Thailand’s football season has ended early after the death of the king, handing a perhaps unsatisfactory title to the league leaders and leaving the league cup final to be decided by lottery.
Muangthong United were crowned Thai League champions, while two of the three clubs to be relegated might have stayed up had the remaining three rounds of matches been played.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej died last week aged 88, after seven decades on the throne. The government announced a 30-day mourning period during which people were expected to wear black or dark clothing and abstain from entertainment including concerts and sports events.
The football association initially announced that the season was over, but a day later it said further discussions would take place after the relegated teams lodged appeals. When all the league clubs then met, 17 out of 18 agreed to end the season early.
It is likely there was strong pressure to vote in favour of the ruling. Strict lese-majesty laws in Thailand make it a crime to criticise members of the royal family, and it would be risky for a football club or any other business to be seen as prioritising its ambitions over a period of national mourning.
Advertisers have turned their billboards black for a month and dozens of events, including the annual Bangkok world film festival and a Morrissey concert, have been postponed.
Chainat Hornbill, one of the relegated clubs, voted in favour of the cancellation, but its vice-president said he would consider raising the case with Fifa.
“I would like to inform you that we do agree with the decision to cancel matches, because we can mourn for the loss of the king, and to remember his majesty’s boundless and gracious kindness. But we will fight for justice and fairness,” Anirut Nakasai wrote on Facebook.
Meanwhile a supporter of Bangkok United, who finished five points behind Muangthong United, said the remaining matches should have been postponed rather than cancelled.
“They could have asked the clubs to observe a minute’s silence before the start of every remaining match until the season ends. This way, I think football fans would understand,” said Pansa Suwanthichakorn, 29.
“[Bangkok United] is normally fighting against relegation. I had never ever thought we would get this far,” Pansa added. “It’s a pity that we didn’t have chance to fight for the title.”
Many posters on Thai football forums were upset. One said the decision should not have been made so soon. “They should have waited to calm down, waited for our society to feel OK, then they could make announcement,” they wrote.
Others were more understanding, with one saying the cancellation should be a lesson to teams to perform well “from the beginning of the season”.
Additional reporting by Phakarat Ryn Jirenuwat
