The year 2023 started with great fanfare and promise as the Thai football fans toasted success in the Asean championship but it eventually ended with a whimper.
Brazilian-German coach Mano Polking, who led the War Elephants to success in the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup at the start of the year, was unceremoniously sacked in November after a string of sub-par performances by the national team.
Here is a look at some of the developments that made headlines during the year.
The kings of Asean
The AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022 started on Dec 20 and when the curtain fell on the tournament on Jan 16, the Thais had won the Southeast Asian crown for the second time in a row.
The War Elephants entered the semi-finals after topping Group A, which included Indonesia, Cambodia, the Philippines and Brunei with 10 points from three wins and a draw.
In the semi-finals, Thailand defeated Malaysia with a 3-1 aggregate score after the home and away games.
The final victory against Vietnam was welcomed as a big success by the fans.
The Thais were held to a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Hanoi but they edged Vietnam 1-0 at home to lift the trophy.
Mixed results
The victory in the Asean championship was followed by a couple of wake-up calls for the War Elephants.
Thailand played two friendly matches in March and lost both of them, first going down 3-1 to Syria before suffering a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the United Arab Emirates.
The Thais played two more away friendly matches three months later when they were held to a 2-2 draw by Taiwan in Taipei before edging Hong Kong 1-0.
The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) hosted the prestigious King's Cup tournament in Chiang Mai in September with Lebanon, Iraq and India and hosts Thailand participating.
Thailand faced Lebanon in their first game and clinched a 2-1 victory to reach the final.
In the title showdown, the War Elephants did well to hold the mighty Iraqis to a 2-2 tie after 90 minutes but lost the ensuing penalty shoot- out 5-4 to settle for a second-place finish.
Polking's downfall
Two friendlies in Europe in October cast a big shadow of doubt on Polking's ability to transform Thailand into a force to be to reckoned with on the international stage.
In the first match, Thailand were mercilessly slaughtered by Georgia 8-0 and the social media frenzy over the hammering went into overdrive.
They managed a 1-1 draw in the next game against Estonia but it wasn't enough to appease the angry fans.
Several clubs were also criticised for refusing to release their players.
World Cup bid in peril
Thailand, drawn in Group C with China, Singapore and South Korea for the second phase of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 Fifa World Cup finals, were beaten 2-1 at home in the opening game by China last month.
The defeat put the War Elephants in a precarious position and the fans reacted angrily once again.
The top two teams in each of nine groups will advance to the next stage and Juergen Klinsmann's South Korea are hot favourites to be Group C champions.
Although Thailand did beat Singapore 3-1 in their next group game, it wasn't enough to save Polking's job.
Thailand's Supachai Chaided and teammates look dejected after they lost to China in a World Cup qualifier. REUTERS Chalinee Thirasupa
Ishii named new coach
The FAT has signed a deal with former Buriram United coach Masatada Ishii to take over the reins of the national team for an undisclosed period.
The first mission of the new coach will be to lead the team in a friendly against his native Japan in Tokyo on Jan 1.
The match will serve as a warm-up for both teams ahead of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar from Jan 12-Feb 10.
Thailand are drawn in Group F along with Saudi Arabia, Kyrgyzstan and Oman and their first match against Kyrgyzstan will be on Jan 16, followed by Oman (Jan 21) and Saudi Arabia (Jan 25).
SEA Games fiasco
Thailand once again returned home without a men's football gold medal from the SEA Games after losing the final to Indonesia.
Indonesia dominated Thailand 5-2 after extra time in Phnom Penh but the title showdown will always be remembered for an ugly brawl towards the end of the match which led to calls for FAT president Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuang to resign.
A panel set up by the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) later handed out a one-year ban from the national team to goalkeeping coach Prasobchoke Chokemoh and team officials Mayeed Mudhadum and Pattrawut Wongsripuek.
Goalkeeper Soponwit Rakyart, who was red carded during the brawl, was banned from the national team for six months while substitute Thirapak Prueangna was also given a six-month suspension.
The same team later qualified for the AFC U23 Asian Cup finals round to be held in Qatar in April next year. Thailand have been drawn in Group C with Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Tajikistan.
Triple crown for Buriram
On the domestic front, Buriram United, coached by Ishii at the time, swept all three domestic titles at the end of the 2022-2023 season.
Buriram first landed the Thai League 1 crown, claiming 74 points to finish 12 points ahead of runners-up Bangkok United. Port were third with 52 points.
Later, the Thunder Castle also won the Thai FA Cup and League Cup titles.
The 2023-2024 season is currently underway with Bangkok United leading the 16-team top flight at the halfway mark.
FAT elections
Four candidates have entered the fray for the new FAT president.
They are Thailand national team manager Nualphan Lamsam, Pauline Ngarmpring, Warong Thiuthas and Tanasak Suraprasert.
Nualphan is seen as the favourite to win the election on Feb 8.
Thailand manager Nualphan Lamsam, right, poses with new national team coach Masatada Ishii.