Theerathon Bunmathan revealed behind the scenes that he had planned for Iklas to take the corner kicks, but Chanathip suggested that he, "Pee Um," take them instead, leading to the winning goal that secured the Asian Cup ticket.
On 1 April 2026, following the 2027 Asian Cup third round qualifying match in Group D, the Thai national team hosted Turkmenistan and won a thrilling 2-1 match. The "War Elephants" scored both goals from corner kicks, with Theerathon Bunmathan providing assists for both.
After the game, Theerathon Bunmathan shared the backstory that he had actually planned for Iklas Sanhorn to take the corners instead. "I thought Iklas had good leg strength during practice. Iklas delivered excellent crosses while training with the reserves, so I intended for him to take the corners for the backup side."
"I believed he had stronger legs, so I told Iklas to take the corners. But as Iklas was running over, Chanathip called out to me, 'Pee Um, you go ahead.' That moment led to two consecutive corner deliveries," Theerathon said.
The 2027 Asian Cup finals will be held from 7 January to 5 February 2027 in Saudi Arabia. Thailand is likely to be placed in Pot 3 for the group stage draw, which is almost certain but still awaits official confirmation.