New! Five Asides - Issue #13: 2023

Here's issue 13 of our popular 'Five Asides' feature. Take five Thai football fans, share five contentious opinions with them and let them all have their say. Nice and simple. Our panel today is Pablo (Buriram Utd), Kick Off Corner (Muang Thong Utd), James (Port), Gian (Muang Thong Utd) and Ta (Neutral). 

1. It should be compulsory for every Thai club to have a giant mascot. 

We need to bring these guys back now!

Pablo: I'm not sure about compulsory, yet it should be encouraged and maybe even some incentives provided. Annual competition with prizes perhaps for best mascots in the league, judged by a panel of fans representatives? As for the costumes, they could be based upon iconic animals, plants, superheroes, cartoon or even fantasy characters.

Kick Off Corner: I don’t think that this should be a compulsion. I recon the clubs should be more focused on how they can fill their stadiums first. Also having a mascot feels super American.

James: A lot of the ex-players that I talk to all have funny stories about their team mascot, and so on, but it’s something that isn’t at the top of my ‘list’ of things I’d like to see brought back! That said, can it please be mandatory for every club to have a cartoonist, much like the one Chonburi has employed? One of the best things to see every matchday.

Gian: Sure, why not. Though I shudder to think of what some of these clubs may end up producing as mascots… 

Ta: Ew, please don’t bring them back. The one that still creeps me out til today was the man dressed up in a blue cape with lightning thunder across the chest at Buriram. Although Buriram’s gone a bit ‘softer’ with their approach and introduced ‘Thunder’ a cute-looking cartoon elephant mascot back in 2018, thank goodness they got rid of that cape man. Looking at the bigger picture, I don’t think the mascot culture fits the Thai League or Thailand. I cringe at a lot of them and don’t see what’s the point. I understand it’s good to have mascots for the pre-game selfies with children and whatnot, but I just don’t think people here in Thailand are as into the mascot culture compared to other parts of the world ie. the USA. So, nah, no mascots for me. 

2. Thai football is being held back by constant time-wasting tactics 

- such as players feigning injury, endless huddles etc

Pablo: Ah time wasting sure is a huge blight on the game and not just in Thailand. Seems like they've adopted the West Asian football culture tactics of slowing the game up as much as possible to frustrate opponents and stifle their flow. Needs match officials to take a much tougher line and get the yellow cards out from early in games to curb such pathetic behaviour.

Kick Off Corner: As much as it’s frustrating to see the players go for these time wasting tactics, it’s part of modern football. We see it at the highest level. In my opinion the refs should add the time wasted in the end and hopefully this will stop the players feigning injury / time wasting.

James: Yes and no. This happens everywhere in the world, and it’s up to head coaches to be smart enough to work around it, and for match officials to be strong enough to dish out yellow cards and so on. The biggest loser out of it all is the fans, as well as the broadcaster. And if you’re upsetting your broadcaster… you’re hampering any future TV deal and its value.

Gian: Absolutely. The time-wasting tactics are probably one of the biggest turn-offs for fans who attend matches, and are a very bad look for the league. Referees should punish players for excessive time wasting where apparent, and stretchers should not be brought on unless requested by both the referee and medical team. Seeing players get stretchered off only to sprint back onto the pitch minutes later is a farce. 

Ta: YES. Thai football and time-wasting tactics go hand in hand, if you don’t believe me, switch on any game with a 1-0 scoreline and 10 minutes to go. The fake injuries are what get under my skin the most. Couple that with referees failing to make no-brainer decisions and it just kills the game. If the strict added time rule implemented in the recent FIFA World Cup 2022 were used in the Thai League, we’d see 15-20 minutes of stoppage time in most games.

 

3. All Thai clubs should have to employ a throw in coach to teach the players how to take a legitimate throw in. 

Pablo: That's a novel idea for a back to basics tool to 'cure' repeat offenders! As for enforcing such laws of the game, well the standard of officiating in Thailand leaves a lot to be desired in terms of consistency. Perhaps refs and assistant refs need to have their match fees progressively reduced for each missed foul throw!

Kick Off Corner: I don’t think so spending resources on hiring a throw in coach benefits the club in anyway. I don’t see it as a problem nor do I think that it’s game changing in anyway. 

James: It’s quite comical how bad it’s gotten with such a simple thing these days. To be unable to take a LEGAL throw-in, as a professional footballer is simply embarrassing. Much like many things within the league, if there was a crackdown on it, it’d be short-lived, and things would return to “normal” not long after.

Gian: Honestly, maybe I’m not ‘purist’ enough but I don’t see this as a huge issue. Plus, Thai team benches are overstaffed as it is, adding someone else to teach people how to throw a ball seems a bit excessive. If refs get serious and punish foul throws, players will adapt. 

Ta: I’m a bit more lenient regarding foul throws, yes it’s in the rule book that these can be called against, but there are bigger fish to fry in Thai football. Many clubs don’t even have a proper sports nutritionist/physio yet, I’d say we punish teams without these ‘essential’ coaching personnel instead. 

4. The mid-season break should be scrapped.

Pablo: The stop start nature of the Thai league never ceases to amaze. Administrators seem to almost revel in frustrating coaches, players and fans alike. This season's main cup competition also suffered from poor scheduling including overly long breaks between rounds. Yet more fine examples of Thai administrators defying common sense and logic.

Kick Off Corner: Totally disagree. Although I do think it should be shortened.

James: Strong disagree on this one. The mid-season break is a great idea, yet it’s poorly executed by many clubs. Not only does it give a chance for players to get a bit of rest, it also gives new players (foreign or local) time to bed in and adjust to their new surroundings. The fact that many clubs use the time off to play an abundance of meaningless friendlies, and not give the players much time to rest… that’s on them.

Scrapping the break wouldn’t see any change in terms of the drop-off in performance that we see from many clubs in the second-half of the season, with many adjusting their plans/budgets once they’re confident of their survival in the league, or their ability to mount a serious charge for continental football. This happens at all levels (T1, T2, and T3) and it’ll never change in my opinion.

