Khunying Patama, Suchai congratulate Pimol as new NOCT President

Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has extended her congratulations to Assoc Prof Pimol Srivikorn, President of the Taekwondo Association of Thailand, on his election as the new President of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand (NOCT).

Meanwhile, Suchai Pornchaisakudom, President of the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand and the opposing candidate in the election, was acknowledged by Khunying Patama for his dedication to sports, particularly boxing and tennis. She encouraged him to continue leveraging his experience to support Thai sports.

Suchai also congratulated Pimol and accepted the election results from Tuesday, March 25, 2025. He stated that, as a passionate sports enthusiast aiming to drive positive changes, he now entrusts Pimol with the responsibility of advancing Thai sports.

However, he explained that his decision to walk out of the meeting stemmed from objections over the exclusion of two former Olympic athletes, Kaew Pongprayoon and Chanatip Sonkham, from voting in the presidential election. Instead, newly appointed members Tevin Hanprab and Thanyaporn Prucksakorn were granted voting rights. He and several others protested to Prof Charoen Wattanasin, the meeting chairman, to defend athlete voting rights but claimed that Charoen appeared indifferent and lacked neutrality in his handling of the issue.

"After I and about 10 others walked out in protest, Khunying Patama, as the IOC representative for Thailand, recommended that Kaew and Chanatip be allowed to vote per the charter, which was approved by the meeting. However, only Chanatip was able to cast a vote, as Kaew had already left. I reaffirm my full commitment to sportsmanship, accepting victory and defeat with grace, but my actions were solely to protect athletes and uphold fairness," Suchai stated.

Khunying Patama also addressed Pimol, emphasizing that while the election process did not violate the Olympic Charter, every National Olympic Committee worldwide must align its statutes with it. She underscored the importance of governance principles, including fair election procedures, and called for reforms in Thailand’s Olympic statutes to meet IOC and international standards.

She proposed clearer guidelines on candidate qualifications and voter eligibility, along with a structured nomination period. This would include a background verification process, an official announcement of candidates, and an opportunity for them to present their vision before election day. She stressed that these measures would ensure a more transparent and structured election process, in contrast to the current system, where nominations are made on the day of the vote.