Ultras caused damage to the country: Somyot

The Thai FA boss yesterday chaired a meeting where the issue of a supporters group, dubbed “Ultra Thailand”, lighting flares during Saturday’s fixture high on agenda. 

The ill-judged action by the minority among the generally well-behaved home crowd put the national association at risk of punishment from the world soccer governing body Fifa.  The sanctions potentially range from a fine to a ban from hosting home fixture.

Somyot suggested the cooperation from supporters was necessary to prevent a repeat of such an incident that, he said, has tarnished the image of Thai football.

“Today, we talked about the incident that unfortunately occurred on Saturday. It caused damage to the reputation of our country and Thai football. We may be fined or banned from hosting the game in the country or play a game behind closed doors. The worst is that we would be suspended from competing.

“It’s too difficult if the association tries to solve the problem alone. We need cooperation from fans. They need to know what they can do and what they can’t. Their action not only damages the reputation of the association but also that of the country.

“I, myself, cannot handle it when it comes to the damage it caused to our country. I didn’t want it to happen. Those who did it should take responsibility for their action. It’s all about being conscious of what they can do. So, we’re trying to find a way to prevent a repeat of those things in the future.”

Somyot wondered how ordinary fans could sneak into the stadium with flares despite the tight security measures being employed on the match day.

“We’re well aware that the measures we took were just as tight as possible. We used bomb detectors and deployed both female and male security officers. However, the troublemakers could still find a way to get through the security check.       

“We learned that they threw down a rope to bring backpack containing flares up to the stands. I have no idea why they go that far to do that. So, that makes me believe they wanted to damage the reputation of the association under my administration.

“They only think about the damage they can cause to the association without realising of the negative consequences for the country. It’s not just about they’re happy to see the association being fined. What they did could lead to the country being suspended from international competitions.”

Meanwhile, metropolitan police commissioner Pol Lt Gen Sanit Mahathavorn said the authorities already asked the court to issue arrest warrants for two out of nine suspects involved in the incident.