Thai Football Association Officially Extends Coach Thawatchais Contract to Lead U23 National Team for Two Major Tournaments - Thairath English

The Football Association of Thailand officially extended Coach Thawatchai's contract to lead the Thailand U23 national team in preparation for two major tournaments.

On 17 October 2026, the Football Association of Thailand reached a new agreement to extend the contract with Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul, head coach of the Thailand U23 men's football team, through February 2028.

Coach Thawatchai took charge of the Thailand U23 team in July 2025, leading the team to third place in the 2025 ASEAN Championship and securing qualification for the final round of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.

He also guided the team to a silver medal at the SEA Games and recently led them to the quarterfinals at the 2026 Asian Games held in Japan last September.

Most recently, the association agreed to extend his contract through February 2028 to ensure coaching continuity for the team.

In 2027, the Thailand U23 team faces key tournaments including the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2028 qualifiers in June, and the 34th SEA Games in Malaysia in September.

Additionally, during the November FIFA international window, the Thailand U23 team will compete in the U23 GIA LAI - VTV CUP 2026 international friendly tournament in Vietnam, featuring hosts Vietnam, Qatar, and Singapore alongside Thailand.

The tournament will be conducted in a round-robin format, with the team accumulating the most points crowned champion.