Thailand Eyes Top-Six Finish, ASEAN Gold at Asian Games

The director of the Sports Authority of Thailand announced the team's goals for the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan from September 19 to October 4, 2025, emphasizing confidence in reaching the top six nations and topping the ASEAN medal table. The Sports Authority is coordinating with multiple organizations to maximize athlete readiness, with systematic budget disbursement planned for both the Asian Games and Asian Para Games to ensure uninterrupted preparation. Officials confirmed a target of 15 gold medals, citing continuous team development since the Southeast Asian Games last year and intensive use of sports science, nutrition planning, and psychology to secure a top-six finish and first place among ASEAN nations. The director acknowledged the challenge, noting strong competitors including Japan as host, China, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, India, and Taiwan, but stated that this Asian Games will be a crucial test of Thai athletes' readiness ahead of the 2028 Olympics in the United States. At the previous 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Thailand finished eighth with 12 gold, 14 silver, and 32 bronze medals, topping the ASEAN standings, while China won 201 gold medals in their 11th consecutive top finish, Japan placed second with 52 gold, and South Korea third with 42 gold.