BANGKOK (Thailand) - For Thailand, the past ten years have been a reminder of how difficult it is to reach the FIBA Asia Cup - and how much it means to get back.
They've been on the outside looking in since 2013, missing tournament after tournament while trying to claw their way back through Qualifiers. Now, they are closer than ever.
Two games. One final chance.
Right now, the Thai national team is really starting to click.
At the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifying Tournament for Third-Place Teams, Thailand must battle Guam and Chinese Taipei in Taipei. If they finish in the top two, they qualify. If not, the wait continues.
It’s been over ten years already. They don’t want to wait any longer.
The Journey: A fight to get back
Thailand are a national team program with history - if they qualify, it will mark their 20th Asia Cup appearance. But the past decade has been frustrating.
In the FIBA Asia Cup 2022 Qualifiers, Thailand were overmatched in a group with Australia, Korea, and Indonesia. They lost every game, including two defeats to Southeast Asian rivals Indonesia, which sent them tumbling to the Pre-Qualifiers for the current cycle.
Starting from the bottom, they fought their way back.
They dominated the First Round of the Pre-Qualifiers, sweeping Mongolia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Tahiti. In the second round, they handled Hong Kong, China and Singapore but also stumbled against Guam, losing 75-69 - their only defeat.
In the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers, they were once again grouped with Indonesia. This time, Thailand got their revenge with two convincing wins. This secured a third-place finish and earned them one last chance to reach the Asia Cup.
Now, their journey comes full circle.
Growing together
Thailand's biggest strength isn't just the talent in the roster - it's continuity.
For years, the main core has played together, building chemistry under a system directed by coach Edu Torres. The Spaniard took over in 2022, and the team has gradually produced results since then.
"Right now, the Thai national team is really starting to click," said sharpshooter Nakorn Jaisanuk. "We've played together in multiple tournaments. The coach is sticking to the same system, and our teamwork is improving. We connect better, and the team looks much smoother."
That trust, that familiarity, is what makes this team dangerous.
"Turnovers are still something we have to learn from," Jaisanuk admitted. "It's part of the experience, and we need to keep improving."
The veteran has been with the team since 2016, witnessing the ups and downs of Thailand's struggle to return to the Asia Cup. Now, he and the team stand at the door of history, ready to walk through it.
"I've been here [for a while], playing under many coaches. Every player who comes in has to grow together and improve with the team."
The Guam challenge
Before Thailand can think about challenging the hosts Chinese Taipei, they have unfinished business with Guam.
Guam handed them their only Pre-Qualifier losses in 2022 as well as in 2018, and now, Thailand will face them again on March 20. If they win, they’ll have momentum heading into the crucial game against Chinese Taipei on March 21.
Lose? The road to qualification becomes much more difficult.
Guam were a problem before. Now, they must be the first obstacle Thailand overcome.
Looking ahead
Qualifying for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 isn’t just about the present - it’s about the future.
Teams that qualify also earn a ticket to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers. A spot in the Asia Cup means competing in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from August 5-17, facing the best in the region.
For a country that hasn’t been to the Asia Cup in a decade, this moment means everything. Another failure means another restart. Another lost opportunity. Another four years of waiting.
Thailand have waited long enough.
FIBA