Bangkok, Thailand, June 30, 2009 – Despite standing the best chance of making it to the next year's Japan-hosted FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship Final Round, Thailand is very determined to go for the best in the third round Asia Pool D.

The Thai team are due to leave on July 1 for the Pool D contest in Chengdu, China from July 3 to 5. Four teams – the Beijing Games bronze medalists and FIVB world ranked number 5 China, world number 19 and Asian Championship bronze medalists Thailand, world number 48 Uzbekistan and unfancied Fiji – will compete in the three-day single round-robin competition.

The top two teams from the Pool will advance to the next year's 24-team Final Round in Tokyo. Hosts Japan and title-holders Russia have automatically entered the next year's Finals. Cuba and Dominican Republic are the other two countries already qualified for the next year's Finals.

On his team's chances, Thai head coach Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai is upbeat that his girls are quite certain of clinching one of the two tickets on offer from the Pool.

"I strongly believe that my team can make it to the Finals this time. However, we have to study more on side-out and points phase tactics and how to reduce the mistakes we will make during the competition," cited Kiattipong.

"The host side must be the strongest rival in Pool D. Against them, we will focus on our defense and consistent play. We will open with attack game to make sure our aggressive offence will affect their ball receptions.

"There was a big change in the Chinese national team, with new players replacing the highly-experienced senior players and Cai Bin replacing Chen Zhonghe as head coach. However, the Chinese have already proved their remarkable forms towards their top priority for the 2012 Olympic Games by competing in major tournaments including the China International Tournament and Montreux Volley Masters in Switzerland, where they finished third.

"We, therefore, cannot stand still and have to move forward. Training and development must be continued. At the same time, we have to seek new talents to join our team. They should have ideal body size and height advantage to help strengthen the team," he continued.

"I think it's a tough mission to beat the Chinese. However, I hope my players will do their best. If we have a chance, we try to beat them.

Kiattipong said he will replace his best players with substitutions in every match, particularly the other two matches against Uzbekistan and Fiji.

"We have already beaten Fiji in straight sets in the second round Pool C on home soil. We also comfortably beat Skif, whose players have been competing for the national Uzbekistan team, in the recent AVC Women's Club Championship in Nakhon Pathom. I'm confident we can repeat the similar feat in Chengdu," he continued.

"Our chances of finishing top two in the Pool to be eligible for the next year's Finals are very bright. However, we won't underestimate any team despite the fact that we beat two of them before."

Thailand will open their Pool D campaign against Uzbekistan on Friday, July 3. They will next take on Fiji the following day and China on July 5 respectively. If Thailand can make it to the Finals, it would be their third attempts in the top-flight competition.

Thailand finished 15th and 17th places in their first two World Championships in 1998 and 2002. They finished a below-par fifth place in the 2006 World Championship Asian Qualification, failing to make their hat-trick attempts in the world meet.