Thai media stirred up as Coach Park Hang Seo joins a second-tier club

Coach Park Hang Seo's comeback to the sidelines is making waves in Thai media. His decision to take charge of a Thai League 2 club, after his previous success with Vietnam, is considered a surprising development before the 2026/27 campaign.

Right after the deal was announced, the website GOAL Thailand ran an eye-catching headline: “Shockwaves in Thai League 2! Kanchanaburi appoints Park Hang Seo as new head coach.”

The site wrote: “Kanchanaburi FC, under the leadership of chairman Pravat Kittamthamnukun, has officially introduced Park Hang Seo, former head coach of the Vietnam national team, as their new manager to prepare for the 2026/27 Thai League 2 season.

‘The Iron Horses,’ newcomers to the Thai League last season, had aimed for a top-three finish. However, the competition proved far tougher than expected. The club went through a series of upheavals, using four different coaches—Dusit Chalermsan, Joaquin Gomez, Wasapon Kaewpaluk, and Lee Jung-soo—before being relegated after finishing 16th in the 2025/26 season.

Recently, Kanchanaburi FC caused a major surprise in Southeast Asian football by appointing Park Hang Seo, the South Korean tactician who previously led the Vietnam national team, as their new head coach with the goal of bringing the club back to Thailand's top flight.

Park Hang Seo, now 67, is regarded as one of the most successful coaches in Vietnamese football history, having guided the ‘Golden Star Warriors’ to numerous titles and outstanding achievements in both Southeast Asia and Asia.

Before accepting the role at Kanchanaburi FC, Park was serving as Vice President of the Korea Football Association (KFA) and also as a senior advisor for Bac Ninh Club in Vietnam's second division.”

According to the announcement from Kanchanaburi FC on May 25, Coach Park Hang Seo has signed a two-year contract with the Thai club with the aim of returning the team to Thai League 1. Although the salary was not disclosed, this deal quickly attracted major attention from Southeast Asian media.

As he currently holds the position of Vice President of the Korea Football Association and is overseeing the South Korean national team for the 2026 World Cup, Park will officially take over Kanchanaburi only at the end of July. In the interim, assistant coach Lee Jung Soo will temporarily lead the team.

Thai media have described this as a ‘blockbuster’ move for Thai League 2, given Park Hang Seo's highly successful tenure with Vietnam. The South Korean strategist himself stated that he chose Thailand because he wanted to take on a new challenge and was convinced by Kanchanaburi's long-term vision.