Thailand Sports Minister Eyes Esports Expansion Across Provinces
Thailand's Sports Minister is partnering with the Thai Esports Federation to expand competitive gaming tournaments across provinces, building up player talent ahead of September's Asian Games in Nagoya where esports will award 11 gold medal
Sports Minister Surasak Parnjaroenkul has expressed interest in partnering with the Thai Esports Federation (TESF) to organize esports competitions across multiple provinces to develop the skills of Thai players.
On August 15, Surasak and TESF president Santi Lohthong opened the Esports Championship 2026 at Ayutthaya Siam Square in Ayutthaya province. The competition is an international tournament featuring Thai national esports athletes competing against players from Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Hong Kong, and Singapore in Street Fighter 6 and eFootball Mobile, with a combined prize pool of 500,000 baht.
Minister Surasak stated that the tournament serves as preparation for Thai esports athletes ahead of next month's Asian Games in Nagoya. He emphasized that similar competitions will be held across different provinces to give local athletes opportunities to develop their skills in standardized competitions organized by TESF and the Thailand Sports Authority. This also opens the door for scouting additional athletes in the future.
TESF president Santi Lohthong expressed confidence that Thailand will not return empty-handed from the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya-Aichi, Japan. He noted that while the host country selected games where they have advantages, Thailand remains hopeful in PUBG Mobile and eFootball and aims to compete for overall medals alongside major Asian nations.
Esports at the 20th Asian Games will feature 11 gold medals total, with Thailand competing for 7 medals across Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, The King of Fighters XV (counting as one medal), Honor of Kings, PUBG Mobile, Identity V, Naraka Bladepoint, eFootball, and Puyo Puyo Champions.
