#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/sport/40023218

Macron says France showed heart and unity, despite heartbreaking loss

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2022

French President Emmanuel Macron comforted Didier Deschamps’ squad at the locker room of Lusail stadium, after they lost to Argentina in a penalty shootout on Sunday , dashing hopes of a second World Cup in a row.

He said he shared in the sadness of French people, and that they should “remain proud of this team”.

“We have the capacity to make the craziest comeback, to make the unthinkable happen, to be united, to have genius talents,” Macron told journalists.

Les Bleus, bidding to become the first team to retain the title since Brazil in 1962, went through the opening hour like ghosts and fell 2-0 behind after Lionel Messi’s penalty and Angel Di Maria’s goal, before the unthinkable happened.

After Deschamps had made several changes, taking off Olivier Giroud, Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann and Theo Hernandez, France burst into life as Kylian Mbappe scored a penalty and a stunning volley within 97 seconds to level the scores.

“What this match also tells us is that – nothing is pre-destined. Anything is always possible,” Macron said.

Messi struck again in extra time, but so did Mbappe with another penalty to make it 3-3, only for Randal Kolo Muani to be denied by Emiliano Martinez in the dying seconds before France lost the shootout 4-2, becoming the first team to taste defeat in a World Cup final after scoring three goals.

The coin could have flipped the other way, especially thanks to Mbappe’s magnificent performance as he became the second player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.

Macron was filmed comforting a dejected Mbappe on the pitch, after the final whistle.

“What do you want me to tell you? He’s the best goal scorer in this tournament, he’s an extraordinary player, and he already won the World Cup, a final. Voila. He’s only 24 years old,” Macron said.

Argentina’s President, Alberto Fernandez, and other Latin American leaders and public figures praised the South American three times world champion for the nail-biting final match against France in Qatar.

Fernandez thanked the national squad for the victory along with Argentina’s vice-president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who reminded the soccer star Lionel Messi jibe to the Dutch “what are you looking at, fool?” won Argentinian’s hearts.

Other Latin American leaders drew on Twitter to congratulate Argentina.

Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro wrote the country’s victory was late soccer legend Diego Maradona’s dream as Chile’s Gabriel Boric said the joy crossed the Andean mountain range.

Brazilian soccer star Pele also lauded the blue-and-white squad in an Instagram Post saying it was a “gift” to watch Argentina play France.

Reuters

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/sport/40023219

‘It is a party!’ Across Argentina, fans celebrate World Cup win

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2022

THE NATION

Argentines took over the streets in different towns across the country to celebrate their team’s victory in the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Sunday (December 18).

In Buenos Aires, drone footage showed thousands of Argentines at the city’s iconic obelisk. Fans also gathered outside the former home of late soccer great Diego Armando Maradona’s home.
 

Mar del Plata – hometown of Argentina’s goalkeeper Damian Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martinez – also saw waves of fans dressed in blue and white shirts.

A resident of Mar del Plata Pablo Vit told Reuters it was a party where no social classes exist.

In a tense and roller-coaster match played in Qatar in front of some 88,000 fans, Argentina, led by star Lionel Messi, took home its third World Cup after beating France, the defending champions, 4-2 in penalties after drawing 3-3 after extra time.

The South American team, which lost the final of the tournament against Germany in 2014, had not won a World Cup since 1986. But the rise of the team has spurred avid support in Argentina, which is plagued by high inflation and an economic crisis that has pushed some 40% of the population into poverty.

An Argentina fan holds a replica World Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the World Cup

Argentina fans celebrate winning the World Cup

General view as Argentina fans celebrate with flares after winning the World CupArgentina fans celebrate winning the World Cup at the Obelisk with an image of Lionel MessiArgentina fans celebrate winning the World Cup at the Obelisk with an image of Lionel Messi and fireworks

THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/sport/40023217

Messi wins World Cup, Argentina beats France on penalties

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2022

THE NATION

Lionel Messi’s once-in-a-generation career is complete. The Argentina superstar is finally a World Cup champion.

