A popular sport around the globe, badminton owes a lion’s share of its followers to the continent of Asia. Historically speaking, Asian shuttlers have enjoyed more success on the international stage than their counterparts from the rest of the world. And the Southeast Asian nation of Thailand has a special love affair with the sport. Before we take a look at the best badminton players from Thailand, let us delve deep into the popularity of the sport in this region.
Badminton is one of the most famous sporting disciplines in Thailand with a rich legacy of players shining on the big stages. The performances of the shuttlers can be attributed to the country’s strong badminton training infrastructure at the grassroots level. Several children are introduced to the sport at a tender age.
The country boasts of a robust training and coaching system for young players. And there exists an effective talent identification program that scouts youngsters with great potential. The Thai government also takes adequate care to give badminton all the necessary boost it can, be it in terms of funding or resources for training and development programs.
With such a fecund environment, it comes as little surprise that Thailand produces some of the best players in the world. These shuttlers, by virtue of regularly participating in international competitions, also gain valuable exposure and experience against the best in the trade. As a result, Thailand also has one of the best badminton teams in the world.
So, on that note, join us as we take a close look at the best badminton players in the history of the sport hailing from Thailand. The curation includes both male and female shuttlers.
Looking at the best badminton players in Thailand’s history
Ratchanok Intanon
Picture Credits: Courtesy @ratchanokmay/Instagram
One of the finest shuttlers in the modern era, Ratchanok Intanon made her debut at the young age of 13. She enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2009, winning her first individual international title at the Vietnam International Challenge and backing it up with a gold medal win at the BWF World Junior Championships (she also became the youngest champion in the history of the tournament, aged 14). In addition, the Thai shuttler made it to the finals of the Malaysia International Challenge and the South East Asian (SEA) Games in the same year.
Over the next few years, Intanon became an indomitable force in the international badminton landscape. She won the world championships in 2013. Intanon also reached the summit of the BWF world rankings in the women’s singles category, in the process becoming the first badminton player from Thailand to do so. She has won three gold medals at the SEA Games — in 2011, 2015 and 2019.
Intanon’s name is written in history as the best badminton player of all time to come from Thailand.
Dechapol Puavaranukroh
Picture Credits: Courtesy Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Instagram
Badminton is not just an individual sport. Players who have performed consistently over the years in the doubles categories deserve as much recognition as their singles counterparts, if not more. One such shuttler is Dechapol Puavaranukroh.
The Thai badminton player announced his arrival on the international stage by winning the boys’ doubles event at the 2014 BWF World Junior Championships alongside Kittinupong Kedren. He won both the men’s doubles and the mixed doubles events at the 2017 SEA Games partnering with Kedren and Sapsiree Taerattanachai, respectively. Together with the latter, he also won a silver medal at the 2019 BWF World Championships.
In 2021, the mixed doubles duo of Puavaranukroh and Taerattanchai claimed the topmost honour at the BWF World Championships mixed doubles event, becoming the first Thai pair to do so. They replicated the same form to win the mixed doubles crown at the BWF World Tour Finals later that year, and in the process, made history by becoming the first Thai players to win a title in the year-end Finals tournament. Puavaranukroh and Taerattanchai also reached the summit of the BWF world rankings and achieved the feat of being the first Thai pair to rank first in the world.
Kunlavut Vitidsarn
Picture Credits: Courtesy Kunlavut V./Instagram
This young badminton player is perhaps one of the most talented shuttlers Thailand has ever produced. Kunlavut Vitidsarn has taken giant strides in the world of badminton in a matter of few years and already ranks among the best in the world.
Just in his early twenties, the Thai shuttler has made it to the finals of the BWF World Championships twice in the men’s singles category and has won the coveted crown in 2023. In the process, he became the first Thai player to win the world title in the men’s singles division.
Besides his impressive performances in several top-tier badminton tournaments and multinational sports meets, Vitidsarn also shares an edge-of-the-seat rivalry with one of the best shuttlers of his generation, Viktor Axelsen. The entire badminton fraternity looks at the Thai prodigy as someone who holds the potential to become a legend of the sport.
Sapsiree Taerattanachai
Picture Credits: Courtesy Popor Sapsiree Taerattanachai/Instagram
Not a lot of players have a portfolio as decorated as Sapsiree Taerattanachai, and that warrants her inclusion in this list of the best badminton players from Thailand. Along with her partner-in-crime, Dechapol Puavaranukroh, Taerattanachai has conquered multiple peaks, including winning gold medals at the SEA Games (in 2017), the BWF World Championships (in 2021) and the BWF World Tour Finals (also in 2021). In addition, she and Puavaranukroh have achieved the feats of becoming the first Thai pair to be crowned world champions and the first Thai duo to reach the top of the world rankings.
