ASEAN Cup 2026: Confident to Reclaim the ‘Throne’

Speaking about the national team’s prospects ahead of their second Group B match against Malaysia on the evening of August 1, Theerathon said: “Everyone can see the potential in this squad, with a good mix of promising young players and more experienced ones.”

According to Theerathon, some may feel the opening match against Laos looked easy, but the first game of any ASEAN championship is always tough. He still believes that the current Thai squad’s quality is good enough to compete and aim for the title, as long as all the players stay united.

Theerathon has been a veteran in Thailand’s regional campaigns for over a decade. However, he missed the 2026 ASEAN Cup due to commitments with his club Buriram United, who were still in action.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s Brazilian head coach Alexandre Gama provided an update on the team’s pre-season preparations after two weeks of working with the squad. He noted that the players have given their all in every training session and that everyone is cooperating well. Coach Gama said: “Although the training sessions are very demanding, the whole team is adapting well to each other. I know it’s not easy for them, but they are giving their best, and I think everything is progressing smoothly.”

The Brazilian tactician also stated that the main goal at the moment is to achieve peak physical condition. He said: “We are not holding long training sessions — we keep the players ready and give them time to recover. I haven’t introduced many tactical drills yet, but I will gradually incorporate them into training, and the players are responding well. Everyone understands what I ask of them, and I think we are on the right track.”

As scheduled, the Thai “War Elephants” will face the Malaysian “Tigers” in their second group-stage match on August 1 at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok.