Milestones
Important Milestones related to the Development of Special Olympics Thailand are
1968
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded the Special Olympics Movement
- The first Special Olympics Competition was organized
1987
- Special Olympics Thailand was founded under the Foundation of the Mentally Handicapped of Thailand
- Four Thai athletes competed in the 1987 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Pennsylvania USA
1988
- Khunying Soporn Wongsawan became Board Chair of Special Olympics Thailand
1991
- Registered with the Sports Authority of Thailand as a national sport association
- Khunying Vichandra Bunnag became Board Chair of Special Olympics Thailand
- Organized the first Special Olympics Thailand National Games. HRH Princess Soamsawali presented the Royal Flames for the Games and Prime Minister Anand Punyarachun preside over the Opening Ceremony.
- Thirteen Thai athletes participated in the 1991 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Minnesota USA
1992
- The 2nd SO Thailand National Games was organized. Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai presided over the Opening Ceremony
1993
- Thanphuying Niramol Suriyasat became Board Chair of Special Olympics Thailand
1994
- HRH Princess Bhajarakitiyabha presided over the Opening Ceremony of the SO Thailand Games
- Twelve Thai athletes participated in SO Australia Invitation Games in Perth
- Thai Delegation participated in Special Olympics Hong Kong National Games Invitation
1995
- Thanphuying Niramol Suriyasat was invited to join the Board of Special Olympics International
- Opening of Northern Region Sub Programme in Chiangmai
- Twenty four Thai athletes participated in the 1995 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Connecticut USA
1996
- Opening of the Northeastern Region Sub Programme in Khonkhaen
- Partnering Bangkok Post to organized Charity Golf for SO Thailand
1997
- Opening of the Southern Region Sub Programme in Songkhla
- Organized Charity Road Rally for SO Thailand
- Fourteen Thai athletes competed in the 1st Special Olympics Asia Pacific Games in Shanghai, China
1998
- Opening of the Central Region Sub Programme in Pathumthani
- HRH Princess Bhajarakitiyabha presided over the Charity Run for Special Olympics Thailand
- Thailand Delegation competed in Special Olympics Singapore National Games Invitation
1999
- Organized the 1st Star Charity Football for Special Olympics Thailand for the Royal Trophy of HRH Princess Soamsawali
2000
- Naris Chaiyasoot became Board Chair of Special Olympics Thailand
- Organized the 2nd Star Charity Football for Special Olympics Thailand for the Royal Trophy of HRH Princess Soamsawali
2001
- Organized the 1st Charity Golf for the Trophy of Ex Prime Minister Anand Punyarachun in Rayong
2002
- Ten Thai athletes participated in the 3rd Special Olympics Nippon Games
2003
- Twenty Three Thai athletes participated in the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland
2004
- Introduced the Athlete Leadership Programme
- Bocce was first introduced to Thailand
2005
- Seven Thai athletes participated in Special Olympics East Asia and Asia Pacific Bocce Competition in Brunei
- Twenty Thai athletes participated in Special Olympics Asia Pacific Invitational Games in Christchurch, New Zealand
- Introduced the Healthy Athletes Programme
- Unified Sports Coaching was introduced at the Rebuilding Hope Phuket Project as part of community rehabilitation programme after the tsunami
2006
- HRH Soamsawali graciously presided over the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics Thailand National Games
- First Unified Sports Competition was held in Phuket
- Organized the 1st Bocce National Championship in Udonthani
2007
- Forty two Thai athletes participated in the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China
2008
- HRH Soamsawali graciously presided over the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics Thailand National Games
2009
- Organized the Inaugural Indochina 5 aside Football Tournament in Pathumthani
2011
- Thirty two Thai athletes participated in the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens, Greece.
