Former Ghana and Algeria boss Milovan Rajevac has been confirmed as the new head coach of Thailand on a one-year contract.
Football Association of Thailand (FAT) made the appointment on Wednesday, choosing from a three-man shortlist that also included Brazilian Marcos Paqueta and Germany's Winfried Schaefer.
But the Serbian was always considered the front runner, with ESPN FC quoting sources last weekend who said he was likely to get the job.
Rajevac, who took Ghana to the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, will earn a reported US$58,000 per month. It is believed to be the same salary paid to Kiatisuk "Zico" Senamuang, who quit after three years in charge last month.
The 63-year-old's first assignment will be the resumption of 2018 AFC World Cup qualifying in June. The Thais will play United Arab Emirates in Bangkok on June 13.
Rajevac worked most recently with Algeria in 2016. However, he quit after only four months and two games in charge last October.
The former Red Star Belgrade defender is known as strict disciplinarian. Apart from his two-year stint with Ghana, Rajevac has coached with limited success in the AFC region, with the likes of Qatar and Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli.
He also served as an assistant at Beijing Guoan between 2000-03 and Qatar's Al Sadd in 2004-05.
The nature of Rajevac's contract is that the FAT can quickly make a change if Thailand's World Cup qualifying results don't improve. That is why big-name options like Frank Rijkaard, Zico and Dunga were less attractive to Thai officials.
Thailand have earned a single point from their first seven third-round matches on the road to Russia 2018.
After the U.A.E. match in June, their campaign concludes with games against Iraq (Aug. 31, home) and Australia (Sep. 5, away)