Ministry of Tourism and Sports (Thailand)


The Ministry of Tourism and Sports is a cabinet ministry in the Government of Thailand. The ministry's primary areas of responsibility are tourism and sports. The ministry is in charge of managing the tourist industry and sports both in schools and other institutions. The ministry organizes and directs Thailand's important sporting events. Its FY2019 budget is 6,413.9 million baht.
the Minister of Tourism and Sports is Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn.

History

The ministry was created in 2003 during the administration of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The government wanted a sports ministry, but the senate refused to support it as professional sports were not big enough to warrant a ministry. To overcome the objection, the government added tourism to the ministry's portfolio. Two agencies manage Thai tourism: The Tourism Authority of Thailand, is responsible for "bodycount", i.e., attracting visitors. The Department of Tourism in the Sports and Tourism Ministry regulates the industry and manages infrastructure. TAT's success in driving up numbers—more than 35 million visitors arrived in 2017—has overwhelmed the 130 employees responsible for managing the industry.

Departments

Administration

Sports Authority of Thailand

Established in 1985, the Sports Authority of Thailand regulates all sports associations in Thailand.

Tourism Authority of Thailand

Established in 1960, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is responsible for the promotion of Thailand tourism. It has 35 regional offices in Thailand and 15 abroad.