Thailand will target quarter-final berths at next week's Thomas Cup and Uber Cup badminton tournaments in New Delhi.
Khunying Patama Leesawadtrakul
There are 19 Thai players (nine men and 10 women) at the Thomas Cup (men's team competition) and Uber Cup (women's team event) to be held at Siri Fort Indoor Stadium from May 18-25.
In the 16-team Uber Cup, Thailand are in Group C with hosts India, Canada and Hong Kong while the Thai men are in Group A with Indonesia, Nigeria and Singapore in the Thomas Cup.
Both teams will start their campaigns on May 19 when the women's team take on Hong Kong while the men's team fight Nigeria. The top-two teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals.
"We hope to reach the last eight in both competitions," said Thailand coach Sompol Kookasemkij.
The coach added that although the women finished third for their best ever result in the previous tournament in 2012 it would be difficult for them to repeat the feat.
"It will be tough for them to reach the quarter-finals," he said. "We are good in the singles but not so good in the doubles."
However, Khunying Patama Leesawadtrakul, president of the Badminton Association of Thailand, believed that the women's team stood a better chance to reach the second round than the men.
The women's players are world champion and world No.4 Ratchanok Intanon, Porntip Buranaprasertsuk, Nichaon Jindapon, Busanan Ongbumrungpan, Sapsiree Taerattanachai, Puttita Supajirakul, Saralee Thoungthongkam, Savitree Amitrapai, Duanganong Aroonkesorn and Kunchala Voravichitchaikul.
The men are world No.8 Boonsak Ponsana, Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk, Suppanyu Avihingsanon, Sitthikom Thammasin, Patiphat Chalardchaleam, Maneepong Jongjit, Nipitphon Puangpuapech, Wannawat Ampunsuwan and Sudket Prapakamol.