14th annual Khamee National Day football tournament held in Thailand

A grand football tournament was organised to commemorate the 14th anniversary of Khamee National Day, which falls on 27 April, at Krathum Baen of Samut Sakhon in Thailand, said an official from Khamee National Culture Network.

"The commemorative football is organised for wishing a bright future to Khamee youth. Currently, our people are dispersed. So it’s organized with an aim to unite the Khamee young people and foster friendships among themselves," added the official.

The commemorative football tournament was organised for the third time at local factory, Soi Phet Kasem 99, where Khamee youths from various localities participated.

"April 27 is our Khamee National Day. To commemorate this occasion, we arranged the football tournament,” said a Khamee youth from  Thailand. 

Otherwise, 27 April is a workday day in Thailand and during the water festival the offices remain closed for  2 to 3 days. So the auspicious day is observed this month.

The tournament, organized by Khamee people of Thailand, took place on a single day (24 March).

20 men's teams and 4 women's teams participated in the tournament. Various awards like first prize, second prize, top scorer prize, best goalkeeper prize, best midfielder prize and best defender prize, were distributed.

"Everyone knows that the situation in Rakhine State is not peaceful. All our brothers and sisters in Rakhine State should live without discrimination,” stated the official.

Khamee people, one of the Rakhine ethnic groups, were previously named differently. Later the  Khamee representatives from all townships unanimously decided at a conference held in Laung Shay Chaung in Mrauk-U township on 27 & 28 April 1972, to be called by ‘Khamee only.

The day (April 27), when the conference was organised  in 1972 was designated as Khamee National Day and it has been observed annually since 27 April 2011.

The Khamee people reside in the townships of Ann, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Ponnagyun, Buthidaung, Pauktaw and Rathedaung of Rakhine State and they have a cumulative population of over 80,000.