Many Thais go to worship the Emerald Buddha when they are unable to find a way out of trouble.
Gen Chinnasen Thongkomol leads referees to take oaths.
The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) has failed to stop match-fixing claims against its referees so it took more than 100 match officials to swear before the Emerald Buddha that they will perform their duties in a straightforward manner on Monday.
At the function, the FAT was represented by Gen Chinnasen Thongkomol, chairman of the FAT referees’ committee, and the referees were led by Thanom Borikut.
With the event, the FAT became a laughing stock in the eyes of a large number of critics and fans.
But for many Thais, if you don’t believe in superstition, then you should not look down on it or you could be punished by spiritual powers.
Match-rigging allegations against referees have been prevalent over the past few years.
Last year, two referees were shot by gunmen and the attacks might have had something to do with their officiating. Thanom Borikut was shot three times and Nakhon Sa-ard was shot in his foot a few days later.
At that time, Nakhon was suspended by the FAT after making several mistakes as a linesman.
Thanom is probably the most controversial Thai referee of all time who has made countless questionable calls.
Off the pitch, the 45-year-old was arrested in 2009 on charges of killing his boss in a bomb attack but later walked free.
A few months ago, investigators in Singapore found the name of a certain Thanom as a LINE friend in a phone of a match-fixing suspect.
The FAT was initially reluctant to suspend Thanom. But after numerous dubious decisions, the FAT finally handed him a suspension which was lifted after Monday’s oath-taking ceremony.
The FAT has implemented several measures to eradicate match-rigging allegations including using lie-detectors, increasing match officials’ wages and drawing lots to assign referees for matches.
But these methods seem futile, and the Emerald Buddha may want FAT bosses to try harder to solve the problem before turning to spiritual powers.
Two days after the referees took oaths in front of the Emerald Buddha, Buriram United chairman Newin Chidchob furiously criticised the officiating in his team’s 2-1 win at Ratchaburi in the semi-final second leg of the League Cup.
Although Buriram advanced to the final with a 3-1 aggregate win, Newin was upset by the dismissal of his star player Carmelo Gonzalez, who received two yellow cards.
After the match, Newin, a vocal critic of the FAT and its president Worawi Makudi, renewed his threat to set up a breakaway league if officiating does not improve.
The FAT on Friday handed the Spaniard an indefinite ban in every competition because of, according to the organisation, his aggressive behaviour and attack on the referee.
Meanwhile, Thai Premier League side Police United have submitted what they claim to be evidence of match-fixing to the National Council for Peace and Order.
The club reportedly is fed up with FAT and TPL bosses’ failure to combat match-fixing so it seeks help from the junta.
The powerful NCPO has tried to ‘return happiness to the people’ in several matters including football.
The junta reportedly brokered a deal for RS to show live all 2014 World Cup matches on free TV, although the firm is now asking concerned parties for 400 million baht in compensation they agreed to pay the company for the World Cup broadcast.
But while it is believed that match-fixing by wayward referees does exist in Thai football, critics believe that in many cases referees were honest but they made bad calls because they lacked ability.
Apart from attempts to suppress match-fixing, the FAT also has to work harder to improve its referees’ performances.