Gian: I think we should keep the mid-season break, though it should probably be shorter on non-AFF Cup years. Players deserve a break over the new year period to spend with their friends and family. Also, I suspect that stadium attendances will also be lower during this period, so it would make more financial sense to have this break as well. It is often argued that forcing players to work over new years is justified for top level competitions like the Premier League because the players are paid extremely well - and even that argument is dubious. In divisions like T1, or even more so T2 and T3, where the players aren’t as lavishly paid, I don’t think its fair to make them play during new years; especially if they will be playing in front of diminished crowds anyways, and national team players only get to have this break every other year. 

Ta: The Thai League 1 2022/23’s mid-season break was 55 days. It’s ridiculously long if you’re looking from just a league’s perspective, but when you put the cup games and the AFF Cup 2022 into the equation, it explains the lengthy hiatus. For me, I’d suggest that in the non-AFF Cup years, ie. the coming 2023/24 season, they scrap the mid-season break and the games should just roll over from matchday 15 to 16. 

5. Thai clubs should do a lot more to engage with their local communities and encourage people to support their hometown team.

Pablo: Engagement with local communities should be based on tapping into tribalism, existing sense of identity, culture and inclusion. Rather than merely seeing potential fans as metrics and marketing of products, needs to take empowering bottom up approach by not making assumptions and enabling local champions as volunteers to help galvanise support and participation. Can't just manufacture authentic fandom and commitment. So Mr or Madam Chairpersons/Presidents/Owners, are you prepared to listen, learn and be open to what your fans and communities really want and need?

Kick Off Corner: Yes totally. The clubs should also partner up with the schools in their locality and offer free tickets to students who are passionate about the sport. This does not only inspire the kids to pursue football but it also helps fill up the “empty stadiums” to a certain extent.

James: Ding, ding, ding! WE HAVE A WINNER! To me, this is a massive failing of many clubs in every tier of the pyramid. I can understand a T3 side struggling to get their brand out there, but how a T1 or T2 side is unable to do so… what are they thinking? Especially the teams outside of Bangkok, that might only be the major side within their province! Clubs should be out in schools, working in conjunction with local charities, and so on. Show the local community you care, and then maybe… they’ll reciprocate! It’s something firmly in the ‘too hard’ basket at the moment, and to me… it’s a missed opportunity.

Gian: Absolutely! I believe that getting more people in stadiums and more local interest in the league should be the number one priority. So many clubs do a really poor job of marketing to the local community. The potential gains these clubs could experience from hiring marketing professionals are huge. With more people attending games, clubs will be less reliant on wealthy owners and sponsorship deals, and could make the league far more financially stable as a whole.

Ta: I couldn’t agree more with this statement. With stadium attendance numbers going down and online fan engagement stats plummeting, it’s time clubs take the initiative to interact with their local community and go beyond just the football side of things. There are endless possibilities for clubs in Bangkok and rural provinces to create a ‘hometown’ atmosphere that has been fading away. We need more clubs following Nong Bua and what they’ve done with their local community throughout the season.

New! Five Asides Issue No.12 Lower Leagues Special: 2023

This issue of 'Five Asides' is a lower leagues special. Take five Thai football fans - who support teams outside the top flight, share five contentious opinions with them and let them all have their say. Nice and simple. Our panel today is Will (Pattaya Dolphins Utd), Robert (Chiang Mai FC), Phil (Samut Prakan City), Richard (Chiang Mai FC) and Svein (Udon Thani FC). 

1. T1 has become very predictable and holds no interest for me. The lower leagues are far more open and therefore more entertaining.

Will: Can’t say I agree with this. When I arrived in Thailand, Pattaya Utd were in T1 and I look back on those days with great fondness. Bigger crowds, huge street parties after a big victory etc. To be honest Thai football for me is had never been about the glory, but more about a fun afternoon/evening out with some friends and a beer or two. The standard in the lower leagues is laughable, I’d love to see Pattaya Dolphins up in the top tier and some half decent opponents now and again. 

Robert: Confession. I rarely watch T1. T2 has much going for it. That said, better quality football played on better pitches and with competent referees should be compelling. The most predictable aspect of T1 (other than Buriram winning everything) is how hard (and expensive) it is to stay there. 

The T2 playoffs and the T3 Champions Leagues maintain fan interest until late in the season for many clubs; as I write this with eight games to go any of 10 teams in T2 could be promoted. Plus T2 gets six new teams each season – that in itself provides new challenges, opportunities and destinations. But for neutral fans some of the games could never be described as entertaining! 

Phil: The Buriram dominance of T1 and the cup competitions is becoming utterly demoralising. Even Buriram fans must be becoming a little bored of beating everyone (almost everyone) week in and week out. For me, the only interest in T1 is in which three clubs will be relegated because chances are that's where I'll be travelling to next season. T2 and some of the T3 regional leagues are certainly far more open. In T2 this season, anybody can beat anybody and you only have to look at the current league table to prove it. There's no such thing as a nailed-on three points. If you're talking about 'entertaining' from a football quality point of view though, now that's pushing it a bit too far. I've sat through some right dross this season in T2.

Richard: I think like most leagues around the world, the top division is always settled between a few sides and will continue to be the same, like in the UK I believe the Championship is a much better league than the premiership as any team can beat any team and I think that’s the same in Thailand.

Svein: I have lost more and more interest in T1 in the last few years and now I barely care. I haven`t watched games other than the ones with Bangkok United since the start of VAR. I watch a lot of T2 on TV, and I have attended many games in lower leagues in the last couple of seasons. I find the lower leagues much more interesting and entertaining, even when I don`t support any of the teams I watch. 

2. Fans of lower league clubs don't take themselves as seriously as their top flight counterparts and, as a result, are a lot more friendly.

Will: I can’t really comment because I haven’t seen a top tier match since Pattaya Utd we’re moved to Samut Prakan! I can say the Dolphin’s ‘Ultras’, named the ‘Dangerous Family’ are the least dangerous family who you wish to come across. Genuinely lovely bunch and all the familiar faces back from 2016 when I first arrived still go to all the home matches.

Robert: I don’t buy this. Lower league fans at many clubs take themselves equally seriously (even the hardcore fans at Rajpracha!) and take great pride in their club. There are just far fewer of us, so we are less visible and make less noise. Fans were always welcoming during our brief 2019 flirtation with T1.

