Thailand pulls out of Asian Cup bid

"Football Association of Thailand (FAT) have today notified the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) of its decision to withdraw from the on-going bidding process for the AFC Asian Cup to be staged in 2023," the AFC said in a statement.

The AFC did not provide any reason for the withdrawal.

It leaves only China and South Korea contesting the right to stage the next but one version of quadrennial continental championship.

The United Arab Emirates will host the next Asian Cup in 2019.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Nick Mulvenney)