Soraya Promla opens up after becoming a mother, revealing her secret to regaining fitness and returning to compete in the Thailand League, while keeping the possibility of returning to the national team open.
On 22 January 2026, Soraya Promla, a volleyball player in the Thailand League for the Nakhon Ratchasima Qmin CVC club and former member of the Thailand national team playing as a setter, spoke candidly about her comeback to professional league play after recovering from childbirth of her newborn daughter, "Nong Ella." She also shared her feelings about the chance to return to the Thailand national team in the future.
Soraya revealed her journey of physical recovery after childbirth:
“Since giving birth to Nong Ella, I gained about 10 kilograms and the weight stayed. It was a mental battle every day. After giving birth, I only ate one meal a day because I needed to lose weight within three months to return to play as quickly as possible. I also had the opportunity to teach at Municipality 6—thanks to the mayor who saw I was without work and offered me that chance. It allowed me to practice and exercise. Plus, I have discipline with my diet, which helped me recover quickly.”
At the same time, the experienced setter opened up about her dream to wear the Thailand national team jersey once again, saying:
“If the opportunity comes, I will definitely take it. Last night, honestly, I found myself watching my past performances on the national team and felt nostalgic. I was watching how I played and thought that I wasn’t playing at my best then and could still improve. I haven’t lost hope. If I keep being determined on this path, maybe one day the opportunity will come.”
Additionally, Soraya spoke about her future in volleyball, expressing her intention to continue playing as long as possible. She cited Nootsara Tomkom, the legendary world-class setter, and Maja Ognjenović, the former Serbian national team setter, as role models in body care and maintaining playing standards to sustain a long professional volleyball career.