Thailand will now play against South Korea, Uzbekistan and Honduras in next month’s King’s Cup in Nakhon Ratchasima.
The four-team tournament to be played from Feb 1-7 originally featured Thailand, South Korea, North Korea and Croatia.
After Croatia had withdrawn from the tournament, Football Association of Thailand president Worawi Makudi said yesterday North Korea also pulled out of the annual event due to internal problems after they were eliminated at the ongoing Asian Cup in Australia.
Uzbekistan, who are still in contention for a quarter-final spot at the Asian Cup, and Honduras are their replacements, Worawi said.
“I can confirm that Honduras and Uzbekistan will play at the King’s Cup," he said.
“North Korea have withdrawn from the tournament because of internal problems after they were eliminated in the first round at the Asian Cup.”
South Korea will use their pre-Olympic team, while Uzbekistan and Honduras may field their full national sides.
At the 43rd King’s Cup, participants will play in a round-robin format on Feb 1, 4 and 7 with the team with the highest points lifting the trophy.
All matches will be shown live on Thai Rath TV.
Meanwhile, Singapore’s High Court yesterday raised to five years the jail sentence imposed on a businessman who provided prostitutes to Lebanese football referees in a bid to influence international matches.
Justice Chan Seng Onn said the three-year jail term handed to local nightclub owner Eric Ding last year by a lower court was “manifestly inadequate”, and issued a warning against sports-rigging syndicates using Singapore as a base.
Ding, 32, was found guilty of corruption in July for having bribed three Lebanese referees with the services of prostitutes before an Asian Football Confederation Cup match in 2013.