Published on September 11, 2005

An ugly row over how many teams should be included is threatening to derail the new fully professional Thailand Premier League even before it kicks off in December. After agreement was reached on Thursday between the two semi-professional leagues to launch the new professional competition with 12 teams.

Tourism and Sports Minister Pracha Maleenont yesterday slammed the idea and warned it would be destroyed unless it involved 16 teams.

The new league merges the semi-professional Thai League, managed by the Football Association of Thailand (FAT), and the Provincial League run by the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT).

Suwat Liptapanlop, deputy prime minister in charge of sports, said at a press conference on Thursday that the league would have 12 members in its first season.

But after a brief meeting with representatives from the FAT and SAT, Pracha said he still harboured the hope of a league of 16 teams.

“This does not mean that I disagree with the proposed 12-team league but it is the policy of the ministry that we want to have 16 teams,” he said, warning of financial problems if it is not enlarged.

“There will be no problems if we all agree to start with 16 teams because the ministry would provide Bt50 million in support, and that would add to the initial fund of Bt25 million which the government set aside to support it.

“So, if we agree on 16 teams, it will mean we have a total of Bt75 million to support the league.”

Pracha said he was unhappy that his meeting with the FAT and SAT officials had failed to reach any agreement as neither group sent representatives of sufficient seniority to make a decision.

“I still have some patience, but one day if I can no longer put up with it, we will see what will happen,” he warned.

Kitinan Sanguansak

The Nation

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