The world number one-ranked team were welcomed by Phuket Vice Governor Suvit Phansengiam at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Phuket Town, where the team will be based during the initial round-robin stage of the tournament.
The Italian team were also greeted by a traditional Thai dance performance and the junior female volleyball team who distributed welcome gifts.
Italy is in Group B alongside Belgium, Cuba and Slovakia and will play all of their games at the Saphan Hin indoor gymnasium.
They kick-off their campaign tomorrow night (Aug 22) against Slovakia at 8:30pm. They then face Cuba on Sunday (Aug 24) at 5pm before rounding off their group matches against Belgium on Tuesday (Aug 26) at 5pm.
Phuket is also hosting Group G matches between Poland, Germany, Kenya, and Vietnam at the same venue in Saphan Hin.
The 20th edition of the Women’s World Championship will feature 32 national teams divided into eight groups of four teams for the round-robin phase with the two best teams from each group moving into the knockout phase.
In addition to games hosted in Phuket, the other prelimary group matches are being held in Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima and Chiang Mia. The knockout phase incorporating the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final will all take place in Bangkok at Indoor Stadium at Hua Mark.
Thailand, coached by Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai, are in Pool A along with the Netherlands, Sweden and Egypt.
Warm-up loss
The Thais’ final warm-up match ahead of the tournament ended in a 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-18) defeat to China on Tuesday at Bangkok’s Indoor Stadium at Hua Mark.
Pornpun Guedpard, Thatdao Nuekjang, Sasipaporn Janthawisut, Pimpichaya Kokram, Chatchu-on Moksri, Wimonrat Thanaphan and Piyanut Pannoy were starters for Thailand while the Chinese were led by captain Yuan Xinyue and star spiker Li Yingying.
Players from both nations then formed two mixed teams to play a one-set exhibition game for the entertainment of the crowd.
Thailand will play Egypt in their Pool A opener tomorrow at Indoor Stadium, while China kick-start their Pool F campaign against Mexico in Chiang Mai on Saturday.
Thailand played in the world championship six times in 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022. Their best result was in 2018 when they finished in 13th place in the 24-team tournament.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.thaiticketmajor.com/vwwc-2025/.
- Additional reporting by the Bangkok Post