Leicester City players and officials arrived at Bangkok’s Wat Debsirindrawas yesterday to pay respects to club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who was tragically killed in a helicopter crash last Saturday.
Billionaire Vichai, founder of Thai duty-free giant King Power International, was among five people killed when his chopper spiralled out of control outside Leicester’s King Power Stadium following the Premier League match against West Ham United.
The delegation left the UK immediately after the team’s 1-0 victory over promoted Cardiff City on Saturday and touched down in Bangkok yesterday afternoon.
Most of the first-team players including Jamie Vardy, Kasper Schmeichel, Harry Maguire, captain Wes Morgan, Wilfred Ndidi, Christian Fuchs, James Maddison, Marc Albrighton, Ben Chilwell, Shinji Okazaki and Andy King arrived with manager Claude Puel and the club’s director of football Jon Rudkin.
The week-long ceremony to mark Vichai’s passing will last until Friday.
The cremation ceremony has yet to be scheduled.
With Vichai’s funeral underway on Saturday in Bangkok, grief-stricken Leicester headed to Cardiff for a match that served as a chance to honour their late owner and begin the healing process.
While results have been rendered irrelevant by the crash, it was fitting that Leicester took the points in their first match since Vichai’s death, thanks to Demarai Gray’s second-half winner at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Leicester goalkeeper Schmeichel felt the tragedy more than most as he witnessed the immediate aftermath of the crash moments after the helicopter went down.
“That was a tough game, not just on the pitch, but mentally,” Schmeichel said.
“I feel proud. It’s been a really tough week for everyone. The way everyone at the club handles themselves is a testament to the family Vichai built,” he added.
“That took a lot. It has been an emotional day. I’m glad we got three points for him.
“I can’t imagine what his family are going through. We did it for him and his family.”
Leicester’s players had worn white T-shirts bearing Vichai’s image and the words “The Boss” on the front of them during the pre-match warm-up.
A minute’s silence was impeccably observed, with a wreath laid on the pitch and images of Vichai shown on the scoreboards behind either goal.
Leicester’s players and staff linked arms on the centre circle to pay tribute during a poignant silence that left Schmeichel in tears.
Puel’s team, playing with poise and desire despite their traumatic week, finally had a cathartic moment in the 55th minute.
A superb cross from Chilwell was finished off by Gray, who celebrated by lifting his shirt to reveal a message that read “For Vichai”.
It earned Gray a booking from referee Lee Probert in a move that followed the letter of the law, but showed little common sense given the circumstances.
The Leicester fans sang Vichai’s name for the rest of the afternoon and, at the final whistle, the visiting players came together to embrace.
“We were very close to the chairman,” skipper Morgan said. “We know what his wishes were. He used to come down at home games, have a joke and a laugh, always say, ‘Want win and three points.’
“It has not been an easy week, we had to try and hold our emotions in today and do the best we can.”
Stalemate at the Emirates
On any other weekend, the showdown between revitalised Arsenal and title-chasing Liverpool would have hogged the spotlight which instead shone on Leicester.
The Emirates Stadium clash proved a classic encounter as Arsenal showed they are capable of going toe to toe with the top four after years of underachievement. Alexandre Lacazette’s late equaliser gave the Gunners a 1-1 draw.
Unai Emery’s side fell behind to James Milner’s clinical finish after Bernd Leno pushed out Sadio Mane’s cross in the 61st minute.
But fifth placed Arsenal extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 14 games as French striker Lacazette smashed home from a tight angle in the 82nd minute.
“I am only 50 percent happy because we wanted to win. The balance was good in our speed and intensity. Maybe we deserve a little more,” Emery said.
Fine tune-up for Thais
Thailand national team yesterday warmed up in style for their Friday's 2018 Suzuki Cup opener against Timor Leste as they trounced Thai League 1 side Chonburi 5-0.
The match was the final tune-up for the War Elephants and coach Milovan Rajevac will now trim the squad down to 23 players.
The warm-up was played behind closed doors at Le Meridien Suvarnabhumi hotel football grounds where Nurul Sriyankem claimed a first-half brace.
Adisak Kraisorn gave the national team a 3-0 advantage before the break, while Tanaboon Kesarat and Anon Amornlertsak found the net in the second half.
Defending champions Thailand next face Timor Leste in the Suzuki Cup on Friday at Rajamangala National Stadium.
The Thais have been drawn in Group B along with Timor Leste, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore for the round-robin phase of the tournament.
The top two teams of Groups A and B advance to the semi-finals of the biennial regional championship.
RESULTS
Arsenal 1 (Lacazette 82) Liverpool 1 (Milner 61); Bournemouth 1 (Wilson 11) Manchester United 2 (Martial 35, Rashford 90+2); Cardiff 0 Leicester 1 (Gray 55); Everton 3 (Richarlison 26, 77, Coleman 50) Brighton 1 (Dunk 33); Newcastle 1 (Perez 65) Watford 0; West Ham 4 (Arnautovic 10, Anderson 68, 84, Hernandez 90+2) Burnley 2 (Gudmundsson 45, Wood 77); Wolves 2 (Neves 68-pen, Jimenez 79-pen) Tottenham 3 (Lamela 27, Moura 30, Kane 61)
