Bangkok: The Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand is confident that by 2026, world-class sports events will help create economic value. The Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) is confident that by 2026, world-class sports events in Thailand, such as MotoGP, the Women's Volleyball Nations League, and the Buriram Marathon, will generate immense economic value for the country. This year, there is also a "Sports-Culture" project to create economic value concurrently, showcasing Muay Thai and various other interesting sports to the world, starting this February in Saudi Arabia.
According to Thai News Agency, Dr. Kongsak Yodmani, Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), stated that throughout 2025, Thailand hosted numerous world-class sports events, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from both Thai and international sports fans. This included hosting the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) at the end of last year, which generated over 12 billion baht in economic value.
The Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) further stated that in 2026, Thailand will continue to host world-class sports events, with many events throughout the year as before. We must strive to increase the economic value of these events even more. For example, the MotoGP World Championship in Buriram last year generated 5 billion baht in economic value. This year, with both pre-season testing and the first race in February, we intend to increase that value even further. The Women's Volleyball Nations League in June, which has received a positive response, also has the potential to generate significant economic value. In addition, there is the Buriram Marathon on January 24th and other events that will contribute to Thailand's economic growth in 2026 reaching or exceeding that of 2025.
'In addition to the many world-class sports events that will be held in Thailand throughout this year, we also have a 'Sports-Culture' project to create economic value. This is a collaboration between the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), which will promote Muay Thai and other popular sports to the world. The project will begin in Saudi Arabia this February before expanding to other countries worldwide,' said the Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand.