The Football Association of Thailand has released the official regulations for the inaugeral season of the Thailand Premier League. Each club will play two league matches home and away against each other club each season.
The starting 12 clubs are Thai-Honda, Osotspa, Provincial Electricity Authority, Bangkok University, Bangkok Bank, BEC-Tero Sasana, Port Authority of Thailand, Krungthai Bank, Royal Thai Army, Chon Buri, Suphan Buri and defending champions the Thailand Tobacco Monopoly.
The champions will receive Bt10 million in prize money with the runners-up, the third place and the fourth placed teams receiving Bt3 million, Bt2 million and Bt1 million respectively. There will also be awards for best player of the year, manager of the year, young player of the year, fair play awards, golden boot and highest scoring team of the year. Each prize is worth Bt100,000.
The competition will be divided into two legs: the first from 16 December to 12 March and the second leg from 24 March until 10 or 11 June 2006, just before the FIFA World Cup begins.
At the end of the 2005-2006 season, the bottom two clubs will be relegated to Division One and replaced by the champions and runners-up from both Division One and the Provincial League for the next two seasons. This process will increase teams participationg in the Premier League to 14 in 2006-2007 and to 16 in 2007-2008.
The starting 12 clubs are Thai-Honda, Osotspa, Provincial Electricity Authority, Bangkok University, Bangkok Bank, BEC-Tero Sasana, Port Authority of Thailand, Krungthai Bank, Royal Thai Army, Chon Buri, Suphan Buri and defending champions the Thailand Tobacco Monopoly.
The champions will receive Bt10 million in prize money with the runners-up, the third place and the fourth placed teams receiving Bt3 million, Bt2 million and Bt1 million respectively. There will also be awards for best player of the year, manager of the year, young player of the year, fair play awards, golden boot and highest scoring team of the year. Each prize is worth Bt100,000.
The competition will be divided into two legs: the first from 16 December to 12 March and the second leg from 24 March until 10 or 11 June 2006, just before the FIFA World Cup begins.
At the end of the 2005-2006 season, the bottom two clubs will be relegated to Division One and replaced by the champions and runners-up from both Division One and the Provincial League for the next two seasons. This process will increase teams participationg in the Premier League to 14 in 2006-2007 and to 16 in 2007-2008.
See also: King's Cup delays Thailand Premier League launch (18 Oct)