Defending champions Thailand lost to South Korea 2-3 (25-21, 17-25, 25-18, 19-25 and 11-15) to finish Group F runners-up in the Asian Women's Volleyball Championship in Tianjin, China yesterday.
World No.12 Thailand, who claimed the 2013 crown at home in Nakhon Ratchasima, will next face Japan, who were third in Pool E, in the quarter-finals tomorrow.
They won their maiden continental title in 2009.
Thailand were on a four-match winning streak coming into yesterday's encounter but found the Asian Games champions and world No.10 too much to handle.
They twice took the lead winning the first and third sets but the Koreans fought their way back into the game on both occasions to force the deciding fifth.
Kiattipong Radchatakruiengkrai's team beat Taiwan, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan earlier in the tournament.
Thailand aim to finish in the top four in the championship for a place in the Olympic qualifying tournament to be held in Japan next year.
The country has never won an Olympic berth in indoor volleyball.
