Sport in Thailand


This article presents an overview of the Sports in Thailand.

Types of sports

Football

Football has possibly overtaken Muayma Thai as the most widely followed sport in contemporary Thai society. Thailand national football team has played the AFC Asian Cup six times and reached the semifinals in 1972. The country has hosted the Asian Cup twice, in 1972 and in 2007. The 2007 edition was co-hosted together with Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. It is not uncommon to see Thais cheering their favouirite English Premier League teams on television and walking around in replica kit. Another widely enjoyed pastime, and once a competitive sport, is kite flying

Volleyball

Rugby union

Boxing

Badminton

Tennis

Golf

Thailand has been called the golf capital of Asia as it is a popular destination for golf. The country attracts a large number of golfers from Japan, Korea, Singapore, South Africa, and Western countries who come to play golf in Thailand every year. The growing popularity of golf, especially among the middle classes and expats, is evident as there are more than 200 world-class golf courses nationwide, and some of them are chosen to host PGA and LPGA tournaments, such as Amata Spring Country Club, Alpine Golf and Sports Club, Thai Country Club, and Black Mountain Golf Club.

Sepak takraw

Thai martial arts

Especially since the emergence of Birabongse Bhanudej, Motorsport has received a recent revival and become a popular sport in Thailand.

Top Level Leagues

Thailand National Games

GamesYearHostDates
I1967Bangkok1–5 November
II1968Chiang Mai3–9 December
III1969Songkhla24–30 November
IV1970Nakhon Ratchasima1–7 November
V1971Nakhon Sawan2–8 December
VI1972Ratchaburi2–8 December
VII1973Nakhon Si Thammarat23–29 August
VIII1974Chonburi3–9 December
IX1975Lopburi28 November−4 December
X1976Udon Thani4–10 December
XI1977Bangkok11–17 December
XII1979Ubon Ratchathani24–30 January
XIII1979Lampang23–29 December
XIV1981Pattani22–28 March
XV1981Udon Thani22–28 November
XVI1982Phuket19–25 December
XVII1984Phitsanulok22–28 January
XVIII1985Chiang Rai20–26 January
XIX1986Chanthaburi14–20 February
XX1987Roi Et23–29 January
XXI1987Lopburi18–24 December
XXII1989Songkhla22–28 March
XXIII1990Chiang Mai4–10 March
XXIV1991Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya17–23 March
XXV1992Khon Kaen12–18 July
XXVI1993Surat Thani24–31 July
XXVII1994Suphanburi19–26 November
XXVIII1995Nakhon Sawan16–23 June
XXIX1996Trang19–26 December
XXX1997Sisaket8–15 December
XXXI1998Rayong6–15 July
XXXII2000Bangkok9–20 December
XXXIII2002Chiang Mai13–24 December
XXXIV2004Ratchaburi18–28 December
XXXV2006Suphan Buri9–19 September
XXXVI2007Nakhon Si Thammarat15–25 September
XXXVII2008Phitsanulok14–24 December
XXXVIII2009Trang9–19 September
XXXIX2010Chonburi9–19 December
XL2012Khon Kaen3–13 March
XLI2012Chiang Mai9–19 December
XLII2014Suphan Buri5–15 January
XLIII2014Nakhon Ratchasima9–19 December
XLIV2015Nakhon Sawan12–21 December
XLV2017Songkhla20–30 June

Thailand National Para Games

GamesYearHostDates
I1975Bangkok
II1979Bangkok
III1980Bangkok
IV1981Bangkok
IV1981Chiang Mai
IV1981Khon Kaen
IV1981Songkhla
V1983Bangkok
VI1984Bangkok
VII1985Chonburi
VIII1986Bangkok15−18 December
IX1987Bangkok3−7 August
X1988Chonburi22−27 August
XI1989Bangkok31 August−3 September
XII1990Suphan Buri24−28 August
XIII1991Lampang1−7 August
XIV1992Chaiyaphum30 June−5 July
XV1993Nakhon Sawan11−16 August
XVI1994Bangkok1−5 August
XVII1995Suphan Buri21−24 September
XVIII1996Nakhon Sawan21−24 September
XIX1997Bangkok16−19 September
XX1998Sisaket23−26 September
XXI1999Rayong19−22 September
XXII2001Bangkok18−21 June
XXIII2003Chiang Mai10−15 January
XXIV2005Ratchaburi22−25 January
XXV2006Suphan Buri16−20 October
XXVI2007Nakhon Si Thammarat20−24 October
XXVII2009Phitsanulok17−21 January
XXVIII2009Trang24−28 October
XXIX2011Chonburi23−27 January
XXX2012Khon Kaen21−25 March
XXXI2013Chiang Mai15−19 January
XXXII2014Suphan Buri10−14 February
XXXIII2015Nakhon Ratchasima15−19 January
XXXIV2016Nakhon Sawan13−17 January
XXXV2017Songkhla20−24 July

