The Vietnam Swans will travel to Thailand for the Tigers' annual ANZAC Day footy match
On 25 April, ANZAC Day, the Vietnam Swans will rise at 3am to attend the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Hellfire Pass in Thailand. Hellfire Pass is the name given to the notorious railway cutting on the Burma Death Railway. During WWII, Japanese guards forced POWs to work up to 18 hours per day to complete the cutting.
In the afternoon of ANZAC Day, we will then play the Thailand Tigers in their annual ANZAC Day footy match in Kanchanaburi.
It is a great honour for the Vietnam Swans to be invited by Thailand to this event. This year will be particularly special as ANZAC Day falls on a Saturday which means we will play our match on the same day as the Dawn Service.
As clearly demonstrated in 2007 when the Thailand Tigers hosted the Asian Champs, the Tigers know how to organise extremely successful events. The ANZAC weekend will be no exception. Below, is the itinerary which has been prepared by the Tigers.
Friday 24th April
A Tiger Representative will meet the Vietnam Swans to take us directly to Kanchanaburi (approx 3hrs).
Saturday 25th April
3.30am – Depart for Hellfire Pass for the ANZAC Dawn Service. The Dawn Service will commence at approx 5.30am and will be followed by a traditional “gunfire breakfast” (full details at the Australian Embassy’s website).
2.00pm – At footy oval 15 minutes drive from Kanchanaburi, pre game announcements, introductions and National Anthem.
2.30pm – Match commences. 15min quarters and a half time kids’ match. Post Game presentations and drinks. Four ex POWs will be in attendance and shall present the Wilfred Chicken Smallhorn award to the best player. Chicken Smallhorn won a VFL Brownlow Medal in 1933. During WWII, Smallhorn was taken prisoner by the Japanese and spent 3 years in Changi Prison – where he organised a footy competition and won a “Changi Brownlow” to add to his collection!
6pm – Pre dinner drinks before boarding a boat on the River Kwai for dinner & drinks. At 8.30pm we will be transferred to a nearby pub which televises the AFL football.
Sunday 26th April
Depart back to Bangkok @ approx 10.30am.
This will be an amazing weekend.
