Revised statement on FAT going legal on ex-chief Somyot

The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) will sue its former chief Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuang for leaving the national governing body in massive amounts of debt, reigning FAT president Nualphan Lamsam told a press conference on Tuesday.

The cash-strapped FAT’s latest setback came when the Supreme Court ordered the association to pay 360 million baht in damages to Siam Sport Syndicate Plc for an “unfair” termination of a privileges and television rights contract.

On March 6, the Supreme Court announced its decision to dismiss an appeal filed by the FAT against a previous court ruling.

The press conference was intended to give Nualphan, whom the Thai media lovingly refer to as Madam Pang, the opportunity to present an in-office report after one year in their post, but the discussion was dominated by talk of FAT’s burgeoning debt.

“We will sue the former FAT chief Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuang and the executive board when all these took place under Somyot’s era,” Nualphan said.

Somyot has been the head of the national association for two terms in total of eight years and cancelled the Siam Sport contract in 2016.

Nualphan has been in charge of the FAT since winning a landslide victory with a record 68 votes out of 73 members to become the first-ever female president of the association in February last year.

Nualphan broke into tears as she told the same press conference: “When I entered, there was nothing. It was only debt in the FAT and I just need the football fans and media to express sympathy and encourage me.

“These issues were handed over to me to figure out. I am a woman with a kind heart, and every time we talk bad things, I feel bad,” said Nualphan.

“Following Somyot’s reign, the FAT had only 27 million baht in its account with debt of 132 million baht. “We also borrowed money, 155 million baht, from Fifa, and have to pay it in annual instalments, which Fifa then deducts from our support money,” she added.

The contract termination is widely regarded as a significant loser in Thailand football industry, said Nualphan, commenting on the Supreme Court ruling.

“The 360 million baht has become the debt that the FAT will have to pay.

“I respect the decision of the Supreme Court. FAT president at the time, it was unfair and incorrect to scrap the Siam Sports contract.

“I have to raise this matter to the attention of the FAT executive board straight away because the second defendants in the lawsuit under Section 76 of the Civil and Commercial Act were the former FAT chief and that executive board.

Other notable moments included Nualphan saying that during the time she was the FAT president, the national team performed well in several tournaments and Bangkok successfully hosted the Fifa Congress in 2022.