His name may often flirt with controversy during his political career, but Thammanat Prompao has now emerged as an unlikely hero for Thai sports, following his crucial intervention that helped the Kingdom avert crises which could have had severe implications for its hosting of the 33rd SEA Games next month.
Scepticism initially arose among the public when Deputy Prime Minister Thammanat was assigned to oversee domestic sports in September, given his limited background in the Thai sports community.
However, barely a month into office, the former army captain quickly proved his worth when Thailand faced a major threat that could have dealt a serious blow to its credibility ahead of hosting the biennial sporting extravaganza.
Disaster struck when the World Petanque and Bowls Confederation (WPBC) suspended Thailand from organizing the petanque competition at the SEA Games, citing irregularities within the Petanque Association of Thailand and the Sports Authority of Thailand’s failure to comply with the federation’s earlier ruling.
The suspension also barred Thailand’s national team from international competition.
As soon as the matter came to his attention, Capt Thammanat — who also serves as the Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister — immediately intervened by ordering the National Olympic Committee of Thailand (NOCT) to dispatch a high-level delegation to France for urgent talks with the WPBC at its headquarters.
By pledging reforms within the sport’s national governing body and ensuring compliance with WPBC guidelines, the NOCT team, led by its president Pimol Srivikorn, successfully negotiated the reinstatement of petanque in the Thai-hosted SEA Games, scheduled for December 9–20 in Bangkok, Chon Buri, and Songkhla.
The NOCT president was quick to credit Thammanat for helping to restore Thailand’s sporting credibility. Indeed, few could imagine how damaging it would have been to the country’s reputation had the WPBC ban remained in effect.
As recently as last week, Thailand’s sporting community was rocked again after badminton star Pornpawee “Mew” Chochuwong shocked fans by submitting a formal letter to the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), announcing her withdrawal from the SEA Games squad. She cited frustration with the poor management of the Badminton Association of Thailand.
However, the controversy ended as swiftly as it erupted, thanks to Capt Thammanat’s “magic touch” in resolving conflicts.
Only a day after 27-year-old Pornpawee — the country’s top women’s singles player — dropped her bombshell announcement, the deputy premier managed to convince her to reverse the decision.
During clear-the-air talks at Government House, he pledged to establish an independent panel to investigate her complaints.
With the Thai sporting community still lamenting the departure of its long-time “patron figure,” Gen Prawit Wongsuwon — whose tenure as NOCT president ended abruptly after his election defeat and loss of the Thailand Aquatics Association presidency — Capt Thammanat has already shown he may be able to fill the void and keep Thai sports clear of trouble.
