MPGL Asian Championship: Thailand

M-King

Saturday, June 2, 2018
7:00 pm

| DOTA 2

MPGL is back with Alpha.Red

Before Anucha “Jabz” Jirawong, the 19-year old Thai wunderkind who plays support and is also (sometimes) the drafter for Mineski-Dota, became the unofficial representative for Thai Dota, there was this team named MiTH.Trust first. It was the heart and soul of the country’s professional Dota 2 scene, because, well, MiTH.Trust was basically the only team in Thailand that can play against international competitors.

MiTH.Trust’s achievements include representing Thailand in the debut of The International, the grandest Dota 2 world championship, back in 2011. After falling short against Rasmus “MISERY” Filipsen’s Meet Your Makers, MiTH.Trust ended their journey a place above their Southeast Asian rivals, Mineski, at 7th-8th place.

VOD © DOTA 2: FULL TOURNAMENTS

After their better The International run, MiTH.Trust established their role as a nightmare for Filipino Dota 2 fans. Led by their captain and carry Pipat “LaKelz” Prariyachat, MiTH.Trust has crushed the dreams of Filipino Dota 2 representatives in returning to The International for two straight years that it earned them the name “Filipino Slayers”.

The moniker was passed along to all of Trust’s variations, from Signature.Trust, to the more recent organization, Trust. However, briefly after the Signature brand departed from Trust, which was followed by a disbandment, the representation of Thai teams in international Dota 2 tournaments significantly dwindled down.

In Alphas We Trust

Alpha Red

Kittikorn “MyPro” Inngoen
Thithat “Aoun” Tachawattanakul
Poomipat “Fearless” Trisiripanit
Supanut “Lionax” Chow
Thanathorn “tnt” Sriiamkoon

Unlike the competitive Dota 2 landscape of the Philippines, which never lack fresh talents, the absence of Trust led to the slow death of Thai Dota, until Alpha Dota 2 entered the scene to resurrect it. For the first time in a long while, Thai Dota 2 fans found themselves cheering for a representative in an international Dota 2 stage.

Among the 16 participants of the MPGL Asian Championship regular season, only Alpha Red was able to join the prestigious Dota Pro Circuit after qualifying for the GESC: Thailand Dota 2 Minor through the exclusive qualifier.

(Although this may not be something that one should be entirely proud of, especially since they failed to notch a single win, the failure of MPGL Asian Championship Indonesian representatives in BOOM ID and EVOS Esports to qualify for the Indonesian version of the GESC Minor series, may explain something about the dominance of Alpha Red in the Dota 2 scene of Thailand.)

Before their MPGL Asian Championship stint, Alpha Red has also represented Thailand in the World Electronic Sports Games 2017. Unfortunately, they failed to replicate their successful run in the tournament’s Asia Pacific qualifiers, where they placed 5th-8th place after falling to Team Kazakhstan

VOD © eSports00 com

When Signature.Trust’s player and now Alpha Blue’s support, Noppadon “FeiMao” Paopongprapun, was interviewed by Mineski.net way back regarding their domination against Filipino Dota 2 teams, he revealed that there’s actually no secret, “we just do all the homework.”

Alpha Red has qualified for the MPGL Asian Championship regular season after winning the Thailand Esports Pro League, the country’s national Dota 2 tournament. They overcame their sister team, Alpha Blue, 3-1, in the best-of-five grand finals after finishing only as a runner-up in the competition’s group stage.

Two weeks after the commencement of the MPGL Asian Championship, Alpha Red has already faced against a Filipino Dota 2 team in the Julius “Julz” De Leon-led squad, DeToNator. But unlike the usual domination of Thais against Filipino Dota 2 players, Alpha Red was forced to finish the two-game series without a clear winner.

VOD © MineskiTV

Even with the Filipino Slayer, LaKelz, leading Alpha Red as their head coach, re-establishing their dominance against up-and-coming Filipino Dota 2 players may take a long shot. Alpha Red has still to find their brand of Dota, the one that can take them back to international Dota 2 stages. They still have to do a lot of homework to return the glory of Thai Dota.

Once done with their homework, Thai Dota 2 fans may expect to cheer for Alpha Red to reach the MPGL Asian Championship grand finals, like how they cheered for MiTH.Trust in the MPGL SEA Grand Finals.

Follow the MPGL Asian Championship through these links:

MET: facebook.com/organizedbyMET

Mineski.net: facebook.com/mineskidotnet