Fifa has warned that any outside interference in the Football Association of Thailand's (FAT) presidential election on Wednesday could lead to the country being suspended by the world governing body of the sport.
The warning was made in a letter, signed by Fifa chief member associations officer Veron Mosengo-Omba.
It is a reply to a couple of earlier correspondences from FAT secretary-general Korrawee Prissananantakul contents of which have not been revealed.
The association had recently barred its former chief Worawi Makudi from contesting the election. Worawi has in turn lodged several complaints with the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) against malpractices by the current set of FAT office-bearers.
In the aftermath of Worawi's disqualification, there are only two candidates -- incumbent FAT president Somyot Poompunmuang and Nakhon Sawan MP Pinyo Niroj -- left in the fray.
One of the clear aims of Fifa seems to be to warn off the SAT against getting involved in the electoral process.
The Thai government's sports controlling arm has been mentioned by name in the Fifa letter, dated Feb 5.
SAT governor Gongsak Yodmani earlier said he would look into the matter.
Mosengo-Omba said Fifa had taken a "note with concern" about "alleged efforts to interfere in the electoral process" reported in the FAT letters.
The Fifa official added that the FAT, as a Fifa member association, was entitled to manage its affairs independently and "without undue influence from third parties".
"Any violation to this obligation may lead to sanctions provided for in the Fifa Statutes, including a possible suspension," warned Mosengo-Omba.
"We [Fifa] encourage you [the FAT] to inform us immediately about any undue influence in the electoral process, in particular regarding any eventual further steps that the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) might take in this regard."
Both Fifa and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will have their representatives at the election, he said.