Bangkok: Daikin concludes its 'We Cheer We Care' campaign, uniting Thai football fans to collect over 66,465 recycled bottles. For a period of 10 months, from March to December 2025, Daikin, a global leader in air conditioning systems, collaborated with the Football Association of Thailand under the Royal Patronage and its football partners. The "We Cheer We Care" campaign invited Thai football fans to collect, sort, and gather plastic bottle waste within the stadium to be recycled into sports jerseys for underprivileged children and youth. This initiative aimed to inspire disadvantaged children and youth while promoting a positive football culture in the stadium and environmental conservation.
According to Thai News Agency, the collection of plastic bottles was a collaborative effort by Thai football fans and volunteer fans who attended eight Thai national team and Thai League matches. This was combined with the implementation of an ongoing plastic waste sorting system covering six key locations: Daikin Industries (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Siam Daikin Sales Co., Ltd., the "fuha: SIAM" air conditioning technology innovation center, the Football Association of Thailand, and Plan B Eleven Co., Ltd., aiming to extend the impact of on-site activities to practical implementation within the organizations.
Thanks to the cooperation of all Thai football fans mentioned above, more than 66,465 plastic bottles were collected and recycled into sports jerseys, which were then donated to youth football academies and schools in various areas across the country. These included: P. Phan FC Chonburi, Coaching Soccer Academy, Laem Chabang Academy, P.2 Battalion 21 Royal Thai Army, Super Dragon Sriracha in Chonburi, Ratsadorn Pattana School and Ban Don Phaiwan School in Nan Province, Wat Ban Thung Sawang School and Wat Ban Tamya School in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Wat Sop Mae Tham School in Lampang Province, and Ban Laem Thon Samakkee School in Uttaradit Province, and many more.
The plastic bottles collected from this event also helped reduce carbon emissions to the same extent as planting more than 100 trees, reflecting how the small efforts of football fans in the stadium can truly create a positive impact on the environment.
The event took place on March 31, 2026, at Rajamangala National Stadium during the AFC Asian Cup qualifying match between Thailand and Turkmenistan. It was graced by the presence of Mr. Tsutomu Kurihara, President of Daikin Industries (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Mr. Hunjung Kim, Assistant General Manager, Corporate Brand Management Group, Daikin Industries (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Mr. Ekaphon Polnavie, Secretary-General of the Football Association of Thailand, and Thai national team athletes Patrick Gustafsson and Nathan James, who presented recycled 'We Cheer We Care' shirts to youth representatives to support the development of sports skills and potential among Thai youth.
In addition, 100 young people from participating football academies and schools were invited to watch the match in order to inspire them and ignite their ambition to pursue a career in sports in the future.
The 'We Cheer We Care' campaign is another example of how the power of football can create social change, reinforcing Daikin's brand goal of 'Perfecting the Air,' which reflects Daikin's commitment to creating better air for people while simultaneously contributing to the sustainable development of youth, sports, society, and the environment. You can follow Daikin and the Thai national team's next activities on the Facebook Page: Daikin Thailand.