1996–97 Thailand Soccer League

Between 1916 and 1995, the Kor Royal Cup was the top level of club football competition. In 1996 the Thai Premier League (official name: Johnnie Walker Thailand Soccer League) was established by the Football Association of Thailand, sponsored by whiskey manufacturing brand Johnnie Walker.

Thai Premier League
Season1996/97
ChampionsBangkok Bank
RelegatedThailand Tobacco Monopoly
Osotsapa
Bangkok Bank of Commerce
Rajvithi-Agfatech
Krung Thai Bank
Singha-Thamrongthai
1997–98 Asian Club ChampionshipBangkok Bank FC
1997–98 Asian Cup Winners CupRoyal Thai Air Force FC
Top goalscorer Ampon Ampansuwan (TOT) (21)
Highest scoringRoyal Thai Air Force 4-3
Port Authority of Thailand
Rajvithi-Agfatech 4-3
Royal Thai Police
(7 goals)
1997 →

In its first season, 1996/97, the Thai Premier League consisted of 18 teams from the Kor Royal Cup. Top 4 teams in the final league table would be qualified for championship playoffs, and six teams at the bottom of the league table would be relegated to the Thailand Division 1 League which was to be created next season (1997).

The defending Champions of the Kor Royal Cup, Thai Farmers Bank FC, would enter the next edition of the Asian Club Championship.

Member clubs locations
Bangkok Metro
Bangkok Metro teams
Bangkok Bank
Bangkok Bank of Commerce
Krung Thai Bank F.C.
Osotsapa M-150
Port Authority of Thailand
UCOM Raj Pracha
Rajvithi-Agfatech
Royal Thai Air Force
Royal Thai Army
Royal Thai Navy
Royal Thai Police
Singha Tero Sasana
Singha-Thamrongthai
Sinthana
Stock Exchange of Thailand
Thai Farmers Bank
Thailand Tobacco Monopoly
TOT
Locations of the Thailand Soccer League 1996-97 teams
  • Bangkok Bank
  • Bangkok Bank of Commerce
  • Krung Thai Bank
  • Osotsapa M-150
  • Port Authority of Thailand
  • UCOM Raj Pracha
  • Rajvithi-Agfatech
  • Royal Thai Air Force
  • Royal Thai Army
  • Royal Thai Navy
  • Royal Thai Police
  • Singha Tero Sasana
  • Singha-Thamrongthai
  • Sinthana
  • Stock Exchange of Thailand
  • Thai Farmers Bank
  • Thailand Tobacco Monopoly
  • TOT

Final league table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Thai Farmers Bank 34 18 10 6 56 25 +31 64 Qualification for the championship playoff
2 TOT 34 17 11 6 61 35 +26 62
3 Bangkok Bank 34 17 11 6 54 34 +20 62
4 Stock Exchange of Thailand 34 17 9 8 59 31 +28 60
5 UCOM Raj Pracha 34 16 12 6 62 36 +26 60
6 Sinthana 34 17 6 11 45 45 0 57
7 Royal Thai Air Force 34 14 12 8 48 35 +13 54
8 Royal Thai Army 34 14 12 8 60 50 +10 54
9 Royal Thai Navy 34 13 12 9 44 29 +15 51
10 Royal Thai Police 34 13 11 10 53 39 +14 50
11 Port Authority 34 9 14 11 44 39 +5 41
12 Singha Tero Sasana 34 9 14 11 37 44 −7 41
13 Tobacco Monopoly 34 7 14 13 37 44 −7 35 Relegation spot
14 Osotsapa 34 8 10 16 41 73 −32 34
15 Bangkok Bank of Commerce 34 7 11 16 34 47 −13 32
16 Rajvithi-Agfatech 34 8 8 18 43 71 −28 32
17 Krung Thai Bank 34 5 9 20 32 54 −22 24
18 Singha-Thamrongthai 34 1 6 27 26 101 −75 9
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd head-to-head; 3rd goal difference; 4th goals scored

Championship playoff

Top 4 of the league (Thai Farmers Bank, TOT, Bangkok Bank, Stock Exchange of Thailand) qualified for championship playoff.

Semifinals

February 23, 1997

Team 1 Result Team 2
Stock Exchange of Thailand 2-0 Thai Farmers Bank
Bangkok Bank 3-2 TOT

Final

March 16, 1997

Team 1 Result Team 2
† Bangkok Bank 2-0 Stock Exchange of Thailand

† Champions : Bangkok Bank (Qualification for the Asian Club Championship).

Season notes
  • The league will be reduced in size to consist of only 12 teams for season 1997. The competing clubs will be: Bangkok Bank, Stock Exchange of Thailand, Thai Farmers Bank FC, TOT, Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Air Force, Sinthana, UCOM-Rajpracha, Royal Thai Navy, Port Authority BEC Tero Sasana and Royal Thai Police.
  • Another six teams, who failed to make it into the top 12 elite, Thailand Tobacco Monopoly, Osotsapa, Bangkok Bank of Commerce, Raj Vithi, Krung Thai Bank and Thamrongthai will join the top four teams from the old second division - Rayong, Samut Prakan, Royal Household Bureau and Bank for Agriculture and Co-Operatives - to make up a new second tier. It was also confirmed that there will be no play-offs for the championship this year and just one team will go either down to the Second Division and up to the first. However, the second bottom team in the top division will have to face. The second placed team in the second division to decide who takes up a place in the top 12 next year.

Asian Representation

Annual awards

Coach of the Year
  • Withaya Laohakul - Bangkok Bank

Player of the Year
  • Amporn Amparnsuwan - TOT

Top scorer
  • Amporn Amparnsuwan - 21 Goals[1] TOT

Champions

The league champion was Bangkok Bank. It was the team's first title.

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References
  1. Football records in Thailand
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