Chonburi FC Releases Star Forward for Thailand's Asian Games Squad
Chonburi FC released star striker Yasokorn Burapho, 21, to compete for Thailand at the Asian Games in Japan, though the grueling schedule requires him to travel between club and country matches at least three times in 10 days.
Chonburi FC has willingly released rising striker Yasokorn Burapho, 21, to support Thailand's men's football team at the 20th Asian Games in Japan from September 19 to October 4, even though he is a key player for the club. The Thai Football Association announced the squad after Yasokorn had recently featured for Thailand's senior team in 2026 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
The Thai League 1 season 2026–27 kicks off September 4. Chonburi travels to face Chiang Rai United on September 5, then hosts Rayong FC at home on September 13. Thailand's first Asian Games match is against Kyrgyzstan on September 16, followed by a Chonburi club fixture against Buriram United on September 20, and Thailand's game against host Japan on September 23. This schedule forces Yasokorn to travel between Thailand and Japan at least three times in 10 days: playing for Chonburi against Rayong on September 13, flying to Japan on September 14, returning to Thailand on September 17 after the Kyrgyzstan match on September 16 to face Buriram on September 20, then flying back to Japan on September 21 for the Japan match on September 23. After that, Thai League play pauses for FIFA international windows during the 2026 AFC Asian Cup.
Jeerasak Jomthong, Chonburi's public relations and marketing director, confirmed the club fully supports the player's national team service, but acknowledged Yasokorn is a crucial starter for coach Rangsarwat Wiwatchaiyachok. He said: "We've discussed this with Yasokorn. He confirmed he wants to play for the national team, which we understand completely—every Thai player wants that. Yasokorn is a key player for us and a first-choice starter the coach uses regularly. When Coach Wang (Thawatchai Damrongongtakul) requested Yasokorn's help for the national team, we had to release him, but Chonburi also needs him."
Jeerasak added: "The Football Association has agreed to cover all travel costs for Yasokorn's trips between Thailand and Japan so he can serve both Chonburi and the national team. However, this type of travel will clearly affect his physical fitness, so Chonburi will need to assess his readiness before each match to decide whether he plays as a starter."
"We confirm we're ready to release our players for the national team whenever needed, just as our players want to represent Thailand. We'll wait to see how Thailand performs at the Asian Games before planning the next phase of our schedule."
