THAI NATIONAL GAMES EVOLUTION

Abstract

 In 1964, Thai Government established a sport organization of Thailand named the Sports Authority of Thailand. After His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej officially endorsinge Royal Decree to establish the Sports Authority of Thailand on September 12, had originality to set initiative sports competition in every province around Thailand to support for being host of the greatest sports games in Asia that is Asian Games IV in December 1966 in Bangkok. And then, in 1967, we had the first Regional Sports Competition of Thailand in Bangkok. It included 5 regions. After that, in 1968, it was changed to be 9 regions and 10. In 1972, Bangkok was the new region because it took more advantage in athletes in Bangkok.

          In 1984, the Regional Sports completion was changed to be the International Sports Games starting from the 17^th International Sports Games in Phitsanulok as a host of these games. The games was firstly spreaded out over the regions. 15 years later, in 1999, it was set Bi-annually to give athletes a chance to plan long - term rehearsals, as well as to support Thai athlete joining in International round. In 2006, the games was returned to set once a year, because each region athlete can continuously improve. However, the economics and social condition had been inversed, so the games was returned to Bi-annually set in 2016 until now.

          At first, the games had 16 sports categories but now had 45. In the past, it had increases of match to win from 108 medals, until now had 695 medals, and number of athletes were increased from 716 athletes to 16,236. They changed the competition pattern of International sports games of Thailand to match with International round, time, sports types, number of athletes, and coaches, and the qualification of athlete that can improve to become the high level.