Advisor to the Prime Minister and Chairman of the sub-committee on sports industry promotion, Pimol Srivikorn, has reported that the push to enhance Thai boxing as the nation’s soft power is progressing well.
He stated that efforts have been made to increase the standards of Thai boxing instructors through training and testing, establishing international criteria to enable Thai boxing instructors to teach abroad and generate income, thus adding value to Thai boxing personnel.
The Prime Minister’s Advisor further indicated that by March, the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) will launch more standardized testing centers capable of issuing quality certifications for Thai boxing instructors on behalf of the state.
The certification will be verified by the Board of Boxing Sport, the SAT, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Department of Skill Development, and the Ministry of Labour. These centers aim to produce capable Muay Thai instructors and will be distributed across five provinces, covering the entire country, including Chiang Mai, Songkhla, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chonburi, and Bangkok.
Additionally, Pimol mentioned the establishment of a central coordination center to facilitate connections among Thai boxing instructors looking to work abroad, foreigners interested in learning Thai boxing, and those wanting to hire Thai boxing instructors for teaching.
Moreover, to drive the soft power of Thai boxing, classes will be organized featuring famous Thai boxers to showcase and teach various techniques in short courses of one day, starting in Europe and the Middle East.
Pimol also stated that in April, eight certified Thai boxing instructors, both male and female, will be sent to teach Thai boxing to the Saudi Arabian military and national boxing athletes, following a request through the Thai Embassy in Riyadh. Each instructor will earn between 80,000 to 120,000 baht per month, depending on their experience and achievements. (NNT)
