NAKHON RATCHASIMA — Massive crowds formed a two-kilometre queue on a rainy Saturday morning to get tickets for the evening's final of the 17th Asian Women's Volleyball Championship between Thailand and Japan.
Queue of volleyball enthusiasts stretched for nearly 2 kilometres outside Chatchai Hall. (Photo by Thanarak Khoonton)
An estimated 10,000 fans packed the grounds in front of the 5,000-seat Chatchai Hall and had spilled onto the main road for almost two kilometres by the time tickets went on sale at 9am.
Each person was entitled to purchase only one ticket and not allowed to buy tickets for other people in order to ensure fairness.
The tickets cost 100 and 200 baht, but scalpers were asking 1,000 to 2,000 baht after the hall sold out, reports said.
Police officers were deployed to maintain order and prevent possible crimes.
The excessive number of spectators prompted the organisers to sell an additional 400 standing-room tickets. They were priced at 100 baht each and distributed to people through a drawing of lots early in the afternoon.
As well, the dome on the stadium premises will have televisions and giant projection screens to allow people who missed out on tickets to watch the match there.
A Facebook page called "Thailand Volleyball" reported a man had travelled from Samut Prakan and was seen camping out in front of the Chatchai Hall at 2am, waiting to buy a ticket. Some media reports said another group of fans had waited outside the stadium since 10pm Friday.
The Thailand-Japan showdown, which takes place at 6pm, will be broadcast live on Channel 7 and True Sport 106.
Thailand beat defending champions China 19-25, 25-19, 25-22, 21-25, 16-14 in the semi-finals on Friday. Japan defeated South Korea.
It was another big win for Thailand, which also defeated second-seeded Japan earlier in the tournament. The Thais have won only one Asian title in 2009 when they defeated the Chinese in the final.
Ten thousand people queue for 5,000 tickets on Saturday morning. (Photo by Thanarak Khoonton)