"Kongsak" reveals that the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) has decided on the issue of Thai national athletes' allowances, which have not increased for 10 years.
On 26 December 2025, Dr. Kongsak Yodmanee, Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand, spoke to Thairath Sport about the possibility of increasing allowances for Thai national athletes following feedback from the recently concluded 2025 SEA Games.
In one case, Yamin Krisda Nilsawai, a fast volleyball player on Thailand's men's national team that won gold at the 2025 SEA Games, revealed he receives a daily allowance of 900 baht but after deductions for accommodation and other expenses, only 600 baht remains. This situation has persisted for over 10 years, prompting calls for an increase.
Dr. Kongsak Yodmanee stated that the idea of raising the daily allowance for Thai national athletes from 900 baht to 1,200 baht has been under consideration for some time and seems feasible. However, detailed budget reviews are still required.
The SAT Governor said, "We are considering raising the allowance from 900 baht to 1,200 baht, but we must carefully review various aspects such as suitability, cost of living, and the number of athletes. Any increase must apply to all athletes, including both able-bodied and disabled athletes."
Regarding the 2026 Asian Games hosted by Japan from 19 September to 4 October 2026, Dr. Kongsak revealed that the SAT must manage its limited budget carefully. Thus, any allowance increase must be balanced with an appropriate number of athletes.
"Thailand's approach for this Asian Games will emphasize quality over quantity. We have discussed with the National Olympic Committee of Thailand that only athletes with genuine potential or prospects will be selected, based on performance and world rankings," he explained.
"Therefore, the number of athletes at this Asian Games may be smaller than before, allowing the budget to be redistributed to increase the daily allowance to the new rate of 1,200 baht."
"We want to push for this increase to take effect at the Asian Games. This is an urgent matter regarding allowance adjustments. However, for the SEA Games, the allowance rate has been this amount for a full year, including all allowances and the support funds we provide to over 50 sports associations for preparations.""The total support for more than 50 sports associations exceeds 1.5 billion baht."