Phil: I think it still varies from club to club, regardless of whether they are in T1 or lower. This season I've been to Uthai Thani, where the visiting fans were showered with snacks and free tickets, and then to Suphanburi, where the home fans couldn't even bring themselves to say hello or give us a thumbs up.  Some provinces are just friendlier and more welcoming than others.

Richard: At the last count I had done 42 different away grounds in Thailand across 3 leagues following Chiang Mai, Ive always found The “home” fans of the other team great, I would say the best Foreign fans were The old Phuket FC fans, the mushy peas, the best Thai fans were Bangkok FC, if I had to say one set that were a bit up themselves it would have to be the Foreign Fans at Port. Friendly but always trying to say how better they are than you as a team.

Svein: This will probably vary from club to club. I will say there`s a larger part of the fans who don`t take it too seriously in lower leagues, and go to games mostly to have fun. But for fans of teams who get relegated from T1, it`s much more serious, as I see it, because they want to get back up again as soon as possible. When you are used to T1, you might not like life in T2. But there are lots of friendly fans in lower leagues, and it`s easier to spot them as there is not too many fans at games. Of course, there are many friendly fans in T1 too, but the results are more important as they want to stay there. 

3. As long as my team are well run and relatively successful, I have no real desire to see them in the top flight.

Will: See section 1! I’d love to be up top again, especially after the journey over the past few years.

Robert: It is my club. So it is also allowed to be badly run and unsuccessful. I have no expectations. Only hope. Ideally, of course, the club should be both well run and successful enough to compete in any League. I would as happily see them in the top flight as I would competing in T3. Both offer different experiences!

Phil: I don't care what league you're in, fans want to see a winning team. I would rather be winning games in T2 (even if it wasn't necessarily challenging for promotion) than losing games in T1. Relegation seasons are miserable. I've thoroughly enjoyed this season in the second tier with so many new towns and stadiums to visit. I think for a fan like me, who loves to mix football with travel, T2 is far more fun. 

After three seasons of enduring those crappy views at Bangkok United and Chonburi, and the ridiculously heavy-handed security at Port, etc I was ready for a change of scenery. And also, when you're in the second tier, there's an exciting 'refresh' every season as three clubs come down from T1 and three come up from the regional leagues. So over 30% of the clubs are 'new' compared to the previous season.

Richard: I certainly want CMFC back in the Top league and Hopefully now BG have gone it may be able to happen in the coming seasons.

Svein: To go to T1 means going to a different world. Much more money is needed, everything will be more strict and professional, there will be VAR which ruins football for fans, so lower leagues are OK. It would of course be great to see how UDFC would do in T1, and see how the fans reacted, if the fans would change or if they would see the games the same way as when they were in lower leagues.

4. T3 should revert to two divisions - North and South - with automatic promotion for the top 2 in each, and T4 should replace the current semi-pro league.

Will: I wouldn’t be averse to the idea - would give a few more exciting away locations to travel to than we have at the moment!

Robert: So much to discuss here. But if it isn’t broken don’t try to fix it. I like the T3 six league regional set up. It seems to work well and helps to keep costs to a manageable level. The Champions League with two leagues of six is both an incentive to the clubs during the regular season and a guarantee of crowds and some drama at the end of the season. The problem is that some 80 teams start the season and only three are promoted. And there are some successful, well-supported and well-financed (by whatever means) clubs in T3. 

There is a bigger issue over whether the number of professional clubs is sustainable. But if there are owners willing to fund the clubs then good luck to them. Just two T3 divisions would leave some 40 plus existing clubs split between a T4 and T5. Maybe two T4s structured in the same way as the two T3 divisions? And that is before the PTT Lubricants semi pro league which seems like a sensible bridge between the Thai Amateur and the Thai Leagues. T3 seems to be the least of the Thai League’s problems. It works. Some strong teams have been promoted, have been successful in T2 and have risen quickly to T1.

Phil: No, I love the way it is, with 12 teams from 6 different leagues going into the play offs and maintaining their interest in the season for a bit longer. It's so wonderfully chaotic and convoluted. It's so wonderfully Thai. My wife made the fatal mistake of asking me to explain the T3 promotion system a few weeks ago and it was less than 20 seconds before her eyes glazed over. In fact, I challenge you to explain it to the most passionate of football fans without their eyes glazing over. As for the T4 league, I have no opinion on this. I haven't really studied it. Five teams in a league is a bit shit though isn't it? Oh, not this lot again!

Richard: My best time watching football in Thailand were the regional league days, and in them days CMFC were getting 10-15,000 fans at home and 2-300 at away games. Great times. But I think for my local team like Mae-Jo 2 leagues would be much better. Rather than the x-amount there is now.

Svein: We had 2 leagues in T3 until the pandemic paused the 2020 season. During the break T3 and T4 merged into one division with 6 leagues. I would prefer a return to how it was, but I can`t see it happening, as the future of Thai football don`t look bright. It was too expensive for teams in the old T3, and several teams dropped out during the 3 seasons they had 2 leagues. They didn`t even manage to fill the 2 leagues in the first season, It was supposed to be 32 (2x16) teams, but they only had 29 in 2017. 

In 2019 they were down to 27. They lost teams, but never tried to fill the leagues, so the whole thing had to crash at some point.

5. The lower leagues should receive far more media coverage and negotiate their own TV deal.

Will: Attendances are so low, I can’t see much desire for TV companies to be rushing to thrash out a decent deal for the clubs. The clubs would benefit more by boosting their own attendances and income by any other means possible. Don’t ask me how though…

Robert: I am going to go off on a mazy solo run here – but without any chance of scoring! So is the AIS deal good for Thai football? Does showing every game live maintain interest or keep fans away from live games? T2 feels fortunate to the TV coverage that it has. Realistically how many people want to watch Ranong host Rajpracha? In T3 and the PTT Lubricants League clubs rely on their own live video and commentary. Some do it better than others! Maybe I am missing the point but I cannot see anyone coming in with a pot of gold offering more media coverage and a better tv deal. 

It would be good to see some games broadcast internationally or for the live streams to carry a multilingual commentary. I can only speak for CMFC but we are bringing in fans from Japan, Korea, Burundi, Serbia etc….offering something more than a Thai commentary would be very welcome. Or even just a non-Thai commentary for the match highlights.

