Army chief Gen Apirat Kongsompong has suspended the Army United football team because of its continued poor performance, effective from Thursday this week, an official source said.
Gen Apirat is chairman of the Army United Football Club.
The team's suspension means Army United will not play any more football matches.
Army United has failed to get into the division 2 regional league for the last 4 years, a level it regularly achieved in the past. The team's suspension will eventually lead to the dissolution of the 103-year-old Army United Football Club.
The primary consideration in the decision was the sponsorship from private firms, the source said. Those sponsors had provided financial support for many years, with commitments ranging from several million baht to 100 million baht a year.
The club will now have to address the issue of overdue salary payments for about 50 staff who had not received any money in the last month or two, and the salaries of the players.There were also other management costs of 40-50 million baht a month.
A plan to build new club premises for Army United in Lop Buri, after it was relocated to the army stadium on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, had to be scrapped because of the high cost involved, the source added.