Dream comes true! Phiawatch Akkatham, a versatile defender for Port FC, joyfully embraces his dog after earning his first call-up to the Thailand national team.
On 12 Mar 2026 GMT+7, Phiawatch Akkatham, a 27-year-old versatile defender capable of playing as a defensive midfielder, defender, right back, and left back, currently plays for Port FC. He has played a key role in helping the "Singha Chao Ta" team hold second place in the 2025/26 Thai League 1 season so far.
His outstanding performance caught the attention of Anthony Hudson, the English head coach, who has called him up to the senior Thailand national team for the first time in his career. This is in preparation for the sixth qualifying match of the 2027 Asian Cup against Turkmenistan on Tuesday, 31 March.
Phiawatch said he feels very happy and honored to be selected for the senior Thailand national team for the first time. He also thanked the club staff and coaches for their support and for giving him the opportunity to reach this point.
Going back to 2016, when Phiawatch was 16, he signed his first professional contract with Buriram United while studying in Grade 11 at Phattharaphonpit School (Buriram Academy). In 2018, he was loaned out to PT Prachuap FC to gain experience, then in 2019 he was loaned to Kasetsart FC.
After that, Phiawatch became a key player for PT Prachuap FC, staying with the team for seven seasons. He appeared in more than 153 matches across all competitions, scoring 5 goals and providing 5 assists, helping the team win the League Cup once before transferring to Port FC for the 2025–2026 season.
At the national level, Phiawatch was part of Thailand's U23 team from age 18, competing in the 2017 SEA Games where the team won bronze. Later, he was selected again for the U23 team under Akira Nishino for the 2020 AFC U23 Championship, where Thailand narrowly missed qualifying for the Olympic Games.