Thailand at the 2002 Winter Olympics Thailand at the 2002 Winter Olympics Thailand sent a delegation to compete at the Winter Olympic Games for the first time at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States from 8–24 February 2002. The delegation consisted of a single representative, cross-country skier Prawat Nagvajara. He failed to finish the 30 kilometre freestyle mass start and placed 67th in the sprint Thailand first joined Olympic competition at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki and, except for the boycotted 1980 Summer Olympics, has participated in every Summer Olympics since. Prawat Nagvajara qualified for the 2002 Winter Olympics, marking the
2002 Winter Olympic bid scandal the International Olympic Committee Members and International Sport organizations. Despite their efforts, the 1998 Games went to Nagano, Japan, in a 46-to-42 vote. Many felt the reason was that the US had recently been awarded the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Others, including Welch, believed it was because Nagano had better wined and dined the officials. A Salt Lake Olympic Bid Committee member complained about competing with the Japanese bid committee for the 1998 Olympic Winter Games: "We were giving out saltwater taffy and cowboy hats, and they were giving out computers. IOC members who came to inspect Nagano