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Football Association of Thailand vice president Charnwit Polcheewin at a press conference at the association’s headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand on Sept. 4, 2026, ahead of the Asian Games. Photo by FAT |
The issue was raised during a press conference regarding the upcoming Asian Games on Sept. 4. When questioned by local media about using naturalized players with no ancestral ties to Thailand, Polcheewin responded that the nation’s current sports policy limits selection to mixed players.
He emphasized that from a legal standpoint, using naturalized players without Thai blood is nearly impossible.
Polcheewin, who coached the national team from 2005 to 2008, believes a serious consideration of this policy would be a major national issue. He added that fans would not accept the change at the moment and implementing it would require a process starting with a public referendum, MRI Online reported.
Current regulations require foreigners seeking naturalization to have resided in Thailand continuously for five years, aligning with FIFA rules for foreign-born players switching associations. While Thailand generally does not permit dual citizenship, rare exceptions exist for individuals who have made significant contributions to the country.
The 71-year-old official recently made controversial statements regarding Vietnam’s use of three Brazilian-born naturalized players, Nguyen Xuan Son, Do Hoang Hen, and Nguyen Tai Loc, during the 2026 ASEAN Cup. He argued that while such a strategy suits nations with limited human resources like Singapore, it becomes controversial when adopted by countries like Vietnam or Malaysia.
“This is not an ordinary Vietnam national team, but Vietnam plus Brazil,” he told Thairathnoting that while traditional matchups were exciting, public opinion is now questioning the naturalization trend across Southeast Asia.
Despite his criticism, he maintained that Thailand will not interfere in the policy of other nations and remains ready to face any opponent.
Nguyen Xuan Son became the first naturalized player to represent Vietnam in an official tournament at the 2024 ASEAN Cup, winning both the Best Player and Top Scorer awards after scoring a brace to defeat Thailand in the first leg of the final.
For the 2026 tournament, Vietnam fielded the Brazilian-born trio in the final against Thailand, where Hoang Hen provided a crucial assist in the 2-0 first-leg victory and indirectly forced an own goal in the 2-2 second-leg draw.
The two regional rivals will have an early rematch at the inaugural 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup, hosted by Indonesia from Sept. 24 to Oct. 5. Vietnam and Thailand have been drawn into Group B of Tier 1 alongside Pakistan and the Philippines.
All teams are expected to field their strongest squads as the tournament falls within the FIFA international window, and clubs are obligated to release players to their national team. Although the event coincides with the 20th Asian Games featuring U23 squads, Polcheewin confirmed the national team have priority in player selection.
Four young key players, Teerasak Poeiphimai, Seksan Ratree, Waris Choolthong and Chaiyaphon Otton, are expected to join the national squad. Polcheewin said that head coach Anthony Hudson is fully aware of the objectives, aiming to reach at least the semifinals with their strongest possible lineup.