Nualphan Lamsam has criticised the plan for a play-off between Thai Premier League's two lowest ranked teams Port and TOT, claiming that the former should stay in the top flight of national soccer by virtue of their ranking.
Nualphan, chairperson of the Port team, was yesterday commenting on a TPL executive board decision to expand the league to 20 teams for the 2016 season, with either Port or TOT retaining their place in the new line-up.
At the conclusion of the 2015 season last month, Port were ranked 17th in the 18-team league -- a place above the cellar-dwellers TOT.
Nualphan Lamsam
The TPL executive board's decision has been aimed at avoiding a lawsuit which remained a possibility in case BEC Tero Sasana won a suit filed with the Administrative Court to seek three points the team were awarded and then denied after a controversial game with Bangkok United.
With the TPL expanded to 20 teams, BEC Tero have been assured of a place in the Premier League.
The TPL aslo hinted on Wednesday that it may opt for a play-off between Port and TOT to decide which team would feature in the 2016 league that gets underway next month.
Nualphan told a press conference yesterday: "We had accepted that we have been relegated to the [second-tier] League One after our loss to Buriram United in the last match.
"However, the plan for the play-off is unfair.
"The TPL has approved that the 2016 season be expanded to 20 teams -- with 17 teams from the Premier League and three from the League One -- because the result of the match between BEC Tero Sasana and Bangkok United has yet to be decided by the court.
"The increase in the number of teams will allow BEC Tero and Saraburi to avoid being relegated. We don't have a problem with that but why a play-off between Port and TOT?
"I think this is not fair to the Port team as we finished 17th last season and should have the right to play in the TPL like BEC Tero and ahead of TOT.
"We shouldn't be asked to have a play-off. I am a woman and I want to continue working in the Thai football. I don't want to be exploited."
Nualphan admitted she wasn't aware of any plans to increase the number of TPL teams.
"I didn't know about the expansion of the league to 20 teams because I am not on the TPL board.
"The reason we have been strengthening our team is because we expected a tough challenge in the League One.
"To play in the League One is very difficult because you have to be among the top three teams to be promoted to the TPL, so we were trying to put together a strong squad."