World champion Ratchanok Intanon and world No.4 Boonsak Ponsana have been named in the Thai squad for the SEA Games although both seem reluctant to compete at the tournament.
The schedule of the SEA Games badminton tournament clashes with the Superseries Finals with the former to be held in Myanmar from Dec 10-14 and the latter in Malaysia from Dec 11-15.
But Surasak Songvarakulpan, secretary-general of the Badminton Association of Thailand, said he, in his capacity as secretary-general of the Badminton Asia Confederation, would ask Myanmar to change the schedule to Dec 18-21.
With the new schedule, more big names would be able to take part in the SEA Games including reigning world champions Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir (mixed doubles) and Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawa (men's doubles), both of Indonesia. "We have talked to the hosts and will soon send them an official letter," he said. "Because the hosts do not have high hopes of winning medals in badminton, it may not be too difficult to persuade them to change the schedule."
Thailand's other players for the SEA Games include Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk (men's singles), Sapsiri Taerattanachai (women's singles), Maneepong Jongjit/Nipitphon Puangpuapech (men's doubles), Duanganong Aroonkesorn/Kunchala Voravichitchaikul (women's doubles) and Sudket Prapakamol/Saralee Thoungthongkam (mixed doubles).
There will be only five categories in the individual and double events as Myanmar won't organise the men's and women's team competitions.