How convenient to have an ankle injury just before he was due to travel to Singapore.
Ben Davis not in Thailand squad for Asean C’ship match in Singapore
Thailand's Ben Davis (No. 17) after scoring in a 5-0 win over Singapore at the Hanoi SEA Games on May 9, 2022.PHOTO: FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF THAILAND
Dec 16, 2024
SINGAPORE – Thailand footballer Ben Davis, who defaulted on his national service (NS) obligations in Singapore, has not travelled to the Republic for their Asean Championship clash with the Lions on Dec 17.
The 24-year-old suffered an ankle injury in the Thais’ 10-0 win over Timor-Leste on Dec 8, and has reportedly been told to rest for two weeks, effectively ruling him out of the rest of Thailand’s Group A campaign.
He was also not in the match-day squad when Thailand beat Malaysia 1-0 on Dec 14.
Asked for an update on Davis during a pre-match press conference at the National Stadium on Dec 16, Thailand coach Masatada Ishii said through an interpreter: “There are some small issues with (some) players in the team, but I don’t want to get into deeper details about which player is available or not.”
Singapore, who are second in Group A, behind defending champions Thailand on goal difference, host the War Elephants on Dec 17 at the National Stadium, where the winner will seal their spot in the semi-finals.
Davis scored a brace against Timor-Leste before being substituted in the 42nd minute with the ankle injury. Thai publication Bangkok Post reported that he had an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan and has been advised to rest for two weeks.
Earlier, he had seemed set for a potential showdown with the Lions and the Singapore authorities after being called up to the Thais’ 26-man squad.
When contacted previously, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson referred The Straits Times to its statement in February 2019, which said that Davis did not report for NS as required and had thus defaulted on his NS commitments. It added that he was staying overseas without a valid exit permit.
Offenders convicted of offences under the Enlistment Act can be jailed for up to three years and fined up to $10,000.
Born in Phuket to a Thai mother and an English father, Davis moved to Singapore with his family when he was five before becoming a citizen four years later. He had also represented Singapore at the youth level.