The president and CEO of a Thai health insurer is the first woman to be appointed manager of the country’s men’s national football team.
The Bangkok Post reports Nualphan Lamsam, the president and CEO of Muang Thai Insurance and chairwoman of Thai team Port FC, has been appointed into the role by the Football Association of Thailand (FAT).
It followed the country’s failure to progress from the 2022 World Cup qualifying round in June which led to the termination of national coach Akira Nishino’s contract in July.
The Post reports that the FAT said Nualphan “Madam Pang” was well qualified for the post as she had successfully guided the women’s side to the final round of the FIFA World Cup twice when she was their manager.
Her appointment is with immediate effect.
Lamsam is not the first woman to take her place in a men’s national team dugout as Iva Olivari was team manager of World Cup 2018 finalists Croatia.