Thawatchai sets sights on elusive SEA Games football gold
Thawatchai was speaking to the media after the national youth team reported for a training camp on Wednesday to prepare for the Asean U23 Championship in Indonesia.
Thailand are scheduled to play their first game of the regional event against Timor Leste on July 19 followed by a clash with Myanmar three days later.
Thawatchai has replaced Japanese coach Takayuki Nishikaya, whose contract was terminated earlier this month after the Thai U23 side lost all of their five matches during his nine-month reign.
"We don't have much time to prepare for the tournament in Indonesia, but we will do our best," said Thawatchai, a former Thailand international.
"Our most important assignments this year will be the AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers in September and the SEA Games in December in Thailand.
"Our first task will be to try our best to qualify for the 2026 Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia."
Thailand will host the Group F games of the September event, taking on Malaysia, Lebanon and Mongolia.
Thawatchai added: "We have not won the SEA Games gold medal since 2017 when we last triumphed in Malaysia. We must win the title this time.
"Once again, our main opponents at the SEA Games will be Vietnam. Indonesia will also be among the contenders for the gold medal in December."
Meanwhile, PTT Public Company Limited has presented a cheque of 25 million baht to the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) to support its activities.
FAT president Nualphan Lamsam received the first half of the annual sponsorship from PTT Executive Vice President for Corporate Reputation and Social Responsibility Meena Supavivat at a ceremony on Wednesday.
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