Messi scored two goals and then another in a shootout as Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw Sunday to claim a third World Cup title despite Kylian Mbappé scoring the first hat trick in a final in 56 years.
 

Now there’s no debate. Messi is definitively in the pantheon of soccer’s greatest ever players, alongside Pelé — a record three-time World Cup champion from Brazil — and Diego Maradona, the late Argentina great with whom Messi was so often compared.

Messi achieved what Maradona did in 1986 and dominated a World Cup for Argentina. The torch will one day pass to Mbappé, whose late goals lit up one of the most dramatic finals in the tournament’s 92-year history and emulated Geoff Hurst’s hat trick for England in 1966, but not just yet.

“Let’s go, Argentina!” Messi roared into a microphone on the field in the post-match celebrations after playing in a record 26th World Cup match.

Messi was in scintillating form from the start, putting Argentina ahead from the penalty spot and playing a part in Angel Di Maria’s goal that made it 2-0 after 36 minutes.

Argentina

Mbappé, on the other hand, was anonymous until scoring two goals in a 97-second span — one a penalty, the other a volley from just inside the area — to take the game to extra time.

Messi tapped in his second goal in the 108th minute, leaving Argentina on the brink of the title once again, but there was still time for another penalty from Mbappé to take the thrilling game to a shootout.
Argentina

Gonzalo Montiel scored the clinching penalty kick after Kingsley Coman had an attempt saved by Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez and Aurelien Tchouameni missed for France.

“This is my dream,” Martinez said.

Europe’s run of four straight World Cup winners came to an end. The last South American champion was Brazil, and that was also in Asia — when Japan and South Korea hosted the tournament in 2002.

Argentina won its previous World Cup titles in 1978 and 1986. In Qatar, the country backed up its victory from last year’s Copa America, its first major trophy since 1993.

It’s quite the climax to Messi’s international career, which might not yet be over at the age of 35 because he is playing as well as ever. After all, he finished the World Cup with seven goals, one behind Mbappé’s tournament leading eight.

It was quite the finale, too, for a unique World Cup — the first to be played in the Middle East and the Arab world.

For FIFA and the Qatari organizers, a final between two major soccer nations and the world’s two best players represented a perfect way to cap a tournament laced in controversy ever since the scandal-shrouded vote in 2010 to give the event to a tiny Arab emirate.

The years-long scrutiny since has focused on the switch of dates from the traditional June-July period to November-December, strong criticism of how migrant workers have been treated, and then unease about taking soccer’s biggest event to a nation where homosexual acts are illegal.

On Sunday, there was one narrative at play for most people: Could Messi do it?

He could, despite the 23-year-old Mbappé — Messi’s teammate at Paris Saint-Germain — doing all he could to emulate Pelé by winning his first two World Cups.

Messi became the first player to score in the group stage and each of the knockout rounds at a single World Cup.

Ever since Argentina’s unthinkable 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in their opening group game, Messi has been a man on a mission — embracing the responsibility of leading his national team at his final World Cup and playing in the spirit of Maradona by coupling his dazzling skills with rarely seen aggression.

Maradona never scored in a final, though. Messi has, allowing him to erase memories of his only other World Cup final — in 2014 when Argentina lost to Germany 1-0 and Messi squandered a great chance in the second half.

On that night at the Maracanã Stadium, Messi stared down at the golden World Cup trophy that escaped him.

Eight years later, he will raise it aloft in the biggest moment of a career like no other.

Argentina

THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/sport/40023216

France on cusp of history in World Cup final

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2022

Reuters

No coach has ever won the World Cup twice in the post-World War II era but France’s Didier Deschamps is one victory away from entering the record books when they take on Argentina in the final on Sunday in Qatar.

But ask the Frenchman about his chance at rewriting history when he can become the first to win the World Cup twice as a coach and once as a player, he steps away from the spotlight, happily allowing his beloved squad to be the focus instead.
 

