Datsakorn Thonglao

Datsakorn Thonglao
Personal information
Full name	Datsakorn Thonglao
Date of birth	30 December 1983 (age 40)
Place of birth	Nong Bua Lamphu, Thailand
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Youth career
1995–1997	Wat Saket School
1998	Patumkongka School
1999	Rajdamnern Commercial College
Senior career*
Years	Team
1999	Rajpracha
2000–2006	BEC Tero Sasana
2001–2002	→ 1. FC Kaiserslautern II (loan)
2007–2009	Hoàng Anh Gia Lai
2010–2018	Muangthong United
2017	→ BEC Tero Sasana (loan)
2018	→ Udon Thani (loan)
2019	Simork
2019	Chonburi
2020–2021	Ayutthaya United
2021–2022	Uthai Thani
2022–2023	Kanchanaburi City
Total
International career
2001	Thailand U19
2001–2005	Thailand U23
2010	Thailand U23 (wildcard)
2001–2017	Thailand
Managerial career
2024–	Muangthong United (youth)
Medal record
Thailand under-23
Sea Games
Thailand
Asean Football Championship
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Datsakorn Thonglao (Thai: ดัสกร ทองเหลา, RTGS: Datsakon Thonglao, pronounced [dàt.sā.kɔ̄ːn tʰɔ̄ːŋ.lǎw], born 30 December 1983), simply known as Go (Thai: โก้, RTGS: Ko, pronounced [kôː]) is a Thai former^[1] footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder. He was known for his deadly free kicks and set-pieces.^[2]

Club career

Datsakorn spent his youth career with Rajpracha between 1998–1999 and made his first senior appearance during 1999–2000 season with the club.

BEC Tero Sasana

The young midfielder joined a Thai Premier League club, BEC Tero Sasana in a 2001-2002 season and eventually won the league title with the club at the end of the season. It was his first senior silverware.

After a successful season with BEC Tero Sasana, Datsakorn was given a chance to play for 1. FC Kaiserslautern on a season loan deal. The Bundesliga club also expressed their interest in permanently signing him. However, it was reported that Datsakorn refused to extend his contract with them as he was homesick.

Datsakorn returned to BEC Tero Sasana for the 2002-2003 season and led the team to the AFC Champions League final but lost to Al Ain FC of the UAE 1-2 on aggregate. The same season, his team became the runners-up in another 3 competitions: the ASEAN Club Championship, the Kor Royal Cup and the Thai Premier League.

Hoàng Anh Gia Lai

In 2007, the Thai playmaker went to Vietnam to join Hoàng Anh Gia Lai. He later became one of the Vietnamese supporters' favorites in his two years there, although he didn't win any silverware.

Muangthong United

In 2010, Thai Premier League champion Muangthong United signed Datsakorn for a reported fee of $200,000 (6.6 million baht as of 2010 exchange rate).^[3] It was speculated that, due to the deal, he became the highest paid Thai footballer at the time. He led Muangthong to win the 2009 Thai Premier League and became one of their key members. He won in 2010, 2012 and 2016.

International career

Datsakorn taking a corner kick against Oman in 2011

Datsakorn made his debut for the Thailand national team in 2001. He was first called up for the U-19 and U-23 squads for a short period and became a regular member of the senior squad soon afterwards. Datsakorn played for Thailand from 2001 to 2014, making 98 official appearances and scoring 11 goals.

He was criticized in his early years with the national team for his violent behavior, which led him to several sending-offs.

In 2007, he played again and scored two goals in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Macau. This was not the only goal that he scored in the qualifiers. The other came in a 1-1 draw against Bahrain.

He won the T&T Cup with Thailand in 2008.

In the second round of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification, Datsakorn scored 2 goals for Thailand in a 2-2 draw against Palestine.

He was one of Thailand's key players in the 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup. Despite suffering a groin injury, he played until the end of the tournament.

In October 2017, he made his 100th appearance for Thailand in a match against Kenya.^[4]

International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	November 10, 2003	Tashkent, Uzbekistan	Hong Kong	1-2	Lost	2004 Asian Cup Qualification
2.	November 17, 2003	Bangkok, Thailand	Hong Kong	4-0	Won	2004 Asian Cup Qualification
3.	February 16, 2003	Bangkok, Thailand	North Korea	2-2	Draw	2003 King's Cup
4.	January 24, 2007	Hanoi, Vietnam	Vietnam	2-0	Won	2007 ASEAN Football Championship
5.	October 8, 2007	Bangkok, Thailand	Macau	6-1	Won	2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
6.	October 15, 2007	Macau, Macau	Macau	7-1	Won	2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
7.	June 7, 2008	Riffa, Bahrain	Bahrain	1-1	Draw	2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
8.	July 28, 2011	West Bank, Palestine	Palestine	1-1	Draw	2014 FIFA World Cup Qualification
9.	July 28, 2011	West Bank, Palestine	Palestine	2-2	Draw	2014 FIFA World Cup Qualification
10.	February 24, 2012	Chiangmai, Thailand	Maldives	3-0	Won	Friendly Match
11.	January 26, 2013	Chiangmai, Thailand	North Korea	2-2	Draw	2013 King's Cup
Correct as of 13 January 2017^[5]