Olympic torch relay starts in Bangkok

　　BANGKOK, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The torch relay for the Beijing Olympic Games started at 3:20 p.m. (0820GMT) Saturday in the China Town area in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, after a launching ceremony at the ceremonial gateway "Chinese Gate."

　　After kindling the Olympic Torch with the Olympic Flame stored in a special lantern which has traveled 11 cities around the globe, Jiang Xiaoyu, vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee of Olympic Games (BOCOG) handed the torch to Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Zhang Jiuhuan, who passed on to Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin.

　　Aprirak then handed the torch to the first torch bearer, Anant Siripasraporn, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), who started running to kick off the first ever Olympic torch relay in his home city, amid a cheering crowd and followers.