Former Thailand national football coach Kiatisuk receives award from monarchy

The award ceremony was held on Dec. 5, Thai Father’s Day. This is an award to honor outstanding fathers who have a kind heart and are role models for their children.

As Kiatisuk was busy with his job as the head coach at V. League club HAGL, he was unable to return to Thailand to receive the award.

“The ‘National Exemplary Father’ is an award that I never thought I would have the honor to receive. Because of my job in Vietnam, I was unable to return to Thailand. This award will forever be my pride,” Kiatisuk wrote on Instagram.

The 50-year-old coach also received many wishes from his assistants, players and fans on Thai Father’s Day.

Kiatisuk and his wife Asarapa got married in 2022 after having three daughters together.

During his 18-year career as a striker, Kiatisuk scored 251 goals in 339 appearances. He used to play for HAGL from 2002 to 2006, helping the Central Highlands club be promoted to V. League 1, then winning the title in 2003 and 2004. In 2006, he coached and played for the club at the same time and retired at the end of the season.

In 2010, he returned to coach HAGL but failed to achieve good results. After, Kiatisuk returned to Thailand to coach local clubs like Chula United and Bangkok United, then managed the Thai national team from 2013 to 2017, helping them advance to the final round of 2018 World Cup qualifiers and winning the 2016 AFF Cup, before resigning due to disagreement with the Football Association of Thailand.

At the end of 2020, Kiatisuk was appointed as the head coach of HAGL. Currently, he’s residing with his wife in Vietnam. The couple often return to Thailand to visit their family or to England to visit their two daughters who are studying there.

HAGL are at the bottom of V. League this season, having won only two points after four matches.