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
Final league table
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.
Annual awards
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.