Thailand to host Europe, Asia´s big football guns in May

BANGKOK, Feb 19 (AFP) - Thailand will host European football powers Arsenal, Chelsea and Inter Milan in a four-team tournament in May that is also to feature a selection of Asian all-stars, officials said Wednesday.

"The teams will be Arsenal, Inter Milan and Chelsea, with a fourth team of Asian stars," an organizer of the King's Super Cup told AFP.

The English Premier League's cross-town London rivals as well as the Italian giant have agreed to travel to Thailand for the May 28-31 event in Bangkok, making it the country's most prestigious football tournament ever.

The Asian side will comprise several participants in World Cup 2002 such as China's Sun Jihai and Li Tie and Japan's flamboyant playmaker Hideshi Nakata.

Organizers say they are in discussions to secure attendance of other key players from Iran, Korea, Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

The event will feature four matches, with each team playing twice.

The tournament is being organized by several syndicates under the guidance of Thailand´s newly-established tourism and sports ministry.

Chadej Insawang, the ministry's permanent secretary, said in local media reports that he expected the tournament to draw more than 100,000 foreign tourists.

Thais are famously fanatical football fans in their own right, with English Premier League, Serie A and German Bundesliga matches often broadcast live throughout the season.