1996–97 Thailand Soccer League

Between 1916 and 1995, the Kor Royal Cup was the top level of club football competition. In 1996 the Thai Premier League (official name: Johnnie Walker Thailand Soccer League) was established by the Football Association of Thailand, sponsored by whiskey manufacturing brand Johnnie Walker.

In its first season, 1996/97, the Thai Premier League consisted of 18 teams from the Kor Royal Cup. Top 4 teams in the final league table would be qualified for championship playoffs, and six teams at the bottom of the league table would be relegated to the Thailand Division 1 League which was to be created next season (1997).

The defending Champions of the Kor Royal Cup, Thai Farmers Bank FC, would enter the next edition of the Asian Club Championship.

Member clubs locations

 * Bangkok Bank
 * Bangkok Bank of Commerce
 * Krung Thai Bank
 * Osotsapa M-150
 * Port Authority of Thailand
 * UCOM Raj Pracha
 * Rajvithi-Agfatech
 * Royal Thai Air Force
 * Royal Thai Army
 * Royal Thai Navy
 * Royal Thai Police
 * Singha Tero Sasana
 * Singha-Thamrongthai
 * Sinthana
 * Stock Exchange of Thailand
 * Thai Farmers Bank
 * Thailand Tobacco Monopoly
 * TOT

Championship playoff
Top 4 of the league (Thai Farmers Bank, TOT, Bangkok Bank, Stock Exchange of Thailand) qualified for championship playoff.

Semifinals
February 23, 1997

Final
March 16, 1997

† Champions : Bangkok Bank (Qualification for the Asian Club Championship).

Season notes

 * The league will be reduced in size to consist of only 12 teams for season 1997. The competing clubs will be: Bangkok Bank, Stock Exchange of Thailand, Thai Farmers Bank FC, TOT, Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Air Force, Sinthana, UCOM-Rajpracha, Royal Thai Navy, Port Authority BEC Tero Sasana and Royal Thai Police.
 * Another six teams, who failed to make it into the top 12 elite, Thailand Tobacco Monopoly, Osotsapa, Bangkok Bank of Commerce, Raj Vithi, Krung Thai Bank and Thamrongthai will join the top four teams from the old second division - Rayong, Samut Prakan, Royal Household Bureau and Bank for Agriculture and Co-Operatives - to make up a new second tier. It was also confirmed that there will be no play-offs for the championship this year and just one team will go either down to the Second Division and up to the first. However, the second bottom team in the top division will have to face. The second placed team in the second division to decide who takes up a place in the top 12 next year.

Asian Representation

 * Thai Farmers Bank represented Thailand in the 1996–97 Asian Club Championship, where they would reach the second round, where they were beaten by eventual winners Pohang Steelers of South Korea.

Coach of the Year

 * 🇹🇭 Withaya Laohakul - Bangkok Bank

Player of the Year

 * 🇹🇭 Amporn Amparnsuwan - TOT

Top scorer

 * 🇹🇭 Amporn Amparnsuwan - 21 Goals TOT

Champions
The league champion was Bangkok Bank. It was the team's first title.