The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) yesterday handed referee Pichit Thongchanmoon a six-month suspension for his mistakes in a regional league match between Satun United and Khon Kaen United last Sunday.
Hundreds of Satun fans attacked Pichit and his assistants after the home team lost 1-0 to Khon Kaen as they believed the match officials were biased.
The organising committee of the regional league (League Two, third tier) on Wednesday handed the southern club a three-year ban and a fine of 315,000 baht.
However, the FAT referees' committee announced yesterday that Pichit had made several mistakes during the match and banned him for six months.
The committee said Satun should have been awarded a penalty and that Pichit was in a wrong position on the pitch on several occasions.
The panel ruled that Pichit was correct to send off two Satun players and one Khon Kaen player.
Meanwhile, Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) governor Sakol Wannapong has initiated a probe into former referee and SAT employee Thanom Borikud's presence at the Satun United-Khon Kaen United match.
Thanom's presence at the venue gave birth to suspicions because he was neither assigned to officiate the match and nor was delegated any official responsibility by the SAT. Moreover, Thanom was reportedly accompanied by five to six bodyguards.
In another case, BEC Tero Sasana manager Thanya Wongnark yesterday lodged an appeal with the Administrative Court against a recent decision by a Thai Premier League committee that pushed the club into the relegation zone.
BEC Tero lost their home game to Bangkok United on Nov 15, but were later awarded a 3-0 victory following claims that their rivals had exceeded the limit for on-field foreign players.
However, a TPL appeal committee reversed the ruling and awarded three points back to Bangkok United, crediting them with the original 1-0 victory — a decision deemed as "unfair" by BEC Tero.