The World Tour Grand Finals, the ITTF's most lucrative event, is due to be held in Thailand's capital from December 11 to 14, with a prize pot expected to exceed $1 million (£590,000/€730,000).

The Grand Finals are the pinnacle of the year-long ITTF World Tour and features the top ranking players from the 21 ITTF-sanctioned World Tour events from across the year.

But the chances of it taking place must already be in doubt after armed troops and military vehicles topped with machine guns took up positions in central Bangkok after the army declared martial law across Thailand.

The political instability, which was triggered last November when the People's Democratic Reform Committee, led by Suthep Thaugsuban, began staging anti-Government rallies in Bangkok as part of a call for wider reform, has forced the cancellation and relocation of many events scheduled for the nation.

The first leg of the International Tennis Premier League was moved from Bangkok to Manila, the Phuket leg of the International Volleyball Federation World Tour in October was cancelled earlier this month and the Snooker's Players Championship Grand Finals were moved from Bangkok to Guild Hall in Preston, England.

The 2013 World Tour Grand Finals were held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and, following its success, the city has been awarded the hosting rights for the 2015 World Team Cup on January 8 to 11.

Barbados will put itself on the table tennis organising scene after being named the host of the 2014 World Cadet Challenge.

The tournament will take place in the capital and largest city of the small island country, Bridgetown, and will see the world's best under-15 players scheduled to compete from October 23 to November 1.

Barbados will make its way onto the table tennis events organising scene as it gets set to host the 2014 World Cadet Challenge in its capital city of Bridgetown
©National Geographic/Getty Images



Following the announcements, ITTF chief executive Judit Farago, said: "It will be our pleasure to return to Dubai in January 2015 for the World Team Cup.

"The UAE Table Tennis Association (TTA) organises the second major ITTF event in one years' time attracting the world's best players again after the last World Tour Grand Finals.

"At the same time the year-ending World Tour Grand Finals moves to Bangkok thanks to the Thailand TTA, one of the most active Asian association holding several ITTF and continental events recently on very high level, enough to mention the running SET Thailand Junior Circuit where young players between 12 and 18 compete in 16 different events right now.

"[It is] good to see a new host city, Bangkok on the World Tour, while a small Caribbean country, Barbados, puts itself on the map of event organisers, offering a spectacular and exotic place for the most important event of the youngest age category.

"It is very good to see their motivation to promote their country and to develop their young team at the same time."

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