Thammasat University: A Hub for Community Well-being Through Shared Sports Facilities

Thammasat University prioritizes the well-being of its students, faculties, and staff. To further this commitment, the university has embraced its role as a “university for society” by providing a health-supporting environment and sharing its extensive, international standard sport facilities with the local community, schools, and the general public. These facilities are highly versatile, capable of hosting events ranging from national and international level sport competitions to seminars and recreation events. The facilities at the Rangsit Campus, developed over an area spanning more than 300 rai, have established the campus as a comprehensive health and sports hub.

Capacity, Scope, and Health Measures

Thammasat’s sports infrastructure is substantial, accommodating between 500 and 20,000 participants. The venues support multiple types of sports, including a main stadium, indoor sports hall, fitness rooms, swimming pools, tennis courts, squash courts, basketball courts, football stadiums, gyms, rock climbing walls, and areas dedicated to X-treme sports. In alignment with health priorities, the sports stadiums have implemented rigorous measures to prevent the spread of germs and COVID-19. These actions include installing air disinfection machines with Hydroxyl charge and ultraviolet radiation to eliminate viruses and bacteria in fitness centers, utilizing air filters for better circulation in all fitness areas (working 24 hours a day), restricting mask wearing, and providing cashless payment options (QR code and debit/credit cards) to reduce germ exposure.

Diverse Access Models for Public Use

Thammasat utilizes a varied approach to public access, ensuring resources are widely available while managing usage. Some facilities are provided with free access, while others are managed with charged access.

Free Access to Outdoor Facilities

Thammasat University allows the general public free access to all outdoor facilities. These spaces are designed to promote a healthy lifestyle and sustainable cohabitation.

Key outdoor areas include:

Solar Park: This public park covers about 1 square kilometer and promotes environmental development by increasing “green space” and encouraging a healthier lifestyle closer to nature, while also utilizing renewable energy.
Bicycle Tracks: The campus features bicycle tracks totaling more than 14 kilometers, provided to encourage both students and the general public to use bicycles for transportation and exercise.
Mini Stadium: This field is widely popular among local schools and the general public and can be used for various sports, such as football, futsal, and rugby. It is also equipped with an 800-meter running track and outdoor fitness facilities.

Full Access through Community Collaboration

A significant model of shared access is demonstrated through the university’s partnership with Tha Khlong Municipality in Pathum Thani Province. Under this collaboration, Thammasat University allows residents registered within the Tha Khlong municipal area full access to the sports facilities at the Rangsit Campus. This includes utilizing the football pitches, indoor sports hall, swimming pool, and running tracks for exercise and recreation. Currently, non-university users, comprised of people from outside the university, account for 25% of attendees, based on statistics from 2021–2022.

Collaborative Activities and Campaigns

The sharing of facilities is deeply integrated with collaborative projects designed to boost public health. The university is committed to developing into a “Sport Community” so that exercise becomes a part of everyone’s daily routine.

“Healthy Tha Khlong Residents for All” Project

The collaboration with Tha Khlong Municipality is a robust, long-standing partnership, spanning over 22 years since 2003. This partnership is sustained through the “Healthy Tha Khlong Residents for All” project, which promotes health awareness, active living, and aims to empower the community with the knowledge to look after their health and build resilience.

Joint Hosting of “Tha Khlong Games 2024”

A concrete success demonstrating the quality and readiness of the university’s sports infrastructure is the joint hosting of the 38th Local Government Student Games, Central Region Qualifying Round, named “Tha Khlong Games 2024”. Held between May 14th and 23rd, 2024, the event saw Tha Khlong Municipality taking the lead in organization, with the Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus Sports Centre (specifically Gymnasium 4) serving as one of the four main venues. This choice highlights the municipality’s confidence in the standard of the venue and serves as a clear example of integrating resources between government agencies and educational institutions to promote physical activity at the community and regional levels.

Thammasat University remains ready to create various activities and continue its collaboration with the municipality, firm in the belief that strong community health begins with the good health of everyone. The commitment is reflected in the university’s clear aim to be a “Healthy University for All”.