Thailand to play Netherlands in Asian Cup warm-up

BANGKOK, Feb 16 (Reuters) Thailand will play the Netherlands in a friendly match in June as part of their preparations for the Asian Cup, the Kingdom's soccer federation said on Friday.

Dutch coach Marco Van Basten is expected to field a full-strength side for the game in Bangkok on June 6, which will serve as a warm-up match for the Asian Cup finals a month later Thailand is co hosting the July 7-29 tournament with Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia, and has been drawn in Group A with Australia, Iraq and Oman.

''The match will help us get ready for the Asian Cup, and the Netherlands have said they will send their strongest team,'' a spokesman for the Football Association of Thailand told Reuters.

REUTERS SAM VC1030