Deschamps is the fourth manager to lead a country to back-to-back World Cup finals after Vittorio Pozzo (Italy), Carlos Bilardo (Argentina) and Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany), with the latter two losing one final each.

But his lasting legacy will be uniting a France squad that, in the past, had been fractured by in-fighting and impertinence before building a squad that knew how to go deep in tournaments.

Having captained France’s ‘golden generation’ that won the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship, the 54-year-old has now nurtured another golden generation over the past decade.

As a coach, Deschamps guided France to the European Championship final on home soil in 2016 where they narrowly lost to Portugal in extra time, the 2018 World Cup final where they thrashed Croatia and now the showpiece match in Qatar.

What also set Deschamps apart is his trust in youth despite the truckload of talent available to him.

Kylian Mbappe is the face and star of the team but Deschamps’ trust in youth came to the forefront when he started the relatively inexperienced midfield duo of Youssouf Fofana and Aurelien Tchouameni — who had 25 caps between them — for the semi-final.

What has made Deschamps successful in tournaments, especially at the World Cup since 2018, is not sticking to a particular identity or philosophy which is often the defining feature of big teams.

Instead, he has adapted to circumstances and opponents. There have been games where France have dominated possession while in others they have been happy to cede the ball and hit teams on the counter-attack.

The second tactic worked wonders in the semi-final against underdogs Morocco, who had reached the last four playing with very little possession but struggled to make good use of the ball as France sat back.

Reuters

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/sport/40023215

Messi saves his best for last in Qatar as Argentina eye World Cup glory

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2022

Reuters

As if he had not made enough fairy-tales, Argentina’s little genius Lionel Messi has saved the potentially most magical script for his last World Cup – with one line left to write.

With immense pressure on him to match the late great Diego Maradona and send the trophy back to Buenos Aires, Messi has lit up the Qatar tournament while others in the superstar stratum – Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo – have underwhelmed and gone home.
 

From Argentina’s opening game until their semi-final win over Croatia, Messi, near the end of his career and at his fifth World Cup aged 35, has been the tournament’s out-and-out star.

His match statistics speak for themselves: six starts, five goals, three assists en route to Sunday’s final against France.

Smashing so many records it is hard to keep track, Messi has beaten Maradona’s tally of World Cup goals and appearances for Argentina, and on Sunday will jump ahead of Lothar Matthaeus’ joint record 25-match appearances at the tournament.

Beyond the dazzling data, however, it has been Messi’s mesmerizing motion, and joyous celebrations, that have electrified football fans around the world.

Spending large passages of play at walking pace and barely bothering to defend at times, Messi has waited for his moments, employing with deadly effect his low centre-of-gravity, stunning change of pace and shimmying runs with ball glued to feet.

He is “a sprite floating on the periphery of the game until the moment is right,” wrote British sports writer Jonathan Wilson. “You can mark a man; much harder to mark a ghost.”

After a shock opening upset by Saudi Arabia, it was Messi who rallied the team: five wins followed.

His best goal was a sumptuous low strike from outside the box against Mexico.

And pundits are still shaking their heads over his pinpoint pass to Nahuel Molina for Argentina’s first goal against the Netherlands in the quarter-final. What made it remarkable, and a candidate for one of the all-time great assists, is that Messi did not look up yet found Molina with preposterous perfection.

It was in that game where Messi cemented his Qatari love affair with Argentine fans, who in the past have sometimes compared him harshly against Maradona’s extrovert personality, passion for his country, and 1986 World Cup triumph.

After scoring a penalty to send Argentine fans into delirium, the usually impeccably-behaved Messi ran towards the Dutch bench cupping his ears in a provocative gesture.

Then after the game, he confronted a Dutch striker with a jibe caught on camera: “What are you looking at, fool?”

Though some pundits criticised him for disrespect, Argentine fans were largely delighted at the Maradona-like flashes of defiance from the introverted Messi.

Some have had tattoos of the phrase.

