FAT to scale down league in two years

FAT to scale down league in two years

Somyot Poompunmuang. Tawatchai Kemgumnerd
Somyot Poompunmuang. Tawatchai Kemgumnerd

The Football Association of Thailand yesterday reiterated that the structure of the 18-team Thai League will remain unchanged for the next two years but confirmed that the top flight of national football will be trimmed down 16 clubs in 2019.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Thai League organising committee, which was presided over by FAT president Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuang yesterday.

The FAT chief said: "I would like to reconfirm that there will be 18 teams in the Thai League next season while the first division or League One will also maintain 18 teams."

Somyot added that the FAT had changed the name of its management firm that runs the domestic competitions to Thai League Co from Premier League Thailand Co.

With the company's name change, all leagues will be renamed, he said.

From the 2017 season, the top flight will be referred to as the Thai League while the lower leagues will become the Thai League Two, Thai League Three and Thai League Four, according to Somyot.

The 2016 season came to a premature end when the FAT called off all remaining matches in mid-October after the passing away of His Majesty the King.

With the decision, Army United and Chainat were relegated, along with BBCU, whose fate had been sealed before the move.

Chainat then complained that the decision was unfair as several other teams were in contention for the drop.

They wanted the FAT to expand the top flight to 20 teams so that they would remain in the highest league.

However, Somyot said it was not possible to increase the number of teams in the top league.

Meanwhile, the Thai national team yesterday started training at Kirin Valley in Khao Yai for their home-and-away Suzuki Cup semi-final with Myanmar.

The first leg will be played on Sunday in Yangon and the second at Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok next Thursday.

Thailand coach Kiatisak Senamuang yesterday confirmed that defender Prathum Chutong had returned to training after nursing an injury and missing the team's first round matches in Manila.

Thailand won all of their three matches in the first round and are favourites to retain the title.

Vietnam face Indonesia in the other semi-final.

In another development, Kiatisak was quoted as saying by Singapore daily The Strait Times that he was aiming to carry the War Elephants into the top-10 teams in Asia.

Thailand are currently 19th in Asia.

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