BANGKOK Thailand AP Inauguration of the main media center in Thailand for the 13th Asian Games was postponed Tuesday because the facilities weren't ready while a special team was assigned to round-the-clock duty to keep insects out of the games' main swimming pool. Five days before Asia's biggest sporting competition officially opens bugs are turning up literally in the last-minute frenzy to put the finishing touches on venues and in some cases make them usable. The Bangkok Post highlighted problems both about the poor soccer pitch at the National Stadium where the main matches will be played and the central swimming pool's tendency to fill up with dead insects. Taiwan's riding team at the equestrian center meanwhile blamed poor arena conditions for injuries to a prize horse. Organizers could only be thankful that morning rains did not extend into the afternoon's rehearsal of the opening ceremony. Nearly 5000 journalists are accredited to cover the games which will bring together some 6000 athletes from 41 countries in what the organizers have billed as the 20th century's last great sporting event. But the organization and construction of the venues has been plagued by the Asian economic crisis. The main media center already a week behind schedule for its inauguration saw the official opening postponed again Tuesday when Jurin Laksanavisit a government minister didn't show because the facilities weren't ready. The pitch at the Bangkok's National Stadium where Oman demolished Hong Kong 6-0 in Monday's preliminary soccer matches to unofficially kick off the competition is far below the required international standard the Bangkok Post cited Asia's top soccer official as saying. Dato Peter Velappan secretary general of the Asian Football Confederation said that the pitch needed to be upgraded immediately or another ground would have to be found for remaining matches. Velappan said he had warned Thailand six months ago that the pitch was not good enough. Attempts to improve it made matters worse because the contractor who laid new turf had more experience with home gardens than soccer grounds the Post said. Just days ago parts of the pitch were covered in water and bare patches were showing. Meanwhile the head of the Swimming Association of Thailand was quoted in the same newspaper as saying that thousands of dead insects of all kinds have been found floating in the central competition pool. ``For Thai men it might not be a serious problem but I am sure it would make the foreigners' hair stand on end'' Maj. Gen. Kamol Saen-issara said. Kamol said organizers might have to turn to strong insecticides but vowed not to use any substances that could harm swimmers. He added that he hoped that when the pool is in use the increased presence of humans might keep the bugs away. The swimming association announced Tuesday that it will send a 24-hour standby bug-hunting team to help attendants clear insects from the pool. The association's equipment coordinator Chiraphan Chanmanee also said the games' health subcommittee had assigned a pest control unit to exterminate insects in and around the pool every two days. APW19981201.0438.txt.body.html APW19981201.0113.txt.body.html