Thailand has the most athletes at the 19th Asian Games.

Thailand became the largest delegation at the 19th Asian Games, with 939 athletes and high ambitions.

Host country China ranks second with 887 athletes. Following are South Korea with 867, Japan (773), Hong Kong (688), and India (655). Countries with over 400 athletes include Kazakhstan (527), Taiwan (5240), Singapore (431), Indonesia (415), and Mongolia (408). Vietnam ranks 14th with 337 athletes.

Five years ago, Thailand sent 829 athletes to the 18th Asian Games, second only to host nation Indonesia and China.

Panipak Wongpattanakit won the gold medal in the women's 49 kg taekwondo category at the 18th Asian Games. Photo: Reuters

Thailand competed in all 40 sports at the 19th Asian Games and set a high target of winning between 15 and 23 gold medals. The only time Thailand won 15 or more gold medals was at the 1998 Asian Games on home soil, where they won 24 gold, 26 silver, and 40 bronze medals to finish fourth overall.

Thailand also wants to reclaim the top spot in Southeast Asia. In the most recent edition, Thailand ranked 12th overall with 11 gold medals, 16 silver medals, and 46 bronze medals. Indonesia, as the host nation, finished fourth with 31 gold medals, 24 silver medals, and 43 bronze medals.

The High Sports Development Department of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) predicts that it can win 23 gold medals, including boxing (5 gold medals), sepak takraw, athletics (3), Karate (2), jujutsu, taekwondo, shooting, eSports, sailing, horse riding, roller skating, cycling, kabaddi and canoeing.

Thai badminton prodigy Kunlavut Vitidsarn. Photo: AFP

Thailand's top hope is taekwondo fighter Panipak Wongpattanakit in the 49 kg category. The 26-year-old athlete won a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Games, and a gold medal at the 18th Asian Games. Panipak aims for a gold medal as this is her final Asian Games.

In addition, Thailand has track and field prodigy Puripol Boonson to hope for in the men's 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relays. Badminton prodigy Kunlavut Vitidsarn recently won the 2023 World Championships. Meanwhile, boxing, sepak takraw, and women's volleyball remain strong disciplines.

Hieu Luong

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