Thai Goalkeeper Defends Asian Games Exit Amid Fan Criticism
Thailand's women's football goalkeeper Beam Tichanun defended herself and teammates against fan criticism after their early elimination from the 2026 Asian Games, saying they are genuinely disappointed despite posting upbeat social media me
Beam Tichanun, goalkeeper for Thailand's women's national football team, has hit back at fan criticism of the team appearing unbothered after early elimination from the 2026 Asian Games. Thailand's women's football team was knocked out in the group stage after a disappointing first-round campaign in Group E. The team lost 0-8 to Japan, 0-1 to Taiwan, and drew 0-0 with Vietnam, finishing with just one point from one draw and two losses—insufficient to advance.
Following the elimination, Thai social media users launched widespread criticism, with many comments turning harsh. One commenter sarcastically wrote: "The team played that badly, yet the players are still acting cool about it. Fans shouldn't expect anything from a team like this anymore. They just show up looking pretty, finish the game, then post casually online and get praise from people. Keep fighting, but next year should be better."
In response, Beam Tichanun posted on her personal Facebook to counter the criticism, explaining that she and her teammates are not unbothered as it appears. She wrote: "I'm not cool about this in my heart either. I just choose to speak positively. One person can't change everything on their own. Besides, Facebook posts earn money—I need to make a living too. My friends and I have to keep working. Encouragement is better than creating division. Everyone on the team is good both on and off the pitch. At minimum, if friends see that, it might make them feel better."
