Amara Wichithong (born April 1963) is a pioneering Thai windsurfer recognized as the country's first female competitive board sailor. Over a distinguished career spanning more than thirty years, she secured over 200 regional and international titles, helping to popularize windsurfing in Southeast Asia. Wichithong represented Thailand at the 1992 Summer Olympics in the women’s Lechner A-390 event.
She founded a watersports school in Pattaya and has since been a committed advocate for marine conservation and environmental education, leading numerous community initiatives promoting sustainability.
She has been bestowed with the Royal Honorary Pin (Rak Tha-lay Ying Cheep) and the Sports Positive Award 2024 (Asia) for her extensive contribution to the protection, conservation, and restoration of marine and coastal natural resources in Thailand.
Career and Legacy Amara Wichithong is one of Thailand's most accomplished windsurfers, and a pioneer of the sport in Southeast Asia. She represented Thailand at the 1992 Summer Olympics in the women's Lechner A-390 windsurfing event.
Raised in Ayutthaya, Wichithong had a challenging early life and limited formal schooling. At age 13, she moved alone to Pattaya to support herself and found work by the sea. It was there that she discovered windsurfing and quickly developed an affinity for the sport. Within three months of learning, she entered and won her first local competition.
By age 17, Wichithong had won the international freestyle windsurfing title in Israel. Over the next two decades, she competed across Asia and Europe, winning more than 200 titles in freestyle, slalom, and course racing. She earned medals at multiple Southeast Asian Games and represented Thailand on numerous international stages.
Following her competitive career, she founded Amara Watersports, a watersports training center on Jomtien Beach, which offers windsurfing, wingfoiling, paddleboarding, and sailing instruction. Her school continues to mentor national-level athletes and hosts windsurfing events.
In addition to her contributions to sport, Wichithong is a committed environmental advocate. She leads beach cleanup campaigns, trains youth and women in ocean conservation, and organizes community workshops on plastic upcycling and sustainable tourism. Her initiatives include converting marine plastic waste into usable bricks for local construction and involving students in citizen science activities.
Wichithong's legacy as an athlete, entrepreneur, and environmentalist continues to inspire a new generation of Thai women to pursue excellence in sport and sustainability.
On July 4, 2022, Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, presented the Royal Honorary Pin Rak Tha-lay Ying Cheep to Ms. Amara Wichithong for her dedication to protecting and restoring marine and coastal resources, and for being a role model and inspiration in environmental protection. Her efforts include public education, outreach, and youth activities to cultivate awareness and foster marine conservation across Thailand.
She is also the winner of the Sports Positive Award 2024 (Asia) for her extensive contribution to combating Thailand's plastic pollution crisis.
Notable Achievements + Notable Achievements Year Event Sport Position Medal 1978 Siam Cup (Triangle Race), Thailand Windsurfing 2nd Silver 1978 Siam Cup (Ladies Marathon), Thailand Windsurfing 1st Gold 1979 International Windsurfing Cup, Thailand Windsurfing 3rd Bronze 1980 SSC-See Walchen, Germany Windsurfing 2nd Silver 1980 Damen Münchner Surf-Meisterschaft, Germany Windsurfing 4th 1980 Freestyle (Ladies), Israel Windsurfing 1st Gold 1980 Silvaplana-Regatta, Switzerland Windsurfing 3rd Bronze 1980 Asian Tandem Regatta, Thailand Sailing / Multi-sport 1st Gold 1980 Boardsailing Marathon Championship, Singapore Windsurfing 1st Gold1980Coke Cup (Ladies)Windsurfing1stGold 1981 Thailand Windsurfing Championship, Thailand Windsurfing 1st Gold1981Thai Windsurfing Association Cup, ThailandWindsurfing1stGold 1981 Seibu Sports Cup Hi-Wind, Japan Windsurfing 1st Gold 1981 Mistral World Championship (Women), Thailand Windsurfing 4th 1981 Freestyle Mistral World, Singapore Windsurfing 7th 1982 National Windsurf Championship (Ladies), Thailand Windsurfing 1st Gold 1982 LSS LL-Bradan, Sweden Windsurfing 1st Gold1982OWSC, SwedenWindsurfing1stGold1982Singapore Board Sailing Championship, SingaporeWindsurfing1stGold 1983 Singapore Championship (Ladies), Singapore Windsurfing 1st Gold 1983 Champion of Chonburi (B.E. 2526), Chon Buri, Thailand Windsurfing 1st Gold1983Siam Cup (Marathon Ladies), ThailandWindsurfing1stGold 1984 Pattaya Windsurfing Festival (Ladies), Thailand Windsurfing 1st Gold 1984 Around The Islands Race (Ladies), Thailand Windsurfing 1st Gold1984Marathon Race Championship (Women), ThailandWindsurfing1stGold 1984 Siam Cup (Marathon Ladies), Thailand Windsurfing 1st Gold 1984 National Championship, Thailand Windsurfing 1st Gold 1985 Siam Cup Marathon (Ladies) Windsurfing 1st Gold 1985 Kent Cup (Ladies), Hongkong Windsurfing 1st Gold 1985 Asian Tandem Regatta, Thailand Tandem Windsurfing 1st Gold1986Asian Tandem Regatta, ThailandTandem Windsurfing8th1986Singapore Open (Triangle Race), SingaporeWindsurfing1stGold1988International Asian Windsurfing Championship, ThailandWindsurfing1stGold 1989 Singapore Open Championship (Ladies Class), Singapore Windsurfing 1st Gold 1989 Siam World Cup (Women), Thailand Windsurfing 1st Gold 1989 Gulf of Thailand (Lightweight Winner), Thailand Windsurfing 1st Gold 1991 International Raceboard Class, Thailand Windsurfing 1st Gold1992Olympics, Barcelona Spain (Women's Lechner A-390)Windsurfing20th 1994 National Championship, Thailand Windsurfing 1st Gold1994Mini Marathon Race (Ladies), ThailandWindsurfing1stGold1995Taksim Cup (His Majesty the King Cup), ThailandWindsurfing1stGold1998Sailboard Phuket Cup, ThailandWindsurfing1stGold 1999 Monsoon Madness (Ladies), Malaysia Windsurfing 1st Gold 2005 Ladies Formula Cup, Pattaya, Thailand Windsurfing 1st Gold 2005 Master Class (Senior), Pattaya, Thailand Windsurfing 1st Gold 2016 SUP Station (3 km Women's Race), Thailand SUP 2nd Silver 2018 Singha Windsurfer Class, Thailand Windsurfing 3rd Bronze
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