Kriangkrai Pimrat has become the lightening rod for an international thunderstorm of bile following an incident in which the Thai footballer shoved a Laotian staffer who was trying to help him off the field following an injury.
The incident took place on Monday in Vientiane, during the final match of the 16th ASEAN University games, in which Thailand faced Laos for the title (Thailand went on to win the match 2-0, btw).
Kriangkrai went down in the game’s 32nd minute, according to the Bangkok Post, then shoved away a Laotian staffer who tried to assist him off the field.
Though Kriangkrai continued to play (until a second injury forced him out of the game in the 59th minute), he had to contend with booing from the crowd and a fusillade of glass bottles that angry fans hurled onto the pitch.
Police even had to step in at one point and calm the angry spectators.
The internet, as is its wont, has caught wind of this public shaming and moved immediately to increase it in volume and scope.
According to one Facebook commenter, “It’s players like this who give the Thai football community a bad name…Shameful athletes like these deserve to be hit by a car.”
No word yet on whether or not Kriangkrai will face official sanction, automotive or otherwise.
