With strong teams from China, South Korea and Taiwan to contend with, the Thai women have not set their aim too high at the regional sports extravaganza.

After many years of success on a smaller stage - the SEA Games - things took a turn for the worse five years ago.

The team suffered a big setback at the SEA Games in 2001 when they lost to Malaysia in the final, bringing an end to their run of five successive titles at Southeast Asia's biggest sporting event.

"Malaysia beat us in a razor-thin victory," head coach Daonoi Suttinipapunt recalled. "We lost to them by only one point. My players were heartbroken."

The nightmare continued at the following SEA Games in 2003, where the team finished fourth, their worst result ever at a SEA Games. Then at the last SEA Games in 2005, there was more disappointment."We hoped to make amends in the next SEA Games in Manila," said Daonoi. "Unfortunately, the host nation decided to drop the basketball competition and we had trained hard for nothing."

Daonoi said the team had continued to train and prepared for major competitions including the Asian Championships and Asian Games.

In Doha, the Thai squad are in Group B with South Korea, Taiwan and Kazakhstan, with Group A comprising reigning champions China, Japan, India and Lebanon. The action will take place eight kilometres west of Doha at the Basketball Indoor Hall.

Thailand will play their first match against Kazakhstan on December 5, a special day for all Thais - His Majesty the King's birthday. They next take on Taiwan and the South Koreans on December 7 and 9 respectively. Only the top two teams from each group will make the cut for the semi-finals.

"We have to try to clear our first hurdle against the Kazakhs," said Daonoi. "They are much taller than my girls. In basketball, height is a big advantage."

The average height of the Thai team is only 172.5cm, while the Chinese team average is 184cm, the Koreans 182cm, the Japanese 178cm and the Kazakhs 186cm.

"A win over the Kazakhs on the opener will boost our confidence," she said.

"Because of all the stronger teams in Doha, our prospects are not that high. Our top priority is a fifth place finish.

"To achieve that, it's necessary to beat Kazakhstan on December 5, Thailand's National Day and His Majesty the King's birthday. "The remaining two matches against the Taiwanese and the Koreans will be much tougher. I think our chances of beating the Taiwanese and the Koreans are bleak."

At the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, the Thai team finished fifth overall, but the squad did not reach the standards set by the Thailand Asian Games Athletes Preparatory Committee and

failed to make the cut for the following Asian Games in South Korea.

According to Daonoi, Thailand's starting line-up for the Asian Games will be Nomjitr Phansao, Naruemol Wandee, Nanthana Khaomool, Juthamas Mathuros and the 182cm-tall Narumol Banmoo as centre.

Preechachan  Wiriyanupappong

The Nation