Thailand.org

London Olympics

At the conclusion of the Beijing Olympics, Thailand’s Olympic winners returned to enthusiastic cheers. Leading the way, gold medal boxer Somjit Jongjorhor and gold medal weight lifter Prapawadee Jaroenrattanatarakoon were featured in a Bangkok parade upon their return. Fellow medalists Buttree Puedpong, who won a silver medal in tae-kwon-do, and Manus Boonjumnong, who won silver in his boxing weight class after winning gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics, joined the gold medalists in the celebration. Somjit praised his fans in the southern provinces, as the athletes dedicated their efforts to the nation. Younger athletes such as Parapawadee looked ahead to the 2012 London Olympics, and to the Asian Games in 2010.