Prosecutors indict 15 on football match-fix charges

Prosecutors have indicted 15 men, including top-flight footballers, referees and sponsors for alleged match-fixing in the country’s top flight domestic league.

The alleged offences occurred during matches in the Thai League T1 last year, prosecutors handling the case said at a media briefing at the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) yesterday.

Of the 15, two are referees, eight are either current or former players from Navy and Si Sa Ket football clubs, and five are sponsors or major gamblers.

One suspect was not indicted as he was viewed as playing a very minor role and would be treated as a witness at the suggestion of the police.

The 15 were taken to the Criminal Court for their indictment.

The court accepted the case and set Sept 10 to examine evidence for the trial. The suspects all denied the charges and were granted bail.

The five sponsors face match-fixing charges that fall under the Professional Sports Promotion Act as well as the Gambling Act.

The remaining suspects have been charged under the Professional Sports Promotion Act.

Pitak Obsuwan, head of the OAG’s Department of Criminal Litigation, said prosecutors have attached a great deal of importance to the case since the Professional Sports Promotion Act was enacted to upgrade ethical standards in sports.

He said it is the duty of all sportsmen and those involved in sporting circles to stick to the accepted rules and regulations and set a good example for others.

On March 13, assistant national police chief Pol Lt Gen Manu Mekmok, who led the investigation, submitted a 3,000-page investigation report, with the recommendation that the 15 be indicted.

Police conducted the probe after the Football Association of Thailand lodged a complaint about suspected match-fixing in the Thai League.

This was the first time police had conducted and forwarded the results of a sporting investigation to prosecutors since the Professional Sports Promotion Act came into force in 2013.

If found guilty, the players and masterminds could be jailed for up to five years and/or fined between 200,000 and 500,000 baht.

The referees face up to 10 years in jail, a fine of between 300,000 and 600,000 baht, or both.

The arrests marked the first serious crackdown on cheating in Thai football.