“Big Ton” promotes policies to run for a third term as rugby president, plans to bring the World Series tournament to Thailand, push for semi-professional rugby, and develop coaches in the provinces.
Ahead of the election for president of the Rugby Football Association of Thailand under Royal Patronage, which may take place on 7 April, “Big Ton,” Police Lieutenant Colonel Kulthan Prajuapmoa, the former association president who is seeking a third term, has announced key policies to develop rugby in Thailand.
One of the main policies is to bring the global "World Series" tournament to Thailand, a major event larger than the Asia Series, which would attract rugby players from around the world to compete in the country, with live broadcasts worldwide. Discussions will be held with key long-time association sponsors, including Thai Beverage and PTT OR, to jointly push this project forward.
Another important goal is to promote a semi-professional rugby system to create opportunities for Thai rugby players to earn income and prize money from the sport seriously. This policy was previously announced during his second term but has yet to be successfully implemented.
However, “Big Ton” has resigned before the election to ensure transparency and will halt approvals of all budgets. His resignation aims to allow the upcoming presidential election on 7 April to proceed transparently according to regulations. Under the rules, Admiral Pakorn Monthatpolin, the association secretary-general, will act as interim president and organize the general meeting to elect the new president as scheduled.
Regarding policy, “Big Ton” revealed that a key focus is raising the standard of coaches in the provinces through training aligned with World Rugby's certification at each level. He plans to open opportunities for successful local coaches to join the national team coaching staff, as the increasing number of rugby players requires more coaches to support athlete development.
For 15-a-side rugby, Police Lieutenant Colonel Kulthan affirmed that it remains a priority as the foundation of the sport. He initiated the Union Cup tournament, held for two years with teams from Asia and ASEAN participating. This year, eight teams will compete, with Thailand as the host. There are also plans to establish a Thai women's 15-a-side national team to compete internationally. Domestically, many schools face budget constraints, some having only 40,000 to 50,000 baht annually, limiting their ability to send teams to competitions. Thus, there is an idea to financially support schools and universities wishing to enter teams.
To advance semi-professional rugby, the association started with national players in the 7-a-side category, both men’s and women’s teams, providing salaries to athletes during off-competition periods so they can continuously train and develop their skills.
The focus on 7-a-side rugby stems from the assessment that Thai athletes’ physical attributes, agility, and skills are well-suited to this format of the game.
At the same time, the Thai national 7-a-side teams have achieved satisfactory success, especially the women's team, which has potential to develop into a Top League contender in the World Series in the future.
The association believes sustainable rugby development requires building popularity for the sport. It intends to use both the men’s and women’s national 7-a-side teams as key drivers to increase rugby’s popularity in Thailand.
In his role as president of the Southeast Asian Rugby Federation, Police Lieutenant Colonel Kulthan aims to position Thailand as a regional hub for rugby development. He has collaborated with rugby associations from several Asian countries including Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan to share knowledge and experience in athlete skill development, athlete care and performance, as well as referee and personnel development, which will help raise rugby standards in Thailand and Southeast Asia to an international level.
Another project the association has begun promoting is beach rugby, initiated by Mr. Phisanu Chanwangprong, president of the Central and Eastern Rugby Region, and Professor Charoen Kongchana, a committee member from the Southern Region. The sport has received positive responses in Pattaya, with plans to expand competitions to the southern region supported by Yongsak Na Songkhla, southern region president. The association plans to push for official recognition of beach rugby by the Sports Authority of Thailand, enabling both national and international competitions.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Kulthan also revealed plans to establish a new association office, as the current office under Rajamangala National Stadium has only two small rooms and limited working space. There is also a vision to build the association’s own rugby stadium, which requires significant funding and collaboration with the private sector and the rugby community.
“Big Ton” left a memorable phrase: “In rugby, no team wins alone; victory comes as a team. The association is the same. I want unity for future success. In less than two months, we are not just choosing a president; we are choosing the future of Thai rugby.”
Police Lieutenant Colonel Kulthan also posted on his personal Facebook, saying, “One thing that makes me happy is being involved in sports, especially rugby. Although it is very tiring, I find joy in developing the sport I have loved since childhood and meeting sincere friends and brothers who help build the rugby community. I hope those in the rugby circle will give me the opportunity and support to continue working together to advance Thai rugby.”