A look back at Coach Wang Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul's journey since taking over the helm of Thailand's under-23 national football team with the crucial task of building a foundation and reclaiming glory for the young War Elephants. Over the past year, he has faced tough challenges and achieved results that have sparked new hope among Thai football fans before leading the team into the Four Nations Tournament in China this week.
Tracing nearly a full year of Coach Wang Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul’s tenure since he assumed leadership of Thailand’s U23 national team. His key mission has been to establish a solid foundation and restore the prominence of the young War Elephants. Throughout this period, he has encountered difficult tests and delivered performances that rekindled hope for Thai supporters before taking the team to an important international friendly tournament in China this week.
August 2025 | 3rd Place at ASEAN U23 Championship (Indonesia): Taking the job on short notice with only three weeks to prepare, Coach Wang inspired the team to beat the Philippines and secure third place in his very first tournament.
September 2025 | Group Champions Securing Spot in Saudi Arabia (AFC U23 Championship Qualifiers): Demonstrating strong form at home by winning all three matches, including a 6-0 rout of Mongolia, a 2-0 victory over Lebanon, and a narrow 2-1 win against Malaysia, successfully advancing to the final tournament as planned.
October 2025 | Held the Dragon’s Home Ground to a 0-0 Draw (FIFA Day Friendly): The squad traveled to test their system ahead of the SEA Games, earning a goalless draw against China on their home turf, showcasing solid defensive discipline.
November 2025 | Dominated India 4-0 (FIFA Day Friendly): Back on home soil in front of local fans, the team displayed aggressive attacking football to overwhelm India 4-0, boosting confidence ahead of key upcoming tournaments.
December 2025 | Silver Medal at 33rd SEA Games (Thailand): As hosts, Coach Wang led the War Elephants to the final, restoring public trust despite a narrow loss to Vietnam in the championship match, securing the silver medal.
January 2026 | Continental Lesson (AFC U23 Championship Finals): Although eliminated in the group stage in Saudi Arabia, the team fought with honor, narrowly losing 1-2 to Australia and drawing 1-1 with Iraq and 0-0 with China, gaining valuable experience at the Asian level.
Next Station: Four Nations Football Tournament in China (CFA Team China International Youth Tournament).
Coach Wang is preparing to lead the Thailand U23 team once again in Xi'an, China, to test the squad and evaluate player form ahead of the 2027 Asian Games in Japan.
Match schedule is as follows:
25 March 2026 | 18:35 China vs. Thailand at Xi'an International Football Center
28 March 2026 | 14:00 Thailand vs. Vietnam at Fengdong Football Park East Stadium
31 March 2026 | 14:00 North Korea vs. Thailand at Fengdong Football Park East Stadium
Watch live and cheer on the War Elephants U23 in every match via live broadcasts on:
TV: Thairath TV Channel 32
Website: www.thairath.co.th/tv/live
Facebook: Thairath TV and Thairath Sport
YouTube: Thairath Sport