North Star Park, Bangkok’s newest sports development, formally launched its flagship academy on Thursday with the goal of producing future tennis Grand Slam champions and golf major winners. The Bangkok International School for Athletes (BISA), located on a 6.4 hectar site in the Thai capital, is designed to develop Thai and Asian teenagers into world-class tennis & golf players.
The launch event at the Royal Bangkok Sports Club was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas and Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, highlighting strong official support for the project.
Founder and chief executive Philippe Souvanheane described the school not merely as a place of study or training, but as somewhere young people could “discover their purpose in life” while pursuing academic and athletic excellence side by side — two paths, he said, that should reinforce rather than compete with one another.
Ekniti emphasised the government’s backing, framing the initiative as part of Thailand’s broader ambition to cultivate talent capable of competing on the global stage. He noted that the timing is favourable given the rising interest in golf and tennis across Asia.
Governor Chadchart described the scheme as a potential game-changer for Bangkok, positioning the capital as a regional hub for education and sport. He stressed that the discipline gained through athletic training builds wider life skills and can help bridge the traditional gap between classrooms and playing fields.
“This will drive Bangkok forward as a centre for both learning and athletics,” said Chadchart.
World No. 2 golfer Jeeno Thitikul offered a strong endorsement of the school’s approach. Reflecting on her own experience at a conventional school, where lessons ran from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and practice time was limited to evenings, she said BISA’s model gives equal priority to academic study and sports training — a balance she believes will better support children serious about professional careers.
The North Star Park site will feature an American-curriculum school alongside dedicated tennis facilities, an elite golf training centre and a wellness hub. Organisers have highlighted connections to figures from Andy Murray’s former coaching circle and to Jeeno Thitikul, the Thai player who has held the world No. 1 ranking in both amateur and professional golf.
BISA is scheduled to open in August 2027, subject to regulatory approval. The project aims to give a new generation of Thai and Asian athletes the opportunity to combine rigorous academic study with high-level sports training as they pursue success on the international stage.
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