This is the final installment of Coconuts’ multi-part Thai Premier League preview. Follow the links for Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
The drama of pre-season is finally over and now it’s time for the main event. The Thai Premier League kicks off today and all 18 clubs should believe that this is their chance to show football fans across the Kingdom what they can do. Coconuts Bangkok is taking a look at the 18 Thai Premier League teams in order to help you make sense of the field in anticipation of this year’s blockbuster season.
This final installment covers the last set of six teams in alphabetic order.
Insee Police United
Last season: 11th
Thai FA Cup: n/a
Club info: As the name suggests, Insee Police United have links to the Thai Royal Police. The club was formed in 1960 as Royal Thai Police FC but a sponsorship deal in 2010 made the club change their name to Insee Police United. The club has been relegated from the TPL three times. The team’s chairman might just have the best name in the TPL, Worrapong Chewbacca.
Key player: Surachart Sareepim
Nickname: Silver Shields
Stadium: Thammasat Stadium, Phatumthani
Prediction: 11th or 12th
Ratchaburi FC
Last season: Promoted
Thai FA Cup: Fourth Round
Club info: Ratchaburi gained back to back promotions to make it to the TPL this season. The club were beaten finalists in last season’s League Cup, losing 4-1 to Buriram United.
Key player: Douglas Cardoza
Nickname: The Dragons
Stadium: Ratchaburi Stadium, Ratchaburi
Prediction: Just above relegation
Samut Songkhram FC
Last season: 7th
Thai FA Cup: Fourth Round
Club info: Samut Songkhram are a small club mixing it with the big boys. In the club’s five years in the top tier of Thai football they have only finished outside the top ten once. When the club won promotion to the TPL in 2007, they were only the fourth club in the history of the league located outside of Bangkok.
Key player: Chaiwut Wattana
Nickname: Raging Mackerel
Stadium: Samut Songkhram Stadium
Prediction: Just outside the top ten
Songkhla United ( Known as Wuachon United last season)
Last season: 13th
Thai FA Cup: Third round
Club info: Wuachon United was founded in 2012 after Newin Chidchob – chairman of Buriram United – bought Buriram FC. Chidchob then sold the rights of Buriram FC to Nipon Boonyamanee, who owns Songhkla FC. Nipon was then allowed by the Football Authority of Thailand to change Buriram FC’s name to Wuachon United, but the team had to remain in Buriram. Nipon’s original idea was to have Wuachon in the TPL and Songhkla in Division 1, thus giving the province of Songkhla two teams to follow. When Songkhla failed to get out of Division 1, Nipon decided to move Wuachon to Songkhla and rename the team Songkhla United.
Key player: Aron Da Silva
Nickname: The Bulls
Stadium: Tinsulanon Stadium ( 35,000 capacity)
Prediction: Relegated
Suphanburi FC
Last season: Promoted
Thai FA Cup: Quarter finals
Club info: In 2006, Suphanburi and Chonburi FC became the first teams outside of Bangkok to gain promotion to the TPL. Suphanburi have spent the last five seasons in Division 1, whereas Chonburi turned into one of the TPL’S most consistent teams.
Key player: Jetsada Boonruangrod
Nickname: The Warriors/ The War Elephants
Stadium: Suphanburi Municipality Stadium
Prediction: Relegated
TOT Sport Club
Last season: 12th
Thai FA Cup: n/a
Club info: TOT are one of the founding teams of the Thai Premier League. The club is owned by the telecommunications company TOT. TOT SC won promotion to the TPL in 2006 and the team has been consistently average ever since, apart from a fifth place finish in 2008.
Key player: Lee Jun-ki
Nickname: Hello
Stadium: TOT Stadium, Chaeng Watthana
Prediction: Possible relegation
