After a grueling nine months and two hundred and forty matches in the premier division of Thai football, the 2023/2024 Thai League 1 season is now concluded. Buriram United successfully defended the title once again; the northeaster giants won their tenth championship overall after a late collapse from rivals Bangkok United. But there is more than just the title fight. In fact, the season was eventful at both ends of the table. Here is our selection of the eleven ‘bests’ from the 2023/2024 season.
Champions: Buriram United
At the conclusion of the 12th week, Buriram was thought to be in for a challenging season. The team had already drawn five games in succession, and a rare win was quickly followed by a loss. Pundits predicted that 2024 would be Bangkok United’s turn on the championship, some even dared to call it Port’s or Pathum United’s.
But, if there is one lesson from 27 seasons of Thai League 1, it is “Don’t Bet Against Buriram.” Their loss in the league on Matchday 12 became their one and only loss at the end of the season, with the northeastern powerhouse going on an astonishing 18-game unbeaten run. Meanwhile, rivals failed to maintain their consistency and were overtaken one by one.
In the end, Buriram won the title by eight points over the heartbroken Bangkok. They were unbeaten in 29 out of 30 matches, scoring well over twice per match and conceded less than a goal. They comfortably qualified for next year’s inaugural AFC Champions League Elite.
It is Buriram’s tenth Thai championship overall, six more than double the amount their closest championship rival Mueangthong United has achieved.
Top scorers: Supachai Chaided and Port FC
Thai people have quickly grown to love local hero Supachai Chaided. After a decade-long drought in which no Thai nationals won the top scorer award, Supachai has managed to do it twice in a row. His 21 goals were massive in helping Buriram clinching their record-extending championship, and his tally for the team is already approaching three digits.
But it was not his team that netted the most this year. Port FC quietly enjoyed yet another productive season, finishing third in the league for the fifth time in the last six years. Although it was not their highest-scoring season ever, their 72 goals in 30 matches, an average of 2.4 per game, is enough to edge past Buriram in this regard.
Of course, with Supachai’s form being at an all-time high, Thailand would very much benefit from his service in their final game of the Second Round of Asian World Cup Qualifiers against Singapore. With China highly unlikely to overcome the ever-dominant South Korea, Thailand has to beat Singapore by more than two goals to progress to the third round of Qualifiers for the first-time in its history. Apart from enjoying this thrilling game, you can also experience a bit more by clicking on this m88 link for a chance of winning big together with your teams.
Best defenses: Patiwat, Siwarak and Bangkok United
No one in Thailand has not heard of the name “Siwarak Tedsungnoen.” The Thai veteran is not only one of Buriram’s greatest ever players, but he is also the most successful player in Thai League 1’s history; he has won all but one of Buriram’s ten championships. He is also the holder of the following records:
- Siwarak went 6 games without conceding a goal in 2014
- Siwarak is the first player to feature in 20 Thai League 1 seasons (2003/2004-2023/2024). His debut season was the season when Arsenal went the entire season unbeaten.
This year, his 13 clean sheets were only matched by a rising star, 29-year-old Patiwat Khammai from Bangkok United. Patiwat was one of the key players whose top form allowed Bangkok United to keep the title fight alive until the final games. In fact, he conceded three goals fewer than his senior compatriot: 24 to Siwarak’s 27.
Other key stats from the 2023/2024 Thai League 1 Season
Here are some more key stats from this year’s all-exciting Thai League season
- Top assists provider: Teerathon Bunmathan (Buriram) with 12 assists.
- Most draws: Khon Kaen United with 11 draws.
- Highest attendance: Buriram’s Chang Arena with 310,064 spectators in 15 home games or 20,671 on average.
- Transfer of the Year: Sathaphon Daengsi (Mueangthong)
- Teams qualified for regional football: Buriram (AFC Champions League Elite group stage), Bangkok (AFC Champions League Elite play-off round), and Port (AFC Champions League Elite 2 as third-placed team)
- Teams relegated to Thai League 2: Chonburi, Police Tero, and Trat.
- Teams promoted to Thai League 1: Nakhon Ratchasima, Nongbua Pitchaya, and Rayong.
- Total number of goals scored: 736 goals in 240 games. More than 3 goals each game. An increase of more than 15 percent from last season.
