Thai player fired from club for punching referee

A video screenshot shows Srithai Bookok wearing an eye patch after being assaulted by Songkran Puangnoi.

The incident occurred at Khao Takiap Stadium as Rajpracha led Hua Hin 3-0 at the end of the first half of the March 2 game. After a Rajpracha player went down following a clearance attempt, the referee halted play for medical staff to take care of him. Believing the player was faking an injury to waste time, Puangnoi approached and kicked his opponent.

The referee immediately gave out a red card, but Puangnoi reacted furiously, punching him in the face before turning to strike Srithai Bookok of Rajpracha. The match was delayed for eight minutes due to the chaos.

When play resumed, the referee also booked Chutiphan Nopnob of Rajpracha. Meanwhile, Bookok suffered a serious right eye injury, was unable to continue and had to be substituted. Rajpracha went on to win the game 5-2.

According to Siamsport, Bookok may require eye surgery due to a blood clot and Rajpracha has urged him to file an assault complaint against Puangnoi with local police.

Hua Hin issued a formal apology to Rajpracha, the referee and the assaulted player. The club announced it had terminated Puangnoi’s contract and was considered the harshest possible punishment for his actions.

The case has drawn even greater scrutiny because Puangnoi is also a police officer. In a social media post, he apologized for losing his temper and took responsibility for his actions.

Under Thai football regulations, violent conduct that damages the sport's image typically results in a 2-4 match ban and a fine of 40,000 to 60,000 baht ($1,170 to $1,750). However, Thairath reported that Songkran is likely to face a much harsher punishment due to the severity of the attack.

Football Association of Thailand president Nualphan Lamsam has expressed disappointment, particularly given Puangnoi’s role as a police officer, and is urgently reviewing the disciplinary action for this case.