Park Hang-seo, the coach of Thailand's Kanchanaburi Power FC in the second division, faced racist taunts from opposing fans, prompting the Thai Football Association to initiate an investigation.
According to reports from Southeast Asian media outlets such as Khao Sod and Vietnam's Tuoi Tre, the incident occurred on November 1 after a match against Pattaya United at the Nong Prue Stadium in Pattaya, as part of the 2026-2027 Thai League 2 season.
A man, believed to be a Pattaya fan, repeatedly shouted the derogatory term 'Kimchi Man' at Coach Park as he headed to the locker room after the game.
Initially, Park responded by placing his finger to his lips, signaling for silence. When the taunts continued, he raised his fist and shouted back, urging the crowd to come down, leading to a strong protest. Officials from both teams intervened to prevent any physical confrontation.
The spectator reportedly directed insulting remarks not only at Park but also at Kanchanaburi players. Khao Sod reported that midfielder John Baggio, originally from Madagascar, was mocked for his height. Baggio claimed that a male spectator called him a 'monkey' while hurling insults.
In response to the incident, Kanchanaburi FC issued a statement condemning the behavior. The club emphasized, 'Football is a sport that unites people worldwide. Everyone, regardless of their origin or skin color, deserves respect and equality.'
On November 2, the Thai Football Association (FAT) announced on its official website that President Nualphan Lamsam had instructed the tournament operations team to gather information and review the matter.
The association stated, 'We firmly oppose all forms of racial and ethnic discrimination in football, both inside and outside the stadium, as well as on social media, and we take this matter seriously.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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