Where the clubs should have freedom is in determining their preferred matchday and start time. No one wants a 17.30pm kick off on any day of the week. But the clubs can also be their own worst enemy. Chiang Mai has a large number of foreign followers. Yet the club still refuses to read the team sheet out in English just once before kick-off. It is simple things that give fans a sense of being a welcome part of a club.

Phil: Oh I'm just happy to see T2 get the coverage it does. The fact I can watch a match live or view edited highlights keeps me more than satisfied. I've long given up on trying to work out how Thai lower league clubs survive financially. I just keep my fingers crossed that somehow they all keep going.

Richard: Its always going to be the case that only the top teams get the revenue and the publicity unfortunately.

Svein: I think it would benefit Thai football if T1 and T2/T3 were broadcasted on different platforms. It would then be competition amongst the rights holders, and we might get programs (highlights, interviews, discussions etc) in addition to only streams of games. Now there is absolutely nothing!

No games from T3 are shown on TV except for the play-off, so only 12 of the 70+ teams can be watched other places than Facebook/YouTube. If more games were shown on TV, the interest from fans would surely be bigger, and the league would also be more interesting for sponsors.

Please note: The opinions expressed in this article are those of each individual and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the blog. Thank you.

New! Five Asides - Issue No.11: 2023

Here's issue 11 of our popular 'Five Asides' feature (maybe I should have made it 'Eleven Asides'). Take five Thai football fans, share five contentious opinions with them and let them all have their say. Nice and simple. Our panel today is Steve (Neutral), Jamie (Buriram Utd), Stephen (Muang Thong Utd), Mark (Chonburi) and Clive (Bangkok based Leicester City fan). 

1. A Thai team will win the AFC Champions League within the next five years.

Steve: Sadly I live in the real world ! I would say no chance...only possibility is Buriram if they keep spending. Are Aston Villa going to win Champions league? Are Sweden/Peru/Japan going to win World Cup? So its not an insult, just a reality.

Jamie: Sadly, vey little chance. While one or two teams may get into the knockout stages, any team getting into the final 4 in East Asia would be doing exceptionally well. There are just too many good teams in Japan and South Korea. There was more chance when the whole confederation was in the pot together. 

Stephen: Sadly, only for some of the rice in Thailand can this happen. Investment in grassroots football has barely made a dent in needed upgrades. The nascent Thai Youth League disappeared during Covid-19, and it has only now come back to life. While there's a small army of dedicated people who volunteer their time to youth football, the infrastructure to harness and develop this energy requires proper investment. This means a system of community-based football clubs, one for each of the 7000+ Tambon in Thailand. These clubs run teams and offer skills clinics, including coaching certifications. Each club needs access to decent facilities and equipment. Moreover, to be eligible for funding, certification standards must be met.  

This is how football is encouraged and developed in most nations, and the English FA is an excellent example to emulate. The good news is, due to community volunteers' passion, many community-based clubs do exist. I'm reminded of an open trial for Muangthong United held in southern Thailand. More than 500 young footballers were showing off their skills for the academy coaching staff, brought there by their community team, and each hoping to be offered a contract with the club. 

Each local club, however, works in isolation and wholly depends on volunteers' goodwill and energy. There are no guidelines, incentives, recognition or systematic process for organising and running them. Instead, we have a handful of professional clubs across all divisions that run academy systems: Muangthong United, Buriram, BG, Port, Chonburi, and others. They seek out young talent in a hit-and-miss way, often finding players from school teams or who have been found by word-of-mouth. There's nothing systemic to talent development, and for every Chanathip and Teerasil, ten others of like potential are lost in the reeds.

Mark: Thai football still seems a long way off reaching these heights at present. After watching the HK league of late I was quite surprised by the Thai teams results against the likes of Kitchee.

Clive: Sadly until the league has a level of consistency in its schedule and the TV money can somehow be restored to pre-covid levels, then any Thai team simply getting out the group stage would be an achievement. Thai Port woefully crashed out a few years back to a side from Philippines!

2. A Netflix style "behind the scenes" documentary filmed at a Thai club would be a ratings winner.

Steve: 100%..though nobody would believe it...they would be convinced its fiction. I just don’t know which club would be the best? Pang and Port? Newin and Buriram? Udon Thani? A few villains out there.

Jamie: I like the idea but is it in the Thai culture to do such a thing? If it ever happens, please start with Port FC. I’d also love to see what happens at the smaller teams and how they run their clubs, day to day.

Stephen: It would have to be a mockumentary,  and it would be called "The Thai of Thrones" and star Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister) as Madame Pang and Marlon Brando (The Godfather) as Newin Chidchob. It would be directed by Madame Pang and The Godfather, and both would feature prominently in every shot as advisors to themselves (think Peter Dinklage).   The first episode has Ted Lasso appointed to manage Port FC. 

Mark: The Sunderland documentary will take some real beating but if any country/league can rival that drama then I think Thailand is it. I’m sure interviews with Bangkok taxi drivers will make equally great viewing….. “Tory bastards”

Clive: Netflix fans would lap up the shenanigans of Madame Pang at Thai Port. Or even Mario at Muangtong! It would also give an insight to English based football fans that owner involvement elsewhere in the world is far more prevalent in Asian football. 

3. The Thai League should do more to promote the game globally. eg free streaming of matches for overseas viewers.

Steve: Agreed the TPL should have dual commentary. Even the Thais think the current Thai commentary is hilarious! It would help make stars of the players. A free YouTube channel would be a great asset. Even Laos do this.

Jamie: Totally agree. When I travel abroad I want to see the games. There should be much more promotion in SE Asia particularly as, right now, the Thai League is by far the strongest. How many teams even have multi language websites? 

Stephen: There's tremendous potential for OTT (over-the-top) broadcasting to the world. Why do you think both K.League and J.League have implemented this? Who loses out in such an endeavour? 

The benefits are clear:

The global reach will be welcomed by club sponsors.

Thailand's tourism gets a boost.

Clubs gain some revenue, both directly and indirectly.

