Thai fans have even more reason to look forward to the forthcoming 33rd SEA Games, as the whole country will have another chance to witness sporting prowess of Thai royals on the regional stage, with Her Majesty the Queen set to compete in the sailing competition.
It is not the first time that Thai royals have graced the field in the region’s biennial multisport tournament. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great was the first to leave his mark on the Games, in its former guise of the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, back in 1967.
Known for his exceptional sailing skills, King Bhumibol became the toast of the country following his remarkable victory in the OK dinghy division, together with Princess Ubol Ratana. The beloved late king’s historic triumph still lives on in the memories of Thai people.
Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya was the next Thai royal to set the Games alight with her sporting talent. Not just once did HRH Princess represent the Kingdom at the regional sporting arena, but she did so four times and all but one of her appearances ended with a podium finish.
Taking her bow in the 23rd edition of the Games in the Philippines two decades ago, HRH Princess marked her debut in badminton, the sport she took up during her teens, with the title in the women’s team category. She had to settle for a bronze, though, in the same event two years later, on home soil in Nakhon Ratchasima.
The only time HRH Princess missed out on a SEA Games medal was in 2013, when she competed in the equestrian events. That failure did not deter her, though, as four years later in Malaysia she helped the Thai team secure the runner-up spot in the team dressage event.
Now, all eyes are on Her Majesty the Queen, after she signed to participate in the keelboat SSL47 class of the sailing competition, due to be held at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Pattaya between Dec 15th and 18th.
Her Majesty makes no secret of her passion for sailing and she quickly developed herself to become a competent sailing athlete, evidenced by her commendable performances at the international level.
The most notable was at the 36th King’s Cup Regatta last year, when she played a crucial role as a strategist to navigate Vayu to the victory in the IRC Zero class, earning rave reviews from her foreign crewmembers for her outstanding skills in planning tactics.
The queen also earned glowing admiration from high-profile sailor Noppakao Poonpat, who will compete with her in the keelboat event at the Games.
“It’s my biggest honour to represent the country along with Her Majesty at the Games. I have tried to follow her example since sailing with her three years ago. Throughout three years sailing with Her Majesty, I’ve seen her strong determination and kindness. We need not to ask anything as she always treats us with good care,” said the 30-year-old Noppakao, who clinched the girls’ Optimist world title in 2010, among multiple international titles she won during her stellar career.
Tourism and Sports Minister Atthakorn Sirilatthayakorn summed up the people’s sentiments ahead of the 2025 Games, scheduled to be held in Bangkok, Chon Buri and Songkhla between Dec 9th and 20th.
“Her Majesty has unquestionable expertise and she is among the country’s leading athletes. We all will proudly support her during the Games.”
by Kitinan Sanguansak
