Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games moved back from November until February

This year's re-arranged Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG), which was due to take place in Thailand in November, has been postponed until next February because of recent changes in the Government.

The three-month postponement was approved during the Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly in Bangkok today.

It is the second postponement of an event to be staged jointly in Bangkok and the province of Chonburi and originally due to take place in May 2021 before it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event, which is set to feature 290 medal events in 30 sports, was then re-arranged until this November but has now been rescheduled until early next year.

"As hosts, we request the OCA to postpone the Games from November this year to February and March in 2024," Dato Seri Chaiyapak Siriwat, the OCA vice-president for the 6th AIMAG, said.

"This is due to the recent general elections held in Thailand which has seen a transition of power with a new Government in place, resulting in delays in funding,"

New dates of February 24 until March 6 have now been set.

The next OCA General Assembly will also take place during the Games.

Dato Seri Chaiyapak Siriwat, the OCA vice-president for the AIMAG in Thailand, explained to the OCA General Assembly why they were asking for another postponement ©OCA

Thailand has still not named a new Prime Minister following the election in May which saw groups Move Forward and Pheu Thai score a major win over parties in the army-backed ruling Government.

The victory alarmed the country’s conservative ruling establishment - especially with Move Forward, which they regard as radical and a threat to the monarchy because of modest reforms it had proposed during the election campaign.

The leader of the surprise election winner Move Forward Party, 42-year-old businessman Pita Limjaroenrat, has faced strong opposition from conservative lawmakers in his bid to take the job.

A successful candidate must have the backing of a combined majority of the elected lawmakers in the Lower House and the military-appointed Senate, which represents the country’s traditional ruling class.

A decision could be reached next week.