Thai women’s table tennis pair secure historic Asian Games bronze

Toyota, Japan — On September 28, 2026, Thailand's Suthasini Sawettabut and Orawan Paranang claimed a historic bronze medal in the women's doubles table tennis competition at the 20th Asian Games "Aichi-Nagoya 2026" after suffering a heartbreaking semifinal loss to China's Wang Manyu and Kuai Man. The Thai pair, currently ranked No. 2 globally, fell 0-4 to their Chinese opponents, who topped the singles rankings with Wang at No. 4 and Kuai at No. 2.

The Chinese duo demonstrated their dominance with a commanding 11-6, 11-8, 11-5, and 11-6 victory, securing their place in the final match, where they will face Japan's number one pair, Miwa Harimoto and Hina Hayata.

Despite their semifinal defeat, Suthasini and Orawan's triumph marked a significant milestone for Thai table tennis at the Asian Games. This bronze medal is Thailand's first in the sport since the country's first Asian Games table tennis medal, a men's team bronze, which was achieved 68 years ago at the 1958 Asian Games. Table tennis had made its Asian Games debut in 1958, but with Suthasini and Orawan's achievement, the Thai women's doubles team has etched a new chapter in their nation's table tennis history at the continental games.