The Rugby Football Association of Thailand Under Royal Patronage officially opened its new headquarters along with unveiling the Thai national team's home stadium at Wycombe Abbey International School Bangkok. The 2026 season uniforms were also presented, with plans for the Thai women's team to train alongside New Zealand's Black Ferns. The goal is for the women’s team to secure at least one medal, while the men’s team aims to rank in Asia’s top five after training in Japan.
Privy Councillors Mr. Plakorn Suwanrath and Admiral Pongthep Nhuatep jointly chaired the opening ceremony of the Rugby Football Association of Thailand Under Royal Patronage’s new office at The eco HUB building, Soi Srisaman 4/1, Srisaman Road, Nonthaburi Province. Pol. Lt. Col. Kulthon Prajuabmoh, president of the association, and its executive committee members guided attendees on a tour of the new rugby office.
Additionally, Pol. Lt. Col. Kulthon Prajuabmoh announced the national rugby team’s 2026 policies, focusing on preparing for the 2026 Asian Games. He stated that the men's seven-a-side team will train in Japan, while the women's team will train in New Zealand with the Black Ferns as their sparring partners. The men’s team aims to be among Asia’s top five, and the women's team is determined to win at least one medal—gold, silver, or bronze. Key competitors for the women include Kazakhstan and Hong Kong, whom the Thai team aims to beat to secure at least a bronze medal.
Regarding fifteen-a-side rugby, the association remains committed as the host of the ASEAN Rugby Union Cup, the largest fifteen-a-side rugby tournament in Asia, with the Thai national team participating. At the university level, after concerns that rugby might be excluded from competitions, the association acknowledged the issue and pledged partial financial support to the host province, Nakhon Si Thammarat, recognizing university rugby as a vital platform for the national team.
On sponsorship agreements, Pol. Lt. Col. Kulthon signed contracts with Dr. Anat Udomsak, director of Sapience Hospital, which will provide an ambulance and medical personnel to ensure safety during matches and training. He also signed with Asgard Infinite Co., owner of the sports brand Helios, which will supply sportswear and equipment valued at 1,250,000 baht annually. The new team uniforms to be used in 2026 were also unveiled.
At the ASEAN and Asia Rugby Leaders Summit, Pol. Lt. Col. Kulthon, president of the ASEAN Rugby Federation, joined representatives from member countries including Thailand, Laos, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Guam to discuss operational plans. Vietnam and Cambodia were welcomed as new members. Malaysia, the host of the 2027 SEA Games, confirmed that fifteen-a-side rugby will not be included; only seven-a-side rugby will be contested.
A key highlight, aside from the new association office opening, was Pol. Lt. Col. Kulthon’s announcement that this year the Thai national team will have a new home stadium at Wycombe Abbey International School Bangkok, located on Suvarnabhumi 3 Road, Bang Chalong Subdistrict, Samut Prakan Province. The school agreed to partner by providing its fields as the national team’s training and competition venue.
