The breakthrough came after WPBC president Claude Azema had earlier ordered Thailand barred from staging petanque competitions at the regional games, citing irregularities by the Petanque Association of Thailand and the Sports Authority of Thailand’s (SAT) failure to comply with the federation’s ruling.
The dispute also led to Thailand being suspended from international competition, reports the Bangkok Post.
Deputy Prime Minister Capt Thammanat Prompao, who oversees sports, intervened by directing the national Olympic committee to dispatch a high-level delegation to France.
The team – led by Olympic committee president Pimol Srivikorn, vice president Chaiphak Siriwat and Gen Mangorn Kosin – presented a formal letter pledging reforms and compliance with WPBC guidelines. The letter was co-signed by Thammanat and SAT governor Gongsak Yodmani.
Following the assurances, Azema expressed satisfaction and agreed to reinstate petanque as a medal sport at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand, scheduled for Dec 9–20, 2025.
Pimol hailed the outcome as a collective success, thanking Thammanat, Gongsak and the members of his negotiating team for restoring Thailand’s credibility.
“This is a victory for our athletes, for the Thai people, and for the country’s reputation in ASEAN,” he said.
The international petanque community was shaken earlier this month by an unprecedented decision from the WPBC to ban the sport from the 2025 SEA Games, following a governance crisis within Thailand’s national federation.
The exclusion of petanque from the 2025 SEA Games would have been a significant setback for Thailand, who have traditionally been a powerhouse at regional and international levels.