Despite such adulation, everyone knows that true immortal parity with Maradona – at least in the biggest sporting tournament on earth – does still hinge on beating the French.

Many non-Argentines have long had Argentina as their second team, hoping Messi will win the World Cup if their own nation cannot to complete what would be a beautiful story.

Messi left Argentina at 13 to join Barcelona’s youth setup.

Despite worries that he was too small, the new boy shone in the junior ranks before coach Frank Rijkaard gave him a senior debut at the age of 16 in a friendly against Porto in 2003.

Messi went on to become Barcelona’s all-time top scorer and appearance maker with 672 goals in 778 games.

In one season, 2011-12, he smashed La Liga’s scoring record with 50 goals. In total, he won 35 trophies with Barcelona, including 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies, before moving to Paris St Germain last year.

Along the way, he won the Ballon d’Or a record seven times and FIFA Player of the Year six.

For Argentina, he is the all-time top scorer and led his nation to Copa America glory last year after a 28-year trophy drought including a string of heartbreaking finals defeats.

All that is missing in the Messi story is a World Cup.

But even should the unthinkable happen and Argentina lose, it seems he has won over a nation that now knows Messi loved the shirt every bit as much as Maradona, brought them wondrous moments over the years, and simply could not have tried harder or come closer to lifting the World Cup.

Reuters

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/sport/40023214

Wannagorn, Suritpreeya Reign Supreme Despite Strong Winds to Win C Classes in Junior Asian Tour Qualifiers

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2022

THE NATION

Wannagorn Bennukul and Suritpreeya Pruksanubal defied the windy conditions to win the C Boys and Girls trophies in the Junior Asian Tour 2023 Qualifying School at Lake View Resort & Golf Club in Cha-Am on Sunday.

Wannagorn shot a final round 68 and a total one under-par-143 to beat Takrit Supagonchoowong by six stroke for the boys’ title while Suritpreeya carded a 76 for a total three over-par-147 to dominate the girls’ crown with  Kulsiri Kaewwijit  coming in second, nine strokes back.
 

“I played so well and hit the ball exactly as I desired. It’s quite a challenge and fun to play under this windy condition. I’ve learned a lot playing here as this is my first time playing at this course,” said Wannagorn who secured a slot into the inaugural Junior Asian Tour next year.

“I haven’t set any long-term play yet. I just want to improve my approaching game first,” Wannagorn responded when asked about his future goal.

Suritpreeya will also join Wannagorn in the continental junior tour which begins in January 2023. She, however, hopes to fix her game before the new season.

“Although I’m happy with my win, judging from the score, I need to work a lot harder especially on how to play under strong winds. I’d never played under this circumstance before, so it was hard to control my shots,” she said. 

In the A Girls second round, Alisa Inpraset still clung to the lead after hitting a 73 and a two-day total of four under-par-140. Struggling with her game under the windy condition, the Nakhon Ratchasima-born, after two opening birdies, suffered three straight bogeys between holes 4 and 6. She later swapped a birdie with another bogey on the back nine before ending with an over par 

“It was totally different from the first round as it is very windy today. I had problems with my iron and could not hit as many right spots as I would want to. That’s why I had four bogeys against three birdies,” said the teenager who just reserved a spot in the national rising star team on Friday.

With a huge 17-stroke advantage over Passarawan Athipansiri going to the Monday’s final, Alisa is the heavy favourite to lift up the trophy. 

“In the final round, I will go out there with the same game plan by hitting the fairways and the greens to create as many birdie chances as possible,” she added.

In the A Boys competition, Chinese Kaichen Xia, troubled by strong winds after the turn, settled with a 75 and a two-day total of three over-par-147, a shot ahead of two Thais Polakrit Pawichai and Ingtawan Wangrungwichaisri, each with a 74 and four over-par-148.

Ingtawan from Chiang Mai produced a solid front nine performance with three birdies against just one bogey before squandering his lead away by committing two double bogeys on the 12th and 18th holes.

