The Thais are becoming habitual slow starters when they play at Rajamangala Stadium. It is easy to use forget that Iraq took the War Elephants apart for the first hour last year before a late rally earned a 2-2 draw for the hosts in the AFC second round.
In the three home qualifiers in 2015, just one of the team's seven goals came in the first 45 minutes. Thailand head coach Kiatisuk Senamuang must look at ways to put pressure on opponents from the start. Early dominance can generate confidence and get the crowd onside.
However, recent performances suggest that Thailand sometimes require the loss of goals to spark a response. A faster start could lift the home side while putting doubt into opponents. Against Japan, however, the Thais never really got going.