Milestone

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