THAILAND LIFE AND CULTURE
Thai League Football Derby Match
Thailand’s Leicester City prodigy goes up against several national team footballers
Match Day Magazine — Inside Kirin: Muangthong United vs BG Pathum United, Sunday, February 18th, 2024.
Welcome to the Thunderdome Stadium and tonight’s Thai League fixture with neighbours BG Pathum United.
The injury-time losses to Bangkok United and Port FC this week underscore the uphill struggle for Muangthong at the start of this second leg, facing the league’s top teams in succession.
A win allows the ‘rabbits’ to hop into third place. Players to watch include former Muangthong legends Teerasil Danga (#10) and Chanathip Songkrasin (#18), two of five in the BG squad who used to wear the red of Muangthong.
It will be hard not to notice Frenchman Seydine N’Diaye, the league’s tallest centre-back at 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in). There’s no need to list his jersey number for you; he’ll stand out.
Thailand’s National Football Team
On the pitch tonight are several footballers featured in the recent Asian Cup. Four rabbits made the trip to Qatar, such as Santiphap Channgom (#23) and Jakkapan Praisuwan (#16).
Muangthong United midfielder Picha Autra (#37) saw action against Uzbekistan, and winger Jaroensak Wonggorn (#11) helped Thailand in the 0–0 draw with Saudi.
The Play Maker — Kirin #10 — Thanawat
Thanawat ‘Gunn’ Suengchitthawon has also played for Thailand, with nine appearances for the senior team and another five with the U23 squad.
Born in 2000 in Suphanburi but raised in France, Thanawat speaks French, English, and Thai
By age six, he was training with his local club, and by his 13th birthday, French league club Nancy came calling. The seven years with Nancy were pivotal and Thanawat developed into a promising young midfielder.
“When we moved to France, I didn’t know anyone, and football was the way to make new friends and learn the language.”
— Thanawat Suengchitthawon
By the age of twenty, he had gained the attention of Leicester City and transferred to ‘The Foxes’ for their U21 side.
Soon, Thanawat was training with the first team alongside Jonny Evans, Jamie Vardy, Kasper Schmeichel, and others. He made history for Thai football when Brendan Rodgers included Gunn as a possible substitute in Leicester’s home match against Manchester City.
My first three months with Leicester were incredible. It was a whole new level of training and intensity I had to get used to. I learned so much from that time.” — Thanawat Suengchitthawon
After three seasons at Leicester City, Thanawat joined Muangthong United, but a chronic injury kept him sidelined for the entire first leg of games.
Thanawat is now 100% fit and back on the pathway to football stardom. He recently turned 24, and his best years of football are still to come.
Thanawat’s role is that of a creative playmaker, patrolling the transition zone between the back line and the attack. Thailand international players Kritsada Kaman (#2) and former Kirin Sarach Yooyen (#6) must defend Thanawat’s ability to deliver that killer pass or dart into the opponent’s box.
What’s Next for the Kirin
On Friday, the squad travels to Nakhon Pathom. Then, a slate of six home games begins on March 3 against PT Prachuap and ends against Lamphun Warriors on April 21.
Also, on March 13, the Kirin travel to Satun in southern Thailand for the League Cup Round of 16 fixture.
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