World badminton champion Ratchanok Intanon says support from the royal family will help spur her to reach her ultimate goal of winning an Olympic gold medal.
The 18-year-old beat Li Xuerui in the women's singles final at the world championships on the Olympic champion's home soil in Guangzhou on Sunday.
With the triumph, Ratchanok became Thailand's first ever world champion and the youngest world champion in the sport.
Her Majesty the Queen and HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, a former national team player, gave Ratchanok bouquets of flowers to congratulate her yesterday.
When she arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport on Sunday night, she also received bouquets of flowers from HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
"I feel grateful to Their Majesties the King and the Queen and the other members of the royal family who have supported badminton in the country," Ratchanok said.
"I will try to win as many titles as possible. My next two goals are to be the world No.1 within two years and to win an Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games."
Nicknamed 'May', Ratchanok is expected to move to No.2 from No.3 when the next world rankings are anounced this week.
She reached the quarter-finals at last year's Olympics. She won the first set against China's Wang Xin and built a big lead in the second set, only to run out of steam and lose the match.
She won the world title exactly 12 months after the London loss.
"It is completely different now _ I am much stronger," she said.
"I was exhausted at the Olympics but I still had a lot of energy in the deciding set at the world championships.
"I am also fitter mentally. As you saw at the world championships, I came back from seven points to win the first set. I just told myself if I was going to lose then I would not lose without a fight. Fortunately, I won the fight.
"I felt relaxed but my opponent looked under pressure."
Ratchanok was among 96 award recipients for showing gratitude to their parents on National Mother's Day _ Her Majesty the Queen's birthday _ yesterday. The ceremony was presided over by HHR Princess Soamsawali.
"It is really a great feeling that my win came just before such a special occasion so I can give my win and the award as a Mother's Day present for my mother and Mother Puk, who is my second mother," Ratchanok said.
"Without their support, I would not have been able to come this far."
Mother Puk is Kamala Thongkorn, owner of Banthongyord badminton school where Ratchanok has been staying and training.
Her mother, Khampan Suwansala, said that after being born in a poor family, Ratchanok was taught to respect people, be polite and work hard.
"We are really proud of her and I want her to be a good example for everybody," Khampan said.
Khunying Patama Leesawadtrakul, president of the Badminton Association of Thailand, said that, following Ratchanok's success, she will look at how Banthongyord badminton school creates good players.
"The school is a case study for all badminton schools. We will look at what they do and hopefully we will have more Ratchanoks," she said.
Ratchanok will receive at least 2.5 million baht for winning the world title from the National Sports Development Fund (one million baht), Patama (500,000 baht), Bangkok police chief Khamronwit Thoopkrachang (500,000 baht), Bangkok Thonburi University where she is studying (200,000 baht) and Yonex (300,000 baht).
According to reports, the Tourism and Sports Ministry is considering giving her a special bonus of one million baht, while the police force is interested in asking her to become an officer.