“I was playing quite well until on the back nine where it was windy. I couldn’t control my shots, hitting a bad tee shot (12th hole) and needed three putts (on 18th),” said the timid boy from the northern part of Thailand. 

“However, I think I have played beyond my expectation this week. I’m really determined to have a great result, so I will give my all in the final round,” Ingtawan said.

THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/sport/40023206

Messi’s hometown hopes to witness Argentina’s third World Cup championship

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2022

Residents of Rosario, Lionel Messi’s hometown and Argentina’s third largest city, have expressed their hope to witness the country’s third FIFA World Cup championship with Messi’s superb performance.

Rosario, located 300 kilometres northwest of Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital, is the shipping centre for northeastern Argentina. Messi’s childhood home is on the Lavalleja (525), a small street in Rosario.

The two-story building where Messi and his family once lived has become a famous tourist spot now. The large portrait on the wall of the house was painted after Messi had become famous.

The elementary school, No.66 General Las Heras, is the school Messi attended till around age 12.

In 2005, Messi paid a visit to his alma mater, which greatly inspired the students at that time.

“As Messi’s ambitiousness and bravery are what we value the most, our students are always pursuing excellence no matter it comes to sports or study,” said Anastasia, headmistress of the elementary school.

Now, the streets of Rosario are adorned with various World Cup elements, and one of the most striking is Messi’s jersey. Local people are expecting Argentina to win the third World Cup under the leadership of Messi.

“We need a new leader after Diego Maradona to lead Argentina to win another World Cup title. We’ve been craving for such glory to come one more time,” said Manolier, a university student in Rosario.

“It’s going to be a tough final, but I believe Messi and Argentina will win it,” said Marcelo, a local resident.

Argentina will play France in the World Cup final at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday night, as both sides aim to win the trophy for the third time.

Reuters

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/sport/40023191

Proud Morocco want to build African legacy after World Cup run

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2022

Croatia ended their World Cup campaign with the pride of claiming third place in a 2-1 win against Morocco, which marked the end of a journey but also promised a bright future, coach Zlatko Dalic said on Saturday.

Croatia, runners-up in 2018, prevailed with goals by Josko Gvardiol and Mislav Orsic to end their World Cup on a high as Luka Modric possibly bid farewell to the soccer extravaganza.

Croatia beat Brazil in the quarter-finals, but for Dalic, Saturday’s bronze medal game was the highlight of their tournament.

“In any case, the last match we played. If you remember, I had said if we had lost, it would have been a disaster,” said Dalic, who paid tribute to former Serbia midfielder Sinisa Mihajlovic after his death on Friday.

“It was a difficult, great match. I want to extend my congratulations to Morocco, they put up a great fight until the last minute, despite the fatigue.

“They can be proud, they remind me of us four years ago. We’re among the best teams in the world.”

Croatia can now look forward to the future with confidence.

“It’s the end of a cycle for us, the end of a journey. Tonight’s match and the win is the moment of the tournament for us,” said Dalic.

“Yes, this is the last World Cup for some of my players today due to their age. But we have young players in the team and it is great for Croatia,” he added, referring to a man of the match Josko Gvardiol, but also Lovro Majer and Borna Sosa.

“We have many of the players on the bench, too.”

Dalic, however, is still counting on his old guard for the Nations League and the Euro 2024 qualifiers.

“We would not have been that far without our older players. We have a great future, and Croatia has nothing to fear. Is it the end of an era for a generation? Well, we still have the Nations League and the Euro qualifiers. All I know is that Croatia has a bright future.”

Meanwhile, despite losing Morocco broke new ground for Africa by finishing in the final four. Head coach Walid Regragui promised that his players will still go home to a hero’s welcome

“We wanted to please our fans. We’re still happy, we’re among the four best teams in the world,” Regragui said.

“We provided everyone with a good show, we never gave up. Congratulations to Croatia, they deserve their third place.”

