That’s almost half of all the 20 teams battling it out in the top flight, which means you’re pretty much guaranteed at least one live game to go and watch in and around Bangkok on any given weekend. If you don't already have a team, you’re sure to find one to match your personality. Of course, the most obvious pick in these troubled times would be Army United who play out at Thai Army Sports Stadium: it’s the patriotic thing to do and we have a feeling that referees may be more inclined to give them 50-50 decisions under the present regime. For those who just like winning, it’s hard to look past the might and money of current league leaders Muangthong United. If you like to hark back to former glories, then you should opt for BEC Tero who also play in red. Aside from them, you can get up close and personal at the always raucous Singhatharua right in the heart of Klongtoey, avoid the crowds altogether at Bangkok United, hop along to Bangkok Glass, the home of the rabbits, get connected with TOT or opt to support the boys in brown by cheering on Police United. Go here for a full run down of the capital’s clubs and get watching: http://ow.ly/xvzJ3

OK, so the game might be getting better in terms of stadiums, training, players and the general sum of money being thrown around, but it still serves up some particularly crazy moments on and off the field. Despite the TPL’s attempts to crack down on bad behavior with massive fines (over B3.5 million this season), even for supporters shouting abuse at referees—surely the whole reason for going to football games—this season has already provided plenty of entertainment. Aside from the usual dodgy decisions, these include Chiang Mai player Angelo Machuca being banned for seven games for head-butting a referee, two TG Rayong teammates getting sent off for fighting with each other, and the club president of Chiang Mai (yes, them again) slapping a referee—oh, and he also happens to be a Vice President of the FA, too. Still, our personal favorite has to be footballing colossus Buriram chairman Newin Chidchob storming into the Muangthong United dressing room and throttling an opposition official after he apparently held his wife’s hand. Of course, a more orderly league would be a good thing for the game in general, but would it really be as much fun?

There was a time international players coming to Thailand were considered mercenaries looking to make a quick buck, or has-beens attempting to eke out their footballing existence. While there’s still some truth in that, the reality is the quality of footballers plying their trade in the TPL is definitely on the up. Of course, it’s the big boys who have the pedigree players. Muangthong United, for example, boast one-time England international Jay Bothroyd, Macedonian midfielder Mario Durovski, Australian international Erik Paartalu, and defender Dong-Jin Kim, who has over sixty caps for South Korea. Elsewhere, Buriram United have Filipino striker Javier Patiño Lachica, BEC Tero have the wonderfully named Georgie Wilson Welcome Collins, who has played at the World Cup for Honduras, and Bangkok United have Croatian under-21 representative Antun Pali, to name but a few. In total, there are over 140 overseas players in the TPL this season. The highest numbers come from Asian powerhouses Japan (23) and South Korea (20), but the league also pulls in players from as far afield as Brazil (21), Madagascar and Afghanistan. The strict restrictions on having just seven overseas players in your overall squad, and only four on the pitch, thankfully mean this isn’t stopping talented Thai footballers from getting a game. Plus, as both the TPL players we talked to (see this page) point out, Thai players also get to experience training methods and techniques practiced elsewhere in the footballing world.

 

Jay Bothroyd,