National coach Mano Polking has been appointed as boss of the team for next month's SEA Games in Vietnam, Thailand manager Nualphan Lamsam said on Monday.
The men's football tournament at the SEA Games is for U23 players.
Polking will only oversee the U23 squad at the SEA Games as U23 boss Worrawoot Srimaka will remain in charge of the side at the U23 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan in June, Nualphan told a press conference.
Nualphan, who is manager of the Thai men's senior and U23 teams, urged clubs to release their players for the SEA Games in Vietnam where the men's football tournament is scheduled to take place from May 6-22.
She said the football event at the SEA Games is not included in Fifa's international match calendar so clubs do not have to release their players for the national teams.
"Every country in Asean wants to win the men's football gold medal at the SEA Games," Nualphan said.
Thailand will begin their SEA Games campaign on May 7, the final day of the Thai League 1 season.
There are also domestic Cup matches after that.
Nualphan said she assigned Polking to take charge of the SEA Games team because Worrawoot and his staff were worried that they may not be able to do a good job.
The U23 team have had unconvincing results since Worrawoot became coach last year. They suffered three straight losses in the Dubai Cup friendly tournament recently.
Polking, who was named as Thailand coach last year, has become a national hero after guiding the War Elephants to win back the AFF Suzuki Cup title in January.