Taerattanachai also holds the record of being the first player in the history of badminton to win Grand Prix Gold titles in all three disciplines (the women’s doubles title at the 2012 India Open Grand Prix Gold, the women’s singles title at the 2013 US Open Grand Prix Gold and the mixed doubles crown at the 2017 Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold).
Pornpawee Chochuwong
Picture Credits: Courtesy ᴘᴏʀɴᴘᴀᴡᴇᴇ ᴄʜᴏᴄʜᴜᴡᴏɴɢ????????/Instagram
In badminton, players who taste success in team events are seldom remembered by many. But that takes nothing away from their achievements. Pornpawee Chochuwong is one such player who has brought Thailand considerable glory in badminton.
A relatively young player, Chochuwong was a part of the Thai badminton teams that won gold medals at the 2017, 2019 and 2021 SEA Games (in the women’s team events). However, she is an equally prolific singles player, having won the gold medal at the 2021 SEA Games. Chochuwong also won the 2020 Spain Masters in the women’s singles event by beating Carolina Marin and was the runner-up in the women’s singles discipline of the 2021 All England Open.
Wangcharoen song
Picture Credits: Courtesy Kantaphon W./Instagram
Arguably one of the best Asian shuttlers in recent times, Wangcharoen song might not have enjoyed widespread success in terms of title wins, but that does not mar his significance in the international sphere. The Thai shuttler was a part of the national team that won the bronze medals at the 2017 and 2019 SEA Games, and the 2019 Sudirman Cup. He also won the National Championships title in 2017 and finished as the runner-up of the 2017 Thailand Masters, which was a BWF Grand Prix Gold event.
Porntip Buranaprasertsuk
Picture Credits: Courtesy Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0
A pioneering figure among women shuttlers in Thailand, Porntip Buranaprasertsuk has been a part of the international badminton landscape for over a decade. She won her first BWF Super Series title at the India Open on 1 May 2011, and in the process, became the first Thai to win the women’s singles title in a BWF Super Series tournament.
In addition, she was a part of the gold medal-winning Thai teams in the women’s team event at the 2011 and 2015 SEA Games. It was Buranaprasertsuk against whom Ratchanok Intanon won the final of the BWF World Junior Championships in 2009.
Bodin Close
Picture Credits: Courtesy Badminton World Federation/Facebook
One of the best badminton players from Thailand, Bodin Isara is best known for winning as many as eight medals at the SEA Games (two silver medals and six bronze medals). In addition, he won bronze medals at the 2010 Asian Games (in the men’s team event), the 2017 Sudirman Cup (in the mixed team event) and the 2017 Asia Mixed Team Championships.
Isara became the first Thai shuttler to compete in the doubles category of the Olympic Games alongside his partner Maneepong Jongjit in 2012. However, the duo was defeated by the Malaysian pair of Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong.
Nitchaon Jindapol
Picture Credits: Courtesy nitchaon jindapol/Instagram
With over 230 career wins in the international sphere, Nitchaon Jindapol easily claims her place in the list of the best badminton players from Thailand. She was a member of the national women’s team which finished as the runners-up of the 2010 Asian Games.
In a career spanning over a decade, Jindapol has won two BWF Grand Prix Gold titles (the Bitburger Open in 2013 and 2017) and one BWF Grand Prix title (the 2013 Canada Open). Additionally, she has won four gold medals at the SEA Games in the women’s team category (in 2011, 2015, 2017 and 2019).
The finest hour of her badminton career, however, came at the Thailand Masters in 2018 where she defeated compatriot Pornpawee Chochuwong to claim her first (and, to date, her only) BWF World Tour crown.
Boonsak Ponsana
Summing up the list of the best badminton players from Thailand is Boonsak Ponsana, a star from the 2000s and the early 2010s. He is often credited for putting Thailand on the map of international badminton. He reached a career-best rank of fourth on the BWF world rankings in the men’s singles category in November 2010.
Ponsana’s greatest achievement of his career has been reaching the final of the Badminton World Cup in 2005. Unfortunately, he could not win the title and had to settle for a silver medal (he lost the summit clash to Chinese badminton legend Lin Dan). In addition, he has won a total of nine medals at the SEA Games (which includes three silver medals and six bronze medals).
(Main Image Credits: Courtesy @ratchanokmay/Instagram and Kunlavut V./Instagram; Featured Image Credits: Courtesy @ratchanokmay/Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– Who is the best badminton player from Thailand?
Ratchanok Intanon is widely regarded as the best Thai badminton player of all time.
– Who is the best female badminton player from Thailand?
Ratchanok Intanon is considered to be the best female badminton player from Thailand.
2024-01-11 11:48:16
#Badminton #Players #Thailand