Thai teenager Preechayan makes waves on table tennis at Asian Games

Thitaphat Preechayan left the table tennis venue with a backpack slung over his shoulders, smiling as he walked away after losing to world No. 1 Wang Chuqin at the Asian Games.

The Thai high school student had spent the previous several days testing himself against some of the world's best table tennis players.

Three days earlier, the 16-year-old, ranked 275th in the world, stunned world No. 8 Lin Shidong 3-2 in the men's team quarterfinals.

Before that match, Preechayan repeatedly watched videos of Lin on social media, studying his opponent before stepping onto the court.

"I was very excited to play against them," Preechayan said. "I thought I couldn't lose. I just played point by point, and finally I won."

On Friday, the teenager took the opening game 11-3 against Wang in the men's singles round of 32 before the Chinese star settled into the match and won 4-2.

"I was fully focused during the match," Preechayan said. "I knew I was going to play against a world-class player, but I wasn't afraid."

"We had never played against each other before, and his ability to beat Lin was beyond what many people expected," Wang admitted. "I attached great importance to this match. I tried to make every point count and played very tightly."

"I feel very happy because I was able to take two games from him," Preechayan said. "But I think I still have to work harder."

Preechayan was born in Bangkok in 2010. He first picked up a table tennis racket at the age of seven after becoming fascinated in the sport by watching his older brother's practice.

His talent became apparent soon. His family decided to homeschool him between the ages of seven and 12, giving him more time to train before he returned to traditional schooling.

It was not long before Sanon Wongkaew, who was then coaching Preechayan's older brother and later joined the Thai national team's coaching staff, took notice and invited the teenager for a tryout.

Preechayan was able to hit topspin on his first attempt. Wongkaew encouraged him to train regularly and enter more competitions, where he soon found himself beating older players.

At 12, he earned a place on Thailand's under-13 national team.

"At that time, I didn't even know what it meant to be on the national team. I just knew I'd been selected," Preechayan said. "The more I competed, the more fun it became, and I loved table tennis even more."

His progress sped up in 2025. He won the U15 mixed doubles title at the ITTF World Youth Championships with Thai teammate Kulapassr Vijitviriyagul, becoming the first Thai to win gold at the event. He also won the U15 boys' singles title at the WTT Youth Contender San Francisco.

Thailand is not traditionally regarded as a table tennis powerhouse, but its national program has placed greater emphasis on developing young players and providing more opportunities for them to train overseas.

Preechayan normally trains at the Thai national team's base at a university. Ahead of the Asian Games, he also spent time training in Jinan, capital of China's Shandong province, gaining first-hand experience of training in the sport's leading nation.

His favorite player is another Chinese player, Fan Zhendong, an Olympic champion known for tenacity.

"I like his style of play," Preechayan said. "His mental strength is very strong."

For now, his ambition is simple but significant: to make his name known to Thai fans and build a career that can leave a mark for Thailand in the years ahead.

"I want to go to the Olympics," he said. "Maybe I can win a medal."