The Paralympic Sports Association of Thailand is preparing the national para-athlete team with a target of winning no fewer than 17 gold medals at the 2026 Asian Para Games held in Nagoya.
The Thai national para-athlete team is set to compete at the 5th Asian Para Games from 18-24 October 2026 in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), together with the Paralympic Committee of Thailand and four sports associations—including the Paralympic Sports Association of Thailand, the Thailand Blind Sports Association, the Cerebral Palsy Sports Association of Thailand, and the Intellectual Disability Sports Association of Thailand—have been preparing athletes continuously since the 13th ASEAN Para Games in Nakhon Ratchasima in January 2026, setting a joint target of 24 gold medals.
Mr. Maitri Kongruang, president of the Paralympic Sports Association of Thailand, revealed that the association is preparing athletes in 15 sports. Most athletes are training at the National Disability Sports Training Center in Nakhon Ratchasima and others in Suphanburi, with some training dispersed elsewhere: taekwondo in Bangkok, cycling in Chiang Mai, badminton at T-Thailand Club in Nonthaburi, and table tennis at Bangkokthonburi University.
"All athletes are fully committed to their training, having been in continuous camp since the ASEAN Para Games. After a one-month break in February, training resumed intensively until now. We are grateful to the SAT for fully supporting the training camps, which has strengthened our athletes significantly," he said.
The Paralympic Sports Association of Thailand is the main hope for the Thai para-athlete team, targeting 17 gold medals. Leading the team are world-class athletes “Korn” Pongsakorn Payao and “Fuse” Athiwat Paengnuea, renowned wheelchair racers who recently broke world records and won the international para-athletics championships in Switzerland in May 2026, boosting confidence to achieve at least six gold medals.
There are also strong prospects from wheelchair fencing’s “Waew” Saisunee Jana, who will team up with junior athletes and is expected to win 3-4 gold medals. In athletics, “Oom” Sasirawan Intachot and “Pat” Plathip Kamta have chances for three golds. In badminton, world number one “Pote” Natthapong Meechai and “Vee” Mongkol Boonsun are contenders for two golds. Shooting athletes Anusorn Chaichamnan and Atideth Inthon are expected to vie for over two golds, while table tennis aims for up to five gold medals.
"The Paralympic Sports Association of Thailand aims to secure no fewer than 17 gold medals this time. Given the continuous training camps, we are confident in meeting this goal. Major competitors include China, South Korea, Japan, and several Middle Eastern nations that have improved their athlete preparation," Mr. Maitri concluded.