On July 26, 2023, Thai Port Football Club President, Nuanphan Lamsam, initially delighted fans when she announced an upcoming friendly match between Leicester City and Thai Port. The match was set to take place at Pat Stadium in Bangkok’s Klong Toey district, scheduled for 4.30 pm. Excitement grew as Leicester City promised to allocate 5,000 tickets for their devoted fans, with the added bonus that those who had purchased tickets for the previously canceled match could use them for entry to this game. Additionally, Thai Port FC generously revealed they would offer 1,000 special seats to their passionate supporters.
Nuanphan expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “This is one of the most exciting matches in my career and a historical moment for the football club. Victory in the competition is not our main goal. We are inferior to Leicester in everything, but we will do our best to make Leicester benefit from this friendly. I hope that Thai football fans will turn out in large numbers to witness the match and create a good vibe in the Thai football industry. We also want to show that PAT Stadium is one of the most loved areas in Thailand.”
However, in a sudden turn of events, both teams’ Facebook pages later deleted their posts about the match. Leicester City remained silent on the matter, while Thai Port FC urged fans to “wait for a surprise!”
After a few hours of uncertainty, Nuanphan attempted to clarify the situation. She revealed that the friendly match was currently on hold due to a licensing issue that caused confusion. Despite the setback, she assured fans that the match had not been completely canceled, leaving football enthusiasts in the capital holding their breath in anticipation of further updates and hoping for some good news.
