Gongsak vows swift progress
New Sports Authority of Thailand governor Gongsak Yodmanee began work yesterday and vowed to build a “sports city” in every province.
Gongsak, 46, succeeds Sakol Wannapong whose term ended on June 30.
Son of former tourism and sports minister Suvit, Gonsak was chosen by a committee in June and the selection was approved by the cabinet in August.
Addressing SAT officials at the organisation’s headquarters, Gongsak said he would create a sports city in every province.
Holding a doctorate in sports management from Kasetsart University, the SAT governor said he also wanted to see a world-class stadium in each region.
“This would be used to stage world-level tournaments such as the Olympics or the [Fifa] World Cup,” he said.
Gongsak, a former member of the Democrat Party, said he would use sports science to help in the development of Thai athletes.
Gongsak, who beat eight other candidates for the position, said he would make the SAT a high-performance agency by using technology and digital methods.
“We should work faster and more effectively,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, several well-wishers, including Football Association of Thailand president Somyot Poompunmuang, visited Gongsak at his office to congratulate him yesterday.
Somyot later told reporters: “We have a new SAT governor who has a good vision to push Thai sports forward.
“The FAT cannot develop football on its own alone. We need support from the SAT. I am ready to work with the new SAT governor.”
Gongsak said he wanted to renovate
Rajamangala National Stadium in the SAT compound in Hua Mark which was built for the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok.
“Rajamangala is a very important football stadium in Thailand. I want to make it a modern stadium like those in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. Our stadium looks inferior to theirs.
“We have to renovate the stadium and this is not just about painting to make it look new.”