The National Sports Development Fund revamps the management system of Thai sports funding to meet international standards.
The National Sports Development Fund is accelerating the upgrade of Thai sports funding management to global standards, progressing toward a “strategic investment mechanism for Thai sports.” The second Self-Assessment training was held, expected to generate an economic impact of no less than 4 billion baht. The Fund aims to boost Thailand’s Sport Economy to 218 billion baht by 2027 and sustainably elevate Thai sports on the world stage.
The National Sports Development Fund organized its second Self-Assessment workshop in Surat Thani Province, focusing on progress reporting and project evaluation for grant applicants.
The objective is to create a “strategic investment mechanism” to develop an efficient, transparent, and accountable fund management system that aligns with long-term Thai sports development strategies. It also aims to establish systematic standards for project monitoring and evaluation, ensure optimal budget use for Thai sports, and drive sports economy, professional sports, and the national sports industry as a new economic driver.
Mr. Surasak Koedchantuek, Deputy Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) for Sports Promotion, said the National Sports Development Fund is shifting its role from a “budget supporter” to a “strategic investment mechanism in sports” to comprehensively enhance Thai sports capabilities across competition, economy, society, and human resource development.
“Holding this second consecutive training reflects our commitment to creating an efficient, transparent, and measurable fund management system. The Fund’s key mission is strategic management to systematically enhance Thai sports performance, promote sports economy, develop sports personnel, ensure fair access to funding, and reform digital data systems for effective decision-making,” he said.
During the event, the Fund’s strategic plan and operational plan for fiscal years 2027–2030 were reviewed to ensure comprehensive collaboration among all sectors within Thailand’s sports system.
The Fund defined nine key strategies covering elite sports development, professional sports, sports industry, elevating Muay Thai as a global brand, athlete and personnel development, and modernizing fund management for greater efficiency.
The Fund aims to develop Thai sports in line with government policy within four years to create economic value and enhance the country’s image internationally through popular sports events and improved Thai athlete performance at the Olympic Games, Asian Games, and SEA Games.
The goal is to win medals at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA, promote a Muay Thai sports ecosystem at the international level, and provide fair and comprehensive access to funding for sports associations under SAT’s supervision according to the Sports Authority of Thailand Act.
It is expected that the economic value of Thailand’s sports industry (Sport GDP) will reach approximately 218 billion baht by 2027.
A key highlight was a special lecture by Suphanat Samniang, an expert in project evaluation, on "Progress Reporting and Self-Assessment for Grant Applicants," explaining the methods and criteria for project evaluation to serve as crucial data for funding decisions in the following year.
The evaluation criteria are divided into two main dimensions: a general dimension focusing on result consistency, management, and budget execution according to plans; and a project-specific dimension covering support for sports activities, athlete and personnel development, prizes, welfare and scholarships, professional sports and Muay Thai support, and legal anti-doping controls.
In the past fiscal year 2024, the Fund approved 1.1452 billion baht in grants, accounting for 86% of the budget framework, with 171.7 million baht (14%) still being disbursed. For 2025, there are over 2,757 funding requests totaling more than 10 billion baht, reflecting the strong demand to develop and elevate all aspects of Thai sports.
The National Sports Development Fund is therefore accelerating improvements in fund management efficiency, expanding fair access to funding, streamlining the 2026 application process for faster, transparent, and real-time status tracking, while prioritizing projects aligned with government policy, cost-effectiveness, measurable outcomes, and long-term sustainability for Thai sports.
The Fund believes that enhancing the management system under principles of good governance, transparency, and result orientation will be a key driver to create opportunities, develop athlete and sports personnel capabilities, and support sports associations nationwide, ultimately propelling Thailand to stable and sustainable global sports success.