Leicester City players fly out to Thailand for owner's funeral after win: ‘We did it for him and his family’

Leicester City players applaud the fans following the team's 1-0 win against Cardiff
AFP/Getty Images
Patrick Grafton-Green3 November 2018

Leicester City players were flying to Thailand for club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s funeral after winning at Cardiff City “for him and his family”.

The squad and staff boarded a plane shortly after the team’s 1-0 win on Saturday afternoon following a devastating week for the club.

They will make the 12,000-mile round trip and are expected to be in Thailand for 36 hours to pay their respects at the temple where Mr Vichai's body lays in rest.

After Saturday’s game, before which there was by an emotional minute’s silence, Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel told the BBC: "I’m so proud of how everyone played today, how professional everyone was.

“It was always going to be an emotional day but I’m glad we got three points for him.

"I think you come across in your life very few people who impact you. He had a really big impact on my life. You can see from the reaction from everybody that he had an impact on so many lives. He’s a man we are am immensely proud to have known.

Kasper Schmeichel and Jamie Vardy react after the match against Cardiff
Getty Images

"I can't imagine what his family are going through, we wanted to do it for him and his family.

“We are glad we've come away today from a really tough game with a win we can bring to Thailand and we hope we did the family proud."

In pictures - English football pays tribute to Leicester crash victims

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Schmeichel confirmed the players would be flying to Thailand immediately after the game ended.

Speaking to Gary Linekar for Match of the Day, he added: “His family have been strong, the courage they have had.

“I feel just an overwhelming sense of pride that Vichai built and the family of Leicester City."

Leicester City won the Premier League under Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha
Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Leicester manager Claude Puel told to Sky Sports after the game: “It is a family and I think Vichai with his warmth, it is a mission to keep [things] this way and put in place a project that we must try to continue.

“When we saw the flowers in front of the stadium - it is a family and the feeling that our chairman gave this club.”

Mr Vichai was among five people who died in the helicopter crash outside the King Power Stadium last weekend. Nursara Suknamai, Kaveporn Punpare, Eric Swaffer and Izabela Roza Lechowicz were also on board.

Funeral of Leicester City owner in Bangkok

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An elaborate funeral has already begun for the Thai billionaire at a temple in Bangkok, with guests including top government officials, businessmen and other public figures.

The first ceremony began on Saturday, with other ceremonies scheduled until November 9.

The chanting of monks, amplified by loud speakers, could be heard resonating around the temple's grounds.

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