The adjustment of foreign player quotas in the "Thai League" continues to be a topic of ongoing debate within the Thai football community.
There are supporters and many opponents, but now the Football Association and the "Thai League" have definitely concluded to "revise" the quota.
In reality, the numbers are not much different from before, since registration can follow the old system with 7 foreigners plus unlimited ASEAN players, or the new system with 10 foreigners registered. Ultimately, only 7 foreign players can play on the field, as before.
The number of foreign players allowed on the field remains at 7, unchanged. The difference is that currently it’s 5 foreigners plus 2 ASEAN players, but next year it will be 7 players from any nationality without distinction.
Currently, most ASEAN quota players in the "Thai League" are already mixed-heritage or of dual descent, so this change is almost like removing the ASEAN quota entirely and making all 7 spots purely foreign players from any country.
I do not agree with the revised foreign player quota, but I understand that nowadays many tournaments and leagues have almost no quota restrictions. Therefore, it would be difficult for the "Thai League" to reduce the foreign player quota.
The most important issue is how Thai football will develop Thai players, whether through "reserve leagues" or "youth leagues"—these are necessary to develop players alongside the league.
A development plan for the future is essential; it’s not acceptable to do nothing and then blame the foreign player quota when the national team fails, especially since those changes were made by the league itself.
For the current and future Thai League, we must hope Thai players strive to compete with foreign players. Personally, it’s heartening to see Thai players perform well, especially when they score goals.
Nowadays, foreign strikers dominate every club, so it is very challenging for a Thai player to become the season’s top scorer.
Although Supachai Jaided won the Thai League top scorer title consecutively in the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 seasons, achieving that again will be very difficult.
This season, Guilherme Bissoli, striker for Buriram United, has been outstanding with 15 goals, making it hard for anyone to catch up. Meanwhile, Supachai has scored only 3 goals due to a long injury break of more than two months.
The Thai player with the most goals currently is Theerasak Phaipimai, forward for Port FC, who has scored 6 goals, tying for 6th place in this season’s Thai League top scorers.
Considering the goal gap, aiming for the top scorer title seems unlikely, but we want to support and cheer for Thai players to score more because the striker position is crucial in deciding the outcome of football matches.
Theerasak Phaipimai’s lead as the top Thai scorer shows he is having an excellent season, shedding his "super-sub" label and becoming one of the first-choice starters for his team.
Unfortunately, for the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, when Thailand hosts Turkmenistan to vie for a spot in the finals, Port FC’s striker is suspended and cannot play.
This presents a challenge for Anthony Hudson, the Thai national team head coach, who must consider who will replace him.
Certainly, Jude Suntharaphon-Bell, who is in England, will likely be called up, but that alone is not enough. Which Thai League strikers are promising?
The name Theerasil Dangda is always mentioned, but “Pee Mui” faces ongoing injury issues at age 37, recently missing the match where True Bangkok United defeated Buriram United away.
Thai fans hope "Pee Mui" recovers soon and want the number 10 striker to score many goals and break the all-time Thai League top scorer record. He is currently just 9 goals behind Heberty Fernandes, who holds 159 goals.
However, the question is whether "Pee Mui" will recover in time for the national team. Therefore, they must look for a new striker. The most promising young player right now is Yosakorn Burapha, striker for Chonburi.
"Sharks" Chonburi decided to bring Yosakorn back from the Singapore Premier League for the second leg, and he has not disappointed, scoring 4 goals in 6 matches across all competitions.
Yosakorn’s strengths include his physicality, outmuscling foreign players in the Thai League, powerful shots, effective free kicks, and strong heading. He is truly a new hope for Thai football and deserves a spot in the 2027 Asian Cup squad to face Turkmenistan on 31 March.
By...Bubble