Tourism Minister Surasak revealed that the Cabinet has approved a draft law to separate the Ministry of Sports and Tourism, merging the tourism sector with the Ministry of Culture. The draft will be submitted to Parliament for consideration, with hopes to complete the process by the end of this year or early next year.
At 1:00 p.m. on 14 July 2026 at Government House, Surasak Phanjaroenworakul, Minister of Tourism and Sports, stated after the Cabinet meeting that the Cabinet approved the draft Royal Decree on the Improvement of Ministries, Bureaus, and Departments (No. ...) B.E. ...., concerning restructuring of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, as proposed by the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission. He noted that delaying appointments of civil servants at level 10 or above would cause issues for the Ministry of Tourism and Sports in September and October 2026, as two permanent secretaries and two level-10 inspectors are set to retire, leaving no level-10 officials in the ministry's permanent secretary office. The Prime Minister indicated that if necessary, appointments could be proposed. After Cabinet approval, the draft will be submitted to the House of Representatives for three readings before proceeding to the Senate. The duration of this process is uncertain, but the hope is to complete it by the end of 2026 or early 2027. To ensure smooth operations, if the delay in appointments causes issues, proposals can be submitted.
Surasak said that after restructuring, the Ministry of Sports will consist only of the Office of the Permanent Secretary, the Department of Physical Education, the state enterprise Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), and the National Sports University, which is the existing structure. Discussions to amend ministerial regulations to accommodate increased responsibilities will focus on elevating sports science and developing the sports industry to generate income and create genuine careers. Agencies transferring to the Ministry of Culture include the Department of Tourism, the Office of Sustainable Tourism Development Area (Public Organization), the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), and the Tourist Police. Once the separation is finalized and effective, the ministers of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Ministry of Culture will vacate their current positions, and the Prime Minister will appoint new ministers for the new ministries.
When asked if he would return as Minister of Sports after the new appointments, Surasak joked, “I’m fine working with the Prime Minister and Anutin.”