Thailand National Youth Games

GamesYearHostDates
I1985Nakhon Ratchasima26 April–2 May
II1986Nakhon Si Thammarat18–24 June
III1987Surin19–25 March
IV1988Chiang Rai6–12 May
V1989Ratchaburi4–10 May
VI1990Phuket25–31 March
VII1991Trang18–27 January
VIII1992Sisaket26 March–1 April
IX1993Chanthaburi22–29 March
X1994Phitsanulok21–28 March
XI1995Songkhla21–28 March
XII1996Kamphaeng Phet19–26 May
XIII1997Surat Thani8–15 June
XIV1998Udon Thani19–26 March
XV1999Yala19–25 June
XVI2000Surin19–26 March
XVII2001Phrae24–31 March
XVIII2002Phang Nga24–31 March
XIX2003Phetchaburi19–29 March
XX2004Sukhothai20–31 March
XXI2005Chaiyaphum20–31 March
XXII2006Lampang19–27 March
XXIII2007Surat Thani20–30 March
XXIV2008Ubon Ratchathani19–29 March
XXV2009Kanchanaburi15–26 March
XXVI2010Phetchabun19–29 March
XXVII2011Uttaradit19–29 March
XXVIII2012Phuket26 May–6 June
XXIX2013Maha Sarakham17–28 March
XXX2014Sisaket13–23 March
XXXI2015Chanthaburi16–27 March
XXXII2016Suphan Buri9–19 March
XXXIII2017Chumphon and Ranong16–26 March

Thailand University Games

GamesYearHostDates
I1970Chiang Mai University18−25 November
II1972Chulalongkorn University9−17 November
III1974Thammasat University25−31 December
III1975Thammasat University1−4 January
IV1975Srinakharinwirot University27−31 December
IV1976Srinakharinwirot University1−4 January
V1977Universities in Bangkok22−28 January
VI1978Universities in Bangkok29−31 December
VI1979Universities in Bangkok1−6 January
VII1979Universities in Bangkok9−16 December
VIII1980Chiang Mai University29 October−1 November
IX1981Universities in Bangkok24−31 October
X1982Srinakharinwirot University24−31 October
XI1983Chulalongkorn University24−31 October
XII1984Khon Kaen University24−31 October
XIII1985Ramkhamhaeng University3−10 November
XIV1986Prince of Songkla University27 October−3 November
XV1987Srinakharinwirot University25 October−1 November
XVI1988Chiang Mai University17−24 October
XVII1989Khon Kaen University20−27 October
XVIII1990Ramkhamhaeng University23−30 November
XIX1992Mahidol University8−15 January
XX1993Kasetsart University8−15 January
XXI1993Chulalongkorn University19−26 November
XXII1994Thammasat University2−9 December
XXIII1996Maejo Institute of Agricultural Technology19−26 January
XXIV1997Ramkhamhaeng University14−21 January
XXV1998Mahidol University9−16 January
XXVI1999Kasetsart University29 January−5 February
XXVII1999Srinakharinwirot University4−10 December
XXVIII2001Niwattana University7−14 January
XXIX2001Thammasat University9−16 December
XXX2003Sripatum University11−18 January
XXXI2004Chiang Mai University10−17 January
XXXII2005Suranaree University of Technology8−15 January
XXXIII2005Mahidol University23−30 December
XXXIV2007Srinakharinwirot University19−26 January
XXXV2008Walailak University7−14 January
XXXVI2009Ramkhamhaeng University11−18 January
XXXVII2010Thammasat University22−30 January
XXXVIII2011Chulalongkorn University15−22 January
XXXIX2012Prince of Songkla University1−8 May
XL2013Institute of Physical Education10−19 January
XLI2014Khon Kaen University14−22 January
XLII2015Kasetsart University15−24 January
XLII2016Ubon Ratchathani University9−18 January
XLIII2017Suranaree University of Technology21 February−2 March
XLIV2018Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi22−31 January

