The Bangsaen21 in Thailand (© National Institute for Emergency Medicine)
World Athletics, through its Health and Science Department, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Thailand National Institute for Emergency Medicine (NIEM).
The national agency is responsible for overseeing and developing emergency medical services in Thailand. It provides training and certification programmes for healthcare professionals, ensuring high-quality pre-hospital and in-hospital emergency medical care. NIEM plays a crucial role in advancing emergency medicine and disaster response preparedness within Thailand and across Southeast Asia.
In recent years, the World Athletics Health and Science Department, through its World Academy for Endurance Medicine, has developed a comprehensive theoretical and practical education and certification international cursus (The Race Emergency Medicine Courses) for healthcare professionals involved in mass gathering endurance events. Thailand is experiencing exponential growth in sports tourism and mass road running, while also emerging as an educational hub for Southeast Asia. It is therefore logical for NIEM and World Athletics to develop strong partnerships.
The Bangsaen21 in Thailand (© National Institute for Emergency Medicine)
Several areas of cooperation have been considered in the signed Memorandum of Understanding:
- E-learning: The World Athletics Health and Science Department will provide a Thai version of existing and future e-learning modules of the Race Emergency Medicine Courses (Level 1 and Level 2).
- Training and certification: The World Athletics Health and Science Department will organise a Race Emergency Medicine Course Level 1 for NIEM staff or selected Thai participants annually.
- Southeast Asia hub: World Athletics and NIEM will collaborate on the development of new educational content and training materials to enhance emergency medical preparedness in Thailand and the broader Southeast Asia region.
“We are delighted to be able to continue our educational collaboration with Thailand and NIEM over the long term. On several occasions, the Thai authorities have shown a genuine interest in the safety and medical organisation of mass sports events,” said Dr Stéphane Bermon, Director of the Health and Science Department at World Athletics. “Thanks to this partnership, our shared goals can be carried out more effectively in Southeast Asia, a region with great potential for mass running.”
Flt. Lt. Atchariya Pangma, Secretary General of the National Institute for Emergency Medicine, said: “Since the first collaborative activity between NIEM and World Athletics back in 2024, NIEM and World Athletics have worked together to craft a collaboration that would enhance sport safety by implementing comprehensive emergency care training programmes. Our expertise in emergency medicine combined with World Athletics' global reach will create a powerful synergy that will benefit athletes at all levels of competition.”