Chalong Mayor Thanaporn Triwong oversaw the opening ceremony at 3pm on Saturday at the Phuket Republic indoor football stadium in Chalong, joined by fellow council members, local government executives and representatives from various public and private sector entities.
A record 33 teams have entered the 7-a-side structured event which runs from Saturday until the end of the month (June 30).
The competition has been divided into four separate categories, organisers explained: under 12 years of age, consisting of nine teams; male open age, consisting of 12 teams; senior male age class (age 40 and above), consisting six teams; and female open age, consisting of six teams.
Trophies will be given out to the winning teams and runners up in each category, although it was not specified how the competition is structured in relation to how many games are played or when and how many points are rewarded for a win.
The objective of the competition is to promote a healthier lifestyle among residents, encourage youngsters to get involved in sport while potentially undercovering young football talent.
On a broader scale, the event is geared to unite the local community through playing sports and having fun. To emphasise this, many teams entered in fancy dress or incorporated fun themes into their team’s image.
As part of the opening ceremony there was a live musical perforamance from a local brass band, a traditional Thai dance performance and a cheerleading performance delivered by students from a local school.