- Eight Thai athletes participated in the 2nd Indochina 5 aside Football Tournament in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
2012
- Sixteen Thai athletes competed in the 1st SEA Unified Football Tournament in Singapore
- Sixteen Thai athletes participated in the 2012 Special Olympics Asia Pacific Bocce Competition in Brunei
2013
- Two Thai athletes participated in the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games
- Organized the Asia Pacific Qualifier of 2014 Global Unified Cup in Pathumthani
- Sixteen Thai athletes competed in the 2nd SEA 5-A-Side Unified Football Tournament in Malaysia
- Eight Thai athletes competed in the 3rd Meakong 5-a-side Football Tournament in Yangon, Myanmar
- Sixty Thai athletes participated in the 2013 Special Olympics Asia Pacific Games in New Castle, Australia
- Initiated the Healthy Communities Programme
2014
- Eight Thai athletes competed in the 3rd SEA Unified 5-a-side Men’s Football Tournament in Brunei
- Eight Thai athletes competed in the 4th Special Olympics Meakong 5-a-side Football Tournament in Vietnam
2015
- Eight Thai athletes competed in the 3rd SEA Unified 5-a-side Women’s Football Tournament in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Thirty two Thai athletes participated in the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles, USA
- Eight Thai athletes competed in the 5th Special Olympics Meakong 5-a-side Football Tournament in Pathumthani
- Sixteen Thai athletes competed in the 4th SEA Unified 5-a-side Football Tournament in Indonesia
2016
- Sixteen Thai athletes competed in the 5th SEA Unified 5-a-side Football Tournament in the Philippines
- Eight Thai athletes competed in the 5th Special Olympics Meakong 5-a-side Football Tournament in Cambodia
- Sixteen Thai athletes competed in Special Olympic Inter-Regional Unified 11-a-side Football Tournament in Bhubaneswa, India
2017
- Twelve Thai athletes competed in the Special Olympics Singapore National Games Invitation
- Thirty two Thai athletes competed in the 6th SEA Unified 5-a-side Football in Pathumthani
- Eight Thai athletes competed in the 7th Special Olympics Meakong 5-a-side Football Tournament in Yangon, Myanmar
2018
- Special Olympics Thailand registered under official name “ the Special Olympics Association of Thailand”
- Organized the 1st Multi-Sports National Championship in Pathumthani
- Thai athletes competed in the 7th SEA Unified 5-a-side Football in Malaysia
- Eight Thai athletes competed in the 8th Special Olympics Meakong 5-a-side Football Tournament in Vietnam
2019
- 45 Athletes participated in the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games, in Abu Dhabi, UAE between 8-23 March 2019
- Hosted the 1st Special Olympics Asia Pacific Unified Badminton Championship between 11-16 November 2019 at Huamak Indoor Stadium , Bangkok
- 16 athletes participated in the 8th Special Olympics Southeast Asia Unified Football Tournament, between 6-10 December 2019 in Singapore
- 8 athletes participated in the 9th Maekong 5-a-side Football Competition between 27-28 November 2019 in PDR Laos
- National Games 2019 held between 13-17 August 2019 at Thammasat University Rangsit Campus, Pathum Thani
2020 – Covid 19 Pandemic
- 1st Virtual National Games held between July – December 2020
2021 – Covid 19 Pandemic
- 2nd Virtual National Games held between July – December 2021
2022
- Hosted the 9th Special Olympics Southeast Asia Unified Football Tournament 2022 between 12 – 16 November 2022 at Chulalongkorn University Stadium, Bangkok
- MOU signing between Special Olympics Thailand and Badminton Association of Thailand
- National Games 2022 and selection for Special Olympics World Games 2023 between 18-22 July 2022 at Thammasat University Rangsit Campus, Pathum Thani
- 1st Football Charity Match for Special Olympics Thailand between Muangthong United FC and True Bangkok United FC on 30 July 2022 at Thunder Dome Stadium, Pathum Thani
2023
- 35 athletes competing in 6 sports participated in the 2023 Special Olympics Word Games, Berlin, Germany between 12-26 June 2023
- National Games 2023 between 21-24 August 2023 at Thammasat University Rangsit Campus, Pathum Thani
- “Smiling Hearts” Charity Concert for Special Olympics in partnership with Katyusha Dance Academy on 23 March 2023 at Thailand Cultural Center
- Charity Art for Special Olympics Thailand by Hong Kong Artists at Bangkok Arts and Culture Center between 26-29 October 2023
2024
- National Games 2023 between 15 – 19 July 2024 at Thammasat University Rangsit Campus, Pathum Thani
- 3 athletes participated at the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Bocce Competition between 18 – 23 November 2024, India.
- 1st SOT Charity New Year Concert “Auld Lang Syne” on 17 November 2024 at Sala Sudhi Sirisopha Hall, Bangkok
- Started SOT Family Program