KHON KAEN — Football fever erupted in this northeastern province on Saturday when hometown hero Kiatisak Senamuang arrived for a charity match.
Kiatisak 'Zico' Senamuang is flanked by fans as he strolls in Khon Kaen on Saturday. (Photo by Jakkrapan Nathanri)
Thousands of fans queued up at the 5,000-seat Khon Kaen Stadium in Muang district starting at 3am to be among the first to get tickets for the Charity Super Match between the Thai national football team and Khonkaen FC. The box office opened at 9am and all seats were gone within one hour.
Organisers installed seven big LED screens in the town to broadcast live the game that began at 6pm.
Fans enter the Khon Kaen Stadium to watch a charity match between Khonkaen FC and the national team coached by Kiatisak Senamuang. (Khonkaen FC Facebook photo)
The match was organised by the Khon Kaen Provincial Administration Organisation and the Zico Foundation to raise funds to construct a building for patients at Nam Phong hospital in Nam Phong district.
"The Thai team and Khonkaen FC will send their best players onto the pitch today," said Ongart Chartchaipolrat, the manager of the First Division team in the Thai league.
The national team coached by Kiatisak is in a warm-up campaign for the King's Cup which will be staged from Feb 1-7.
Kiatisak was born in Kumphawapi district in Udon Thani but spent most of his childhood in Nam Phong, Khon Kaen, which he considers his home.
Kiatisak restored the national team to glory when he guided the War Elephants to win the AFF Suziki Cup in December. The win ended a 12-year Asean championship drought for the Thai side.
He vowed to lead the hosts to victory in the King's Cup in the four-team, round-robin competition to be played in Nakhon Ratchasima.