The annual event sees more than 2,000 athletes, officials and coaches from a total of 38 schools across the island competing in the competition, which runs from yesterday until Aug 11 at Surakul Stadium.
A total of 12 sports will be contested during the event, including football, futsal, sepak takraw, indoor and beach volleyball, basketball, badminton, petanque, table tennis, tennis, swimming and athletics.
The athletics competition, held yesterday until tomorrow at the stdaium in Mueang district, will see athletes selected to participate in the 44th National Student Games region 8 qualifying round in Surat Thani ahead of the finals in Khon Kaen Province between Jan 22-30 next year.
Yesterday’s opening ceremony of the Phuket sports event took place at Surakul Stadium and was overseen by Thammawat Wongcharoenyos, President of the Sports Association of Phuket.
Joining him were: Warin Khaothong, Secretary-General of the Sports Association of Phuket; Anas Buanak, Project Assistant from the Phuket office of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT); Rewat Areerob, President of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO); Ratchadaporn Oin, Director of the Phuket Tourism and Sports Office, in addition to relevant officials, distinguished guests, teachers, students and athletes.
In his opening remarks Mr Thammawat explained that the objectives of the Phuket competition are to support and encourage students to have good health, be strong, have morality, ethics, discipline, sportsmanship and unity among the group, while elevating and developing sports skills among students to participate competition at a higher level.