Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon is free to return to snooker after serving a lengthy ban for fixing six professional matches between 2013 and 2015.
Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon can return to playing snooker
A snooker player who was believed to be the target of a firebomb attack is free to return to the game after serving his match-fixing ban. Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon, who remains the youngest-ever player to score a 147 in professional competition at the age of 16 years and 312 days in 2010, found himself suspended nearly three years ago after admitting to fixing the outcome of six professional matches between 2013 and 2015.
The 31-year-old, who went by the nickname 'Thai-namite', co-operated with the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) at all stages during his investigation, and was given credit for doing so - initially being handed a reduced suspension from nine years to six. However, after serving more than the minimum of two years and nine months, the WPBSA confirmed to Express Sport that Tirapongpaiboon’s ban has now ended and he is free to return to playing competitively. However, it wasn't just for his snooker ban that Tirapongpaiboon caught headlines. In 2013, it is believed that the player's home in Rotherham was targeted in a premeditated arson attack, with one line of inquiry being that it was in connection with a match-fixing ring.
As per The Mail on Sunday, a home in the Brinsworth area was attacked on August 30 of that year. The property was owned by snooker academy boss, Keith Warren, and Tirapongpaiboon and compatriot Passakorn Suwannawat were staying in the accommodation.
The two players, who were both being investigated regarding suspicious betting patterns, were not in the house at the time of the attack as they had left for their home country days earlier. According to a spokesperson for the local fire brigade at the time: "The door area of the house was on fire and the rest of the property was smoke-logged."
Tirapongpaiboon made history at the 2010 Russelsheim Open with his maximum and was once ranked as high as 67th in the world. But the Thai player has not competed professionally since December 2015.
Tirapongpaiboon's ban has now ended
In 2022, the star took part in the inaugural edition of the Q School Asia and Oceana, reaching the semi-finals. While he was eligible to receive a two-year tour card for doing so, the WPBSA and World Snooker Tour declined to offer him one due to "serious disciplinary matters from when Thanawat was previously a professional player in 2015."
And later that year, the WPBSA announced that they were charging him with match fixing. Speaking on the decision at the time, chairman Jason Ferguson said: "This case shows that if a player chooses to fix a match they will be caught, no matter how long after the event.
"Thanawat has shown true remorse and wants to help ensure that other players do not make the mistakes that he did as a young player by assisting the WPBSA in its player education programme. This has been reflected in the sanction." As well as being suspended retrospectively from June 15, 2022 until March 14 of this year, he was ordered to pay £1,925 in costs.
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