On behalf of the people and city of Chiang Mai, may I bid a very warm welcome to all the participants and their friends, to the sponsors and advertisers, and to the organisers of the 17th Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes and 5th Sixes Sawasdee Cup. It is a pleasure to have you back again for another week of sporting fun. Many of you I know are very old friends of Chiang Mai returning to familiar surroundings, and it is great to see you here again. To those visiting our city for the first time, I hope sincerely that you too discover the warm hospitality and other magic Chiang Mai ingredients that continue to attract so many of your fellow cricketers to return so often.

I hope that your generous efforts in supporting "Building a Future for Cricket in Thailand" will continue to bear fruit. I know that your initiative of helping to fund Sawasdee Cricket in local Thai schools, has already begun to show great signs of success - 4 ‘graduates’ of the program have represented Thailand at international junior level, and an International Cricket Council Award this year recognised the program as "Best Development Initiative in Asia". I should not forget also the hundreds of children now simply enjoying the educational and healthy sporting values of playing Sawasdee Cricket at their schools. Thank you for your efforts on behalf of our children.

May I wish you all a superb week of sport and relaxing fun at this year's Sixes. Good luck both on and off the cricket field and have a terrific holiday!

Dr Ken Santitham
Chief Executive Officer,
Acting Mayor of Chiang Mai