NAYPYIDAW — Thailand are confident of beating Singapore in the semi-finals of the South-east Asian Games Under-23 football competition tonight.

Although Thailand coach Kiatisuk Senamuang has admitted that it will not be an easy game, he is confident that his players will prevail in the end.

“It will not be an easy match,” said the former Thai striker who was nicknamed “Zico” for his goal-scoring exploits.

“Singapore are dangerous on the counter-attack and their striker Sahil Suhaimi has scored three goals. However, we will be at full strength and I am confident that we will win.”

Thailand rested several key players in their final group match against Cambodia on Monday, which ended in a 0-0 draw.

For the Singapore game, Kiatisuk will also welcome back a number of suspended players including skipper Teerathon Bunmathan, who already has 16 caps at senior level, striker Kroekrit Thawikan and defender Praweenwat Boonyong.

The only thing that is currently of some concern to Kiatisuk is the weather in Naypyidaw.

The Thais played all their group matches in Yangon, which has warmer weather, and subsequently travelled by bus for five hours to Naypyidaw. They arrived on Monday.

“What concerned me was the weather, with the temperatures here dropping as low as 13°C,” he said.

“We always played in humid conditions, not less than 25°C. It became cooler over the past few days and the temperatures in Naypyidaw are much lower than Yangon.

“We play the Singapore match in the evening when the temperatures are particularly cool so it’s a problem for the team. Nevertheless, we still have two days to adjust to the conditions and I told the medical staff to look after the players closely.”

Thailand are desperate to regain the SEA Games title they won eight times in a row until 2007. They were knocked out in the first rounds in the previous two Games. AGENCIES