WILLEMSTAD - Curacao national football team will return to Thailand to face the War Elephants in an international friendly match scheduled to be held on March 30.

Thailand was supposed to face Panama in a friendly match, but the Canal Men had pulled out of the fixture due to the threat of the coronavirus that has affected China PR and other parts of Asia.

But, Akira Nishino’s men will now face Curacao on the same date after the island nation accepted the invitation from Football Association of Thailand (FAT).

Curacao is currently ranked 80th in the FIFA World Rankings while Thailand is 113th.

Though the two sides are yet to meet each other in an international fixture, Curacao had made a successful trip to Thailand last year to take part in the King’s Cup 2019 along with the hosts, Vietnam and India.

They had defeated India 3-1 in their opener to progress to the final that they won on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the regulation time against ASEAN champions Vietnam.

Changsuek are set to take on ASEAN rivals Indonesia in the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup Joint-Qualifiers second round at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok on March 26, a few days before the friendly game.

Thailand senior and U-23 players will come together for the national team camp under Nishino on March 19.