Organised by the Sports Association of Phuket in collaboration with the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO), the competition was held at the Limelight Avenue Mall in Dibuk Rd, Talat Yai last weekend (July 18-19).
A total of 134 teams made up of 379 participants competed across two separate categories – an eFootball Mobile contest, which saw 99 teams involved, and Realm of Valor (RoV) games, which had 35 teams competing. RoV is the eSports national league in Thailand that incorporates the multiplayer online battle arena game known as Arena of Valor, a hugely popular game that is contested in organised leagues throughout the world.
The eFootball Mobile competition had seen competitors battle through an online selection process on the previous weekend of July 11-12, with the qualifiers advancing to last weekend’s final round. Eventual winners received trophies certificates and cash prizes, with B10,000 going to the winning team, B6,000 to the runners-up and B4,000 to the third placed team.
Similarly, trophies, certificates and cash prizes were awarded to the winners in the RoV competition, with B30,000 going to the winners, B20,000 to the runners-up and B10,000 to the third placed team.
The competition was inaugurated by Thammawat Wongcharoenyos, President of the Sports Association of Phuket and Sports Authority of Thailand Committee Member, who was joined by PPAO president Rewat Areerob; Shin Sith Charnnarong, Commissioner of the eSports Association of Thailand; in addition to distinguished guests from various associated organisations within the public and private sectors.
“The event creates a platform to enable youngsters interested in gaming and eSports to develop their skills and potentially forge a career in the sport,” said Mr Rewat.
“It is a pursuit that allows youngsters to make good use of their time while learning about the merits of sportsmanship and fair play. It also keeps impressionable youths away from negative and destructive temptations such as gambing and drugs.
“Furthermore, it helps create a lively and competitive atmosphere for participants while stimulating the local economy and promoting Phuket as an attractive sports tourism destination,” Mr Rewat concluded.