The Thai League gains prestige and a new level of professionalism, attracting more talent and interest.  

The league was on a pathway of OTT adoption, but then changes at the FA saw that idea, and many others, vanish.  This brings us to #4:

Mark: Yes most definitely. As I currently reside overseas I find it almost impossible to watch the games. But not many brands can compete with the EPL.

Clive: The Thai league is seriously lacking in overseas TV exposure. Partly due to a lack of quality foreign talent. If they could attract some CSL players that may help. All J-league and K-league matches easily accessible for free on TV in UK. Even Singapore league has a free YouTube channel. But it's impossible to watch live Thai football outside of the country. A weekly English highlights show would also help.

4. Thai domestic football will always be held back by behind the scenes politics.

Steve: That could apply to any SE Asian country. All have their own unique brand of politics and also unique influence by media which drives social media madness! Having been sacked on facebook it is a reality!

Jamie: Yes, yes and yes again. But it’s the culture here and is unlikely to change. It gives us an endless amount to chat about. Imagine if everything was above board. It’d be so dull. 

Stephen: See - "The Thai of Thrones" on Netflix.

Mark: I think recent events show that corruption/politics is prevalent right to the top of world football. I most definitely feel these issues are hampering the development of grass roots football in Thailand. Money never seems to be directed entirely appropriately in Thailand.

Clive: Until owners reduce their ego, many football clubs will always fall under the political umbrella. 

5. The tradition of supporters applauding and singing to the opposition players at full time should be stopped.

Steve: It should be an option. But the lining up of players after a match to listen to a club official should be banned. Foreign players think its hilarious.

Jamie: Nah. It’s rather nice to see, especially when a team has ex-players involved. The tradition of playing loud music to try and drown out away fans when they’re singing should be punishable by a loss of game!

Stephen: Why?  It's just being good sports and recognising that, in the end, it's just a game to enjoy.

Mark: This is one thing I most definitely don’t miss about Thai football! Whilst there doesn’t need to be the hatred found in some parts I certainly don’t feel the need to applaud the ‘enemy’ when I often don’t feel like applauding my own team!

Clive: Thai football is far more respectful than other leagues. That being said I've seen Port fans regular hound their own players. I doubt you'll see many applaud when Muangtong visit Thai Port at the weekend.

Please note: The opinions expressed in this article are those of each individual and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the blog. Thank you.

New! Five Asides - Issue No.10: 2023

We've made it to double figures! Here's issue 10 of our popular 'Five Asides' feature. Take five Thai football fans, share five contentious opinions with them and let them all have their say. Nice and simple. Our panel today is Greg (Muang Thong Utd), "Kick Off Corner" (Muang Thong Utd), Will (Pattaya Dolphins Utd), "All Things Thai Football" (ex-Police Utd) and Bill (Sukhothai). 

1.The Thai league season should run between March and November.

Greg: I think that wouldn't really improve anything. We'd be starting at the tail end of summer which is still extremely hot and work our way through the season of spontaneous biblical thunderstorms. We'd also be avoiding the winter, when weather is cooler and milder.

Kick Off Corner: Can’t talk much about it but I would prefer the way it is. But it’s not a dealbreaker.

Will: It would certainly add an element of fun. The brutal, energy sapping heat of the early matches testing the fitness and stamina, and then when the rainy season kicks in – let the quagmires and the utter madness commence, because from what I’ve seen in T3, unless the pitch is literally 1ft under water – the game goes on. 

All Things Thai Football: I prefer September to May format because the matches in the ending period of the season will be played in summer.

Bill: In Europe the football season follows autumn, winter and spring, the cooler months. In Thailand March to November would be summer with blistering heat and the rainy season with pitches masquerading as beaches. Would it be possible to choose a worse season? At present August to May, gives us a bit of rainy season, all of the cool season and the start of the seriously hot. July to April?

2. Under 16s should be admitted free at every ground in order to boost attendances and encourage the next generation of fans.

Greg: Great idea in theory. In practice I've seen this done unofficially at lower league games and it results in a bunch of kids and teenagers in the stands who don't really know or care about football . How about a compromise: half price admission for u16s?

Kick Off Corner: Can’t agree more. I recon the clubs should partner with schools in their region and make this happen. The stadiums are not sold out every time any way.

Will: 16 year old me says yes. 41 year old me says no. Teenagers terrify me.

All Things Thai Football: Agree, a half price at least. When I was a student at Thammasat University, Police United allowed Thammasat student to watch their match for free. So, they had a lot of Thammasat’s students as their fans back then including me. That was very good for me as a student who just had income from my parent.

Bill: This brings to mind the happy days in Scotland when, if you were young and small enough to duck under the turnstile, you got in for free. Grand Theft Fitba it may have been but it was tolerated and accepted by turnstile operators the length and breadth of the country. With the advent of actual tickets, this practice has been rendered null and void. Discount youth tickets, you say? That raises the question of why youths ducked under the turnstile in the first place. Was it strictly a financial necessity or was it done for the vicarious thrill of doing something naughty? As a seriously responsible adult for all my life, I obviously have no knowledge of the answer.

3. Clubs shouldn't be allowed to charge more than THB750 for replica shirts.

Greg: My own personal politics probably affect my view on this one. I dislike overpriced football shirts as much as the next fan, especially when some clubs, including my Muangthong, release several shirts each season. However I don't think government control is the answer. If fans have the willpower and sense not to buy expensive jerseys, clubs will need to rethink their pricing. On a brighter note, Nonthaburi United have just put all of their replica shirts for this ongoing season on mail order sale for just 280bt each. Anyone interested can get details from me on Twitter. 

Kick Off Corner: Facts! BGPU need to take notes!

Will: Agree with this one. I do love to buy myself a Thai replica shirt (I think I own about 20) and I can count on one hand the amount that are still intact in some way. Many badges have been lost. Unfortunately the mostly garish sponsor logos plastered all over them still survive!

All Things Thai Football: Disagree. The price cap might affect the quality of the jersey and also the profit that the club could make). We may learn from Warrix. They have three versions of the jersey, player version (THB2000),  replica version (THB1100), and fans version (THB590) so we can choose the version and price we want.

