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Chelsea add Bangkok stop to pre-season tour

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Newly crowned English Premier League champions Chelsea have added a May 30 fixture in Bangkok against a Thailand All Stars team to their lengthy close season plans. Chelsea, who have played fixtures in Thailand in 2011 and 2013, will play at the Rajamangala Stadium before flying on to Australia to face Sydney FC on June 2. The Blues have also committed to playing in the International Champions Cup in the United States against New York Red Bulls, Paris St Germain and Barcelona in July. "We are very pleased to finalise our post-season schedule and I look forward to visiting Bangkok again," Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck said in a statement on Thursday. Organisers of the Bangkok fixture said it was being held to celebrate the 88th birthday of the Thai king. The fixture, featuring many Thai internationals and led by national team coach Kietisuk 'Zico' Senamuang, will come days after the Southeast Asian champions open their World Cup qualifying campaign against Vietnam at the same venue. The Vietnam match was moved from a June 11 date to avoid clashing with the June 5-16 Southeast Asian Games in Singapore. (Writing by Patrick Johnston in Singapore; Editing by John O'Brien)