FAT chief Somyot announces giant complex

FAT chief Somyot announces giant complex

Somyot Poompunmuang at yesterday's meeting.
Somyot Poompunmuang at yesterday's meeting.

Football Association of Thailand president Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuang is putting into action the plan to build the Southeast Asia's biggest multi-purpose soccer complex in the country.

Somyot was addressing the first FAT annual meeting since taking over as the governing body's president in February at the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) headquarters yesterday.

The FAT president said: "We are going ahead with the plan to construct the 'Sport Complex', the biggest in the Asean region, by using the same model as [English Premier League club] Manchester City.

"We have initiated the process and are in discussion with some private companies to work out a budget and scout for a proper location. This should be concluded within a few weeks' time.

"This Sport Complex, beside having a stadium for competitions and training grounds, will house a hotel, hospital and schools as well.

"This will be primarily used by the Thai national teams for training and it may be rented out to foreign teams, especially those from the Asean region.

"We have to get on with the Sport Complex project as soon as possible otherwise other nations near Thailand will do it."

Somyot also used the occasion to hand out financial support to teams participating in three domestic leagues, with the total sum amounting to 170.5 million baht.

Eighteen clubs in the top-flight Thai League received seven million baht each (total 126 million baht), 16 first division clubs pocketed one million baht each while each second division club earned 500,000 baht (28.5 million baht).

However, there were a number of issues that could not be resolved at yesterday's meeting and have been left pending for discussion and approval at an extraordinary general meeting in 60 days' time.

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