Coach the Thai referees and make them world class

No competition would be as intense as in the Thai Premier League, the country’s topflight division, with five bottom clubs to be relegated to Division One in order to reduce the number of teams in the top tier from 20 to 18 just as before.

With around two-thirds of the season over, the battle is bound to intensify not only at the top of the table but also at the opposite end. The pressure has been mounting particularly on those TPL clubs fighting for survival in the lucrative league.

Considering the fact that as many as five teams would be dropped out this time, the stakes are higher. It has put the referees under the spotlight since they could, more or less, influence the outcome of the match.

However, there has long been a big question mark hanging over the performance of referees. Some critics went as far as to allege that officials are paid to officiate in favour of certain clubs and some clubs could even exert influence to pick a certain referee for their matches.

Given such lingering doubts about officiating, fans, sometimes the players themselves, could become upset quickly when a referee makes a dubious decision against their team and it often leads to trouble both on the field and on terraces.

This month alone there were at least two controversial incidents involving the referees. The first came in Police United’s home league match against Muangthong United. Trailing by a goal, the hosts were denied an equaliser even though TV replays showed the ball was already over the line.

Struggling Police went on to lose the match 2-1, a result that deepened their relegation fears. It prompted the club’s boss Samrit Bunditkitsada to come out with guns blazing against refereeing in Thai football. If the “current system” was in place, Thailand could stop dreaming of earning a place in World Cup finals.

The more recent incident happened a fortnight ago when Singhtarua entertained Chainat at its intimidating PAT stadium. The visitors snatched a 2-1 win from a controversial penalty late in the match. After the game, angry Singhtarua fans, no strangers to off-the field trouble, attempted to break into the referee’s room before the officials brought the situation under control.

Facing mounting pressure from the public, the Thai FA sought to address the problem in a peculiar way. 

They tried to play upon the superstition of Thais by taking a group of referees to make a vow at the Emerald Buddha Temple to ensure they would do the job honestly. 

The move, however, does not nip the problem in the bud. The football authorities should try to find long-term solutions such as organising courses to develop the match officials into world class referees or trying to help the referees make a living from the job. 

The problem is certainly not too difficult to resolve but it perhaps requires more sincerity from football administrators in order to sort it out effectively.