Thailand's Women Are Going to the Olympics but the Men Lost to Australia and Prasert Pinkaeo Retired for the Second Time

Thai volleyball had its greatest day on 30 August, when the women's team beat China 3-2 to retain the Asian title and secure the country's first place at the Olympic Games, for Los Angeles 2028. Eleven days later, the men's team fell short of a breakthrough of their own.

Thailand lost 3-0 to Australia in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Asian Men's Volleyball Championship in Fukuoka, Japan, on 10 September, by set scores of 25-22, 26-24 and 25-19. The defeat ended Thailand's hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the championship for the first time. Only the champion earns a direct place at the 2028 Olympics.

Captain and setter Bunyarit Wongthorn said afterwards that the team had lacked precision and had been unable to take advantage of Australian errors, adding that poor first contacts had made the match difficult. Australia's blocking was decisive.

Hours after the match, 29-year-old Prasert Pinkaeo announced his retirement from the national team for the second time. He had first stepped away in July but was recalled by head coach Park Ki-won for the Asian Championship and helped Thailand beat Chinese Taipei 3-2 in their final group match.

In the other quarter-final played on 10 September, South Korea beat China 3-1. Australia will play the winner of Iran against Chinese Taipei, and South Korea will face the winner of Japan against India, with both of those quarter-finals scheduled for 11 September.

Thailand's men now turn to the Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya, where they have been drawn in Group B with Iran, Indonesia and Kyrgyzstan.