Thai football is shaken, shocked by a heavy 8-match suspension

The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) recently announced a formal sanction concerning a shocking event in Thai League 3, after an intense contest resulted in a player sustaining a severe injury requiring him to exit the game.

According to Thairath, on January 23, 2026, the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee of the Football Association of Thailand reached a consensus on the penalty of an 8-match suspension for Nontawat Klinjampasri, a player from Pathumthani University Club. The incident occurred during the Thai League 3 match between Prime Bangkok and Pathumthani University on January 17.

In this encounter, Prime Bangkok secured a dominant 6-0 home victory. During a challenge, Nontawat Klinjampasri made a very forceful tackle on Chaiyapruek Jirachint, a Prime Bangkok player. This action caused the victim to suffer a serious injury and forced him to leave the field in critical condition.

What particularly outraged the public was the referee’s decision to only show a yellow card to Nontawat Klinjampasri during the match. This ruling immediately sparked fierce backlash, with many believing the punishment was too lenient given the severity of the incident.

After reviewing the footage and expert reports, the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee of the Football Association of Thailand held an emergency meeting to reach a final verdict. Accordingly, not only the offending player was penalized, but the match referee was also held accountable.

Specifically, referee Korkiat Boonchu was found to have made a serious error in officiating. The committee concluded that in the situation where player number 3, Nontawat Klinjampasri, extended his leg, using the studs of his boot to strike directly on the calf of player number 22, Chaiyapruek Jirachint, it constituted Using Excessive Force and fell under Serious Foul Play. According to current football laws, the offending player should have received a direct red card. The referee’s decision to only issue a yellow card was deemed incorrect.

Due to the mistake, referee Korkiat Boonchu was suspended from duties for 2 weeks, in accordance with the regulations on match official responsibilities, under penalty number 9, article 57 (8).

Regarding the offending player, Nontawat Klinjampasri was found to have intentionally caused serious harm to his opponent. According to the Football Association of Thailand’s disciplinary regulations, chapter 3, section 2, article 1.12 (3), he was suspended and banned from playing for a total of 8 matches. Additionally, Nontawat was fined 80,000 baht. However, since the incident occurred in Thai League 3, the fine was reduced to one quarter, equaling 20,000 baht.