Bill: This question rattles around the word, ‘replica’. A long time ago a friend of mine arrived in Thailand with a Manchester United shirt that he had proudly paid 80 pounds for. He was a tad bemused when he met a student with an identical shirt, price tag: 200 Baht. Thankfully, Thailand still has a genuine capitalist system where overpriced items are banished from the market place by realistically priced replicas. I can proudly claim to have been part of this uniquely Thai system. 

Years ago I became the owner of a Rolex watch, purchased from a reputable craftsman on the sidewalk outside Patpong. You paid $80,000 for your Rolex and it tells the same time as every other watch in the same time zone. Boring! My Rolex was truly an individualist. Every other time piece in Bangkok said it was 11:15, my Rolex reported that in Mugubugooland it was 13:63.

4. Chonburi v Muang Thong Utd is still the biggest rivalry in Thai club football.

Greg: As a MTU fan, I've always considered Chonburi as an "ël classico" but not our main rivalry. I still see Buriram as our main rivals.

Kick Off Corner: Well I recently got into Thai footy so I can’t really say much. For me I’ve recently experienced MT v Buriram in the Thunderdome stadium and that was one hell of a night. I do know that Chonburi v Muangthong is a Classico so I can’t wait to watch a live game. 

Will: Who knows. Just wait until next season when we have Samut Prakan City Vs Pattaya Dolphins Utd going head to head in T2! The MK Dons Vs AFC Wimbledon of the Thai League! I say this with a tongue in the cheek, because sadly I’m doubtful we’ll (Dolphins) make it up through the playoffs this year, and I’m also now aware (thanks Dale with your encyclopedic knowledge of the history of Thai football) that Pattaya Utd basically did the same thing to Bang Phra. As an aside, anyone ever seen an actual Dolphin in or anywhere near Pattaya's water, apart from the fountain at the roundabout or the heinous Dolphinarium? Mind you, I doubt there are many sharks in Chonburi either. 

All Things Thai Football: That good old day has gone. We gotta admit it. 

Bill: This statement should be qualified as, ‘in the Thai First Division’ or ‘among rivalries that no-one has heard or cared about’. However, this statement must be conceded to someone who has never witnessed a Sukhothai Phitsanulok encounter. Celtic, Rangers supporters travel here to learn how a full scale riot is conducted properly. Back in the day when the two of them clashed on a regular basis the richest man in Thailand was a glass salesmen servicing the Phitsanulok/Suhkothai territory.

5. EPL clubs coming to play exhibition matches in Bangkok are a huge boost to the local game and there should be more of them.

Greg: I disagree. I've seen so many who go along, pay silly ticket prices, then forget about it until another pair of teams visits next year. I prefer it when Thai national or league teams play the big overseas teams. That way, big crowds still turn up and if even a small percentage decide to return and watch the Thai teams after the visitors have flown back home, that's a big boost.

Kick Off Corner: 100% especially Leicester City. Even championship level clubs could be a huge boost cause they got popular clubs like Watford, Burnley, Swansea, etc. and many football fans would know or would’ve heard about these teams.

Will: Absolutely. And they should definitely charge 25,000 baht a ticket, or whatever it was, for the ‘Red War’ (or however it was marketed at the time) between the Liverpool and Man Utd Reserves last year. Absolute bargain for a feast of uncompetitive reserve football.

All Things Thai Football: I can’t see any effect to the local game, neither positive or negative. Those fans who watch only EPL matches don’t care about the local game anyway, whether the EPL clubs come here or not.

Bill: As a Scot it is not in my nature to be supportive of the English but now I have no alternative – I Must. Of the larger footballing nations, the English performance is a bit of a joke and that is because the EPL has been taken over by the big money boys to whom national pride is irrelevant to their profits and they give less than a hoot. Here in Thailand look at Theerathon in Buriram, he can go anywhere in the Kingdom and everyone worships the ground he walks on. He is a superstar, he is a God. 

Compare Theerathon to England’s superstar – Harry Kane. Who, oh yeah him whose penalty is still in orbit. Theerathon swaggers like the superstar he is, Kane shuffles under the humiliation that he perhaps does not deserve. The big money boys have signed superstars from all around the world for the EPL; English players have lost their swagger, they are not superstars in the EPL and that reflects on their performances. Thailand should ban all EPL clubs until some of the English players are given the chance to be genuine superstars.

Please note: The opinions expressed in this article are those of each individual and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the blog. Thank you.

New! Five Asides - Issue No.9: 2023

Here's issue number 9 of our popular 'Five Asides' feature. Take five Thai football fans, share five contentious opinions with them and let them all have their say. Nice and simple. Our panel today is Rick (Muang Thong Utd), Richard (Chiang Mai FC), Tommie (Port), Obb (BG Pathum Utd), and  Ben (Lamphun Warriors). 

1. If the Thai league ceased to exist, none of us would really miss it.     

Rick: It has become a part of our lives ranting about bad officials, amazing VAR decisions and Buriram having 11 players with 3 match officials on the pitch and 3 more in the room. Not forgetting the always "Friendly banter " between Muangthong and Port fans on Twitter so....Yes we will miss the league if it cease to exist.

Richard: Unfortunately how I feel about the situation at Chiang Mai with being a Bangkok Glass feeder club, knowing we will never be supported financially, I wouldn’t miss it, If/when that situation changes then I would as I would be a 25-39 game a season man again.    

Tommie: It's something to do. That's really about it right now. One thing that seems kind of constant during my two decades plus tenure in thailand, if you enjoy something, you can count on it changing and many of the times not for the better. I must say I enjoyed the league more 10 years ago than I do today for countless reasons.  

Obb: I’d be out of a job with the league ceased to exist. So no, I would miss it. 

Ben: To be honest I probably wouldn't miss the actual football that much but I would definitely miss the day out and seeing the friends I've made over the years. Even though you need binoculars sometimes I enjoy seeing live football a lot more than sitting in the house or a bar watching it. 

2. Thai league games on TV would be greatly enhanced by including an English commentary option.

Rick: English and many more different languages of commentary would help promote the league. I think we had it for one season but that was all.

Richard: This would be a very positive step and would certainly get more foreigners watching games on TV.

Tommie: Absolutely would like to see English commentary. I remember they tried this a couple of times and I quite enjoyed it.

