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Jun 17, 20261
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Thailand Women's Volleyball Falls to Ukraine in Five Sets at VNL 2026 Bangkok Leg
Thailand's women's volleyball team lost 3-2 to Ukraine in their opening match of the VNL 2026 Bangkok leg, despite rallying to force a fifth set. Ukraine's composure in crucial moments secured the victory.
Quick Facts
Who
Thailand women's volleyball team
What
lost a VNL match 3-2
When
June 17, 2026
Where
Indoor Stadium Huamak, Bangkok
- lost a VNL match 3-2
- opened second leg of VNL 2026
- made substitutions to change momentum
- forced a deciding fifth set
- will face Bulgaria next
The Thai women's national volleyball team opened the second leg of the 2026 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) with a narrow 3-2 defeat to newcomer Ukraine on June 17 at the Indoor Stadium Huamak in Bangkok. The match, part of a five-day tournament running from June 17 to 22, saw the world No. 24 Thai side face a determined Ukrainian team ranked 16th globally.
Thailand took an early lead in the first set, playing fast and building a 9-5 advantage, but Ukraine rallied to level the score and eventually clinched the set 25-23, going up 1-0. In the second set, head coach Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai made key substitutions, bringing on Morakot Thananant and Nattanicha Jaisen for Kaewkalia Kamultala and Pornpan Gerdphrajead. The adjustments paid off as Thailand regained composure and won 25-19 to tie the match.
The third set was fiercely contested, with both teams trading points until a 24-24 deadlock. Ukraine held its nerve to win 28-26, taking a 2-1 lead. In the fourth set, Thailand played with more caution and discipline, overcoming a deficit to win 25-22 and force a decisive fifth set. However, Ukraine dominated the final set, winning 15-10 to take the match 3-2.
Despite strong performances from players such as Pimpichaya Kokram, Thatdao Nuekjang, and Ajcharaporn Kongyot, Thailand struggled with consistency and unforced errors at critical moments. The team will next face Bulgaria on June 18 at 8:30 p.m. local time, as they continue their VNL campaign on home soil.
Topics
Why This Matters
This match is highly significant for Thai volleyball fans because it marks an early test of the team's home-court advantage and their ability to compete against higher-ranked opponents. With the VNL 2026 being a crucial tournament for world ranking points and Olympic qualification, every match counts. Thailand's inconsistency and unforced errors at critical moments highlight areas they must improve quickly, especially with a packed schedule ahead including a match against Bulgaria just one day later. The outcome could impact their standing in the overall VNL table and their confidence for upcoming high-stakes competitions.
Timeline & Sources
Jun 17, 2026
WireMatch start at Indoor Stadium Huamak, Bangkok
Jun 17, 2026
WireUkraine wins first set 25-23
Jun 17, 2026
WireThailand wins second set 25-19 to tie match 1-1
Jun 17, 2026
WireUkraine wins third set 28-26, leads 2-1
Jun 17, 2026
WireThailand wins fourth set 25-22 to tie 2-2
Jun 17, 2026
WireUkraine wins fifth set 15-10, wins match 3-2
Jun 18, 2026
WireThailand to face Bulgaria in next VNL match
Entities
- Ukraine women's volleyball team
- Pornpan Gerdphrajead
- Pimpichaya Kokram
- Kaewkalia Kamultala
- Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai
- Bulgaria women's volleyball team
- Morakot Thananant
- Thailand women's volleyball team
- Ajcharaporn Kongyot
- Thatdao Nuekjang
- Piyanuch Panitnoi
- Nattanicha Jaisen
- Indoor Stadium Huamak, Bangkok
- Sasipaporn Chanthawisut