Jakarta: The Thailand national under-23 team commenced their first training session in Indonesia, gearing up for their ASEAN Championship clash against Timor-Leste scheduled for July 19 at 8:00 p.m.

According to Thai News Agency, the “War Elephants,” Thailand’s U23 squad, trained at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium under the guidance of head coach “Coach Wang” Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul. The session lasted approximately 90 minutes, focusing on acclimatizing to the field and weather conditions, as well as enhancing team cohesion and on-field relationships.

In a pre-tournament press conference, ‘Coach Wang’ expressed his excitement and belief in the team. Despite being a newcomer to the role, he is confident in the players’ abilities and spirit. Many in the squad have previously played for the senior national team, bringing valuable experience that Coach Wang hopes will be instrumental not only in the ASEAN Championship but also in upcoming competitions like the Asian Championship, qualifiers, and the SEA Games. Despite limited preparation time, the team boasts a core group of players familiar with each other’s style, which Coach Wang believes will enable them to compete robustly against any ASEAN country, with a firm aim to reclaim the championship title for Thailand.

The Thailand U-23 team is positioned in Group C alongside Myanmar and Timor-Leste, with their opening match against Timor-Leste set for July 19 at Patriot Stadium.