SURAT THANI — 29 August 2026, A 13-year-old jet ski racer from Koh Samui has brought home an international championship trophy after winning his category at a major competition in Malaysia, with the young athlete now setting his sights on a world title.
Naphat “Boat” Meedech, 13, from Na Mueang subdistrict in Koh Samui district, Surat Thani province, competed in the Kundang Invitational Jet Sports Geopark Challenge 2026 at a venue in Kuala Lumpur on 29 August.
The young Thai racer won first place in the 13–15 age group, taking the championship in the 1,100 Spark Beginner category.
Boat returned to Koh Samui with the championship trophy, adding another achievement to a growing collection of awards from competitions in Thailand and abroad.
A Mathayom 2 student at Saint Joseph Koh Samui School, Boat said he was proud of his latest achievement and was determined to continue developing his skills.
He said he had trained intensively for two weeks before traveling to Malaysia for the competition.
“If you want to succeed, you have to keep practicing,” Boat said.
His next goal is to win a world championship in the 13–15-year-old Closed Course category.
Although intensive training can be exhausting, he said he was willing to work hard and give his best to reach his goal.
Boat said he was particularly proud of his latest performance because the Malaysian competition attracted a large field of racers from several countries.
He credited his parents, Jongrak and Sirinphorn Meedech, for supporting him and taking care of his training.
Boat said he had loved jet skiing for as long as he could remember and considered the sport a major part of his life.
His previous achievements include winning the 13–15-year-old Closed Course category at a jet ski competition in Laos in 2026.
In 2025, he competed in the Jet Ski King’s Cup in Pattaya, Chon Buri, finishing fifth in the world in the 1-Lap Slalom category for racers aged 8–13.
Boat’s latest success comes as several Thai athletes and young talents have made headlines internationally this year.
Among them is Phuket-born young guitarist Rattikarn “Praew” Amlory, also known as Nene Royal, who competed on the global stage and advanced to the semifinals of America’s Got Talent (AGT), earning praise from viewers and fans around the world.
Thailand’s women’s national volleyball team also won the 2026 Asian Women’s Volleyball Championship for a fourth time and made history by securing qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles — the first Olympic berth in the history of the Thai women’s volleyball team.
The achievements of Thai athletes and young people have continued to bring pride, smiles and inspiration to people across the country, while showcasing Thailand’s sporting and creative talent on the international stage.
