PM Anutin Honors Women's Volleyball Team's Olympic Qualification
Thailand's women's volleyball team received 14.7 million baht in prize money from the government after winning the 2026 Asian Championship and securing automatic qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, ending a four-decade Olympic
BANGKOK — On September 3, 2026, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul welcomed Thailand's women's national volleyball team to Government House to celebrate their 2026 Asian Championship victory and historic qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
At 10:30, Anutin, who also serves as interior minister, met the players at the Purple Room of the Thai Khu Fah Building, where the team was congratulated for winning the Asian title and securing an automatic Olympic berth.
The government, through the National Sports Development Fund, presented a total of about 14.7 million baht in prize money. Anutin also pressed a button to transfer the rewards directly into the players' bank accounts in real time.
The ceremony was attended by Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenvakul, Deputy Prime Minister Songsak Thongsri, deputy president of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand Charoen Wattanasin, Sports Authority of Thailand Governor Kongsak Yodmani, Volleyball Association of Thailand president Somporn Chaibangyang, head coach Air Chief Marshal Kiattipong Ratchatakreangkrai (Coach Aot), and members of the coaching staff.
The tourism and sports minister said the victory demonstrated the team's ability, dedication and commitment to representing Thailand. Winning the 2026 Asian Women's Volleyball Championship and automatically qualifying for the 2028 Olympics was a major achievement, particularly because only 12 teams from around the world will compete in the Olympic tournament. The success had brought pride, happiness and joy to people across Thailand.
Somporn said the team's Olympic dream had been four decades in the making, with the association developing systematic short-, medium- and long-term plans to build a strong pipeline of athletes and support personnel. The association first set its sights on Olympic qualification in 1997, targeting the 2004 Athens Games. Although that goal was not achieved, the team continued to develop and came close to qualification several times.
"There were tears and disappointment, but we never lost confidence," Somporn said.
The breakthrough finally came on August 30, when the players and coaching staff combined their efforts to achieve the long-held Olympic dream.
Somporn said the association would now focus on developing successive generations of players. He also thanked the government for its Prime Minister's Youth programme, which he said helped develop children and young athletes from grassroots level to the national stage.
Anutin said he was delighted when he learned of the team's victory on the evening of Sunday, August 30, saying the result immediately changed the atmosphere across Thailand. He said the victory brought happiness to people watching in restaurants and on social media. "Thank you. During that period, no one was criticizing the government," Anutin said jokingly, referring to the public celebrations following the victory.
