Fifa president Gianni Infantino will visit Thailand later this month, Football Association of Thailand chief Somyot Poompunmuang said yesterday.
Infantino, who was elected Fifa president in February, will arrive in Bangkok on April 28 to join the FAT's 100th anniversary celebrations and discuss cooperation between the world football's governing body and Thailand, Pol Gen Somyot said in a statement.
The FAT has requested Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha for a meeting with Fifa chief to discuss ways to help football development in the Kingdom, he said.
At the same time, the FAT will also ask Gen Prayut to allocate a plot of government land to build a national football development centre, Somyot said.
"This would lead to sustainable football development," he said.
Somyot said budget would come from Fifa and certain private companies which have expressed interest in funding the planned centre.
Some observers are surprised by Somyot's move for a national football development centre as there is already one in Bangkok's Nong Chok district.
However, the Nong Chok centre, built by Fifa's development funds when Worawi Makudi was FAT president, has rarely been used even during Worawi's reign.
Worawi, then also a Fifa executive member, was accused of using the funds to build the centre on his own land but he was able to clear his name as he argued that he had transferred ownership of the plot to the FAT.
Meanwhile, Somyot said the Croatia's federation had informed the FAT that it would send a second-string side to take part in the King's Cup.
The King's Cup will take place in June and Croatia will have to play in Euro 2016 scheduled from June 10-July 10.
Somyot said the FAT had not yet made a decision whether to accept Croatia's 'B' team for the King's Cup.
Uzbekistan have also informed the FAT that they want to participate in the tournament. However, as Uzbekistan could meet Thailand in Asia's final qualifying round for the 2018 World Cup, they may change their mind after the draw on Tuesday, Somyot said.