Obb: YES! With the massive SEA slot, it makes perfect sense to provide English commentary and stream it on Youtube outside of Thailand. 

Ben: As long as it was a woman only English commentary because there is nothing better than listening to someone who hasn't actually played the same game they are watching.

3. Partnership agreements between Thai clubs and Japanese clubs are of no real benefit to either party. 

Rick: Great for Thai clubs at the moment with Thai players moving to J league but yet to see J league players benefitting from the partnership.

Richard: I can't see this being a productive partnership, its very one sided in favour of Thai clubs anyway if it does happen, as I cant see many Japanese supporters walking round in a Thai club shirt.

Tommie: I really haven't seen a whole lot of benefit. If it meant player exchange as an ongoing part of it, it might be good.

Obb: 8/10 of these deals are a waste of time and effort. 

Ben: If it meant clubs selling Japanese beer on draft outside the stadiums rather than monopolized Thai slop, then I'd be all for more partnerships.

4. A two season ban on foreign players would greatly improve the standard of local talent and benefit the national team.

Rick: The league would probably die without foreign players and Thai players might get complacent to fight for a starting place. Having foreigners in the league would help Thai players improve their footballing skills. We only need 23 players in the National team so there is more than enough Thai players to choose from who plays regularly.

Richard: I disagree with that, players from around the world, eat, train, work differently and the good from all the variety can only improve the local league, look how  the EPL benefitted from Arsene Wenger and his dietary regime etc,

Tommie: Totally disagree. I think every team should be able to have five foreigners of any origin on the pitch at one time. The only way for the local ads to improve is if they have to compete for their positions and playing time with players that are better than they are.

Obb: Expect to see rapid development in strikers and center-backs selection.

Ben: How else would teams cook the books, though ? For sure, it would give more playing time to Thai nationals, but the standards would probably drop off due to less quality competition.  Good players will always rise to the top no matter what.

5. Most Thai clubs lack ambition and are happy just to plod along rather than put the effort in to improve in all aspects.

Rick: I think it all comes down to the financial power of each club. I would say most club aspire to be like Buriram United but they lack the money and technical know how. Some clubs in T2 or T3 invested good money and got promoted, that's ambition to me. Would be good if we can get a honest interview with a club owner on how difficult it is to run a club without much money in the league.

Richard: Agree on this, they seem to think its just Thai football. Why bother? With a few notable exceptions that would like to possibly go further in the Asian Champions League.

Tommie: That certainly seems to be the case. Buriram certainly presented the model for success in this league and other clubs spend money but refuse to incorporate the other aspects that make them successful.

Obb: Truth hurts. And amongst those with ambitions, almost all of them don’t have the football knowledge, vision, and most importantly patience to stick to a good plan.

Ben: I think it comes down to finances in the end. It's only the top teams that play in the shiny new plastic seated stadiums. The rest play in crumbling municipal government sports stadiums. The lack of funding  for sports in general is poor here. Maybe some money from the national lottery could be used for sports.

Please note: The opinions expressed in this article are those of each individual and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the blog. Thank you.

New! Five Asides - Issue No.8: 2023

Here's issue number 8 of our popular 'Five Asides' feature. Take five Thai football fans, share five contentious opinions with them and let them all have their say. Nice and simple. Our panel today is James (Port), Isaac (Khon Kaen Utd), Kevin (Port), Jamie (Buriram Utd), and  Ian ("An interested observer"). 

1. Club owners should be allowed to sit on the team bench for matches. 

James: Without a doubt, the answer to this is a strong NO, though you can throw a few expletives in there too. I’d go further, and say that any form of communication (such as earpieces for head coaches) should be banned too. The point of having a head coach is to give them the tools to do their job, and if they fail… they fall on their sword. To sit on the bench alongside them, tell them what to do, and (in Port’s case) sack the head coach when things don’t go to plan… it’s comical. A while back there was a picture of a head coach explaining a tactical change to his owner before the change was made, and to me, it sums up part of what's wrong in Thai football.

Going even further into this (sorry) but remove the GM’s from sitting on the bench too. If they're not a player, or a member of the coaching staff: they shouldn’t be on the bench. If the Thai League wants to continue to look like an amateur competition, by all means, allow owners and other people who’ve no purpose being there to sit on the bench.

Isaac: I'm generally ok with it, depending on their level of involvement with the FA 😉 

I'd rather see them on the bench than in an air-conditioned VIP box. Also, shoutout to Watthana Changlao (Khon Kaen United owner) for often venturing out to the cheap seats, he sat right behind me at last year's match vs Buriram.

Kevin W: Of course. The owners are the ones signing players, telling the coach who should start, giving the team talks, paying the refs, and appearing on club promotional posters. They have every right to be on the bench. The coach is only a bit of window-dressing, fulfilling the ridiculous league requirement of having someone with an actual coaching licence on the sidelines.

Jamie: Hell yeah. They paid for the team they should be able to encourage their players from close quarters.

Ian: Absolutely not. In my opinion it's these egotistical owners who are holding back the development of Thai football. Sure, they pump the money in (or at least that's what they want us to believe), but they should leave the coaching to those who are qualified to do it. Sit in the stands or build yourselves a nice little VIP box to watch the match from, but keep well away from the technical area...please!

2. League Cup ties should revert to the original two leg format – including the final. 

James: For the quarter-final stage and beyond, I’d agree. For the earlier stages, not so much. To add the cost of traveling for a tie they (probably) won’t fare too well in, it’d be harsh to ask Thai League 3 teams to travel. What I’d like changed, in the earlier stages at least, is if a team from Thai League 2 or Thai League 3 draw a team from Thai League 1, they automatically get the home tie, irrespective of the order the tie is drawn.

Not only is it additional revenue for their club, but it gives their fans (and players) a bumper tie at home against a club they may never face in league action. 

Isaac: I'd be in favor of two legs for all rounds except for the final. It's a great chance for teams like Uthaithani last week to see some of the big teams like Buriram come to town and then also have a chance to make the trip to see some of the other grounds. Having two legs would guarantee having the chance for fans to do both. Still waiting for our reverse fixture at home against Chiangmai.

