FAT will loosen its purse strings and hand over Bt18 million as incentives, if the team make it to the final of the AFC Asian Cup. The competition will be played in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand between July 7 and 16.

Thailand's Asian Cup side left for intensive training in Germany on Thursday. They are due to return on June 25 in preparation for a warm-up match against Qatar on June 30.

National head coach Chanwit Polchivin said before the team's departure that the 23-day training stint would sharpen their skills.

"Training overseas will be beneficial. There, we will focus on special tactics and gaining strength and stamina," he said.

"The competition is one of the toughest. I want my players to concentrate throughout each game and show good teamwork. We need to build the physical strength of each player."

FAT president Worawi Makudi said the friendly against the Netherlands had given the association good feedback. "We have learned about our weak points and how the team fares when pitted against a stronger side.

"I would like the team to learn from the loss against the Netherlands. Winning the Asian Cup is a huge task, but if the team advances to the quarter-finals, they will get a special bonus of Bt3-million cash," Worawi said.

"If they continue their fine run to reach the semi-finals, they will receive Bt5 million. If they make it to the final, a special bonus of Bt10 million will be awarded."

Thailand will open their campaign against Iraq in Group A at the Rajamangala National Stadium on July 7, before taking on Oman on July 12. The home side finish their engagements in the first round with a match against star-studded Australia on July 16. Only the top two teams from Groups A, B, C and D will make the quarter-finals, which start on July 21.

The semi-finals will be held in Malaysia and Vietnam on July 25, with the third-place play-off and the final taking place in Indonesia on July 26 and 29, respectively.

Nakata back

nFormer Japan international Hidetoshi Nakata has chosen to return to the pitch - at least for a charity game hosted by Portuguese star Luis Figo.

Nakata, the two-time Asian footballer of the year who retired after last year's World Cup, will play the game today in Lisbon, Nakata's agent said in a statement.

Since the World Cup, Nakata has stayed out of public view in Japan and spent much of his time travelling, occasionally doing charity appearances with street children in Southeast Asia.

He made a surprise appearance on the sidelines of last year's Asia-Pacific summit in Vietnam, where he met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and unveiled a plan to encourage football among poor Asian children.