"Thought She Was a Girl Group Center..." 19-Year-Old 'Thai Badminton Princess' Brings Nagoya-Bound Airport to a Standstill

[Financial News] At the departure ceremony for Thailand's badminton team, which is heading to the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya, the player who unquestionably seized the spotlight was not a marquee star but a 19-year-old backup member. Pitchamon Opatniput, dubbed the 'Thai princess' for her striking beauty, was the center of attention.
On the 17th, local time, Thailand's badminton team boarded a flight to Nagoya. When the squad appeared at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, local media cameras turned toward Pitchamon. An interview video filmed before departure quickly sparked buzz online, demonstrating her explosive popularity.
In a pre-departure interview, Pitchamon calmly declared, "I'm looking forward to it, and I'm ready to fight," adding, "I've completed all the preparations to help Thailand win a medal in the women's team event. I will sharpen my attacks and do my best."
She is not a player attracting attention solely because of her glamorous appearance. Pitchamon is a sensational young prospect in women's singles and is currently showing one of the steepest growth trajectories in badminton. The 2023 World Junior Championships gold medalist was ranked outside the world's top 100 as recently as early last year, but climbed to No. 18 in just over a year. She has also proven herself on the senior circuit, finishing as runner-up at the Indonesia Masters (Super 500) and Orléans Masters (Super 300) and taking third place at the Thailand Open (Super 500) in January this year.


Pitchamon currently holds the third-highest ranking among Thailand's women's singles players. Although she narrowly missed out on a spot in the women's singles event at the Nagoya Games, she joined the team as a key member of the women's team event. Since the team competition consists of three singles matches and two doubles matches, the third and final singles match—where Pitchamon is likely to play—is expected to be the decisive turning point.
Long overshadowed by Southeast Asian badminton powerhouses Indonesia and Malaysia, Thailand is aiming for gold at the Nagoya Games—its first in 60 years since the men's team event at the 1966 Bangkok Asian Games. The Thai women's team has set securing at least a bronze medal as its initial goal, and its fortunes rest on the racket of the 19-year-old 'Thai princess.' Pitchamon, who combines outstanding ability with star power and is already highly active as an advertising model across Southeast Asia, will be closely watched to see whether she can pull off an upset on the Asian Games courts beginning on the 19th.


[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter