"Coach Ott" revealed the reason for Thaddao's absence, emphasizing two key points after the Thai women's volleyball team advanced to the Asia Top 8.
On 25 August 2026, Coach Ott Kiattipong Ratchatkriangkrai, head coach of the Thai women's volleyball team, spoke after the third Group B match of the 2026 Asian Women's Volleyball Championship, where Thailand defeated Kazakhstan 3-1 with set scores of 25-22, 25-16, 23-25, 25-11.
Although the Thai women's volleyball team dropped the first set in the 2026 Asian Women's Volleyball Championship, they secured a spot in the top 8 as Group B champions with a perfect 9 points, awaiting opponents from Group A or C to compete between 27-28 August.
Coach Ott commented on losing the first set to Kazakhstan: "Their playing style is like this; it's never easy facing Kazakhstan. They have tall, strong players. When they're playing well, they're very strong. I think in sets 1 and 2, they performed well, and in set 3, they played even better."
"Additionally, we made many unforced errors in crucial moments—serving, scoring break points, and defensive attacks. We missed many opportunities ourselves, so I apologize to our fans."
Coach Ott emphasized two priorities for the Thai women's volleyball team in the Asian Championship as they aim for the title and the 2028 Olympic ticket: managing the athletes' physical and mental condition carefully and preparing strategies for tougher knockout round opponents.
Coach Ott said, "We check the players’ conditions; some still have muscle tightness and inflammation. We need to rotate players because we don't want serious injuries since important games are still ahead. We expect to be among the top teams entering the top 8, but we'll see the results."
"Currently, the important thing is that the players' morale remains high. Everyone understands the nature of the game. We talked earlier; everyone wants to perform their best in the next round and prepare for potential opponents."
Coach Ott said, "Right now, the priority is to prepare the players' bodies well because in the past two matches we had little recovery time. Some key players are still injured. Today, Nan (Thaddao Nukhajang) did not play because she is still injured."
"Also, Boom-Bim (Chatchu-on Moksri), Aomsin (Sasipaporn Chantawisut), and even Thip (Kaewkanya Kamulthala) are still experiencing stiffness. We have to monitor the main players’ physical conditions carefully as we prepare for the next matches."
"This is an important knockout stage. We are giving our all. Everyone’s morale is still good. We thank all sports fans for their support. We will continue to take care of our bodies and give our best in every game."
