Thais set to test young guns
SINGAPORE: Thailand’s young female volleyball players will be given a chance to showcase their talents on the SEA Games stage, coach Kiattipong Radchatakrieing-krai said yesterday.
Hot favourites to win their 10th successive title at the biennial event, Thailand are using their strongest side.
They initially planned to send a secondstring team to Singapore but made a U-turn for fear that they may fail to retain the crown.
Kiattipong said Chatchu-On Moksri, 15, Ajcharaporn Kongkyot, 19, Pimpichaya Kokram, 16, and Jarasporn Bundasak, 22, will play in Thailand’s first match against Myanmar on Thursday.
The quartet received call-ups ahead of Taddao Nuekjang, Amporn Yapha, Mullika Kanthong and Thapapaipan Chaisri.
“I will use these four players against Myanmar to help them gain experience. It will be their first SEA Games match,’’ he said.
“They are likely to be our key players in the future.”
Kiattipong is not getting carried away by Thailand’s favourite tag, saying the weather may affect his players.
“We are very careful about the weather here because it rains a lot. Jarasporn is sick but she should recover in time for the opening match,’’ he said. “Food here is another concern.”
Thailand are in Group A with Singapore and Myanmar while Group B features Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia.
In the men’s tournament, Thailand, also defending champions, will play their first Group A match against Myanmar tomorrow, followed by Malaysia on June 12 and the Philippines on June 14.
Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam are Group B.
The women’s final is on June 15 and the men’s title showdown on June 16.
Surapol Uthinthu, from Thai Bevarage, said both teams will receive 500,000 baht from the company if they succeed in retaining their respective title.