The heavy downpour that resulted in the cancellation of the Spurs-Leicester friendly football match on Sunday evening not only upset local football fans but it has cast a shadow over the competency of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT).
The scene of the water-logged football pitch at Rajamangala National Stadium has raised valid questions about how SAT, which oversees national sports infrastructure, provides for the venue's upkeep.
The stadium is the country's leading sporting landmark, but any kudos it has was dampened when the Tottenham Hotspurs decided to cancel the match on safety grounds after the national football field was flooded after monsoon rains.
The stadium was opened in 1998 and has since been regularly upgraded, often under the gaze of the media, who, in 2018, questioned SAT's spending of 167 million baht on landscape refurbishing works -- painting, changing stadium seats, changing lights and redoing green areas.
Last year, the pitch was further upgraded to host a high-profile commercial football match between Liverpool and Manchester United.
Following Sunday's match cancellation, SAT governor Gongsak Yodmani told the media that it was an unfortunate event caused by harsh weather, but that answer is insufficient.
The national stadium has a prime-grade flood-draining system that should allow a game to be played in the rain.
Mr Gongsak also added that the stadium is seriously in need of both maintenance and an upgrade.
The SAT is reportedly seeking another 100-million-baht budget to conduct this upgrade.
But the match cancellation is not the first time the stadium has been painted in a negative light.
Over a decade ago, a flood-draining issue on the stadium's roof caused an avalanche of water to cascade down on the seating area.
And today, the public continues to complain about confusing direction signs, while sports writers grumble about dust-covered seats and general cleanliness issues.
Early this month, Thailand's high-profile midfielder Chanathip "Messi J" Songkrasin complained about the SAT for turning the stadium into a concert venue while rarely letting the national football team use the space.
To be fair, major sports stadiums worldwide lease their space for entertainment concerts to generate income and raise their stadium's profile.
Rajamangala National Stadium has been leased to local and international acts as well as high-profile matches and international footballers.
For many, the case on Sunday may be seen as a one-off humiliating one, but SAT cannot be complacent and shift the blame on too much water.
To boost the country's sports profile, the SAT must show it has a decent, reliable maintenance system at the stadium and can manage heavy rain.
Thailand is poised to host future football tournaments and has tried to lift the country's sports profile, but reports on the flooding at the national football pitch will do just the opposite.
As the SAT more frequently leases the sports area for commercial concerts, the agency must conduct regular audits and keep on top of waste management issues and other matters when a venue is used more frequently.
The SAT should use the revenue from leasing the space for concert events to improve stadium infrastructure.