Thai volleyball team honoured after Olympic qualification triumph

Thailand’s women’s national volleyball team received a government welcome at Government House on Thursday after winning the 2026 Asian Women’s Volleyball Championship and securing qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Surasak Phancharoenworakul, Minister of Tourism and Sports, and Deputy Prime Minister Songsak Thongsri, who oversees sports affairs, led the Asian champions to meet Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to celebrate the team’s achievement.

The ceremony also featured the transfer of prize money directly to the players’ bank accounts in real time, with the government, through the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF), providing total rewards of more than 14 million baht.

The event was attended by Professor Emeritus Charoen Watanasin, Vice Chairman of the Executive Board of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand under Royal Patronage; Kongkak Yodmanee, Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT); Somporn Chaibangyang, President of the Volleyball Association of Thailand; Air Chief Marshal Kiatipong Ratchatagriengkai, known as Coach Aod, head coach of the women’s national team; and members of the coaching staff.

Team’s Asian title earns Olympic place

The Minister of Tourism and Sports thanked the prime minister for attending the ceremony and congratulating the athletes, coaches and officials involved in the team’s success.

He said the victory reflected the players’ ability, dedication and determination, with Thailand finishing top of Asia and automatically securing a place at the 2028 Olympic Games.

He added that Olympic qualification was a major achievement because only 12 teams from around the world will compete in the volleyball tournament at the Games.

Somporn said the success was the result of four decades of continuous planning and development, with clear short-, medium- and long-term strategies to strengthen Thai volleyball.

He said the association had focused on developing personnel and athletes capable of competing internationally.

“Regarding our Olympic goal, we set our sights on reaching the Games back in 1997, with the aim of qualifying for Athens 2004. However, we were unable to achieve that goal,” Somporn said.

“Despite that, we never lost our determination. We continued to work hard and develop. We had many opportunities to qualify for the Olympics. We shed tears and felt disappointment, but we never lost confidence.”

He said the team finally achieved its long-awaited dream when the players combined their efforts to secure Olympic qualification on August 30.

Prime minister praises team’s national impact

Prime Minister Anutin praised the players for bringing happiness and pride to Thai people after their championship victory.

He said he followed the team’s performance closely and believed they had a strong chance of winning.

The prime minister said the victory immediately changed the atmosphere across the country, including in restaurants and on social media.

“Everyone was celebrating the victory and what the athletes had done for Thailand,” he said.

Anutin said the team had created a special moment by having the Thai national anthem played after their success on Chinese soil.

“This time, we were the ones who played our own national anthem on Chinese soil. The athletes were the ones who made the Thai national anthem heard,” he said.

He said talent alone was not enough in sport and that athletes also needed determination and a strong mindset.

“The Olympic qualification ticket is a great achievement. What we need now is to be fully prepared and never underestimate any challenge,” he said.

The prime minister said the government would continue supporting athletes through the Sports Authority of Thailand and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, including skills development, sports science and other support systems.

THB14.7m rewards transferred directly to players

The volleyball team presented a signed ball to the prime minister, who later joined captain Pornpun Guedpard in a friendly volleyball demonstration by setting and performing an underarm pass.

The government then presented total rewards of approximately THB14.7 million to the athletes, coaching staff and association representatives.

Prime Minister Anutin pressed a button to transfer the prize money directly into the athletes’ bank accounts.

Players using Krungthai Bank accounts received the THB600,000 payment immediately, prompting cheers from the team as they checked their accounts.

The reward package was intended to recognise the dedication of the athletes, coaches and staff who contributed to Thailand’s Asian championship victory and Olympic qualification.

Coach Aod sets focus on LA 2028 preparation

Coach Aod thanked the prime minister, government agencies and the Sports Authority of Thailand for supporting the team.

He said the prime minister’s words of encouragement provided important morale for the players and coaching staff.

The coach said the next phase would focus on preparing for the 2028 Olympic Games, with around 24 months available to build the strongest possible team.

He acknowledged that the Olympic volleyball competition would be extremely challenging, with only 12 teams participating.

“The teams competing at the Olympics are the world’s top teams, including five continental champions, the host nation, and the world’s No.1, No.2 and No.3 ranked teams,” he said.

“Reaching that stage is not easy, and we must prepare in every aspect.”

Coach Aod said Thai volleyball development must continue from grassroots level through to elite competition, including strengthening the Thailand League and developing younger players.

He added that some athletes would need opportunities to compete overseas to gain experience and improve their abilities over the next two years.

Building the next generation of Thai volleyball

Coach Aod said younger players would be given more opportunities to compete internationally to gain experience ahead of future major tournaments.

He asked Thai fans to continue supporting the new generation of athletes, saying both victories and defeats were important parts of development.

He also thanked former players, coaches, sponsors, private organisations, state enterprises and universities that had supported Thai volleyball over the years.

He highlighted the contribution of the former “7 เซียน” generation, whose achievements provided an important example for today’s players.

Coach Aod said the Olympic qualification represented the first step in a new chapter for Thai volleyball after 16 years of effort.

He thanked Thai fans for their support, saying the happiness and smiles of people across the country were the greatest reward for the team.

He added that the championship trophy should be displayed somewhere accessible to the public so Thai people could celebrate and share in the historic achievement.