Cabinet approves ministry shake-up

The Cabinet today approved a bill to split the Ministry of Tourism and Sports into a separate Sports Ministry and merge tourism affairs with the Ministry of Culture, which will be renamed the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phanthacharoenworakul said the bill will now be submitted to the House of Representatives for deliberation before proceeding to the Senate.

Speaking after the weekly Cabinet meeting, Surasak said he hoped the process would be completed by the end of 2026 or early 2027.

Under the new structure, the Sports Ministry will comprise the Office of the Permanent Secretary, the Department of Physical Education, the Sports Authority of Thailand, and the National Sports University.

Surasak said ministerial regulations would be amended to expand the ministry's responsibilities, particularly in sports science and the sports industry, which he said could generate income and create jobs.

Meanwhile, tourism-related agencies, including the Department of Tourism, the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA), the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), and the Tourist Police, will be transferred to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.