Thailand legend questions appointment of Korean referee in 2024 ASEAN Cup final

"The AFF needs to reconsider how referees are assigned because sometimes it significantly impacts the match," Daily News quoted Piyapong.

"It's unreasonable for a coach and the referee to be from the same country. In the first leg, it’s fine that an Arab referee officiated, and his decisions were acceptable regardless of the outcome. But in the second leg, the referee was South Korean, sharing the same nationality as Vietnam's coach."

Referee Ko Hyung-jin gives Thailand's Weerathep Pomphan (L) a red card after he was booked twice in the second leg of the 2024 ASEAN Cup final with Vietnam in Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 5, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Dong

After Thailand lost to Vietnam in the second leg of the final on the evening of Jan. 5, many Thai fans criticized the main referee, Ko Hyung-jin. They accused him of failing to fulfill his duties, overlooking multiple fouls by Vietnam, and making decisions unfavorable to their team.

The most contentious incident was the red card issued to midfielder Weerathep Pomphan in the 74th minute when Thailand were leading 2-1. Reduced to 10 men, the hosts were pushed back, conceding two late goals to lose 2-3.

Ko, a 42-year-old South Korean, shares nationality with Vietnam's coach Kim Sang-sik, while Thailand's coach Masatada Ishii is Japanese. The match at Rajamangala Stadium was Ko's third officiating appearance in this tournament, including two games involving Vietnam. One of those was in the group stage when Kim's team won 4-1 against Laos.

Ko has over 15 years of experience as a FIFA referee, having officiated at the Asian Cup finals in 2019 and 2023, though he is not considered an elite referee in Asia.

"If the referee for the second leg of the 2024 ASEAN Cup final had been Japanese, that would also have been inappropriate," Piyapong added. "In the future, the AFF needs clear standards for referee assignments. This is also a way to improve the level of Southeast Asian players."

Piyapong, 65, a former teammate of coach Park Hang-seo, played for Lucky-Goldstar in South Korea. The Thai legend was the club's top scorer and assist provider in 1985 and was named in the season’s Best XI. He ranks second on Thailand's all-time scoring list with 70 goals in 100 matches, behind Kiatisuk Senamuang with 71 goals. He is currently a board member of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT).

When asked about the referee issue, FAT President Nualphan Lamsam stated that the organization would not lodge a complaint with the AFF. "Referee Ko admitted to me that he couldn’t keep up with the match’s tempo," said the president, nicknamed Madame Pang.

"Regarding Supachok Sarachat's goal, it's a matter of fair play. As for Weerathep Pomphan's red card, we must accept it," she said, refering to Sarachat's controversial shot when the ball was supposed to be returned to the Vietnam side.

Regarding the defeat to Vietnam, Madame Pang attributed part of the loss to the inability to assemble the strongest squad. She confirmed plans to continue the contract with coach Ishii, which still has more than a year remaining, and urged Thai fans to trust the Japanese coach.

"Coach Ishii said he would bring new blood to Thailand to prepare for the next four years. We must be patient. So, don’t overreact to poor results," Madame Pang told Siam Sport on Jan. 7.

Coach Ishii took charge of Thailand in December 2023, replacing Alexandre Polking, who had led the team to consecutive ASEAN Cup titles in 2020 and 2022. In the 2026 World Cup second qualifiers for Asia, Ishii impressed by helping Thailand draw 1-1 against South Korea and China away. They narrowly missed out on advancing to the third round due to an inferior goal difference to China, a consequence of a 1-2 loss during Polking’s tenure.