A field comprising 17 of the continent's top teams will challenge for the 15th Asian Men's Junior Volleyball Championship from October 1 to 11, with berths for next year's Brazilhosted world meet at stake.
At yesterday's draw for the biennial tournament, hosts Thailand were placed in the easierlooking Group A along with New Zealand, Qatar, Hong Kong and the Maldives, while Group B consists of defending champions Iran, Japan, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
China, silver medallists at the previous meet, South Korea, Kazakhstan and Vietnam are in Group C, with India, Australia, Iraq and Taiwan in Group D.
Two competition venues - in Nakhon Pathom and Ratchaburi - will be used for the 11day meet. Thailand, whose best performance in the Asian meet was a fourth place in 1990's Bangkok edition, go head to head with New Zealand in the opener at Ratchaburi Main Gymnasium on October 1.
With competition tough, Thailand have set an initial target of advancing to the last eight. The top three teams will represent Asia in next year's FIVB World Men's Junior Volleyball Championship.