Pimol Srivikorn, who chairs the committee under royal patronage, said he had received formal grievances from leading promoter Nattadej Wachirattanawong and national team fighter Arissara “Mongkutpetch” Noon-eiad. Both allege that Thai athletes were denied fair results in several contests at the 33rd SEA Games, with medals effectively “shared out” among other nations, reports the Bangkok Post.
The controversy has drawn attention from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), whose representatives were present at the events and reportedly expressed confusion at the judging.
“Even IOC observers remarked that Thai fighters performed better yet lost on points,” Pimol said. “We cannot alter the results now, but we must defend the honour of our athletes and ensure this does not happen again. If left unresolved, it could damage Muay Thai’s prospects on the world stage, including its Olympic ambitions.”
The complaints were lodged during a meeting attended by senior Thai Olympic officials, including Vice President Dr Suwanna Silpa-archa and Secretary-General Thana Chaiprasit, who also served as head of the Thai delegation in Phnom Penh. The session attracted significant interest from the sporting press.
Promoter Nattadej described the move as a stand against what he called “foreign domination” of Thai boxing’s governance.
“Muay Thai is our national sport, yet international federations led by foreigners now control its administration. Even staging an international bout requires their permission. This is unacceptable,” he said. He urged reforms to restore Thai oversight and protect athletes from exploitation.
Arissara, who had targeted a gold medal but lost in contentious circumstances, voiced her dismay.
“It felt like being cheated. I trained for months, received only partial allowances, and gave everything for the national team. To lose like this is heartbreaking,” she said. The fighter added she would now turn her focus to the professional circuit, having lost faith in the amateur system.
Pimol acknowledged that the issue of foreign influence over Thai amateur Muay Thai remains pressing. “There are many aspects that must be discussed further, particularly the extent to which outsiders have seized control. We must address this to safeguard the future of our sport,” he concluded.