Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul, head coach of Thailand's U23 national football team, spoke candidly before leading the squad to the Asian Championship in Saudi Arabia.
On 3 January 2026 at 23:30, at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, the Thailand U23 men's football team gathered to prepare for their journey to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to compete in the final round of the Asian U23 Football Championship.
The trip is led by head coach Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul, accompanied by all 23 players on the roster.
Before departing, Coach Wang said, "Yesterday's friendly match was a great opportunity to play against North Bangkok University. It was the first game in our preparation for this tournament. We observed many things during the friendly, including ball control, passing relationships, defense, and attack. Some areas went well, while others need improvement. We will work on these during the remaining time. Once we arrive in Saudi Arabia, we will have 2-3 days of training before the first match, which I believe will improve our performance."
"We tested both three-back and four-back defensive systems to face opponents who are tall and strong in aerial play. Players like Wechan and Nathan James participated. Although they have limited club playtime, they performed well. We need to adjust timing in tackles and be cautious about fouls. In this tournament, we will face strong and fast players, so we must improve our defensive coordination and team defense."
"We have appointed Pichitchai Siakratok as team captain and Sittha Boonla as vice-captain. Bank has been with the team since the first camp under my tenure at the ASEAN Championship in Indonesia. He is talented and demonstrates leadership, earning respect from teammates. Sittha has been part of every camp, is well-known, accepted by the team, and skilled."
"In every tournament I've served the national team, I always give my best. Having long represented the country as a player, I feel honored in every role. I want to ask fans not to lose hope despite past disappointments. Please support the youngsters and all Thai national teams."
Thailand U23 captain Pichitchai Siakratok said, "As captain, I try to guide the teammates to move in the same direction. Regarding the friendly with the new system, I have played both three-back and four-back formations and am adapting to the coach and teammates."
"The team atmosphere is very good. Seniors and juniors are adjusting well to each other. Our goal in this tournament is to take it one game at a time. I believe we can compete well against every team."
The Thailand U23 team will fly with Qatar Airways flight QR837 to Doha, Qatar, then connect to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, arriving on 4 January 2026 at 14:15 Thai time. The team will train immediately that day. Their Asian U23 Championship schedule is as follows.
#Matchday1: 8 January 2026 - Australia vs. Thailand at 18:30 Thai time, Al Shabab Club Stadium.
#Matchday2: 11 January 2026 - Thailand vs. Iraq at 21:00 Thai time, Prince Faisal bin Fahad Sports City Stadium.
#Matchday3: 14 January 2026 - Thailand vs. China at 18:30 Thai time, Al Shabab Club Stadium.
All matches will be broadcast live on YouTube: BG Sports.
This Asian U23 Football Championship does not qualify teams for the next tournament but affects seeding for the 2028 Asian U23 Championship qualifiers. The 2028 qualifiers will select representatives for the men's football competition at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in the United States.
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