BY CHRISTINE MONCADA

GET ready for another full-scale rumble between the Philippines and Thailand.

The two protagonists appear headed for a fiery showdown after the Thais announced last Thursday that Filipino pugs have been disqualified from joining the 1st Asian Olympic Qualifying boxing tourney in Bangkok later this month reportedly for failing to meet the deadline for submission of entries.

Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines president Manny Lopez yesterday said he and his charges are gearing for a confrontation that will not be totally confined to the ring.

"I’m anticipating the worst case scenario. Pag-iinitan sigurado tayo duon," Lopez said, adding his boxers are still in the thick of preparations for the Bangkok joust despite the Thais’ announcement.

"We have already contacted the international federation about our situation. Pati nga sila nagulat sa decision ng Thailand," Lopez said, adding AIBA Executive Director Ho Kim even instructed Thai boxing officials three days ago to reset the deadline for the submission of entries.

Thai organizers have cited the Filipinos’ failure to beat the Jan. 20 deadline of submitting entries as the reason for their decision to disqualify Pinoy pugs from the competition, where the finalists in all 12 divisions qualify for the Beijing Olympics in August. The Bangkok qualifier is set Jan. 25-Feb. 2 at the Dhurakij Pundit University in Bangkok.

The Filipinos staged a near-walkout to protest alleged biased officiating in the SEA Games in Thailand last month and the Thai announcement last Thursday is widely seen as the Thais’ response to the controversial RP move.

But Amateur Boxing Association of Thailand President Gen. Thaweep Jantaroj reiterated the Filipinos’ disqualification had nothing to do with the SEA Games protest. He claimed an "internal problem" within the ABAP could be the reason why the Filipinos failed to submit their documents in time for the Dec. 20 deadline.

"There is no reason for us to seek revenge," Thaweep as quoted as saying by the Bangkok Post yesterday. "It is not possible they got the invitation letter so late that they could not return it to us on time."

Lopez countered by saying Thaweep is "dreaming in broad daylight," adding the hosts have no authority to disqualify Pinoy boxers because the event is organized by the Amateur International Boxing Association.

In the 2005 SEA Games in Bacolod City, rowdy Filipino fans pelted the ring with coins and other debris after middleweight Reynaldo Galido bowed to Olympic bronze medalist Suriya Prasathinpimai of Thailand in a highly-controversial fashion.

Another Thai, Olympic silver medalist Worapoj Petchkoom, won over a Bacolod-born Filipino, Joegen Ladon, 35-22, despite kissing the canvas in the third round. The obviously one-sided decision sparked a bloody free-for-all riot in the stands between and among Thai, Filipino journalists and officials.

Lopez remembers those incidents all too well and related he will seek assistance from Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Antonio Rodriguez to ensure the security of the small Philippine delegation when it steps on Thai soil two weeks from now.

The ABAP is set to send a team led by 2006 Doha Asian Games gold medalists Joan Tipon and Violito Payla to Thailand, where Pinoy boxers try to join Harry Tanamor in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in August.

In contrast, Five Thai boxers have already made the grade for the 2008 Olympics. They are Worapoj Petchkoom (54kg), Manus Boonjumnong (64kg), Suriya Prasathhinphimai (75Kg) and Ang-khan Chom-phoophuang (81kg).

Four other Thai fighters are joining the Bangkok tourney.

Should the Filipinos fail to clinch Olympics slots in Bangkok, they still have a chance in the second leg to be held in March in Astana, Kazak-hstan.

Aside from Payla and Tipon, likely to be sent to either the Bang-kok and Kazakhstan qualifying events are Godfrey Castro, Fil-American Chris Feil, Junel Cantancio, Genebert Basadre, Delfin Boholst, Larry Semillano, Joegin Ladon, Willie Lopez and Orlando Tacuyan.