Coach Milovan Rajevac is looking forward to a bright future for Thailand despite his men's 2-0 friendly loss to Uzbekistan in Tashkent on Tuesday night.
It was the Serb's first game in charge of the War Elephants who were without nine SCG Muang Thong players including forward Teerasil Dangda and playmaker Chanathip Songkrasin.
Temurkhuja Abdukholikov's strike after 67 minutes and Sardor Rashidov's stunning curling shot in injury-time handed Rajevac a losing start as coach of Thailand.
Rajevac said after the match that Thailand need to improve their finishing ahead of their next game against the United Arab Emirates in a World Cup qualifier in Bangkok on June 13.
Several newcomers were in Rajevac's starting line-up including Phansa Hemviboon, Kevin Deeromram and Chalermpong Kerdkaew.
Without Teerasil, the country's top striker, Rajevac used Sirod Chatthong as a lone striker and the tall forward squandered a couple of good chances.
Thailand's strike force fared better in the second half when Rajevac used veteran forward Teerathep Winothai to team up with Sirod.
Making a return to the national team, Winothai soon made his presence felt with a fine cross that found an unmarked Bodin Phala who surprisingly headed the ball wide.
Rajevac said before the match that he would focus on the team's defence and the War Elephants did well to protect their goal for more than an hour.
After the match, Rajevac said: "We played very well in the first half and had several chances but could not score. We should not have conceded the first goal but we could not do anything with the second which was a beautiful goal.
"It is not good that we lost but we have got experience that will make us stronger in the future. We will build a team for the future to be able to compete at major competitions like the World Cup and Asian Cup. We will build a team that can compete against Asia's top teams. We have to learn from our mistakes in this game."
Rajevac said Muang Thong players, who were rested for Tuesday's match, will return for the UAE game.
Uzbekistan coach Samvel Babayan said: "Thailand defended well and the result might have been different if they had not made mistakes. They have improved a lot."
Rajevac succeeds Kiatisak Senamuang who quit in March after two heavy defeats against Saudi Arabia and Japan in Asia's final qualifying round for the 2018 World Cup.
With three qualifying games remaining, Thailand are out of contention for a ticket to Russia 2018 after getting only one point from seven matches.
Football Association of Thailand president Somyot Poompunmuang said he was pleased with the team's performance.
"I watched the game on TV and several people told me that they were pleased with our performance. Under Rajevac, we have a new playing system and tactics," he said.
"If the players had had more time to prepare, I think we might have got a draw. If we had been sharper up front, we might have won the match."
Japan draw with Syria
Japan's World Cup qualifying preparations were dealt a blow yesterday when playmaker Shinji Kagawa suffered a shoulder injury in a 1-1 home draw with Syria.
The Borussia Dortmund midfielder was stretchered off just nine minutes into the Tokyo friendly clutching his left shoulder after an awkward fall, and could be in doubt for next week's Asian qualifier against Iraq.
Syria took a shock lead early in the second half when forward Mardik Mardikian powered home a header after clever work on the right by Amro Jenyat.
The Japanese equalised after 59 minutes, Inter Milan left-back Yuto Nagatomo squaring for Yasuyuki Konno to apply a simple finish from point-blank range. bangkok post/afp