Thailand National Student Games

GamesYearHostDates
I1977Bangkok
II1980Bangkok
III1981Bangkok
IV1982Bangkok
V1983Bangkok
VI1984Bangkok
VII1985Bangkok
VIII1986Bangkok
IX1987Udon Thani6−14 May
X1988Yala20−27 April
XI1989Suphan Buri4−11 May
XII1990Nakhon Sawan4−11 May
XIII1991Lopburi19−26 April
XIV1992Roi Et3−10 May
XV1993Chiang Rai3−10 May
XVI1994Roi Et3−10 June
XVII1995Udon Thani10−17 June
XVIII1996Chanthaburi20−27 November
XIX1998Yala3−10 February
XX1999Nakhon Sawan7−14 February
XXI2000Sisaket18−25 January
XXII2001Phetchabun15−22 January
XXIII2002Suphan Buri8−15 February
XXIV2003Krabi7−14 February
XXV2004Khon Kaen7−14 February
XXVI2005Chonburi8−12 February
XXVII2006Lampang2−9 February
XXVIII2007Maha Sarakham7−14 February
XXIX2008Chumphon6−13 February
XXX2009Sukhothai2−10 February
XXXI2010Surin21−29 February
XXXII2011Phetchaburi19−28 January
XXXIII2012Ubon Ratchathani23−31 January
XXXIV2013Phrae27 January−5 February
XXXV2014Phetchabun28 January−5 February
XXXVI2015Chiang Rai23−31 January
XXXVII2016Nakhon Si Thammarat23−31 January
XXXVIII2017Nakhon Ratchasima23−31 January
XXXIX2018Nakhon Nayok23−31 January

Thailand National Student Para Games

GamesYearHostDates
I2000Sisaket
II2001Phetchabun
III2002Suphan Buri
IV2003Krabi
V2004Khon Kaen
VI2005Chonburi
VII2006Lampang
VIII2007Maha Sarakham
IX2008Chumphon
X2009Sukhothai2−6 March
XI2010Surin5−9 March
XII2011Phetchaburi3−8 February
XIII2012Ubon Ratchathani1−6 March
XIV2013Phrae1−6 March
XV2014Phetchabun1−6 March
XVI2015Chiang Rai1−6 March
XVII2016Nakhon Si Thammarat1−6 March
XVIII2017Nakhon Ratchasima2−7 March
XIX2018Nakhon Nayok2−7 March

Thailand Local Administration Student Games

GamesYearHostDates
I1983Bangkok Metropolitan Administration4−7 November
II1984Bangkok Metropolitan Administration4−8 December
III1985Bangkok Metropolitan Administration15−21 November
IV1986Bangkok Metropolitan Administration10−14 November
V1987Bangkok Metropolitan Administration10−14 November
VI1988Bangkok Metropolitan Administration7−11 November
VII1990Bangkok Metropolitan Administration8−12 January
VIII1991Bangkok Metropolitan Administration14−18 January
IX1992Bangkok Metropolitan Administration13−17 January
X1993Bangkok Metropolitan Administration18−22 January
XI1994Bangkok Metropolitan Administration24−28 January
XII1995Khon Kaen City Municipality23−27 January
XIII1996Nakhon Si Thammarat City Municipality22−26 January
XIV1997Chiang Mai City Municipality20−24 January
XV1998Si Racha Town Municipality19−24 January
XVI1998Nakhon Pathom Town Municipality21−27 December
XVII2000Sisaket Town Municipality1−7 February
XVIII2000Trang City Municipality22−28 December
XIX2001Chiang Rai Town Municipality14−21 December
XX2003Si Racha Town Municipality3−9 January
XXI2003Sing Buri Town Municipality1−7 December
XXII2004Roi Et Town Municipality11−17 December
XXIII2006Surat Thani Town Municipality19−25 January
XXIV2007Lampang City Municipality18−25 January
XXV2008Rayong City Municipality18−27 January
XXVI2009Kanchanaburi Town Municipality20−30 January
XXVII2010Bangkok Metropolitan Administration10−20 January
XXVIII2011Udon Thani City Municipality20−30 January
XXIX2012Hat Yai City Municipality4−13 January
XXX2012Phitsanulok City Municipality19−28 December
XXXI2014Chonburi Provincial Administrative Organization19−28 January
XXXII2015Kanchanaburi Town Municipality14−23 January
XXXIII2016Bangkok Metropolitan Administration11−21 January
XXXIV2016Roi Et Town Municipality10−20 December
XXXV2018Phuket City Municipality21−30 January