FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

Reading FC also set to seek blessings from Thai monk

Reading FC also set to seek blessings from Thai monk

WITH PEOPLE still buzzing over Leicester City’s unlikely success in clinching their first-ever English Premier League title, Reading Football Club - one of the other two English clubs owned by Thai companies - is looking to take a leaf out of the Foxes’ b

It became a much-publicised story that the Leicester side have regularly been blessed by Phra Prommangkalachan on the way to what is widely regarded as arguably the biggest sporting achievement that has caught the imagination of fans around the world. 
With praise from across the globe still pouring in for the Foxes, who completed a fairytale journey from rank outsiders to become the English Premier League champions early this week, it was reported that second-tier Reading – the Royals – would follow suit by approaching a Thai Buddhist monk to bless the team. 
The Royals’ promotion hopes are already over as they are languishing in distant 15th spot in the 24-team Championship table, with just one game remaining. 
Reading’s Thai owners, though, will reportedly invite Phra-achan Wara Phunyawaro, the revered monk at Wat Poh Thong, to perform a blessing ritual at the English club. 
Sheffield Wednesday – the other Thai-owned club playing in the second-tier league of English football – have a chance, however, to return to the top flight as they are already assured of a promotion playoff spot. 
Should the Owls, owned by Thai Union Group, the world’s largest producer of canned tuna, earn promotion through the playoffs, the joy of Thai fans would no doubt double, as the Kingdom would then have two clubs with Thai owners in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Phra Prommangkala-chan, the assistant abbot of Wat Traimit, and national coach Kiatisak Senamuang are in the travelling party from Thailand to join Leicester’s Premier League title-winning celebrations when the Foxes entertain Everton in their last home league match of the season on Saturday. 
The unfashionable East Midlands club’s unlikely run to their first-ever top-flight crown culminates after the late kick-off game, when they lift the coveted trophy in front of cheering fans at the King Power Stadium. 
Kiatisak, 42, revealed he would seek advice from his Leicester counterpart Claudio Ranieri during the trip in preparing his Thailand team ahead of the decisive last-12 stage of Asian qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. 
“After the title-celebrating party ends on Saturday, we’ll have a chance to talk with Claudio as well as his scouting team to ask for their assistance before we begin our campaign in the last-12 round in September,” the former national striker said.
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