Thai Students Win Gold at 2026 Asian Physics Olympiad, Take Host Flag for 2027

Good news from Thailand's science-education community — the country's eight student representatives delivered a proud showing at the 2026 Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO) in Busan, South Korea, winning one gold, one silver, two bronze medals and four honourable mentions. Equally welcome: Thailand accepted the host flag to stage the 2027 contest in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

The competition ran from 17–25 May 2026, drawing around 350 high-school students and officials from 27 countries and economies across Asia and Oceania — one of the most demanding physics arenas for young people in the region.

How the Thai team performed

Leading the squad this year was Sirawit Musikasophon of Kamnoetvidya Science Academy in Rayong, who claimed the gold medal. Pattaraphon Thanapitak of Triam Udom Suksa School took silver, while the two bronze medals went to students from the Suankularb Wittayalai group of schools.

In addition, four more representatives — from Montfort College, Triam Udom Suksa School and Mahidol Wittayanusorn School — earned honourable mentions, meaning all eight returned home with an award. That consistency reflects the depth of Thailand's talent pool on the continental stage, not just one standout individual.

What the APhO is

The Asian Physics Olympiad is a continent-level physics contest for high-school students, held annually since 2000. Competitors first qualify through their own national selections, then face both a theoretical and an experimental (practical) round designed to test deep physical understanding rather than rote formula recall.

Illustrative: the Thao Suranari (Ya Mo) Monument, symbol of Nakhon Ratchasima, the host province of APhO 2027 — Supanut Arunoprayote, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The 2026 edition in Busan was supported by South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT together with the country's science organisations, and was staged at Pukyong National University and the BEXCO convention centre.

Why this matters for Thailand

The result is more than a tally of medals — it reflects a national selection-and-nurturing pipeline for science talent that is genuinely working. The fact that all eight students came home with an award points to depth across the team, not a single shining star.

Just as important is the inspiration it offers: these results help spark the next generation's ambition in science, mathematics and engineering — the foundation of a country's long-term development. It fits a broader picture of Thai youth making their mark globally, alongside the story of Thai students winning a top prize at ISEF 2026 with an AI malaria-detection system, and it connects to Thailand's push to become a regional data-centre and technology hub.

Voices from IPST

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Theeradej Jearsukhisul, Director of the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST), congratulated the team, noting that all eight Thai representatives "achieved excellent results, winning one gold, one silver, two bronze medals and four honourable mentions," bringing pride to the country on the international academic stage.

IPST is the lead agency that handles everything from selection and intensive training camps to fielding Thai youth representatives across the various academic olympiads each year — physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and computing.

Illustrative: Phimai Historical Park in Nakhon Ratchasima, the province set to host APhO 2027 — Philip Nalangan, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

What's next: Thailand hosts in 2027

Another highlight of this year was Thailand receiving the host flag from South Korea: the country will stage the 2027 Asian Physics Olympiad in Nakhon Ratchasima. Hosting reflects Thailand's readiness and credibility to run an international academic event — and gives many more Thai students a chance to experience a continental competition up close, on home soil.

Illustrative: a hands-on science demonstration (an illustration, not the actual competition) — International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. Pollard, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Key facts at a glance

• Thai team result: 1 gold · 1 silver · 2 bronze · 4 honourable mentions (8 representatives)
• Gold medallist: Sirawit Musikasophon — Kamnoetvidya Science Academy, Rayong
• Event: Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO) 2026 · Busan, South Korea · 17–25 May 2026
• Scale: roughly 350 people from 27 countries/economies across Asia–Oceania
• Next host: Thailand — APhO 2027 in Nakhon Ratchasima
• Lead agency: IPST (Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology)

The facts in this report draw on the official announcement from IPST together with reports by Thailand's Public Relations Department, the Bangkok Post and Korean media, as of May–June 2026.