Thai League 1

Thai League 1 is the top professional football division of Thailand. Founded in 1996 as the Thailand Premier League, it was rebranded as Thai League 1 in 2017. It has rapidly grown into one of Asia’s most competitive and well-supported leagues, featuring clubs with strong finances, modern stadiums, and a passionate fan culture.

History and facts

Thai League 1 started in 1996 with a small number of clubs and limited professional structure. Over the years, Thailand invested heavily in football modernization, bringing the league up to AFC standards.

Famous clubs like Buriram United, Muangthong United, and BG Pathum United have gained regional success, participating frequently in the AFC Champions League.

Buriram United is one of the most dominant teams in the modern era, winning multiple league titles and investing heavily in youth development and infrastructure.

League system

Thai League 1 features 16 clubs. The bottom three clubs are relegated to Thai League 2. Promotion from T2 follows a playoff + automatic qualification structure.

Table 1. Thai football league pyramid

League	Tier
Thai League 1	1
Thai League 2	2
Thai League 3 (Regional)	3
Thailand Amateur League	4

Below the 4th tier are local and provincial amateur competitions.

Stats

Teams with most Thai League 1 titles

Table 2. Most Thai League 1 titles

Club	Titles
Buriram United	8
Muangthong United	4
BG Pathum United	1
Port FC	1

Buriram United is the most successful club of the modern era.

Teams with most top-division participation

Table 3. Clubs with most seasons in the Thai top division

Club	Seasons
Buriram United	20+
Muangthong United	15+
Chonburi FC	15+
Bangkok United	12+
Port FC	10+

Chonburi FC is one of the longest-standing clubs in the competition.

Audience

Stadium capacities

Table 4. Major stadiums in Thai League 1

Team	Stadium	Capacity
Buriram United	Chang Arena	32,600
Muangthong United	Thunder Dome Stadium	15,000
BG Pathum United	BG Stadium	10,114
Chonburi FC	Chonburi Stadium	8,680
Port FC	Pat Stadium	8,000

Players

Famous players in Thai League history

• Teerasil Dangda
• Chanathip Songkrasin
• Theerathon Bunmathan
• Kroekrit Thaweekarn
• Suchao Nutnum
• Mario Gjurovski
• Diogo Luís Santo
• Jay Bothroyd

Thai League 1 timeline

1996 Thailand Premier League is founded as the first professional domestic competition.

2009 Muangthong United begins rise to dominance.

2011 Buriram United emerges as a powerhouse.

2017 League rebrands to Thai League 1.

2022 Chanathip becomes Thailand’s most successful export after joining Kawasaki Frontale.

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_League_1
https://www.rsssf.org
https://www.the-afc.com