Labour Ministry to regulate Muay Thai trainers as professionals

The aim is to promote the sport as a soft power of Thailand.

Suchart said he has assigned the department to draft guidelines for issuing certificates to Muay Thai trainers.

The Labour Ministry will also push for the acceptance of its Muay Thai trainer certificate both in Thailand and abroad, Suchart added.

He said he had got the idea during his recent trip to Geneva where he met Thais who had opened Muay Thai training schools that drew both Thai and foreign students.

Suchart said Muay Thai trainers are well-paid in Switzerland, hence trainers should have their skills certified by the authorities.

The Labour Ministry will cooperate with existing Muay Thai trainers, the Muay Thai circle and all stakeholders to determine the qualification standards, Suchart added.

He said those holding the certificates would be accepted worldwide as suitably qualified, which would help the sport get international recognition.

Department director-general Prateep Songlamyong said on Monday that his department had held a public hearing on the standardisation of qualifications of Muay Thai trainers on Saturday.

Prateep said his department had also held a seminar on the qualifications of Muay Thai trainers with key speakers from the subcommittee on national skills development. The seminar was held at The Palazzo Bangkok Hotel with some 100 attendants.

The panelists of the seminar included Somporn Chaibangyang, chairman of the subcommittee, Sports Authority of Thailand deputy governor Thanukiat Chanchum, and Asst Prof Jintana Thiamthip, dean of the Faculty of Education of Thailand National Sports University.

It was proposed during the seminar that holders of Muay Thai trainers’ certificates must have good knowledge of the sport, and must have a good attitude and ethics in the profession, among other things, Prateep said.

He said the drafting of guidelines would be completed in October.