By the 67th minute, Morocco had made all five of their substitutions. With starting centre-back duo, Romain Saiss and Nayef Aguerd, nursing injuries on the bench, Jawad El Yamiq became their fourth centre-back to bid the tournament goodbye when he came off.

“Physically it was difficult, our players got tired, it was intense,” Morocco coach Walid Regragui said.

Morocco will leave Qatar proud and happy after becoming the first African or Arabic team to reach the last four at a World Cup but they should strive for more in the future, coach Walid Regragui said on Saturday.

Regragui lauded his young squad saying they did everything he asked of them in the tournament, having beaten elite teams including Belgium, Portugal and Spain on their way to the semi-finals.

“We wanted to bring joy to our fans but we’re still happy, we’re among the four best teams in the world,” Regragui told reporters.

“We provided everyone with a good show, we never gave up. Congratulations to Croatia, they deserve their third place. We are a young team that is still learning.”

Regragui said that his side, who had the best defensive record in Qatar before losing 2-0 to France on Wednesday, felt the physical toll of an intense tournament after playing their seventh match.

“Sure, I am a little disappointed by this second consecutive defeat, but we did everything that we could,” Regragui said.

“Physically it was difficult, our players got tired, it was very intense. We wanted to make the fans more proud than they already were, that’s it.”

Morocco’s campaign in Qatar gave African football a huge morale boost after none of the five African sides made it out of the group phase in Russia in 2018.

“I think we showed our strength, we showed that African football is prepared to face the top teams in the world with efficiency and playing at the highest level,” Regragui told a news conference.

“We probably will only realise what we accomplished in Qatar after four years, in the next World Cup. The pressure will also be greater, there will be expectations around us. It’s natural.

“We made a great achievement but we want to do it again. It will not be easy but that’s the objective.”

Regragui said he hoped their performance in Qatar would leave a lasting legacy for African football.

“Through experience, you get stronger and I hope we learn and grow and build in our children in Africa a football DNA that lasts,” he said.

“We have now allowed children to dream, dream of being footballers and going to the World Cup. That is priceless. As for the impact on our country, we have set the bar high.

“I’m sure that in 15 years an African team will win the World Cup.”

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/sport/40023188

Thai Jetski Racers Dominate World Cup with Three More Division Wins on Saturday

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2022

Thai jet ski racers achieved great results at the World Cup in Jomtien beach after winning three more categories on Saturday.

The third and final round of the WGP#1 World Series 2022 will decide the champions.

The first round was held in Poland in July, and the second was held in the US in October. 

Thailand managed to win three more categories after already winning five categories on Thursday. 

In the Pro-AM Ski Stock division, Nantawat Singurai won the title after winning all four motos, while Tanawid Molee and Tanawin Molee placed second and third, respectively. 

In the Pro-AM Runabout Stock division, Nuttakorn Pupakdee won first place after a disappointing result in the first moto. 

Thai Katanyu Chomim also won the Pro-AM Runabout Superstock division.

The competition will be broadcast on TrueVision while Channel 5 will air Sunday’s matches from 11am to 12pm, and MCOT HD will also broadcast the event on Sunday, from 2pm to 4pm. 

For more information, visit the competition’s Facebook page or YouTube channel.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/sport/40023183

Muay Thai takes a step closer to Olympic debut thanks to NSDF promotion efforts

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2022

The National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) is working to promote Muay Thai in an effort to include the sport in the Olympics.

NSDF manager Supranee Guptasa said that the organisation, which has been tasked with promoting soft power in foreign countries, previously joined forces with the Sports Authority of Thailand to set up a sports tourism booth at the World Travel Market 2022 in London. 

The booth was very successful, thanks in part to the participation of Muay Thai star Buakaw Banchamek. 

Guptasa added that NSDF has allocated a budget to support Muay Thai at all levels, from the root to the professional level. 

In order for Muay Thai to be included in the Olympics, it is also important to create an identity for the sport that emphasises its non-violent nature and includes safety precautions.