Thailand are hoping to stage the 2021 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games ©NOCT

Thailand are to launch a bid to host the sixth edition of the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2021.

The bid was revealed by Gen Yutthasak Sasiprabha, President of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand (NOCT), ahead of travelling to the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) General Assembly here in the United States capital.

He claimed the event will promote the nation as a regional sports hub.

The country’s capital city Bangkok hosted the first edition of the Asian Indoor Games in 2005, with the multi-sport event having since been merged with the Martial Arts Games ahead of the 2013 staging in South Korean city Incheon.

"The Thai NOC agrees with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports that we should bid to host the Games in 2021," Yutthasak told bangkokpost.com.

"We should be hosting sports events continuously to promote our country and tourism.

"Many countries in the region are also using sports events to promote themselves and to attract tourists.”

Thailand hosted the Asian Beach Games in 2014
Thailand hosted the Asian Beach Games in 2014 ©Getty Images

Yutthasak is now set to express the country’s interest in staging the sixth edition of the event to the director general of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), Husain Al-Musallam, during the ANOC General Assembly, due to be held here on Thursday and Friday (October 29 and 30). 

The next staging of the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games is set to take place in Turkmenistan’s capital city Ashgabat in 2017 with 19 events currently scheduled  to take place, although more sports could be added.

The Games will feature, for the first time, countries from Oceania.

While Thailand, who hosted the Asian Beach Games in Phuket last year, are targeting the Asian Indoors and Martial Arts Games, Yutthasak also claimed the country would be interested in hosting a meeting of the World Anti-Doping Agency in the near future.



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