Holding his knees to talk to “Pae” Sontaya Khunpluem, a sports person with the heart of “Motorsport”
sport “Matichon” Had a chance to meet “Big Pae” Sontaya Khunpluem Former Minister of Tourism and Sports “First” of Thailand who is currently the president of the Chonburi Provincial Sports Association and President of the Royal Automobile Association of Thailand At the beach of Bangsaen, Chonburi Province, during the flat car race “Bangsaen Grand Prix” last weekend
Therefore, there is an opportunity to sit and discuss various perspectives on sports. Let’s follow.
About Chonburi sports before and following COVID-19
Sontaya Khunpluem : Chonburi Province is a big city. Is a city with a population of up to 1.5 million people, excluding tourists who will come to Chonburi for regarding another year, more than 20 million people. Chonburi is also an area that organizes all kinds of sports, whether it is a general competitive sport according to a sports development strategy. Provincial level National level International level Therefore, the city of Chon Therefore, there is the motto of the Chonburi Provincial Sports Association that “Mueang Chon Khon Sport” because we see it as a city that is ready for all types of sports, or in other words, Chonburi can play sports from the sky to underwater. Promote sports at all levels in the pre-Covid-19 period There will be many sporting events. Types of cars, running, water sports, football, takraw, etc., but during the Covid-19 All these sporting activities were halted because of the gathering of immigrants in Chon. or can be arranged but no one is watching Comply with the requirements of Prof. 2 years ago, sports in Chonburi There are still races, there are rehearsals, but the matter of the liveliness will not be the same, such as the car “Bangsaen Grand Prix”, we have to stop for 2 years because we cannot control the number of spectators. People come to see “Bangsaen. Grand Prix “every year, more than 200,000 people, making the sports atmosphere before and following “Covid-19” different.
Sports Development Policy, Chonburi Province
Sontaya Khunpluem : As President of the Sports Association of Chonburi Province and President of the Royal Automobile Association of Thailand And we are also members of the International Automobile Federation (FIA). We want Thai people who miss sport to come to Chon. Can be played from the sky to underwater We have followed the national sport development strategy to encourage people, youth or general people to play sports of all kinds, all types by the implementation of the Chonburi Sports Association. To promote and select to be athletes of Chonburi Province to compete in the National Youth Games, National Games, Sports for the Elderly, Sports for the Disabled, which is a sport for excellence. But by the work of the Chonburi Provincial Sports Association Promote sports according to basic sports strategies for the masses for excellence and for career We have all sports magnetic level athletes. As for professional sports, we have takraw, volleyball, futsal, car, which is one of 13 professional sports.
Being the first sports minister in Thailand, how do you view the current sport industry?
Sontaya Khunpluem : Nowadays, sports in Thailand have developed a lot. In my era who came to be the first sports minister, which is the organization that is the main driving force on sports missions what you see is The sports industry has evolved steadily. that must be accepted are professional sports in the first 13 types of pilot sports which the Ministry of Sports With the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) must promote and support the creation of professional sports to the extent that there is a sports industry. We can see that Thai athletes are successful in the Olympic Games. Asian Games, SEA Games. In Chonburi province, we are outstanding in water sports. We can see that we have a Youth Olympic gold medal in the water sport category, windsurfing. After Thailand, we set up the Ministry of Sports. Driving the sport or developing an effective sport and developed greatly
Perspectives on bringing sports to stimulate tourism
Sontaya Khunpluem : “Sports Tourism” or sports tourism In Chonburi, we will see a clear example from the 14th “Bangsaen Grand Prix” car race of the 16th year, where the Thailand Super Series which has been carried out for the 10th anniversary of automotive sports, which is in the strategy of professional sports In the part of the team of 1 car, not less than 5 people, not including family or spectators, these things will happen in the matter of travel. The matter of tourism, hotels, restaurants, various services. There will be a large number of people coming to use the service. For the “Bangsaen Grand Prix” during the 5 days of the event, there will be more than 200,000 spectators. Clearly, “Sports Tourism” is very clear. The matter of generating income We also have big programs like running “Bangsaen Half Marathon” or water sports. That is the overview of economic driving. Spending money during sporting events
In the next 3 years, Thailand will host the 2025 SEA Games, Chonburi, interested or not?
Sontaya Khunpluem : At present, we have offered ourselves together with Bangkok to host the 33rd SEA Games 2025. Chon City is very ready. We have both sports centers of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), National Sports University. including the Eastern National Sports Center in Pattaya We used to host a lot of big sporting events. During this time, Chonburi Province, Pattaya City will cooperate with the Sports Authority of Thailand. Ministry of Tourism and Sports In submitting a proposal to organize the 33rd SEA Games from Cambodia
passion for motorsports and speed world
Sontaya Khunpluem : Motorsport, both motor vehicles and motorcycles, is a sport that is enjoyed by a large group of people. I myself will be in that group too. Because he has been fond of this sport since childhood. When I started riding a bicycle ride a motorcycle until driving a car We love the speed. in the past We therefore understand this sport as much as any other sport. because we are sports people but must admit Motorsport is a sport for tourists, especially Niche Market, which is a group with purchasing power. Therefore brought at this point to adjust and develop the “Bangsaen Grand Prix” since the first time. that organizes competitions for professional sports and “sports tourism”, and we have also been racers here another important point Motorsport is a sport that helps us concentrate. The planning in the competition and adapting it to the work.
From the political path to the speed field good experience and challenging goals
Sontaya Khunpluem : my goal is pushing Thailand to be an automotive sports center or motorsport in the ASEAN region which we now have a motogp And we have the Thailand Super Series 4 races, which is the largest event in the ASEAN region. This will make Thailand a motorsport center. There is a standard racing track. Currently we have FIA Grade 1 in Buriram. We have FIA Grade 3 in Bangsaen which is equivalent to many. countries around the world In the future, we have plans to build a racetrack to meet the standards to further help in the matter of “sport tourism”, driving the sports industry, generating income, creating the economy.
The role of the president of the Royal Automobile Association
Sontaya Khunpluem : We have a duty to promote and support all kinds of sports cars, including go-karts. (Small racing cars) We have to build drivers. More and more racers, both on the road, on the flat road, on the dusty road, to make Thailand have motor racers of all levels, from children to adults, which we will continue to drive this. To push for “Sport Tourism”
Success “Bangsaen Grand Prix”
Sontaya Khunpluem : If we look from the first year in 2007, or 16 years ago, at the beginning we had over 70 cars, and now there are more than 30 racers from different nationalities. It can be seen that it is an activity that helps to create excitement and promote tourism. from the first year statistics Bangsaen has regarding 8 hundred thousand tourists per year, but now Bangsaen has regarding 3 million tourists per year, which “Bangsaen Grand Prix” is one of the sports that help make Bangsaen Chonburi famous. It is ready to receive tourists by Nelson Sports, who assessed 3 years ago, regarding 300,000 tourists traveled to the “Bangsaen Grand Prix”, generating approximately 1,500 million baht in turnover, which is considered an activity that generates income for Thailand very much
