The Olympic torch relay in Bangkok, the 12th leg of the Olympic flame's global tour, completed as scheduled early Saturday evening as the 80th and last torch bearer, Thai Olympic gold medalist Paveena Thongsuk kindled the Olympic cauldron with the flame in Bangkok's Royal Plaza.
The first torchbearer Anant Siripasraporn (C), Deputy Permanent Secretary for Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, runs with the torch in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, on April 19, 2008. Bangkok is the 12th stop of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay outside the Chinese mainland.
Paveena arrived at around 6:10 p.m. (1110GMT) at the stage set up before the King Rama V Monument in the Royal Plaza, the finishing point of the torch relay in Bangkok, to meet a cheering crowd of thousands waving Chinese and Thai national flags.
The torch relay kicked off at around 3:20 p.m. local time (0820GMT) on the hot sunny Saturday, at the ceremonial "Chinese Gate" on Yaowarat Road that marks the gateway to Bangkok's century-old China Town.
Starting by Anant Siripasraporn, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, 80 torch bearers, selected from distinguished representatives from different walks of life including government officials, athletes, company executives, artists, students, educators, social workers and Thai-Chinese community leaders, had run through a 10.4-km-long route in Bangkok that covers the city's most famous landmarks and historical sites.