Kevin W: I'm not a fan of two-legged fixtures, as they reduce the possibility of cupsets. However, I've also never really seen the point of secondary cup competitions either. Have single or two-legged fixtures in all or some of the rounds for all I care, but the final must be a one-off match at a neutral venue.

Jamie: Why not? We need more football days and the away trips are great fun. I’m sure FIFA will happily delete some of their match days to accommodate the Thai League.

Ian: The League Cup appears to be the poor relation of the FA Cup, which isn't the greatest competition itself. Therefore, I think it needs to do something to distinguish it from its sister tournament. I think two legged matches in the early rounds would be a waste of time, however, I'd like to see this format adopted from the quarter finals onwards, and including the final. We'd see some great games then. 

3. There should be a SEA Super League, featuring the top clubs from each of the countries in the region. 

James: No thanks, we already have the pointless Suzuki Cup (or whatever it’s now called) for the national teams, there's no need to add a club competition to the mix too. I remember in the past there was the Mekong Cup in pre-season, which was supposed to feature the league champions of each league along the Mekong river, but that eventually fell by the wayside. Maybe a pre-season tournament that involves the league winner from each league would suffice, but even then… it’d still be a mickey mouse tournament.

Isaac: No, I'm out on all forms of Super Leagues.

Kevin W: Now that the AFC Champions League & AFC Cup competitions have restructured, I think an ASEAN Super League would only work as a money-spinning tournament at the end of the season. The format would resemble the AFF Cup; 10 league champions drawn into two groups of five (if needed, playoffs between the country(s) with the worst group stage record the previous year vs the previous year's playoff loser country(s) would be used to reduce the field to 10). Each group would be based in one nation, followed by two legged-semis and finals.

Jamie: It’s pointless as Buriram United would dominate it the same way they dominate at home. 

Ian: Don't we already have AFC competitions for this kind of thing? I'm not in favour of this idea at all. Each of the SEA nations should be working hard to improve their own leagues. Most of them, including Thailand, still have a very long way to go in this respect. A Super League shouldn't even be up for discussion at this juncture.

4. All TPL grounds should have a minimum 10,000 all seater capacity stadium. 

James: Strong disagree. With that being said, 10,000 all-seater capacity stadiums would be a much better look for the league than the largely empty 20-25,000 capacity stadiums currently in the league. Going off on a tangent here (apologies), but as I said in a reply to a tweet by Phil the other day, I'm firmly of the view that if the stadium isn't fit for purpose, teams should be forced to forfeit the opportunity to promote from Thai League 2. If it's quick fixes, by all means let them go up, but the situation involving Lamphun this season is simply unacceptable.

The league (clubs included) needs to do a much better job of getting their product out there, and despite the ticket revenue probably not having much effect on their bottom line, most Thai League 1 clubs should be embarrassed with their attendance figures. They should be asking why their fans are staying away, whilst engaging their local community to try and “recruit” fans, and so on. At the end of the day, it’s just not good enough in my opinion.

Isaac: If we are talking minimum, I think 10,000 is too high, there are too many teams that struggle to even draw 2,500. I'd sooner say that 10,000 should be a maximum (outside of Buriram and BG of course). I'd rather see a 5,000-seat stadium at 50% capacity than a 10,000-seat stadium at 25% capacity. There's been rumblings of Khon Kaen exploring the possibility of a new stadium, but I wouldn't want it to be much bigger than the current one (around 7,000 I think). Just give me the same capacity but no running track please. I think something like PAT Stadium and/or whatever Ratchaburi's stadium is called these days would be perfect. (without the giant smiley face painted on the seats).

Kevin W: I like the idea of all-seater stadia, but all seats should have backs (yes, Thepsahadin & Thunderdome, I'm looking at you). As a regular attendee of clubs who play(ed) in grounds that are/were far too big for their following, I'd rather see teams play at grounds intimate enough to generate a great atmosphere, that can then be adapted to accept the increased attendance this atmosphere attracts. One hard and fast rule, though: no running tracks.

Jamie: They should have retractable seats so that when Buriram United come to town all the fans can get in. Other match days they can reduce to 5,000 and fill the seats.

Ian: Thai league grounds and crowds amuse me. You have Bangkok Utd's few dozen fans rattling round in a 25,000 seater stadium and most of the others less than half full each week. Rather than having a limit on stadium size, why not make more of an effort to bring in fans to the grounds that already exist? This would make more sense. Although I guess in Bangkok Utd's case, it's a pretty hopeless case.

5. The TPL should introduce end of season relegation play offs – featuring the bottom eight teams – to determine which four should go down.

James: It’d be an interesting concept, but I feel that the bottom-2 should automatically go down, and there be a playoff between 13TH and 14TH to decide the final spot. If you finish bottom, you deserve to go down, and a relegation playoff where you could almost get a ‘get out of jail free’ card wouldn’t sit right with me to be honest.

Isaac: No thanks, that would be too stressful for me 😅. If it's as many as 8 teams my team would likely be in it every year. I'd be more interested in something like what the Bundesliga or Ligue 1 have with the 3rd from the bottom team playing against the 3rd place 2nd division team or the winner of a 3rd-6th place promotion playoff.

Kevin W: This would give the also-rans something to do at the end of the season, while the top teams are busy with cup finals and ASEAN Super League fixtures. There would also be the benefit of an intense and hectic transfer market, as players, agents and managers would be deep into the "off-season" before they knew which division they were playing the following season. To make these playoffs more interesting, I'd suggest a couple of extra rules:

1) A maximum of, let's say two matches, where the chairman or any club offical may produce a gun to change a decision or match outcome. For safety reasons, this may only be done post-match, or at least post-walkoff.

2) However, if firearms are produced by officials of both clubs at the same match, the referee's decision(s) and match outcome remain unchanged.

Jamie: Isn’t that just called the regular season?

Ian: Yes. Anything that sparks interest in the league has to be a good idea. It seems to have gone stale in the last couple of years (The Covid affect?) and desperately needs something to get people excited again. With so much at stake, I expect we'd see some great games. And you could get some "big" clubs dragged into it - which would be fun. I'm all for this.

Please note: The opinions expressed in this article are those of each individual and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the blog. Thank you.