Vote for new Thai FA chief gets go-ahead
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The Sports Authority of Thailand has given the green light for the Football Association presidential election to take place on August 8, as requested by Virach Chanpanich, one of the candidates running for the post.
Virach and Annop Singtothong, the Chonburi FC vice president, who were behind the move to stage the election following expiry of Worawi Makudi’s two-year mandate in mid June, yesterday submitted a letter to the SAT governor Kanokphand Chulakasem.
They asked whether the FA’s club members had the right to conduct the vote themselves, after the association refused their previous request to hold the election.
Kanokphand responded to receiving the letter by calling a meeting, where the matter was discussed for more than two hours. He then emerged from the meeting room to tell waiting reporters that the club members, as entitled by law, had the right to stage the election on August 8. Virach later explained that if they received the backing of one-third of members, the FA membership was mandated by FA statutes to stage the election themselves if the association failed to do so after 21 days, and after 30 days, according to civil law.
“The SAT suggested that we follow the rules. The 30-day period will be over on August 1. The next day, we will send letters to club members seven days in advance of the vote.” said Virach.
