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.
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 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
Championship playoff
Top 4 of the league (Thai Farmers Bank, TOT, Bangkok Bank, Stock Exchange of Thailand) qualified for championship playoff.
Semifinals
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.
Top Goalscorers 21 Goals Amporn Ampansuwan - TOT 18 Goals Pittaya Santawong - Stock Exchange of Thailand 15 Goals Bunruam Srisang - Royal Thai Army Chaichan Kiewsen - Royal Thai Navy 14 Goals Isarawit Chaopanich - Raj Vithi Natipong Sritong-In - Thai Farmers Bank Yuttana Polsak - UCOM Raj Pracha 12 Goals Saman Deesanthiea - UCOM Raj Pracha Songserm Mapoem - Royal Thai Air Force 11 Goals Khanit Atcharayothin - Port Authority Phanuwat Yinphan - Thai Farmers Bank Suchin Phanpraphas - UCOM Raj Pracha 10 Goals Belly Yeb - Tobacco Monopoly Chiaocharn Praekhuntod - Sinthana Kajorn Punnawet - Royal Thai Police Pisit Foophao - Royal Thai Army Asian Representation
Thai Farmers Bank represented Thailand in the 1996–97 Asian Club Championship, where they would reach the second round, where they were beaten by eventual winners Pohang Steelers of South Korea.
Annual awards
Coach of the Year Withaya Laohakul - Bangkok Bank
Player of the Year Amporn Amparnsuwan - TOT
Top scorer Amporn Amparnsuwan - 21 GoalsFootball records in Thailand TOT
Champions The league champion was Bangkok Bank. It was the team's first title.
References
Thailand 1996/97 RSSSF
External links Official Website