Thai League to be upgraded into the international stage

According to Thailand’s football record, Thai has never been qualified in the deeper round of World Cup other than joining the qualifying round in 1970s. This probably Thailand did not have any strong national or local leagues, or even football human resource. Even though Thailand is dominant in Southeast Asia teams still the low rank in international or bigger tables. Asia, Thailand still being considered behind Vietnam and Singapore because these two leagues have been qualified in deeper round of World Cup while never the Thai.

Thailand used to have a major problem of losing its skillful players to neighboring countries where players being paid a lot higher wages such as Datsakorn Thonglao, Tawan Sripan, Therdsak Chaiman or even the current Chonburi FC coach Siko Kiatisak Senamuang who once used to serve as Vietnam’s representative.

However, things could be changed; this is because the current Thai Premier League is very popular now. The major clubs such as Chonburi FC, BEC Tero, and Muang Thong have their own fan clubs. Most credit should be offered to the Siam Sport Syndicate who has been working hard to support and promote Thai football community throughout its own media of newspaper, TV, and Sport Radio Station. Meanwhile, other teams have also benefited from the popularity, players and coaches now can make a living playing football and is able to concentrate their practice without concerning any unstable to occur like the players in the past decade did. The only major 2 problems are the problem of lacking of referee and another problem is some referee appeared to be incompatible enough to be accepted by players and fan clubs.

The current Thai football Chairman Vichit Ketkaew, former referee, revealed that actually Thai league is now going in the right direction, as the country could be upgraded and stepping forward to other higher or international leagues when the local league is strong enough. As well, Thailand could follow this step by strengthen up the local league first and the better chances will technically follow.

Thai Premier League this year has produced many outstanding and skillful rising star players such as Kawin Thammasajjanon, Teerasin Daengda, and the most outstanding one this year, Surat Sukha who is now joining the Australia’s Melbourne Victory FC.