Somyot names his team for election, insists he has the ‘support of FAT members’
>> Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuang, who is seeking re-election to the office of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) president, yesterday announced the names of his 18 members for the organisation’s executive committee.
Somyot faced strong criticism from his opponents for the delay in naming his panel for the Feb 12 election for the top FAT post.
Former FAT boss Worawi Makudi and Nakhon Sawan MP Pinyo Niroj of the ruling Palang Pracharat Party are the other two candidates in the election.
Somyot told a press conference that if re-elected, Annop Singtothong, Supasin Leelarit, Lukananan Luksameethananan, Sirima Panitcheewa and Adisak Benjasiriwan would serve as FAT vice presidents.
He reiterated that he had the backing of a majority of FAT members and was confident of winning another four-year term.
“I would not have entered the race if I wasn’t confident of the support from clubs in all domestic leagues,” said Somyos. “There are about 50 member clubs who are supporting me and I would like to thank them for their faith in my abilities.”
Somyot’s supporters include Thai League 1 champions Chiang Rai United and runners-up Buriram United.
There are 69 eligible voters in the Feb 12 election including 16 Thai League 1 clubs.
Somyos said his top priority upon re-election would be to continue developing football in the country according to the FAT’s 20-year plan.
“The FAT was established more than 100 years ago and we still don’t have a national development centre while countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea and China all have such facilities in place,” he added.
“We have a deal with King Power worth 500 million baht to build such a centre, using the same model as English Premier League club Leicester City.”