Bitterly, Thai newspapers lament consecutive failures in Southeast Asia

The 3-4 defeat against Indonesia in the U16 Southeast Asian futsal final led Thailand to settle for runner-up once more, prolonging their winless streak in the region and triggering strong backlash from local media.

On the afternoon of December 29, the Thai U16 futsal team fell 3-4 to Indonesia in the final of the U16 Southeast Asian Futsal Championship held at Nonthaburi Arena. This defeat forced Thailand to accept second place on home soil, continuing their disappointing run as both football and futsal teams from the country have repeatedly finished as runners-up in recent regional tournaments.

Immediately after the match, Thai press collectively expressed their frustration. Khaosod ran a bitter headline: “Following the national teams, Thailand loses again in football”, emphasizing that even the youth futsal squad could not ease fans’ disappointment. The newspaper further commented: “Losing yet another final shows that Thai football is repeating a familiar pattern: reaching the final but failing to win”.

Thailand entered the tournament as hosts, topping the group stage and carrying high expectations. In the final, the home side even took the lead twice but failed to maintain their advantage. Thai media viewed this collapse as a reflection of systemic problems.

True Vision commented: “Thailand missed the chance to claim the title on home ground, while Indonesian futsal has shown remarkable progress in organization and resilience”.

The disappointment deepened as the media directly linked this defeat to the 33rd SEA Games.

Thairath recalled: “After a clean sweep of failures in all four football and futsal categories at the SEA Games, fans hoped the U16 futsal team would redeem the honor, but the outcome was still second place”. On its homepage, Thairath displayed a haunting question: “Who is responsible?”, indicating growing dissatisfaction aimed at the Football Association of Thailand.

One point emphasized by Thai media is Indonesia’s strong rise. Khaosod acknowledged: “Indonesia is no longer an inferior opponent. They defeated Thailand in men’s futsal at the SEA Games and now have won the U16 title”. Meanwhile, True Vision observed: “Indonesia’s first U16 Southeast Asian futsal championship signals a clear shift in regional power balance”.

More than just a loss, Thai media see this as a sign that their long-standing dominance is wavering. “From the national team to youth levels, Thailand keeps finishing second in Southeast Asia. This is no longer an accident but a worrying trend”, Thairath concluded.

Therefore, the defeat to Indonesia not only denies Thailand another title but also exposes a harsh reality: Thai football and futsal are enduring a prolonged dry spell in Southeast Asia, while their direct rivals are increasingly surpassing them.