songsamai’. The Olympic Committee handled the fabric selection independently, without involvement from any other agencies. The design and tailoring were at the discretion of the Olympic Committee, with no other organizations involved whatsoever.”
“What we’ve tried to do is solely for the country and its reputation, with no hidden agenda. There have never been any benefits in return, only support for sports. Our athletes have qualified for 51 spots in 17 sports for the Olympic Games. We should unite in supporting our athletes representing us in the Olympics rather than focusing on this issue,” he said.
General Wit mentioned that during the Olympic period from July 26 to August 11, there are several ceremonial events. They need various appropriate outfits for these occasions. For the opening ceremony, they will use blue jackets from Grand Sport, which are comfortable, not restrictive, suitable for the weather conditions, and embody Thai identity while being modern and international. He believes Grand Sport has done a good job.
For the closing ceremony on August 11, Thana Chaiprasit, the head of the athletic delegation, will make the decision.
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