Thailand is competing with Paraguay and Chile to host the 2030 Youth Olympic Games.
Dr. Kongsak Yodmanee, Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand, revealed that Bangkok, Thailand, is competing to host the 2030 Youth Olympic Games alongside Asunción, Paraguay, and Santiago, Chile. He expressed confidence in Thailand's capabilities not only in sports development but also in promoting youth activities, education, and providing broad economic and social benefits to the community, which should enhance Thailand's chances of securing this major sporting event.
Dr. Kongsak Yodmanee, Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), disclosed that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is currently selecting the host city for the 5th Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2030. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has received cabinet approval for Thailand to submit its bid. At this stage, Bangkok, representing the host city, is among the final three contenders alongside Asunción, Paraguay, and Santiago, Chile, with the official host city announcement scheduled for mid-year.
"Bangkok, as the candidate city for hosting the 5th Youth Olympic Games, will work with the Sports Authority of Thailand to present comprehensive readiness documentation to the IOC. Thailand's strengths extend beyond sports development to include promoting youth activities and education, as well as delivering wide-ranging economic and social benefits to communities. We are confident that our chances of securing hosting rights are at least equal to those of Paraguay and Chile," said Dr. Kongsak.
The Summer Youth Olympic Games are an Olympic-level multi-sport event for athletes aged 15 to 18. The competition includes the same sports as the Olympic Games and is held every four years. The first event was in Singapore in 2010, the second in Nanjing, China in 2014, and the third in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2018. The fourth edition was originally scheduled for Dakar, Senegal, in 2022 but was postponed to 2026 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, now set to take place from 31 October to 13 November.