Bangkok: The Football Association of Thailand has officially announced the appointment of "Coach Bear" Rakphol Sainetngam as the new head coach of the Thai men's futsal team. This decision comes after the resignation of the previous coach, Miguel Rodrigo, following the team's performance at the 33rd SEA Games.

According to Thai News Agency, the Vice President for Futsal and Beach Soccer, Adisak Benjasiriwan, also known as "Big Pom," introduced Sainetngam as the successor to Rodrigo. The former Spanish coach stepped down after Thailand's significant loss to Indonesia, with a score of 1-6, which resulted in the team missing out on the gold medal.

"Coach Bear" expressed his delight and pride in being appointed as the head coach of the Thai national futsal team. He acknowledged the team's world-class potential and the high quality of its players, emphasizing the honor he feels in taking on this role. He is enthusiastic about the challenges ahead and committed to giving his best in leading the team.

Rakphol Sainetngam has an impressive track record, having previously led the Thai women's futsal team to a gold medal at the 2011 SEA Games. He also coached the Thai men's team at the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Lithuania. His achievements include leading PTT Bluewave to the 2017 AFC Futsal Club Championship and managing Black Steel in Indonesia to two consecutive league titles. Notably, he was the first Thai coach to manage the Malaysian national team since its inception in 1996. His immediate goal is to guide the Thai national team through the 2026 AFC Futsal Championship.