Kunlavut Vitidsarn and Chen Yufei will defend their titles this week as the world's top players descend on Bangkok for the US$500,000 (approximately 16,500,000 baht) BWF Toyota Thailand Open 2026.
Kunlavut, who also won the tournament in 2023, will lead the Thai challenge at the Super 500 tournament, which begins on Tuesday at Nimibutr Stadium, and the world No.2 will take on Yudai Okimoto of Japan in the opening round.
Another men's singles hopeful Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul, the world No.25, will play the 39th-ranked Moh Zaki Ubaidillah of Indonesia in his first round match.
The men's singles field also features top-ranked Shi Yuqi from China, world No.3 Anders Antonsen from Denmark, world No.6 and 2019 winner Chou Tien-chen from Taiwan, world No.7 Li Shifeng from China, world No.9 Kodai Naraoka from Japan, world No.11 Lakshya Sen from India and world No.12 Loh Kean Yew from Singapore.
Shi will open his campaign against Indonesia's Anthony Sinisuka Ginting while Antonsen will meet Jason Gunawan of Hong Kong.
The women's singles event is equally competitive, featuring world No.4 and two-time champion Chen (2019 and 2025), world No.3 Akane Yamaguchi from Japan, world No.9 Tomoka Miyazaki from Japan and world No.13 Pusarla V Sindhu from India. Thai representatives include world No.7 Ratchanok Intanon, No.8 Pornpawee Chochuwong, No.14 Supanida Katethong, No.17 Busanan Ongbamrungphan and No.24 Pitchamon Opatniputh.
Two-time champion Ratchanok, who is seeded third this week, will play a qualifier in the first round, fourth seed Pornpawee will play Unnati Hooda of India, Busanan will face Yeo Jia Min of Singapore and the 2024 champion Supanida and Pitchamon will meet in an all-Thai clash.
Mixed doubles pair Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran are top seeds and will face Adnan Maulana and Indah Cahya Sari Jamil of Indonesia in the first round while Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Sapsiree Taerattanachai will take on sixth seeds Cheng Xing and Zhang Chi of China in their opener.
Pakkapon is also competing in the men's doubles event with his playing partner Peeratchai Sukphun. They will face Julian Maio and William Villeger of France in the first round.