Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul has reversed her decision and will now seek re-election as president of the Badminton Association of Thailand (BAT).
Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, left, was elected BAT president in 2013.
Khunying Patama said in October that she would not run for another two-year term as Thai badminton chief.
However, she recently issued a statement saying that she would contest the BAT presidential election on March 2.
“I have decided to seek re-election as BAT president for another two years,’’ said Patama, who was elected unopposed as BAT president in August 2013, succeeding Charoen Watanasin.
“Since I started working here, I have tried to improve our players and the response from players is encouraging,’’ she said.
“Everything is on the right track and I want to continue my work here.”
Patama said if she wins the March election, her targets will include introducing a youth development programme, bidding to host a Superseries event and launching a domestic professional league.
Patama, who is likely to be the only candidate for the job, said the planned professional league would be introduced after the 2016 Olympics.
The BAT’s main tasks this year will be the SEA Games to be held in Singapore in June and the qualifying events for the 2016 Olympics.
Patama said she hopes her athletes earn spots at the Rio Games in all five events.
Reflecting on last year, she admitted that her players failed to deliver in major events, partly because of injuries.
The Thai shuttlers, led by 2013 world champion Ratchanok Intanon, all suffered early exits at the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea in the team’s worst performance in recent years.
No Thai players reached the semi-finals in Incheon, although their bosses expected them to win at least one gold medal.
Kamala Thongkorn, Ratchanok’s manager, said she supported Patama to continue as BAT president.
“She knows the players and has done a good job,’’ Kamala said. “She is the right one to run the association.”
She said the BAT’s immediate task should be creating new players to replace the veterans.
“There is a big gap between the old and young players,’’ Kamala said. “We must find new players for the national team.”