Somyot Poompanmoung: Power, controversy, and football fallout

Former police chief Somyot Poompanmoung, whose tenure as Football Association of Thailand (Thai FA) president from 2016 to 2024 drew both praise and criticism, is back in the spotlight.

His successor as Thai FA president, Nualphan Lamsam, has announced plans to sue him and his executive team over financial damage they allegedly left behind.

The decision came after the Supreme Court in early March ordered the Thai FA to pay Siam Sport Syndicate Plc 360 million baht, plus interest, for “unfairly terminating” a contract to broadcast Thai League matches.

Nualphan, who assumed the Thai FA presidency in February 2024, blamed Somyot's team for creating the crisis by scrapping the agreement. She also pointed to other suspected irregularities under Somyot’s tenure.

The new football chief burst into tears during a March 11 press conference at Thai FA headquarters, expressing frustration over the huge financial burden her team has been left to shoulder.

The Siam Sport deal was originally signed during the tenure of Somyot’s predecessor, Worawi Makudi, who claims that his successor inherited promised benefits of 4.8 billion baht from pay-TV broadcaster True Visions between 2014 and 2020.

Somyot, 70, denies the allegations of mismanagement, complaining they have damaged his reputation. In a March 17 letter addressed to Nualphan, he urged her to go ahead with the court case “so that I will have an opportunity to prove the truth”.

Former top cop

Somyot’s two terms as Thai FA president came after a successful if controversial police career, capped by his promotion to national police chief in 2014.

Somyot was born on December 27, 1954, in Ayutthaya. After completing secondary school in his home province, he transferred to the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School, before graduating from the Royal Police Cadet Academy.

He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in law from Ramkhamhaeng University, a master's in political science from India’s Pune University, and a PhD in justice administration from Suan Dusit Rajabhat University.

Somyot entered the police force in 1978 as a deputy inspector of investigation at Bangkok’s Phra Khanong police station. He climbed the ladder at the Metropolitan Police Bureau, becoming deputy superintendent in 1989 and superintendent by 1995.

In 1997, he was promoted to deputy commander of the Immigration Bureau, becoming a full commander two years later.

Somyot rose to commander of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) in 2008 before becoming assistant national police chief in October 2009 and deputy police chief the following year.

He was named police chief in October 2014, serving as Thailand’s top cop until his mandatory retirement a year later.

During almost four decades in law enforcement, Somyot built connections with senior police officers, wealthy tycoons, and powerful politicians.

‘Just a sideline’

In February 2018, Somyot was questioned by the Department of Special Investigation after admitting that while serving as police chief, he had borrowed 300 million baht from Kampol Wirathepsuporn, a massage tycoon wanted on suspicion of human trafficking for sex work.

The loan was uncovered after police raided Kampol’s Bangkok massage parlours and discovered several underage masseurs working there.

The ex-top cop claimed that Kampol was an old friend who shared a love of Buddhist amulets and had helped him out at a difficult time. Somyot said he had repaid the loan, which he had declared to authorities.

However, he stirred more controversy by suggesting that his police career was merely a “sideline” to his main occupation – doing business.

“Throughout my career, it could almost be said my position as a police officer was a sideline. My main job was doing business, and this is well known in business circles. I like investing in the stock market, which brings me both profits and losses,” Somyot told a TV interviewer in February 2018.

According to media reports, his portfolio of stocks in 11 listed companies is worth over 730 million baht.

In August last year, Somyot, a former deputy attorney-general and six others were indicted in the 2012 fatal hit-and-run case involving Red Bull scion Vorayuth Yoovidhya. The crash killed a police officer.

The defendants are accused of dereliction of duty over suspected doctoring of the recorded speed of the Ferrari driven by Vorayuth. The change in speed led to his dismissal for lethal reckless driving.