A heated and sunny Olympic torch relay in Bangkok

　　BANGKOK, April 19 (Xinhua) -- "Even if it rains, it will not put out my passion for the Olympic relay," Anant Siripasraporn, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), who will run the first leg of the Olympic torch relay in Bangkok Saturday, told Xinhua with a broad smile.

　　Anant is waiting for the Olympic torch relay, the first time ever for Thailand, to be launched scheduled at 3 p.m. (0800GMT) Saturday, April 19.

　　TV cameramen, who had waited hours before the start of the ceremony, began to set up umbrellas over their machines, as dark clouds began to gather and shadow the stage at the Chinese Gate, the ceremonial gateway at the mouth of Yaowarat Road, a landmark that marks the starting point of Bangkok's century-old China Town area.

　　"We had prayed to Buddha it will not rain today, so don't worry," said Charouck Arirachakaran, Secretary-General of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand (NOCT), in a half-joking manner.

　　"Unless it is a huge storm, we won't postpone the relay process," Charouck said, "Anyway we are determined to have a smooth and successful torch relay. Thailand have invested a lot to ensure that, and that's our good wish and support for the Beijing Olympics."

　　The pray, or the confidence of the Thais seemed to work. After 2: 00 p.m. (0700GMT), the sky cleared again over the Chinese Gate and summer sunshine typical of this tropical city began to sweaten the crowd.