On 27 October 2025, Khon Kaen University (KKU) athletes travelled to North-Eastern University in Khon Kaen Province to compete in the official regional selection round for the 51st Thailand University Games (TUG), branded as the ‘Pho Lom Tarn Games’. The qualifying round, held from 27 October to 3 November 2025, aims to select representative athletes from universities across the Northeast to participate in the final competition, the ‘Inthanin Games 2026’, scheduled to be hosted by Maejo University, Chiang Mai Province, from 9–19 January 2026.

On the first day of the regional competition, the KKU athletes delivered excellent results across several sports categories. The men’s Sepak Takraw team showed strong form, defeating the team from Suranaree University of Technology 2–0 sets and subsequently beating the team from Loei Rajabhat University 2–0 sets. In basketball, the men’s team suffered a defeat against Suranaree University of Technology with a score of 61–74.

The men’s volleyball team secured a 3–1 victory against Udon Thani Rajabhat University, while the women’s futsal team performed impressively, defeating Roi Et Rajabhat University 3–1. In contrast, the men’s futsal team fell to Nakhon Ratchasima College 0–2.

KKU also achieved notable success in Pétanque, with both the men’s and women’s doubles teams qualifying for the final round of the Thailand University Games. The KKU men’s teams (KKU 1 and KKU 2) secured victories in the first and second rounds, while both KKU women’s teams (KKU 1 and KKU 2) triumphed over competitors from various institutions during the initial rounds and playoffs — proudly earning their places as representatives of the Northeastern region in the national finals.

The competition programme continues on 28 October 2025, with KKU scheduled to compete in several events, including men’s futsal against Nakhon Phanom University at 09:00 hrs, women’s Sepak Takraw doubles against Ubon Ratchathani University at 11:00 hrs, and both men’s basketball and women’s volleyball against Udon Thani Rajabhat University at 13:30 hrs. The Pétanque competition continues from 09:00 hrs onwards.

Khon Kaen University encourages all ‘Mor Din Daeng’ community members and supporters to send moral support to the KKU athletes as they strive to perform to their full potential and qualify for the ‘Inthanin Games 2026’ at Maejo University early next year, thereby continuing to bring honour and pride to Khon Kaen University.