Thai soccer's shock run toward Olympics stokes spending spree

BANGKOK -- Thailand's national men's soccer team stands on the verge of its first Olympic qualification in more than 50 years under the leadership of Japanese head coach Akira Nishino, fueling a soccer boom that could pump tens of millions of dollars into the country's economy.

The under-23 squad has reached the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation Championship for the first time. The top three teams in the competition, being held in Thailand, will book a place in this year's Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Olympic rules restrict men's participation to under-23 teams.