Park Hang-seo, the 67-year-old manager of Thai second-division club Kanchanaburi Power, reportedly got into a heated exchange with a spectator after hearing racist remarks following a match on November 1 local time, according to Thai media outlet Vietnam and others.
Kanchanaburi Power had drawn 2-2 with Pattaya United in Chonburi, Thailand. As Park was leaving the stadium afterward, footage posted on social media reportedly shows an individual believed to be a fan of the opposing team repeatedly directing racist remarks at him, including the term "kimchi man," an insult used against Koreans. The same fan reportedly also made racially derogatory comments about John Baggio, a forward for Kanchanaburi Power.
Park initially tried to stop the fan by putting a finger to his lips, but when the provocation continued, he mimed throwing a punch and gestured toward the stands. Club officials and players then intervened and took him to the locker room. Local media reports said the fan who made the racist remarks was a foreigner.
Kanchanaburi Power issued a statement afterward. "We want to join the movement against racism," the club said, "because soccer is a sport that brings people around the world together." The statement continued: "Whoever you are, wherever you come from, and whatever your skin color, every person is valuable and deserves respect. We stand against racism. Let us respect one another, without discrimination or division. Soccer must be a place for friendship, solidarity, and equality."
This is not the first time Park has been caught up in a racism controversy in Thai soccer. In 2019, while managing the Vietnam national team, a Thai national team coach sparked controversy by making a gesture that appeared to mock Park's physical features. The Vietnam Football Federation filed a complaint about the incident with the Asian Football Confederation, and the Football Association of Thailand referred the coach to its disciplinary committee before dismissing him.
